Home Video Asylum

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Impressions of Surround Sound...

I have recently added home theatre to my 2 channel stereo. I tried to do this as inexpensively as I could but while still having decent components. I added a Technics SH-AC500D decoder an Acurus 3 channel amp (used), a set of Energy speakers for center and surrounds. Previously I ran my DVD player into my Aargon dac and listened to everything in 2 channel mode.

After a dozen movies here are my impressions:
1)Surround add something to action adventure movies where there is a decent amount of info for the rear channels

2)I have a negative view of the centre channel, especially on older movies or something like "Finding Forester". These movies are basically mono and I find myself switching to "Stereo" to get better imaging. I have my stereo speakers set up reasonably well and dialog appears to come from the TV in this mode. In Dobly Digital, because the centre is not of the same size and quality it sounds more constrained. I understand that most people don't have speakers set up to image well, so they need the centre channel. I would rather have spent the money on a subwoofer.

3) I can't really tell the difference between DTS and DD on the same movie. This may be the result of poor mastering and limitations in my system or simply that I am watching the movie and the sound is a much smaller part than the visuals.

On the plus side home theatre does allow for more people to be involved in the experience and as I said in the beginning it can be fun with movies where lots of stuff gets "blowed up" as John Candy used to say.

I wonder what others have experienced when moving from 2 channel to surround. Regards to all!


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Topic - Impressions of Surround Sound... - Estes 17:37:10 12/29/01 (22)


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