The Sound of Qello

Nice article by Mike Mettler about the Qello concert streaming service in the February/ March issue (Stream On). I tried that out a couple of years ago and was frustrated— not by the lack of content, but by the sound options. As best as I could tell, everything was stereo-only. I’ve watched concerts on TV and Blu-ray recorded in 5.1 or and the difference it makes is dramatic. Does Qello have any concerts recorded in 5.1?

Rick Rubenstein / via email

A Qello website FAQ lists the following audio options: “192 Kpbs AAC stereo for high resolution (greater than 480p) and 128 Kpbs AAC stereo for low resolution (lower than 480p).” Sadly, no 5.1 audio option is offered.