The MP3 audio compression format has been enhanced to provide new surround sound features.
The Fraunhofer Institute has unveiled version two of MP3 Surround adding two new elements at the CES technology show in Las Vegas. MP3 SX (MP3 Stereo eXtended) enables the enhancement of MP3 stereo files for multi-channel playback while Ensonido provides portable MP3 Surround sound using stereo headphones.
Providing bit rates comparable to those currently used to encode stereo MP3s, MP3 Surround enables surround sound is also backwards compatible so that an MP3-compatible device will play MP3 Surround as high quality stereo.