MAN Wiki
First-order Ambisonics (changes)

Introduction

The invention of first-order Ambisonics (FOA) in the mid-1970s by Michael Gerzon and Peter Fellgett was following the classical coincident audio recording and playback principles from the 1930s.

First-order Ambisonics is an extension of Blumlein’s M-S recording system.

History of first-order Ambisonics

Felgett [1], Gerzon and Craven [2-4] were considered as the pioneers of the FOA technology. The scheme of M-S microphone system is extended to 3D first-order Ambisonics by a third figure-of-eight microphone of up-down aiming. [5]

Gerzon’s designing paper [2], March 1975

2D FOA

3D FOA

External Other resource internet resources

• Ambisonic “Ambisonic.Net Net: - where surround-sound comes to life.” Accessed: Apr. 01, 2025. [Online]. Available:https://www.ambisonic.net/
• Thornton, “Michael Stephen Gerzon (14 May 2010). Michael Gerzon: Audio Pioneer Pioneer.” 1945 Accessed: – Apr. 1996: 01, 2025. [Online]. Available:https://www.michaelgerzonphotos.org.uk/
• Visualization “Visualization XY stereo microphone system - Blumlein Pair Eight/Eight 90° Intensity Stereo: Stereo Blumlein Pair - Stereo recording angle SRA time difference level difference orchestra angle degrees visualisator XY MS figure-of-eight - sengpielaudio Sengpiel Berlin.” Accessed: Apr. 01, 2025. [Online]. Available:https://sengpielaudio.com/Visualization-Blumlein-E.htm
• Into “Into the Soundfield: Soundfield.” Michael Accessed: Gerzon Apr. and 01, Ambisonics 2025. at [Online]. Oxford: Available: https://intothesoundfield.music.ox.ac.uk/ https://intothesoundfield.music.ox.ac.uk/home
• ambiX “matthiaskronlachner.com v0.3.0: | // audio visual art //.” Accessed: Apr. 01, 2025. [Online]. Available:https://www.matthiaskronlachner.com/
• Ambisonics “Ambisonics in the 21st Century: A Review of Spatial Audio Techniques - | Michael CCRMA.” Zeligs, Accessed: CCRMA: Apr. 01, 2025. [Online]. Available:https://ccrma.stanford.edu/blogs/mzeligs/ambisonics-in-21st-century-review-of-spatial-audio-techniques
• “Ambisonic Studio.” Accessed: Apr. 01, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://courville.uqam.ca/ambisonic/
• “Ambisonia.” Accessed: Apr. 01, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.ambisonia.com/
• DAW and VST plug-ins:
  • Aalto University SPARTA and COMPASS plug-ins
  • IEM Plug-in Suite
  • Matthias Kronlachner’s ambiX plug-ins
  • Blue Ripple Sound’s O3A Core suite

References

[1] P. Felgett, Ambisonic reproduction of directionality in surround-sound systems. Nature 252, 534–538 (1974)

[2] Gerzon, M.A. (1975). The Design of Precisely Coincident Microphone Arrays for Stereo and Surround Sound. Journal of The Audio Engineering Society. Download: http://pcfarina.eng.unipr.it/Public/B-format/A2B-conversion/Gerzon/Design_Precisely_Coincident_Microphone_Arrays.pdf

[3] P. Craven, M.A. Gerzon, Coincident microphone simulation covering three dimensional space and yielding various directional outputs, U.S. Patent, no. 4,042,779 (1977)

[4] Gerzon, M.A. (1973). Periphony: With-Height Sound Reproduction. Journal of The Audio Engineering Society, 21, 2-10.

[5] Zotter, Franz & Frank, Matthias. (2019). Ambisonics: A Practical 3D Audio Theory for Recording, Studio Production, Sound Reinforcement, and Virtual Reality. 10.1007/978-3-030-17207-7. Download: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-17207-7.pdf