5.1 and 7.1 Channel Order
This page shows the channel order used by Film (Pro Tools), SMPTE/ITU, DTS and WAV files for 5.1 and 7.1, and a remap table that tells you which input channel goes to which output channel when you convert between them.
Channel order by format
| Format | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|
L left, C centre, R right, Ls and Rs surrounds, Lss and Rss side surrounds, Lrs and Rrs rear surrounds, LFE low frequency effects, Lc and Rc left and right of centre. Sources name the 7.1 surrounds in different ways, and this page uses one set of names so the rows can be compared.
Remap between layouts
| Output channel | Takes input channel | Position |
|---|
Channel order inside WAV files
A multichannel WAV file with a speaker mask, also called WAVE_FORMAT_EXTENSIBLE, always stores its channels in a fixed order by speaker position, whichever channels are present. If a file holds left, low frequency effects and right, channel 1 is left, channel 2 is right and channel 3 is low frequency effects. This is the SMPTE/ITU-style order, with front left and right before the centre.
| Bit | Value | Speaker |
|---|
Values from the Microsoft speaker position table. Channels in the file follow this list from top to bottom. A 5.1 file with back speakers is mask 0x3F, and one with side speakers is mask 0x60F, computed by adding the listed values. The audio file inspector shows the mask order of a file you drop on it.
Sources and status
- Microsoft: Multiple channel audio data and WAVE files. Read 20 September 2026. Source for the WAV speaker mask table and the ordering rule.
- Embody: channel layouts. Third-party help page, read 20 September 2026. Source for 5.1 Film, 5.1 SMPTE, 7.1 Film and 7.1 SMPTE.
- Pro Tools surround setup handout (PDF, 2016). Course material, read 20 September 2026. Source for DTS 5.1 and SDDS 7.1, and it agrees with the other source on Film and SMPTE.
The rows other than the WAV table come from third-party pages, not from Avid or a standards body. The tag under each format says how many of those pages state it. Check the order in your own session or with your client, since a wrong order swaps channels without any warning.
Questions
Why do Film and SMPTE differ?
Film order, the Pro Tools default, places the centre between left and right, and puts the LFE last. SMPTE/ITU order places left and right first, then centre and LFE, and then the surrounds. Both are still 5.1, and only the order changes.
What happens if I use the wrong order?
Nothing is lost, but each channel plays from the wrong speaker, for example dialogue from a surround. The remap table above shows how to reorder.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything on this page runs in your browser.