When working with 5.1 sound on DCPs and other deliverables, there are three common ways that 5.1 sound is delivered:
- Interleaved 5.1 wav file.
- Quicktime/MXF video file with 5.1 sound or stereo + 5.1
- 6 mono files.
This is how I add these to a 5.1 Track in DaVinci Resolve that can be used to make DCP and Prores deliverables.
Make a 5.1 Track
Change Audio Track Type to 5.1 which is the standard on DCPs and Prores deliverables. 5.1 Film is often used in Pro Tools.
Right-click the audio track where it says 2.0 or 1.9
Change track type to 5.1 -5.1

Adding a 5.1 mix interleaved wave/DCP file
Drag a 24-bit, 48 kHz. 5.1 mix interleaved wave file with
L
R
C
LFE
Ls
Rs
channel order to the 5.1 audio track and it is ready.
A DCP with 5.1 audio is also interpreted the same way.
Adding an MXF or Quicktime file with 5.1 sound
If the source is an MXF or Quicktime file with 5.1 sound or 5.1 with stereo. Right-click on the file in the media pool and choose:
-“Clip attributes” -“Audio”
Format – 5.1
Tracks – 1
If the video file also has a stereo track you can delete it.

Adding 6 mono audio files
Link the tracks as 5.1 in Fairlight
Switch to Fairlight

Link the tracks
Fairlight in the menu – Link group
Click on all the tracks

and choose
Link as = 5.1, not 5.1 film

Check the tracks
Go back to the Edit module and check that the tracks are correct.
They are now labeled:
L
R
C
LFE
Ls
Rs

When running loudness checks in Resolve, the 5.1 track to needs to be a normal 5.1 track, not a linked track.