Patent ID: 8358091

Claim:
An apparatus for generating a number of loudspeaker signals for a loudspeaker array which defines a reproduction space, the apparatus comprising: a prestage configured to generate a plurality of output audio signals while using one or more virtual sources, a virtual source comprising one input audio signal, respectively, which is associated with a virtual position, each output audio signal being associated to a loudspeaker position specified by the prestage, and the prestage being configured such that the plurality of output audio signals together replicate a reproduction of the input audio signal(s) at the virtual position(s), and a number of output audio signals being smaller than a number of loudspeaker signals for the loudspeaker array; and a main stage configured to acquire the plurality of output audio signals and further to acquire, as a virtual position for each output audio signal, the loudspeaker positions specified by the prestage, and the main stage being configured to generate the number of loudspeaker signals for the loudspeaker array such that the loudspeaker positions specified by the prestage are replicated as virtual sources by the loudspeaker array.