Understanding Channel Configurations

The Wwise pipeline supports multiple channel configurations at different levels depending on the source material, the output device, the bus settings, and so on. Different platforms also have different limitations.

	Downmixing
	To ensure optimal performance when dealing with different channel configurations, it is important to understand the Wwise approach to downmixing. For more information, refer to Appendix A, Downmixing Behavior.

Here are the different channel configurations found in Wwise with the channel names, suggested angles for the speakers, and ordering:

0.1 (mono)
Interface Element	Description
Low Frequency Effects (LFE)	N/A

1.0 (mono)
Interface Element	Description
Center (C)	0 degrees

2.0 (stereo)
Interface Element	Description
Left (L)	22-30 degrees
Right (R)	22-30 degrees

3.0
Interface Element	Description
Left (L)	22-30 degrees
Right (R)	22-30 degrees
Center (C)	0 degrees

4.0
Interface Element	Description
Left (L)	22-30 degrees
Right (R)	22-30 degrees
Surround Left (SL)	90-110 degrees
Surround Right (SR)	90-110 degrees

5.1
Interface Element	Description
Left (L)	22-30 degrees
Right (R)	22-30 degrees
Center (C)	0 degrees
Surround Left (SL)	90-110 degrees
Surround Right (SR)	90-110 degrees
Low Frequency Effects (LFE)	N/A

7.1
Interface Element	Description
Left (L)	22-30 degrees
Right (R)	22-30 degrees
Center (C)	0 degrees
Surround Left (SL)	90-110 degrees
Surround Right (SR)	90-110 degrees
Back Left (BL)	135-150 degrees
Back Right (BR)	135-150 degrees
Low Frequency Effects (LFE)	N/A

Wwise also supports extended standard channel configurations with "height" speakers. Below is a definition of all available channels, followed by a description of standard configurations available on busses.

Standard Configurations Extended with Height Channels
Interface Element	Description
Left (L)	22-30 degrees
Right (R)	22-30 degrees
Center (C)	0 degrees
Surround Left (SL)	90-110 degrees
Surround Right (SR)	90-110 degrees
Back Center (BC)	180 degrees
Back Left (BL)	135-150 degrees
Back Right (BR)	135-150 degrees
Top (T)	Straight above
Height Front Left (HFL)	Same as L, above horizon
Height Front Center (HFC)	Same as C, above horizon
Height Front Right (HFR)	Same as R, above horizon
Height Back Left (HBL)	Same as BL (or SL), above horizon
Height Back Center (HBC)	Same as BC, above horizon
Height Back Right (HBR)	Same as BR (or SR), above horizon
Low Frequency Effects (LFE)	N/A

Available Height-extended Bus Configurations

Dolby™ Bus Configurations

	Note
	Wwise-supported Dolby configurations include the addition of height channels to 5.1 surround and to 7.1 surround configurations. The resulting notation is a third digit indicating the number of height channels.

Dolby 5.1.2

L + R + C + SL + SR + HFL + HFR + LFE

Dolby 7.1.2

L + R + C + BL + BR + SL + SR + HFL + HFR + LFE

Dolby 7.1.4

L + R + C + BL + BR + SL + SR + HFL + HFR + HBL + HBR + LFE

Auro Bus Configurations

	Note
	Wwise-supported Auro configurations include the addition of height channels to 5.1 surround and to 7.1 surround configurations. The resulting notation increases the total number of channels - the first digit - ranging from 9.1 to 11.1 indicating the addition of 4 up to 6 height channels. Auro 13.1 is the addition of 6 height channels to a 7.1 surround configuration.

Auro 9.1

L + R + C + SL + SR + HFL + HFR + HBL + HBR + LFE

Auro 10.1

L + R + C + SL + SR + T + HFL + HFR + HBL + HBR + LFE

Auro 11.1

L + R + C + SL + SR + T + HFL + HFC + HFR + HBL + HBR + LFE

Auro 13.1

L + R + C + BL + BR + SL + SR + T + HFL + HFC + HFR + HBL + HBR + LFE

Available Ambisonics Bus Configurations

Note

Ambisonics operates using a B-format sound field, which is independent of speaker setups. The lettered notation given in the descriptions below indicates B-format direction channels, not speaker channels. This notation is based on ACN channel ordering with SN3D normalization, but - like FuMa ordering with MaxN normalization - it uses letters rather than numbers. Refer to Ambisonics Component Ordering for more information.

First Order Ambisonics

W-Y-Z-X

Second Order Ambisonics

W-Y-Z-X-V-T-R-S-U

Third Order Ambisonics

W-Y-Z-X-V-T-R-S-U-Q-O-M-K-L-N-P

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