F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions, all the answers to the common interrogations you could have concerning our website, in the form of textual questions and answers.
Index
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Registering / Creating an account
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Usage
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Prices
Registering / Creating an account
Q : Is registering to the website free?
A : Yes, of course.
Q : Why register?
A : Even if it's possible to search, listen, and add sounds to your Cart without being registered / connected, it's indispensable, when checking out with our Paypal partner, to be identified, for the transaction tracking.
Being registered on SurLib also allows you to manage your own Wishlist and personal Tags, have access to your purchases history, and to participate in the Forum and Blog.
Note that you'll have to allow cookies in your web browser for some of these functionalities to work properly.
Q : How to register?
A : On the home page, there's a little block "Login" in which you can register by clicking on the link "Create an Account". If you have items in your Cart without being registered, you'll have a way to register a new Account when checking out.
alternatively, you can also simply click on the "Log In" link in the "Main Menu" block on the left column, and then fill therequired fields on the right part of the display.
Q : I forgot my password, how to retrieve it?
R : On all the pages of the website, there's a little block "Login" in the upper left corner, in which you can retrieve your password by clicking on the link "Forgot Your Password?". Follow the procedure, and you should receive your password by e-mail.
Alternatively, you can also just click on the "Log In" option in the "Main Menu" in the left column, and then click on the link "Forgot your Password?" at the bottom of the right part tat just displays.
Q : Where is my personal Account space?
A : Once connected, the "My Account" space is simply accessible via the usual "Main Menu" block in the left column. Just click on the "My Account" link, and you'll be redirect to your Account Dashboard, the central place to deal with your Account parameters.
Q : I can't connect to the Forum, why is that?
A : Forum connection is automatic when you log in to the main Surround Library website. However, if you appear as Guest In the Forum, it is generally sufficient to just disconnect from the main Surround Library website, and to log in again. A that moment, your connection informations should be passed automatically to the Forum.
For a complete help concerning the Forum usages, don't hesitate to read the Help section at the top of the Forum home.
Usage
Q : How to search for sounds and listen to them?
A : You have two possibilities:
1- By clicking on a category icon or a sub-category (which appear when you mouse over a category icon) on the home page. All sounds from the (sub-)category will then appear, and just clicking on the Player (orange arrow) will then allow you to listen to each one of them.
2- By typing one or several key words in the "Search entire library here…" field displayed at the top of any page, just below the header menu bar. All the matching sounds will then appear, and you just have to click on the Player (orange arrow) to listen to each one of them.
3- Use the Advanced Search (links below the top Search bar and in the Footer), where you can specify various parameters to limit the results to even more relevant sounds.
Note that you can use the character "+" to force the search to be made on ALL typed entries (AND), and not just any of the entry (OR). Example :
a- Type "hall hotel" will display either hall sounds (from an airport for example), or the hotel sounds (elevator for example).
b- Type "+hall +hotel" will only display sounds of hotel's hall.
In the same way, you can use the "-" operator to omit words from the search. Example:
- Type "wind -window" will display all wind sounds but not windows ones.
Q : I'd like to gather more technical infos concerning a specific sound, are they available?
A : Of course! Just click on the "+INFOS" button just under each sound Player, and all the additional informations will be displayed (full Description, Author, Hardware and recording technique, etc.).
Q : The Player doesn't work, why?
A : Maybe you're not using the latest (10 as of today) Adobe Flash Player extension, or you're using a Firefox/Safari extension that prevent its loading (Adblock for example), in that case, install the latest Adobe Flash Player extension, et remove the Adblock extension from your browser (prefer Adblock plus, or other). Sometimes, just deinstalling and reinstalling the Flash extension solves the problem. It's also possible that you're trying to display too many sounds for your OS RAM / web browser, in this case limit the number of sounds to display in the Toolbar to somthing like 10 per page.
Q : Why is the Sample Audio for listening not in surround?
R : unfortunately there's know solution yet to audition surround sounds in streaming in an universal way for all web browsers, that's why we choose stereo. In terms of quality, we have chosen Lame MP3 128kbps Constant converted from the stereo downmixed sound. The quality is there. The only constraint concerns Duration, which we limit to 20s, no beeps or heavy degradation, Samples are clean. We think it's fair.
Q : The Audio Sample volume is too low or too high, how to fix this?
A : during playback, on the Player's foremost left there is a small bars array : click on the left part (small bars) and the sound will get lower, click on the right part (longer bars) and it will get higher.
[Capture Player en action]
Q : The Audio Sample is too short to evaluate the sound's quality, how to get more?
A : Contact us by e-mail (support@surround-library.com) and we'll see what we can do.
Q : In which format are the final audio files?
A : Generally we're delivering WAV/BWF interleaved audio files for B-Format and Stereo (W/X/Y/Z for B-Format, L/R for Stereo), and splitted for 5.1 (1 audio file per channel L/R/C/Lfe/Ls/Rs so 6 files), established as "standards" in the post world. Generally also in 24bit/96kHz depending on the recording format. Each format is RAR compressed to optimize downloading times (grab RAR Expander on Mac, or 7-Zip on Windows).
Q : How much does a sound cost?
A : Each sound price is displayed in the listings or in its individual form, and can vary depending on the chosen format (ambisonic, discrete 5.1, or stereo for example) and the sound's rarity. Ambisonic and double-M/S matrixed formats are the most expensive, as they are potentially way more powerful in post than other discrete formats.
An important detail, when you buy a high format, other "inferiors" formats are given to you for free. Yes, for free! Note that the displayed prices switch to "Free" automatically when you select a higher format.
Q : How to add sounds to my Cart?
A : When browsing a Category, Search results, or an individual sound form, just click on the radio button to select a Format, and then validate by clicking on "Add items to cart" at the top or bottom of the pages. A tiny message will then confirm your choices, and you'll see the number of sounds in your Cart displayed in the left column's "Main Menu" block update accordingly.
Q : How to pay?
A : We've made the Paypal choice, as it's the most reknowned, secured and reliable online payment solution at the moment. We recommend that you create your own account on Paypal, in parallel of the Surround Library one, in order to get the most of our website functionalities (follow your orders, proof of purchases, loyaltly points, etc.). Neverthless, you can purchase sounds on SurLib without having a Paypal account, using your credit card directly on the Paypal website.
To pay, simply click on the "Checkout" link, in the left column "Main Menu", or on the button "Place Order" in your Cart area. Then follow the guide.
Q : Do you make discounts or promotions?
A : Yes, a lot :-) . Depending on the number of sounds you have in your Cart, or your SurLib status and seniority, or even the period in time, discounts are applied. Just experiment...
Q : What are Loyalty Points?
A : It's a system that allows you to accumulate "points" for future purchases. This number increases when you recommend SurLib to some of your friends, when you buy a lot of sounds, etc. Even when simply registering, you get some loyalty points.
Q : How to memorize my searches before buying, for further thinkings?
A : Two ways to do that here. The first one is to add to Cart normally, and to use the Cart as a temporary container. Not so great, especially if you want to buy some of the sounds but not all of them. The second one, way more powerful, is to use our Wishlist system, in which you can place sounds that you like, but that you not necessarily want to buy immediately. You can even add your own comments to a sound via the Wishlist field (sound to use in project X, sound that could be use for something else, etc.). Just click on the "Add to wishlist" button in the sound object or in its individual form. Note that you can also sheer your personal Wishlist with other users (Share Wishlist). In a near future, it'll be possible to manage several different Wishlists.
Q : How to download sounds that i bought?
A : You should have received an e-mail containing all crypted links to your purchased sounds. just click on them in your mail reader, and you should be good.
Alternatively, browse to your "My Account" area, and then click on the "My Downloadable Sounds" link in the left column, and then click on the format link you'd like to download (B-Format, 5.1, or Stereo for example) for each corresponding sound. The download should initiate automatically in your usual download manager (either your web browser or an external utility, depending on your configuration).
Note that each sound can be downloaded 5 times.
Q : I did everything correctly and it won't download! Why is that?
A : Check that your internet connection works correctly. If it is, you probably exceed your download quota for the purchased sound. Contact us (support@surround-library.com) and we'll find a solution.
Q : What are Personal Tags and how do they work?
A : Tags are a way to associate your own terminology to any sound, to find them later more easily.Typically synonyms or abbreviations. You can add your own and personal tags to each sound in the library! To achieve this, just click on the Title of the sound in the listing, to access its individual form, and then enter one or several tags in the specific field at the bottom of the page, and then validate. You can then find all the sounds you tagged in the "My Tags" menu in your Customer Account, a bit like the Wishlist.
Tags can also be used, for example, to associate sounds with a specific project, or to someone you're working with.
Q : Do sounds can be used commercially?
A : Yes of course, the purchase gives you the right to use it in any type of production, commercial or not, and this internationally, without time limit. Refer to our Terms of Use for more informations.
Q : Does Surround Library offer some freely available sample surround sounds?
A : Yes, you can download samples in the Demo section, among other goodies.
Q : Which payment methods Surround Library accept?
A : We're are exclusively using the Paypal system, a worldwide reknowned and secured transaction method using your credit card, even if you don't have a Paypal account.
Q : Are sound previews (audio player) altered in any way?
A : Yes, we only provide 128kbps stereo MPEG1 Layer3 (said MP3), limited to 20 seconds maximum, to avoid abuses.
Q : May i freely modify purchased sounds accruing to my needs?
A : Yes, please refer to our License and Terms of Use.
Q : May i directly use Surround Library sounds to merchandize my own sound libraries?
A : No you can't, it is not possible to resell our sounds in their original state, if they're not part of a sound track. There again, have a look to our License and Terms of Use.
Q : In which format are Surround Library's sounds?
A : Our sounds are generally high quality 24bit / 96kHz WAV/BWF files. 5.1 are splitter, whereas B-Format and stereo are interleaved, for example.
Q : How can i submit my own surround sounds to Surround Library, and at what conditions?
A : Just contact us by e-mail, specifying your references and recording hardware, so we can consider a partnership. We do not buy sounds, we function on a kind of "editor" model, with a fixed percentage (yearly updated) of the selling price directly for the Author. Pour more contractual informations, please contact our sales support (sales@surround-library.com).
Prices
Q : With which tax are displayed sounds?
A : All prices are displayed excluding VAT. Taxes are only displayed in your Cart, and during checkout, depending on your country and your judicial status (individual customer, or company).
Surround Library is company (SARL) based in France under french jurisdiction, so it's the french tax system that applies, as follows :
You pay VAT 19,60% if :
- you're a french individual customer
- you're a french professional (company)
- you're an european individual customer
You don't pay VAT if :
- you're an individual customer outside Europe
- you're a professional customer (company) outside Europe
- you're a professional customer (company) inside Europe, except France
In this last case, you'll have to enter your valid EU VAT number and the name of your company when registering on our website, so that you can benefit of prices excluding VAT. These datas are automatically checked, so if you made a typo, or the datas are false, VAT will be applied.
For any other question, or if you have any problem, do not hesitate to contact us at contact@surround-library.com.