Creating an Immersive Audio Experience in Live Sports

Moderator:
Peter Wharton, Happy Robotz - Washington D.C., USA; SMPTE
Panelists:
Mike Babbitt, Dolby Laboratories - San Francisco, CA, USA
Dennis Baxter, Dennis Baxter Sound - Gainesville, GA, USA
Karl Malone, NBC Universal - Stamford, CT, USA
Patrick Warrington, Lawo AG - Germany

Immersive audio is being used today in live sports broadcasts to create a more compelling experience for the viewer. Creating this immersive experience presents a number of creative and technical challenges and questions. What is the perspective of the listener – is it one as an observer, a participant, or a mix of both? How does one leverage height in a mix when there are no obvious sound cues from above? Is a multi-bus mix console sufficient for mixing immersive audio? What new skills must an A1 master with immersive audio? How do you mix for a the wide range of listening environments including immersive, 5.1, stereo, soundbars and headphones?

Consumers are also looking for a more personalized experience, one where they can choose their perspective and modify the mix accordingly. Can this be accomplished while maintaining control over the quality of the listener’s experience?

These presentations and panel discussion will look at how immersive audio is being implemented today and the techniques and best practices for production that have been developed from micing and mixing through monitoring and distribution. Case studies from a number of live sports events will be used to illustrate the concepts including Olympics, NHRA and FIFA World Cup .