Help with Onkyo HT-R2295/Dolby Pro Logic II (1 Viewer)

[Vincent-P]

Hello,
I'm looking for some information & advice about what settings to use with my new Onkyo HT-R2295 receiver. I have a Playstation 3 & a Seiki Blu-Ray player set to Region B. Most of the discs I have played since getting the receiver have been DTS-HDMA 5.1 tracks & I had the receiver on a mode where it would display "DTS-HD Master Audio" on the display when playing them. I just wanted it to be a standard mode that I thought would be a true translation of the audio from the disc.

However, this weekend, I was playing a disc from Masters Of Cinema's Late Mizoguchi box. The case doesn't really have much information about the audio track, but according to online reviews, it is DTS-HDMA 2.0 Mono. Instead of displaying "DTS-HD Master Audio" on the receiver, it displayed something like "Dolby PLII Movie," which I wasn't familiar with. After doing some research, I learned about Dolby Pro Logic II.

When Dolby Pro Logic II is utilized on these 2.0 Mono tracks, the sound only comes out of the center speaker, which seems correct since it is "mono." If I turn off Pro Logic II, the sound comes out of the left & right speakers instead of the center, which seems incorrect. But my system is also utilizing it on DTS-HDMA 2.0 Stereo tracks, such as The Hudsucker Proxy, at which point sound seems to be coming out of all my speakers & subwoofer also. This seems incorrect since a 2.0 Stereo track shouldn't use the subwoofer, correct?

Then I know there is the Criterion release of the Three Colors Trilogy, which has DTS-HDMA 2.0 tracks, but the booklet definitively says to use Dolby Pro Logic II to have sound come out of all the speakers.

So if my desire is to have the most faithful, non-artificially enhanced listening experience, how do I know when to use Dolby Pro Logic II? Should I have it on all the time, or turn it off & only turn it on when the disc tells me to? Why would it make mono tracks correct, but artificially enhance stereo tracks?

 

[schan1269]

If you want faithful to the "original intent", you use Direct.

However, HDMI doesn't support 1.0. Hence why you use DPL on lossless 2.0* to create center(mono).

Everything you describe is correct. As the "only way" to not use your sub on 2.0 is either...

1. Go in and remove the sub in the bass management
2. Direct

*This 2.0 also depends if...

1. The track is 2.0 mono
2. 2.0 stereo

2.0 mono will create "mono center"
2.0 stereo creates "faux 5.1".

 

[Vincent-P]

So it sounds like, from what you're saying, is that there isn't a single setting that will play all discs correctly?

"Direct" is correct for everything except mono
"DPL" is correct for mono (and special cases like the Criterion Three Colors)

?

Something you've alluded to confuses me. If HDMI doesn't support 1.0, what's the deal with discs such as Twilight Time's "Leave Her To Heaven" that has a DTS-HDMA 1.0 track, which has correct mono when I play it "Direct"?

 

[schan1269]

The ability to do 1.0 over HDMI is a matter of contention. My Onkyo/Integra AVR connected to Panny BD players can transfer 1.0.My Sony and Orei(region free) can't. Point being...If the track is 2.0 mono(which is what I believe 1.0, when not LPCM, is anyway)...DPL will create center anyway.

 

[Vincent-P]

Thanks for your help!