|
Creating an Upper Centre channel feel just like that in an IMAX cinema!
As some of you may be aware what a Dolby Pro-Logic decoder can and can not do and that is it can be added on to your existing set-up, with a little ingenuity and positive thought.
So where to start, and what will the results be like?
Firstly you will need running a Dolby Digital with dts decoding, and preferably the running the pre-outputs from the AVR or AVP unit.
Next up is an additional stereo amplifier, and loudspeaker for the centre channel, if you can run high quality bookshelf types the far better it will be with placement and feasibility of installing them. The “Upper Centre” must be placed several feet above the centre channel to get satisfactory results.
Re-plugging the left and right mains, with there outputs going into the Dolby Pro-Logic decoder and the outputs left and right going back into the stereo main amplifier for the fronts, is a task that is so easy, now that its in place just take a phone lead from the centre pre-output from the Dolby Pro-Logic decoder, and connect it to the input on a EQ, and then a Stereo amplifier, lastly the loudspeaker placed above the center channel.
Calibration and set-up is simple, just use test disc from Dolby or the dts set-up disc, and use the all channel “pink noise” note: remember to turn off the split-surround channels, and the sub bass, as the all channels “pink noise” is sent to all the channels in the set-up!
Now if you where to turn on! The Dolby Pro-Logic the “pink noise” that would be heard on the left and right main at the same time, but in “mono” with the other part of the signal been sent to the centre channel, Please turn the centre channel off! and with the SPL db meter placed at the sweet spot, note the level, the level should be set for “75dbc” weighting slow, turn the Dolby Pro-Logic off, via bypassing the circuitry.
Note: the level of the main left and right, which should be up by +3dbc, turn the Dolby Pro-Logic decoder back on! And set the level for 75dbc, if using a different loudspeaker, for the “Upper Centre Channel” it will sound tonally different, so use the EQ and switch back too the main left and right whilst remembering to bypass the Dolby Pro-Logic, and make a mental note in your head of the sound, the tone of it’s high end mid end and low end.
Now if you have an “RTA” Real Time Analyser, it will speed things up a little to getting the task done, but still it can’t be rushed, this is a process that could take a few hours or a few days to achieve satisfactory results.
Once done and that you are entirely satisfied with the results, hears a few films that perform very well with this technique.
Apollo 13 dts THX Laserdisc or DVD Dolby 5.1
Daylight dts THX Laserdisc or DVD Dolby 5.1
Die Hard With A Vengeance dts Laserdisc or DVD Dolby 5.1
Hail Columbia DVD Dolby 5.1
Goldeneye dts THX Laserdisc or DVD Dolby 5.1
Plus many more I’ll get a fuller list placed hear as soon as I can.
|
