GameCube:Audio Information

Surround Sound

The GameCube is capable of both analogue and (for some models) digital surround sound.

Most if not all surround-capable GameCube titles made use of Dolby's newer (at the time) Pro Logic II standard, which extrapolated a 5.1 surround mix from two audio channels. This time, each of the two stereo channels carries an inverted-phase signal that become the surround-left and surround-right, with the center channel being made up of any sounds that are mono (panned dead center between left and right), such as dialogue in cutscenes. The ".1" in "5.1" refers to the sub-woofer, where all sounds below a certain frequency are routed to. Many PS2 games have a Surround option in their audio settings, but some only list "Mono" or "Stereo", despite boasting the Dolby Pro Logic II logo on the packaging or disc label. Generally in this case, the stereo option serves double duty as both a stereo signal and a 5.1 Pro Logic II signal when decoded appropriately.

GameCube models with the digital out port on the back are capable of transmitting a digital audio signal alongside the video through appropriate devices such as the Carby, etc.

Some modern AV Receivers are quietly dropping compatibility with older surround formats, but others are holding strong. It is recommended to research the surround format capabilities of a given receiver before purchasing new.