Specific path of audio information, the channel, provided in a surround sound audio system to drive speakers situated on the sides or rear of a room primarily providing ambience and atmosphere. There are two surround channels, left and right. In 5.1 digital surround sound systems, each of the surround channels is fully discrete (completely independent) and full range (capable of sound throughout the range of audibility from 20 Hz to 20 kHz). Matrix surround sound formats, those that derive surround sound information by decoding it from two stereo channels, provide a single mono surround channel with limited bandwidth (100 Hz to 7 kHz only). urround channels are used primarily with movies and television shows to provide a feeling of depth and ambience. Information in the surround channel is generally meant to provide a sense of space and “you are there” reality. Particularly with digital surround sound formats, the surround channels can be used increasingly for more than mere ambience such as dialogue behind the audience, gunfire from the side of a room, etc. ost speakers used for surround sound are either dipolar or bipolar in nature to provide a diffuse sound field in which the individual surround sound speakers are not easily localized by the ear. Surround channels have traditionally been less critical than their front left, center and right channel counterparts resulting in surround speakers having less power and sometimes less quality. However, for a truly enveloping and high quality experience (especially with digital surround sound formats such as Dolby Digital and DTS), surround sound speakers should be powered equally with the other channels and the speakers should be of similar quality and sound.