Ambisonic, Academic Numpties

There has been some typical noise on the sursound mailing list recently about digital ambisonic formats with a different W level to that which all existing ambisonic analogue hardware, all ambisonic microphones, all ambisonic plugins, all material produced to date and absolutely everything else uses. I've no intention taking part in it as it generally just starts off another load of crap, or a dismissive put-down.

But...

For Gawds sake, any numpties suggesting this need a good hard kicking or a seismic charge placed at the base of their academic, or whatever other form of isolated tower they are residing in.

There's a standard, it's called B-format. It's consistent, hierarchical, and it's been with us since 1977, and yes there was even a need for 'normalisation' then which systems at that time might have to be tuned for. (It's called analogue limiting) If you change the levels it's Not B-Format Any More, and it's 30 years too late to suggest twatting about with it now!

(Oh, and the digital *.amb format which already embodies the existing B-format levels is well established, was well thought out after much pontificating, and is alive and well at http://www.ambisonia.com/ )