DPLIIx on 6.1 setup? (1 Viewer)

[Steve Young]

I am upgrading from a 5.1 setup to a 7.1 receiver but will only have 1 center surround back speaker. Will DPLIIx do anything with this setup, or do I really need another SB speaker? I have upgraded to a Marantz SR-7500 and have Axiom QS8s for side surrounds, and one QS4 for the SB. I went with this because of my room setup.

Any comments on this would be appreciated.

Steve

 

[joseFMJ]

DPLIIx works great on my 6.1 set up. And it will work with all 6.1 or 7.1 set ups.

 

[questrider]

It's my understanding that DPLIIx decodes the FL and FR into a C, SL, SB, and SR. DPLIIx--as with all the Pro Logic flavors--is what should be used on 2-channel sources such as CDs to spread the signal out to 6.1/7.1. DPLII is for 5.1.

For DD/DTS 5.1/6.1 sources, a similar EX/ES decoder exists on most receivers. It creates a "matrixed" mono channel from the SL and SR only. By adding the seventh speaker, it simply spans that sound (now known to receiver as SBL and SBR) across the SB soundstage wider. On most receivers, hooking up only the SBL will send 6.1 while adding the SBR will span that "matrixed" mono channel to both SBs. EX/ES takes the 5.1/6.1 matrixed/discrete SL and SR tracks and spreads them to this "matrixed" mono SB. I dunno, I'm not sure I hear any real measured difference between DPLIIx and EX/ES, but the idea that the EX/ES is extracting from only the SL and SR makes for a truer separation for this "matrixed" SBL/SBR "channel", while DPLIIx is extracting from the FL/FR for the C, and the FL for the SL and the FR for the SR, and I'm not sure exactly what's it's doing to create the SB. Seems to me that DPLIIx "smears" the sound around to all the channels, which is wonderful for use with 2-track sources (as is the DTS Neo:6 decoders), such as CDs or DD 2.0, but I don't like using it for true DD/DTS 5.1/6.1 surround sources. For those, I use the EX/ES decoder.

At least that's how I understand it. However, it doesn't matter if I completely understand what the EX/ES decoder is doing, the important thing is that while watching a movie (or listening to music), whether it's 6.1 with one rear or 7.1 with two rears, the process and added speaker(s) provide a more "full" and immersive surround sweep filling in the space between the SL and SR. Especially if it's a DTS 6.1 ES Discrete mix.

FWIW, I should note too that my couch is up against a back wall, so I put the two SB speakers on the floor about five feet apart behind the couch pointing up to the ceiling and then calibrated the entire system with an SPL meter. Creates a nice "wall" of sound along the rear soundstage. "There really is nothing like a discrete 6.1 ES surround mix... it's breathtaking--I highly suggest you try it."

 

[allan espinoza]

Brian,
would you mind posting a pic of what you rear set up looks like? i have been wanting to try a similar set up, but am not sure how exactly. I have the couch moved away from the wall a couple of feet to use for the 7.1 set up, but my girlfriend hates it because of the lost space behnd the couch so i am trying to find an alternative. where do you have you rear left and right? thanks.