Dolby ProLogic IIz (1 Viewer)

I don't get it, they claim it turns your 5.1 into a 7.1 by adding 2 height speakers to your 5.1 setup? So what do you do, connect 2 speakers to your front L/R channels? I haven't even heard my regular 5.1 setup yt and already thinking of upgrading lol..

Originally Posted by Ryan West
I don't get it, they claim it turns your 5.1 into a 7.1 by adding 2 height speakers to your 5.1 setup? So what do you do, connect 2 speakers to your front L/R channels?

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That's an oversimplification.
Dolby ProLogicIIz provides different ways of "simulating" extra channels of audio using complex algorithms on the source material.
Not everyone's room is physically conducive to a "real" 7.1 speaker layout. Realistically, you need several feet of space between the seating position and the rear wall where the extra two speakers should be placed.
Dolby ProLogicIIz offers options for either "height" or "width" speakers. As their name implies, these speakers produce sounds that the Dolby processing extrapolates from the front soundstage (left/center/right). It's important to understand that the height and width audio channels are not discretely encoded in the program audio. These channels are simulated by the processing.
On a 7.1 receiver, these channels are used as an alternative to the surround back channels in a 7.1 setup (so you plug the height or width speakers to the surround back terminals and set things up properly within the receiver's setup menus). Some receivers that are marketed as "9.1" or even "11.1" can offer these additional channels in addition to true 7.1. Using "9.1" or "11.1" in the nomenclature is misleading as there are no consumer audio formats with that many discretely encoded channels.
I've not had a chance to personally audition a system that uses height or width, so I can't speak to its effectiveness. In my theater (a basement with relatively low ceilings) I do not have the space to benefit from either height or width, but I do use 7.1 in the typical implementation and am very pleased with the results.

Thank you for explaining that. I believe I understand for the most part, but I'm still confused about the number of speakers. I have a 5.1 receiver that offers ProLogicIIz so am I understanding this right, say I wanted to choose the "height" setting, I would sacrifice my front L/R and instead of placing them at ear level I would mount them high by the ceiling? Or would I be keeping my two fronts as a normal 5.1 configuration and adding 2 more speakers? I guess I'm getting lost in the simulation part, how can you move your fronts up high and have them simulate extra speakers without sacrificing the quality you would get by having your main front L/R at ear level processing the signals they should be? If you can't tell I'm new to "surround sound" lol.

Which receiver do you have? You never connect more than one speaker to a speaker terminal on the receiver, so yes, if you opt to "add" height or width speakers, then you would need to sacrifice two channels in order to use them (your receiver only has 5 channels of amplification). I don't think you would want to sacrifice the fronts - most likely you'd sacrifice your two surround speakers and wind up with 5 speakers in the front, plus your subwoofer. The only other option is if your receiver has "pre-outs" for the added channels. In this case, you would need an external amplifier to power the added speakers. The simulated channels would be output as line-level signals from the pre-outs. These are fed to an external stereo amplifier, then out to the extra speakers. Keep in mind, though, Dolby ProLogicIIz is not only used for adding height/width to 5.1 but is also used to take a simple stereo input signal (or mono) and simulate 5.1 surround sound (or 4.1 or just about anything else).

I have a Denon 1713 (I'll have it as soon as it's delivered anyways lol).. I'm not sure if it has preouts or not. I think it does have the ability to power an additional room though. I'll have to look again. Yeah it has an output for zone 2 but it's RCA jacks, not sure how that works... We don't have to go there though, one room is enough lol.

Well, for whatever reason, the Denon site is taking FOREVER to download the manual. From looking at it, the only possible way to implement front high or wide would be via the zone 2 preouts. Whether or not they can be configured as front hight or wides is likely answered in the manual somewhere. Regardless, it would require a separate amp to implement.

Well going from a LG sound bar with a 5" subwoofer to what I have now, I think I'll be just fine with a regular 5.1 setup lol.

I like using Dolby ProLogicIIz to expand any source to 7.1 (I use the width channels). I also like using it for music, and I know purists would look down on this, but Dolby ProLogicIIz does some fun things with some of the "wide" stereo recordings from the late 50s and early 60s. Some don't work and sound "phasey", so I switch modes, but as a general rule it gives a really nice expansive sound. For movies, I made a custom setting that gives an echo to the back channels that I use sometimes. My grandmother used to take me to see movies at this real movie palace, big place, and the soundtrack would echo from the back because it was such a big hall. That custom setting reminds of that and it's just fun to experiment with.

I couldn't get the manual to upload either but from everywhere I've looked it seems the 1713 doesn't support ProLogicIIz, even from the Zone 2 pre-outs. I think you needed the 1913 for Front Heights/Front Width processing.

I had no problem downloading the manual here. The AVR-1713 is definitely a 5.1-only model and only supports Pro-logic and Pro-logic II. I don't know where you got the idea that it supported Pro-logic IIz.

I guess it doesn't. I'm not sure where I came up with that. Oh well no biggy. Thanks for the replies!