Patent ID: 8000485

Claim:
A method for processing audio signals comprising the steps of: receiving at least one audio signal having at least a center channel signal, a right side channel signal, and a left side channel signal; processing the right and left side channel signals with a first virtualizer processor, thereby creating a right virtualized channel signal and a left virtualized channel signal; processing the center channel signal with a spatial extensor to produce distinct right and left outputs, thereby expanding the center channel with a pseudo-stereo effect, further comprising the steps of: applying a delay or an all-pass filter to the center channel signal, thereby creating a phase-shifted center channel signal; subtracting the phase-shifted center channel signal from the center channel signal to produce the right output; adding the phase-shifted center channel signal to the center channel signal to produce the left output; and scaling the center channel signal based on at least one coefficient which determines a perceived amount of spatial extension; and summing the right output with the right virtualized channel signal, and the left output with the left virtualized channel signal, to produce at least one modified side channel output.