BBC Radio has launched an experiment that hopes to offer a surround sound experience through standard headphones. Between now and Christmas you can hear a 2007 recording of the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College Cambridge in what the BBC describe as ‘realistic immersive (or “surround”) sound’. 

According to the BBC: ‘Listeners can simply plug their standard headphones into any computer with a stereo output and then stream the specially processed audio, which should make them feel as if they are hearing the music from speakers around them, not just their headphones.’ 

There are six versions of the recording to try, for different headphone types and head shapes, and the BBC is keen to get feedback from listeners as to which works best. Rupert Brun, head of technology at BBC Audio & Music said: ‘This experiment is an attempt to enhance the standard "stereo" sound headphone users have had for over 50 years and, although it is only a trial at this stage, if listener feedback is positive it could offer a significant improvement to audio quality in the future.’ If successful, the BBC would consider offering surround sound on a range of other programmes.

The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols was chosen for the experiment because of the reverberant acoustic of King’s Chapel, and the various locations of choir, organ and congregation. So why not have a listen and let the BBC know whether it worked for you? At the very least, the world famous annual occasion of worship and readings is always one of the musical highlights of any Christmas. For more details, and to hear the different versions, here's the link: BBC surround sound experiment. 

Also available to hear is a Service of Nine Lessons and Carols from 1958, recorded using experimental stereo techniques and subsequently converted, in partnership with German company Fraunhofer IIS, to surround sound for use with loudspeakers (currently only for Windows users). This year’s ‘Nine Lessons and Carols’, meanwhile, will be broadcast live (not in surround!) on Radio 4 on Christmas Eve.