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RE: Need advice, please!

Posted by David Aiken (A) on August 24, 2007 at 14:05:55

In Reply to: Need advice, please! posted by author@escapeclause.net on August 24, 2007 at 07:16:17:

I had this problem a couple of years ago while I was still running a 2 channel HT system. Simple solution: don't use a virtual surround sound option. Just use an unprocessed stereo downmix.

The virtual surround options try to replicate some of the effect of genuine surround systems by playing with the phase of parts of the signal in order to make it appear that some of the sounds are coming from the sides or rear of the room. That usually makes speech harder to understand in my experience.

In your case, what you want is the NORMAL setting on your player. That should be a straight stereo downmix without the added processing of a virtual surround option.

There are 2 other hints:

1- Check the soundtrack options on the disc itself for a 2 channel soundtrack. Playing a dedicated 2 channel track usually sounds better than playing a surround soundtrack and downmixing it to stereo.

2- There are occasional discs with the option of a 2 channel virtual surround soundtrack. The 4 disc director's cut versions of the Lord of the Rings films include such tracks. These can actually work quite well because the sound engineer can ensure that the virtual suround effects don't interfere with the dialogue so definitely try those tracks.

Provided you choose the right output option for the DVD player, choosing a stereo soundtrack where there is one or a simple stereo downmix when there is no stereo track, it won't matter whether you use a digital or analog connection to your amp. If you use a digital connection, set it to PCM which is the same kind of signal that a CD player outputs. That means the DAC in the amp will be able to convert the digital signal to analog. Don't output a bitstream signal unless the amp/receiver has decoders for Dolby or DTS as well as a DAC. Dolby and DTS signals are bitstreams which have to be decoded to PCM first, and then processed by a DAC.

Just don't introduce any further processing in the amp/receiver if it has any such options. Just leave it decoding and playing the simple stereo signal it receives from your player.




David Aiken

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