DTS Theater Sound Goes to 11
By Arlen Schweiger
DTS rocked CES with an 11-channel home cinema demonstration to introduce its Neo:X technology.

It’s fitting that DTS authored the high-res lossless soundtrack for This Is Spinal Tap when the cult classic arrived on Blu-ray, because the audio company has cranked its latest format up to 11.

There were plenty of rockin’ home theater demo at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), but none quite as unique as the one in DTS’ booth.



Forget 7.1- or even 9.1-channel surround sound - the DTS theater packed an 11.1-channel punch. Following in the footsteps of rival Dolby Laboratories’ ProLogic IIz technology that debuted in 2009, which adds “height” speakers above the front channels, DTS unveiled its “Neo:X” format in Las Vegas.

Really, More Speakers?
Surround sound in the standard 5.1-channel setup - front left, right and center channels, two side or rear channels, plus a subwoofer - really took off with the advent of DVD and later with receiver/speaker “home theater in a box” packages. As CE pros who have installed thousands of such systems over the years, home theater goers find traditional surround sound mighty enveloping - after all, some say audio is half of the home theater experience.

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