Your Sound, Your Way

MAAT’s multi-channel LINSurround is the final link between production and delivery. It offers optional word length reduction and seven noise-shaping spectra tailored for both analog and digital asset delivery.
LINSurround is highly adjustable, allowing you to craft your own signature sound. In addition to TPDF and weighted TPDF, it features newly developed 5th, 8th, and 9th-order psychoacoustic noise-shaping options.

Advanced Technology

LINSurround incorporates the latest research in auditory perception and psychoacoustics. Unlike outdated dithering engines based on decades-old approaches, MAAT redesigned its original LINearise engine with:

• More accurate mathematical modeling
• Improved signal processing precision
• Enhanced user experience (UX)
• Greater control over final sound character

Whether you're delivering:

• 16-bit Red Book masters
• 24-bit high-resolution audio (e.g., 88.2 kHz)
• Multichannel 48 kHz stems for film and video

LINSurround ensures optimal sound quality across all formats.

Extended Functionality

LINSurround goes beyond standard dithering tools:

• Automatic muting (auto-blanking)
• Variable bit depth: 8, 16, or 24-bit output
• Instant auditioning of lower bit depths (e.g., 8-bit preview)
• Multiple dither types:
  • Triangular (TPDF)
  • High-passed TPDF
  • Rectangular (for experimental use)

Rounding vs. Truncation

• Rounding: Preserves low-level information by mapping bits intelligently into reduced word length
• Truncation: Simply discards low-level data, resulting in potential loss of detail

Visual Feedback

LINSurround provides real-world visualizations of noise shaping:

• Displays actual output from the dithering engine (not simulations)
• Shows preservation of signals below expected thresholds
• Demonstrates how information beyond 16-bit limits is retained within noise

Example:
A −100 dBFS signal (below standard 16-bit range) remains preserved, with up to the 19th bit of input information embedded into the output.

Why Dither Matters

Dithering is a fundamental part of digital audio processing:

• Prevents distortion when reducing bit depth
• Preserves audio detail by embedding it into the noise floor
• Keeps audio sounding natural and less “digital”

Historically, foundational research on dithering was conducted at Bell Labs. According to information theory, adding a small amount of noise during processing ensures signal integrity.

Key Features

Dithering & Processing

• Redithering support
• Dither types:
  • Triangular
  • High-passed triangular
  • Rectangular
• Noise shaping bypass option
• Word length reduction:
  • 24-bit
  • 16-bit
  • 8-bit

Processing Modes

• Rounding
• Truncation

Noise Shaping Options

• 1st, 2nd, 3rd order
• 5th order (improved E-weighting)
• 8th order (modified ITU-R 468)
• 8th order (modified UEN)
• 9th order (F-weighting)

Additional Features

• 7 selectable noise shapes
• 8 / 16 / 24-bit output options
• Multiple dither types (TPDF, HP-TPDF, rectangular)
• 4 factory presets + customization
• Real-time visual noise plots
• Auto-blanking to prevent background artifacts
• Support for up to 128 channels

System Requirements

Operating Systems

• macOS 10.9 or newer (64-bit, Universal Binary 2)
• Windows 7 or newer (32-bit & 64-bit)

Supported Formats

• AAX Native (Pro Tools 10.3.10+)
• AU, VST2, VST3

Audio Specs

• Sample rates: 44.1 kHz – 384 kHz

Summary

LINSurround is a modern, precision-focused dithering solution that combines cutting-edge psychoacoustic research with flexible control and real-time visual feedback. It is designed for mastering engineers and audio professionals who demand the highest fidelity when preparing audio for final delivery.