Not so many years ago, surround and 3D sound were an issue which was rather relating to some future that seriously lacked any trace of certain existence and such technology was barely present in the intuition of sound technicians. Today having one or even more surround sound systems in your home is something so common that not having one may seem weird. These days, surround is beginning to change as ideas have started to revolve around a new type of surround: the vertical-axis surround.

This problem isn't such a new one, though: already the 7.1 channel systems and software administering as the above/below center satellite positioning options offer a kind of sound vertical arraying. As this is obviously not enough, the problem has passed on to the professionals. The Audio Engineering Society (AES) is one of Britain's most serious authorities as far as sound and its engineering are concerned.

Between April 11th and 12th, New Hall, Cambridge will house an extremely interesting and future-oriented conference entitled �Illusion In Sound � the applications of psychoacoustics to audio�. Attendants could be, as stated by the AES, people interested in �surround and spatial audio in the broadcasting, professional or consumer electronics industries or the academic world; from gaming to movies, radio and TV, to rock or classical recording, sound reinforcement, or the design of consumer entertainment replay and production systems.�

Almost 20 papers will develop discussions on themes relating to the use of understanding ear-brain activity and in-depth behavior such as to provide with more immersive and real sound effects. Papers will treat on subjects like �The role of psychoacoustics in consumer and sound reinforcement audio system and loudspeaker design�, �An overview of the latest developments in spatial recording and reproduction �, �Dramatic new techniques for realizing full with-height surround�, �A comparison of radical approaches to creating surround recordings� or �An overview of audio in the electronic games industry�.

As you see, this AES 22nd conference in the UK is one thing you wouldn't want to miss if you're a pro or academic and work on either surround tech or sound design and/or capturing. The fee for attendants is 348 GBP + VAT while AES members will pay only 298 + VAT and this money include lunch, refreshments and Wednesday evening's dinner, while accommodation at very reasonable prices is to be found on-site. For any more info, please relate to the AES website or the PDF flyer here.