Sydney, Australia – DTS, Inc. (Nasdaq: DTSI), a pioneer in next generation ultra high-definition audio solutions and audio enhancement technologies, and Fairlight, a leader in audio and video post production solutions, today collaboratively announced the release of Fairlight’s new 3DAW, a 3D audio production platform with native MDA mixing and format support. Answering the industry’s demand for an open next-generation audio format, DTS worked with experts in the content creation community to create the MDA specification.
In January of this year, DTS publicly announced its intent to provide MDA to the industry as an open object-based audio authoring format, as the industry looks to avoid a format war for next-gen content creation and cinema delivery. Today, the standardization work continues to formalize the specification, while industry leaders such as Fairlight jump ahead of the curve by working with DTS to integrate MDA into their new 3DAW solution. The first of its kind, Fairlight’s 3DAW enables sound designers to truly mix object-based audio in unrestricted 3D space, monitor on any configuration, and output in DTS’ proposed future specification – MDA. Additionally, Fairlight’s 3DAW will feature the ability to mix soundtracks for DTS Neo:X, a channel-based audio solution designed to support up to an 11.1 speaker system.
“We are delighted to be working with DTS to equip our all new 3DAW production station with MDA authoring capability,” said Tino Fibaek, CTO at Fairlight. “Together, we can now offer studios a highly anticipated alternative to the closed proprietary object-based audio formats being proposed to date.”
The MDA specification is currently being proposed to international standardization committees as an alternative to todays closed proprietary solutions. MDA allows every sound element of a soundtrack to be mapped in 3D space, storing all of the spatial and behavioral information of each sound element as metadata. Mixing audio with MDA as opposed to other surround sound platforms allows a soundtrack to maintain the exact spatial characteristics of the audio as intended by the mixer. With overwhelming interest from the entertainment industry, MDA has already garnered support from major studios and networks, while content tool providers have begun developing new authoring solutions for the MDA format.
The new Fairlight 3DAW is available to the industry as a turnkey solution, based on Fairlight’s powerful Crystal Core Media processor and innovative software. It offers audio engineers with a ready-to-go, creative tool to design sound in both object-based or channel 3D mixing methods. The system provides on-screen 3D panning via a plugin, as well as extensive monitoring functions. 3DAW is able to generate a diverse range of mixes ranging from stereo, 5.1, 7.1, 9.1+2, DTS Neo:X™, as well as an object-based mix (MDA). A separate tablet control application allows for easy previewing and demonstration of audio output to verify and display the results of the creative process.
“We are extremely excited to be working with Fairlight on enabling their all new 3DAW workstations with MDA format support,” said Fred Kitson, CTO at DTS. “The industry has been clamoring for an open-platform for the creation of object-based audio to end the format wars, and MDA was created specifically to address this.”
For more information about DTS, please visit www.dts.com, or connect with DTS on Facebook and Twitter (@DTS_Inc).
About DTS, Inc.
DTS, Inc. (NASDAQ:DTSI) is dedicated to making digital entertainment exciting, engaging and effortless by providing state-of-the-art audio technology to more than a billion consumer electronics products worldwide. From a renowned legacy as a pioneer in high definition multi-channel audio, DTS became a mandatory audio format in the Blu-ray Disc™ standard and is now increasingly deployed in enabling digital delivery of compelling movies, music, games and other forms of digital entertainment to a growing array of network-connected consumer devices. With the acquisition of SRS Labs, DTS strengthens its position as a leader in providing end-to-end audio solutions to the rapidly growing network entertainment sector. DTS technology is in car audio systems, digital media players, DVD players, game consoles, home theaters, PCs, set-top boxes, smart phones, surround music content and every device capable of playing Blu-ray™ discs. Founded in 1993, DTS’ corporate headquarters are located in Calabasas, California with its licensing operations headquartered in Limerick, Ireland. DTS also has offices in Los Gatos and Santa Ana, California, Washington, China, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For further information, please visit www.dts.com. DTS, the Symbol, and DTS and the Symbol together, are registered trademarks of DTS, Inc. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. © 2013 DTS, Inc. All rights reserved.
About Fairlight:
Fairlight is a Sydney-Australia based, leading manufacturer of professional audio with video recording, editing and mixing systems, offering desktop, console and mouse based environments. The company is at the forefront of audio IP, having received numerous Scientific and Technical Academy Awards. Fairlight is pioneering 3D sound, 8K video resolution and customized control surfaces acknowledged by industry leaders as being the fastest and most ergonomic available. www.fairlight.com.au
