Stereo is for earbuds; surround is for rooms. If your film, series, ad or live concert film needs a 5.1 or 7.1 mix — for festival submission, broadcast, streaming delivery or physical release — we’ll match you with a vetted engineer who mixes in a calibrated surround room and delivers to your exact spec. Tell us about the project below; matching is free.
What our partners deliver
- 5.1 and 7.1 film mixes — dialogue, music and effects balanced to broadcast/streaming loudness specs, with stems
- Surround music mixing — albums, concert films and live recordings mixed for multichannel playback
- Upmixes from stereo — existing stereo material opened out into surround where the source allows it, done honestly (a true remix from stems always beats an upmix)
- Deliverables and QC — printmasters, M&E (music-and-effects) versions for international dubbing, and loudness-compliant files named to your delivery schedule
- Stereo fold-downs — a stereo version that still sounds right, checked rather than auto-generated, plus the stereo master itself if you need one (see online mixing & mastering)
When you actually need a surround mix
You need one when a distributor, festival, broadcaster or streaming platform’s delivery spec says so — most feature-length specs ask for at least 5.1 — or when the experience is the point: cinema screenings, concert films, installations and physical releases for home-theatre audiences. You don’t need one for social video, YouTube-first content or podcasts; stereo done well beats surround done cheaply, and we’ll tell you so if that’s your project. If the material also needs cleanup before it can be mixed — noisy location dialogue, hum — that’s handled first (see audio cleanup & restoration).
How it works
- Send the spec — the delivery requirements document if you have one, or just where the project is headed (festival, broadcaster, streamer, disc).
- Get matched — we pair you with an engineer whose room and credits fit the format.
- Mix and review — you review against picture; bigger projects often book an in-person attended session for the final pass, and the same form covers that (choose in-person and your location).
- Delivery — printmaster, stems, M&E and fold-downs, QC’d against the spec so they aren’t bounced back by the platform.
Tell us about your project
Pick “Mixing” in the form and say 5.1 or 7.1 in the project details, along with the running time, the delivery spec or platform, and your deadline.
What to expect on price
Surround mixing is priced by running time and complexity — a 90-minute dialogue-driven documentary is a different job from an effects-heavy short or a 20-track concert film. Expect it to cost more than a stereo mix of the same material: the engineer is balancing six or eight channels against a delivery spec, and the QC pass is real work. If you need both surround and stereo versions (most projects do), agree that up front — it’s cheaper as one scope than as an afterthought.
Surround mixing FAQs
What’s the difference between 5.1 and 7.1?
The channel count: 5.1 uses front left/centre/right, two surrounds and a subwoofer; 7.1 adds two more surround channels for a smoother wrap-around image. 5.1 remains the standard ask in most delivery specs; 7.1 turns up for larger theatrical work. Your distributor’s spec sheet settles the question — send it with your brief.
Can you work from my stereo mix?
Yes, but the result depends on what else you have. With stems or the original session, the engineer builds a true surround mix. From a finished stereo file only, an upmix is possible and can pass spec, but it will never image like a native mix — a good engineer will tell you which side of that line your material falls on before quoting.
Do I need to attend the mix?
Not necessarily — review copies work remotely for most of the process. Where attendance pays off is the final playback on a calibrated system, since laptop speakers can’t tell you what the surround field is doing. If you want that, pick the in-person option in the form and include your location.
What about Dolby Atmos?
This service covers channel-based 5.1 and 7.1 deliverables. If your spec calls for an Atmos or other object-based master, mention it in the form — requirements differ enough that we’d match you specifically for it rather than assume.
No spam, no obligation — we’ll only use your details to connect you with the right partner, and matching is free.