Ambience Recovery

[omega3]

It is worth trying. I had a setup with one rear speaker in the 1970s.
Trying different LPs was an adventure, because each recording process on each album gave varying results, some, particularly live performances, quite exciting, others, so-so.

Someone on the net has compiled a list of the best albums to try.

I have just bought that switching unit Dynaco QD-1 series IIL from a guy in Holland, which makes the setup easier to control. Haven't used it yet. My floorstanders are 4 ohm Dali Suite 2.8 and my pre/power amps are Primare, so I do not know about using say, a spare bookshelf JPW ML310 (8 Ohms) at rear. Anybody?

 

[JohnW]

And it is such delay (10-20 ms) that can make this scheme actually work.

Indeed, and is the very basis for Dolbys first surround Patent.....

 

[eternumviti]

I seem to remember the expression 'the out of phase' signal.

 

[darrenyeats]

Candles?

Ha!

 

[Werner]

The same sort of thinking gave rise to a much more elaborate scheme for extracting and enhancing stereo ambience from mono or stereo sources, in a non-synthetic, natural way: The K-Stereo mastering process.

http://www.digido.com/k-stereo.html

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7076071.html

There is a public, free VST plugin available:

http://dallashodgson.info/articles/OpenAmbienceProject/

 

[awkwardbydesign]

You don't need matched speakers for this to work. Bookshelf speakers up in the back corners worked for me. And using a big wirewound pot in the line you can set the level, like a subwoofer. I don't have any room behind my seating position these days, or I would set it up again.
I think it worked well on some recordings and not others, so a switch is advisable.