DVA-A = DVD-Annoying (1 Viewer)

[Ryan FB]

Personally, I also find the current state DVD-A and SACD annoying. Bass management issues, improper use of the .1 channel, bass channel levels that don't match the other channels, and no digital connection are some of the factors preventing me from diving in (and I'm usually an early adopter).

Once I see these issues mostly resolved, I may be more inclined to dive in. Those formats certainly have the potential to be great. Time will tell, I guess.

JimmyK

PS - If some of those issues HAVE been resolved and I am just behind the times, feel free to correct me.

Exactly the same reasons I've stayed away from DVD-A/SACD. The "no digital outputs" restriction is asinine on multiple levels.

 

[Mark_J_H_Jr]

I wanted to follow up after a weekend of experimenting with speaker placement.

I was finally able to get a less annoying soundstage from many of the DVD-A recordings I own. I placed the side surrounds on the floor. These are full range floorstanders, (still crossed over at 80Hz). I moved them a little further back, maybe 2 feet or so. So they are not directly to either side of the listening position. These were the back surrounds in a 7.1 system.

Having the speakers lower pulled the effects that seemed to be overhead down.

Now that I have rearranged the speakers for multichannel audio, I’ll have to see how movies sound. The original side surrounds now reside on newly built speaker stands abut 50 inches off the floor in the back of the room. The jury is still out on how movies sound in this new configuration, but at least DVD-A is not as annoying as it used to be.

Speaker placement and room acoustics really do make a difference.

 

[Lewis Besze]

Well,well, well,......looks like you adopted the ITU speaker set up recommendation,which incidently works best for MC music IMO.The other area that's important is the "timber" of the surrounds should match or be very close to the mains.Same brand/model is ideal.Regarding movie sound,if the vertical/horizontal dispersion is good on the surround speakers you use,you'll be happy with the results of this new positioning provide.

 

[LanceJ]

I didn't read this entire thread, but I'm concerned that people who don't think MCH music sounds good are using dipolar or bipolar speakers in back (a surround music no-no) and they are too far off the floor (they should be at ear level). Check out this diagram.

LJ

 

[LanceJ]

Despite having no center channel or subwoofer, I am enjoying MCH music right now (I'm saving for a very large Infinity Alpha 37C center and a Boston Acoustics 12" sub). Sorry if this sounds like a dvd-audio "cheerleader" post, but right now I'm just using my dvd-audios' Dolby or DTS tracks to do this, even though I recently bought a Pioneer DV-656A dvd-audio player. With those formats you DO get bass management! Those compressed formats may not sound as good as the hi-res MLP tracks (though the DTS tracks can sound very similar), but they still sound decent to me and I fully enjoy the surround music they contain.

The lack of a center channel is no big deal for me: I just sit in the middle of my front mains (good speakers will have a solid & stable phantom center image). And living in an apartment precludes the (full ) use of a subwoofer anyway, and all I'm missing is the full volume of the very lowest rumbly bass notes, which few of my music discs have anyway.

Mine may not be the perfect MCH listening situation but it sure sounds involving to me, because who knows when the surround music people will ever truly "fix" this format?

LJ

 

[Mark_J_H_Jr]

Mine may not be the perfect MCH listening situation but it sure sounds involving to me, because who knows when the surround music people will ever truly "fix" this format?

Lance, my problem is I can't be a cheerleader for something that still needs to be fixed. And I still think the intent of many of the current MC recordings is to add "Cute" of "Artsy" or whatever kind of special effects which are not consistent with the music as it was recorded.

I apprecaite the quality of recording, and may someday jump on the band wagon and exhault MC as king, but I'm just not there yet.

 

[Dan B]

Mark, here's a link with an explanation of the ITU setup:

http://www.telarc.com/surround/dvda....eakerplacement

 

[Brian L]

And I still think the intent of many of the current MC recordings is to add "Cute" of "Artsy" or whatever kind of special effects which are not consistent with the music as it was recorded.

One man's "Cute" and "Artsy" is another man's killer surround mix.

I do not consider any of Elliot Scheiner's work cute and artsy, but I sure as hell like listening to it.

And I am not sure who mixed Hotel California (was that Scheiner as well?), ELP, Bigg Phatt Band, Chicago II, Yes Fragile, or the new Steely Dan, but every damn one of those titles is a killer recording AND a killer mix.

To me.

And lets not forget Bowie's Heathen.

But if you aren't into it, no one here is going to change your mind.

BGL

 

[Mark_J_H_Jr]

QUOTE]But if you aren't into it, no one here is going to change your mind.[/quote]

Nor I yours.

That is one of the great things about this forum. Opinions are neither right or wrong.

Interesting link Dan, thanks.

 

[JeromeS]

I heard some Hoffman MONO recently and really enjoyed it. An under-rated audio format is there is one. 78s are also under-rated as are 45s.

I agree with you Lee that mono is underrated. I think one of the reasons it is underrated is that in most people's minds mono is that of scratchy, noisy, flat recordings from the 30's and 40's. What people tend to forget is that mono can sound dynamically, it's just in one channel. I've got some mono recordings by Frank Sinatra and of classical music that when you listen to it, it's so dynamic you think it's stereo. In the end, isn't multi-channel music basically 5 discrete mono channels.

 

[John Kotches]

Jereome says:

In the end, isn't multi-channel music basically 5 discrete mono channels.

Not if done properly. It would be 5 mono channels if there was no attempt for front to back, or side to side imaging.

Since the goal is to produce a surround field that is dependent on imaging, it isn't mono

Regards,

 

[Steve_AS]

Speaker placement and room acoustics really do make a difference.

Along with choice of speaker (and cartridge, if you're playing LPs), they make *by far* the largest audible difference of any audio 'tweak' or component.

 

[rick_sullivan]

In the end, isn't multi-channel music basically 5 discrete mono channels.

My Kenwood has a multispeaker mono setting. Not the same as surround. Interesting effect though but I don;t think I'd like it over two speaker mono or one speaker mono.

 

[Lewis Besze]

I've got some mono recordings by Frank Sinatra and of classical music that when you listen to it, it's so dynamic you think it's stereo.

How so?
How can a mono recording create a believable soundstage?
Stereo gave us that,the number of channels won't have an affect of a track's dynamic capability.

 

[gene c]

After reading this thread, I feel as though I have just spent two hours at my in-laws! Strong opinions for sure. I also like MC. Maybe because I'm looking for something better than two channel. It's 2003 after all and time for something new. Hopefully they will find a balance that works for all of us soon. Some of you prefer the music in front, as though the band were on a stage. I prefer to be on the stage with them! Music all around. I bought and paid for five speakers and I want something coming out of all of them dag-nabit! As far as what the bands intensions were, I could care less. What I like may not be what they like. I also listen to cd's in four channel stereo. I don't yet have a hi-res dvd, but DD and DTS sound much better to me than in two channel. Donald Fagen' "Nitefly" is awsome. That's all for now. Thanks for the spicey debate. Much better than the bland pollitically-correct stuff. gene

 

[JeromeS]

How can a mono recording create a believable soundstage?

The soundstage becomes front to back only in the middle but no left to right.

 

[Lewis Besze]

The soundstage becomes front to back only in the middle but no left to right.

Right,in other words it won't project any believable soundstage.Stereo is the bare minimum to that.