An Audio Engineering Society gathering is not your typical consumer electronics or audiophile trade show, and the differences were obvious at the 109th AES Convention held from September 22-25 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The lofty emphasis on theory, research, and the science of audio permeates the event, and the presentation of technical papers, workshops, and panel discussions remain the raison d'etre of the Convention. Manufacturers exhibit and demo products, but their primary focus is on professional studio gear and applications rather than home A/V equipment.

Nevertheless, because so much of this technology shapesand is shaped bythe consumer A/V experience, your plucky SMR Home Theater correspondent donned a pocket protector and spent two days covering this year's AES Convention, exploring areas of common interest.

Multichannel Comes of Age

This year's theme"Surrounded by Sound"was a particularly relevant topic for home A/V enthusiasts, who are currently at the forefront of the transition to multichannel sound. Led by the movie industry, the consumer A/V industry has leapfrogged much of the traditional pro audio world in multichannel playback implementation and deployment. Assimilating and building on this emerging technology, and understanding its differences and repercussions for traditional audio engineering, were the goals of the 109th AES Convention.

The Los Angeles Convention Center lobby.

Los Angeles Convention Center west entrance.

Vergence Technology - Jack Hidley, A-20 loudspeakers, C-20 center loudspeaker and B-20 subwoofer.