Surround On The Go

One of the drawbacks of the new DualDiscs released by the major labels to date is a lack of consistency when it comes to portability—the ability to easily transfer the music to any device the listener prefers, such as an iPod, media server, PC, or MP3 player, or to make a back-up CD for car use.

Silverline Records, a division of 5.1 Entertainment Group, has taken a different approach, and decided to include iPod/iTunes-compatible AAC files and PC/Windows Media–compatible WMA files on the DVD side of the two-sided discs.

But there's a small catch—or benefit, depending on how you plan to use them. These files are the result of a collaboration officially announced last week with Dolby Laboratories to integrate Dolby Headphone technology into the DualDisc format, so they are optimized for headphone use. Silverline claims that they are releasing "the first multichannel music discs to provide consumers with a pre-encoded personal surround-sound experience, which is ideal for listeners on the move."

Silverline says it will release over 200 DualDiscs with Dolby Headphone–encoded music, starting with an album by Robert Cray, which the company had previously announced for November 2, 2004 release. The company adds, "Dolby Headphone tracks encoded on these discs enable listeners to enjoy dramatic effects of multichannel music soundtracks through any set of headphones."

Silverline's Jeff Dean notes, "We believe that DualDisc is a compelling music configuration, and by collaborating with Dolby, we will be able to offer the ultimate listening experience on popular portable devices, such as the Apple iPod, in surround sound."

A Dolby press release states that listeners can experience Dolby Headphone technology via pre-encoded tracks—as with the Silverline DualDiscs—or via any set of headphones connected to specified Dolby Headphone hardware devices. "With Dolby Headphone, virtual surround-sound listening is 'out of head' and feels open and pleasant, minus the fatigue that occurs when listening to a whole album through headphones," says the company.

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