Abstract: A sound reproduction system comprises a plurality of loudspeakers (S1, S2) spaced from a listener at a location (M1, M2), and a loudspeaker drive means (H) for driving the loudspeakers (S1, S2) in response to a plurality of channels of a sound recording (x) of the type being suitable for playing normally through a plurality of reference speakers that are optimally positioned at locations that are displaced from the actual positions of the loudspeakers (S1, S2). The loudspeaker drive includes a filter (H), having a filter characteristic selected by minimising the difference between a desired sound field that would be created by playing the unfiltered sound recording (x) through the reference speakers and sound field reproduced at the listener location (M1, M2) by playing the recording through the speakers (S1, S2).

Abstract: A method of recording sound for reproduction by a plurality of loudspeakers, or for processing sound for reproduction by a plurality of loudspeakers, is described in which some of the reproduced sound appears to a listener to emmanate from a virtual source which is spaced from the loudspeakers. A filter means (H) is used either in creating the recording, or in processing the recorded signals for supply to loudspeakers, the filter means (H) being created in a filter design step in which: a) a technique is employed to minimise error between the signals (w) reproduced at the intended position of a listener on playing the recording through the loudspeakers, and desired signals (d) at the intended position, wherein: b) said desired signals (d) to be produced at the listener are defined by signals (or an estimate of the signals) that would be produced at the ears of (or in the region of) the listener in said intended position by an source at the desired position of the virtual source.