Dolby Sound at the Movies

A movie soundtrack envelops you in the reality of the story so that you hear every creak in the haunted house, the lonely whistle of the wind on an icy plain, or the teeming clamor of the deepest jungle. From what seems to be every angle in the theatre, these sounds engage you, even guide you through the story as it unfolds.

Dolby^® technologies and Dolby’s cinema sound consultants play an essential part in the movie sound production chain. From working with a film’s sound director in the studio to developing and building the technology used at your local cinema, Dolby helps to bring you a more compelling moviegoing experience by virtually putting you in the center of the action.

Dolby Digital is the most popular audio format for movies and is currently available in more than 50,000 theatres worldwide. With Dolby Digital, Dolby introduced 5.1-channel digital to the world—enabling a thrilling audio experience where the helicopters you hear seem to be flying overhead or the jungle cries and whispers seem to be all around you.

The CP650, Dolby's flagship cinema sound processor.

The most recent advancement in cinema sound came with the introduction of Dolby Digital Surround EX™. This technology added a third rear surround channel to the ever popular Dolby Digital format, creating a wider palette for sound designers and offering even better positioning of surround effects and more realistic ambient sound throughout the cinema.

Dolby Stereo, the company's original film audio format and predecessor to Dolby Digital, is still providing improved surround effects in many venues.

Learn more about the technologies used in the cinema.