The MP3 format has been extended! Work done by consumer electronics giant Thomson SA and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS (who invented mp3) has brought MP3 Surround into existence. 5 plus 1 (5.1) channel sound is now available for web-based music distribution, broadcasting systems, PC-related audiovisual, gaming applications and much, much more.

"As surround sound is increasingly gaining importance in the marketplace, we are confident that MP3 Surround will attract the attention of music production professionals and consumers alike." - Juergen Herre, chief executive scientist at Fraunhofer IIS.

You can check out a website all about this by going here, where you will be able to download an MP3 Surround encoder and demo samples, which will allow you to enjoy the new surround experience.