WOW. This is one of the most visited pages on my weblog. I love that: obviously there are many people enjoying (or interested in) surround ambient. Good thing!
I’d love to read your comment: did you enjoy the mixes? Or perhaps not? If not, why?
Please use the comment section below to let me know if making the surround versions of the mixes is worth the effort.
Most music is created and optimized for stereo listening pleasure, and often does not sound really well in surround unless it was specifically created for that purpose.
But immersive music like ambient soundscapes can benefit greatly when it can be enjoyed in full surround.
In recent years I have re-edited most of the Ambientblog Mixes to full DTS 5.1 surround versions for my own enjoyment (I’m a true sucker for surround ambient!!).
So why not share them with you to enjoy them too? (*)
All files are DTS.WAV format – please read the note below before downloading and playing them!
(Some archives also contain a WMA-surround version)
Click image for playlist details. Click the title to download the file.
If you experience download errors with these files, please use the alternative download location.
LOCKDOWN (April 2020)
(867Mb) [Alternative location]
WINTER SOLSTICE: Music for the end of the longest night (December 2019)
(1.6GB) [Alternative location]
The original mix is split into 2 parts so they can be burned to CD-R when needed (check notes)
RADICAL CANDOR (July 2019)
(852Mb) [Alternative location]
DELUSIONAL (January 2019)
(877Mb) [Alternative location]
NO STARS (March 2018)
(716Mb) [Alternative location]
MIND AWAKE, BODY ASLEEP (May 2017)
(580Mb) [Alternative location]
PERCEPTION MANAGEMENT (December 2016)
(563MB) [Alternative location]
SOLACE (July 2016)
(576MB) [Alternative location]
SECRET 41 (April 2016)
(580MB) [Alternative location]
ROPE TO THE SKY (Anniversary Mix) (October 2015)
(1.3GB) [Alternative location]
The original mix is split into 3 parts so they can be burned to CD-R when needed (check notes)
ENTROPIC (July 2015)
(534MB) [Alternative location]
GHOST ROAD STROLL (April 2015)
(532MB) [Alternative location]
JAM KARET (ELASTIC TIME) (February 2015)
(591MB) [Alternative location]
SIREN SONG (December 2014)
(552MB) [Alternative location]
SYNAPTIC RESEARCH (April 2014)
(552MB) [Alternative location]
INCIDENTAL MEMORIES (January 2014)
(554MB) [Alternative location]
TRISTESSE D’AUTOMNE (October 2013)
(542MB) [Alternative location]
PARALLAX (June 2013)
(544MB) [Alternative location]
RUST (March 2013)
(555MB) [Alternative location]
BROKEN LINES (January 2013)
(547MB) [Alternative location]
GATHERING CLOUDS (September 2012)
(541MB) [Alternative location]
FLOWERS AND BONES (June 2012)
(524MB) [Alternative location]
SOLARIS MINDSET (March 2012)
(546MB) [Alternative location]
STILLNESS (January 2012)
(535MB) [Alternative location]
NOVEMBER THOUGHTS (November 2011)
(553MB) [Alternative location]
TELOORGANG (DECAY AND LOSS) (September 2011)
(553MB) [Alternative location]
DISCOURAGING INTRUDERS (June 2011)
(529MB) [Alternative location]
AMNESIA (April 2011)
(529MB) [Alternative location]
FOVEA HEX: NEITHER SPEAK NOR REMAIN SILENT (January 2011)
(549MB) [Alternative location]
DAWN SECRETS (January 2011)
(540MB) [Alternative location]
SECRET CHORDS & APPARITIONS (December 2010)
(546MB) [Alternative location]
INVISIBLE INK (September 2010)
(552MB) [Alternative location]
FRANS FRIEDERICH: [R]ECYCLOPEDIA [R]EMIX (March 2010)
(537MB) [Alternative location]
MISERERE (January 2010)
(556MB) [Alternative location]
UTSURA UTSURA (December 2009)
(501MB) [Alternative location]
THE HUM IN THE ROOM (October 2009)
(545MB) [Alternative location]
ACOUSTICAL ILLUSIONS (September 2009)
(536MB) [Alternative location]
MANTRA OF WALLS AND WIRING (July 2009)
(548MB) [Alternative location]
Important note on using these files:
All these surround files are DTS.WAVS.
You need a surround sound decoder (multichannel setup) to play them.
If you play them on a regular (stereo) system you may only hear a loud (and I mean LOUD) noise that might damage your speakers.
Most home cinema sets include DVD-players capable of playing DTS surround sound files directly from CD/DVD.
This means the easiest way of using these files is:
- download the file and unzip it
- Burn the extracted WAV file to disc, exactly the same way you burn any audio disc.
Note: this does not need to be a DVD: audio CD will do fine.
Depending on your system, it’s advisable to use the lowest burning speed to prevent writing errors - Play the CD on your home cinema/surround sound system. Most systems will automatically recognise the signal and switch to DTS surround settings.
Make sure the sound level is low when starting the CD: if you hear a loud white noise the system does not recognise the DTS signal. - If you hear the mix as expected, turn up the output level for the maximum result!
- Enjoy (and let please leave a comment below)
Software Media Players:
VLC Media Player can decode and play DTS-surround files on your computer. Of course you also need a surround (5.1) speaker system to enjoy the full surround sound.
If you play a surround mix on a set with 2 channels, the sound of the back speakers may disappear and so the mix is unbalanced. So if you’re listening with a two-speaker setup, simply listen to the stereo version!
Streaming directly:
Some streaming devices may also be capable of streaming the DTS-WAV’s directly and delivering the signal to your audio system (that does the final decoding to surround). If you’re lucky enough to have one of these, you don’t need to burn the CD, you can simply stream the WAV file to the surround receiver.
From my own experience, I know the Logitech Squeezebox (Touch) flawlessly does this – but for reasons beyond my comprehension, Logitech has discontinued this terrific audio streamer so it is no longer available.
I assume that any streaming device that can stream uncompressed WAV and is connected using a digital link might be capable of streaming these DTS files, but I’d like to know.
If you have a device capable of streaming these DTS WAV’s, I’m interested to hear know which one that is.
It may be of interest for other visitors too – so please leave a comment below. (Any info on SONOS perhaps?)
(*)
Well, to be honest: one of the reasons I hesitated to put them online was the amount of disk space it takes: to be able to store all surround versions I have made, I have to double the webspace – and so double the cost of hosting.
This website is (and stays) ad-free and generates no money… So unnecessary to say that any donation to help pay for the web hosting is greatly appreciated!
(Donations are handled securely by PayPal)
What a remarkable job you’ve done. I’ve remixed some of your dts files into QS so I can play them in the car or on a portable device with headphones. The nice thing with QS is the phase shifting that system uses tricks the brain into thinking sounds are coming from 360 degrees.
wish your Winter Solstice was available for Christmas – what a welcome way to escape from the madness of the day that would be.
what is the legality of broadcasting your mixes (clearances, rights, etc)
also – i’d be happy to host some of your mixes on my sites if that helps in anyway.
all the best
Bill
Hi Bill.
I am not familiar with the QS format and would like to know more about that. I’ll email you about this (would take too much words here). Keep an eye on this page in the days before Christmas: Winter Solstice is the last part of an 8-hour ambient radio broadcast on Concertzender Nederland on December 21-22 (23:00 – 07:00), and it will be published here after the radio show – so it will probably be available on Christmas.
Ambient Blog is literally one of the best Surround Sound communities around. I visit it everyday and I am grateful to have found surroundsoundreviewers.com. They helped me find a great system for my home and I really hope this helps others. Information is power LOL.
Thanks for your nice words. But I don’t think that Ambientblog is a ‘surround sound community’, it just hosts a bunch of surround sound ambient mixes. Maybe it isn’t even an ambient community since there is hardly any discussion or reaction for that matter. It’s just an ambient blog that (quote Brian Eno) ‘is as ignoring as it is interesting’ 😉
Thank you so much for this… Please can anyone point me in the right direction for simple ambient surround sound mixes of real world things like… a Clockshop or just Forest Sounds?
The surround sound music on @Ambientblog’s site is just brilliant.
A real work out for my speakers and my ears 🙂
These are great, thank you!
I found your collection after much googling to explain this very concept to my fiancee.
I can play these directly on my PC by renaming them from .wav to .dts and my media player knows then to send it through the LAV splitter/decoder.
Thanks for your reaction. Renaming them to .dts may be a nice advice for other readers with a surround decoder attached.
Another 5.1 mix from Ambientblog’s Peter van Cooten to download, burn to DTS CD, and enjoy after working all weekend
There’s a 5.1 version of Hum in the Room? Wonderful.
I’m only just now discovering the wonderful 5.1 DTS mixes of all your podcasts – really nice work there… Keep it up!
Really excellent mix!!! DTS WAV possible in VLC media player…
True! Great if you also have a surround speaker setup!
Agree strongly with Stephen and look forward to exploring these mixes Peter. My favourite pleasure is immersing myself in good surround music. In the ambient vein, after Peter Namlook, Diatonis has the deepest ambient catalog mixed for surround. Both are highly recommended.
Advance notice Stephen that Jamie (from dreamSTATE) is currently remixing his URM albums in surround for release in the near future.
Very nice mixes. It’s a shame we don’t see more 5.1 mixes in the ambient world. I really believe that 5.1 surround was created just so ambient music could be presented properly. We live in a surround sound world, why aren’t more people making surround mixes? Get on it people 🙂