New Surround System (1 Viewer)

[SpencerT]

I just ran a lilo and stitch dvd which the amp recognizes as dts and still no sound from the rear . The speaker does work since in 6 channel sterio and test tones it does!

 

[LanceJ]

Hate to rain on anyone's parade, but just because all the indicators light up on your receiver's channel display doesn't mean every channel will be filled with sound all the time....or any sound at all.* When the action on the screen needs help from the audio side of the system, THEN the movie's director places sound in the proper channel to do that.

So if one uses one of those simulated surround modes - i.e. "hall", "rock concert" etc - to force sound into all the channels, this could seriously distort the "reality" on the screen that the director/actors/script writers are trying to create.

Though obviously DPLII and similar systems are required for making sure the back surrounds in a 7.1 system are used properly when only a 5.1 signal is present.

* Unfortunately, more and more often it looks like the phrase "5.1 surround" has become just another feature to add to a dvd case's feature list to help it sell better --> its very easy now to take a stereo soundtrack, run it through a DSP box in a studio & generate a faux surrround track which causes the customer's receiver to activate its L-R-C-RS-LS-SUB lights.......and only end up with useless peeps of sound in the rear channels. So I'm not surprised so many people could care less about surround sound nowadays after hearing that kind of crap.

Surround music has been similarly effed with: to cash in on the surround craze, many concert dvds, sacds and dvd-audio titles contain these lame/gauzy-sounding DSP-derived "surround" mixes. These aren't to be confused with surround mixes that are deliberately mixed for a gentle ambient sound using actual recordings of reverb from a studio or concert hall, which can result in an incredibly realistic recreation of that performance in one's living room. FYI: as far as dvd-audio is concerned, many surround music fans and review sites have reported that MANY titles on the Silverline label sound like they contain these fake mixes, so beware (what's confusing is that they have actually put out some truly excellent fully-discrete surround mixes, like this electronica title from Alan Parsons playing with modern DJs, but they are few & far between).

 

[SpencerT]

Wow a very informative answer

 

[MaxL]

i'm pretty sure that lilo & stitch dvd doen't have any rear surround content and if you're playing it with regular dts, you won't have any rear sound.

 

[LanceJ]

I'm no good at protracted or casual conversations (like Supertramp sings about), so I like to get it out all at once.

 

[SpencerT]

Well after having the diamond 9.5 and testing various music and films - my verdict - good sound and surround . However they give the impression that the music isn't that aggressive even at hgigh volumes . Even after proper amp settings. Its still good but not excellent - I have a pair of pioneer speakers in the car and they give rather a kick - not bass wise only but musically - having vocals and instruments sounding better.

 

[SpencerT]

I have toed in the speakers to look more to the centre of the room and the vocals seem to have improved. Does it make that difference? Does the wall decrease sound (speakers being exactly in the corner and positioned almost parallel to the wall) ?

 

[SpencerT]

From reading from this forum and avforum I am leaning towards the ascend acoustics and am thinking of using the diamond 9.5 as surrounds. Seems that ascend has it all. Any comments and suggestions?. I think that there is a huge upgrade between ascends (3 340se) and wharfedale - even the price seems to verify that( two wgharfedale 9.6+ center - $450approx)

 

[Raymond lee Leggs]

You could Always get a DVD player and An all in one stereo with inputs and Multi way speakers.
some of these sound better than any HTIB sytem and any HT with small cubes ever will.

JVC makes several 2 speaker stereo's that Have DVD capability and cand Do DTS and they have Dual subs. There can NEVER be too much bass. Which these systems definately do have. I had one but the Changer broke and we had to return it. (I Lost 2 movies)
(your neighbors will hate you with a passion)

 

[Greg Gable]

The wharfdale’s are great speakers. If they don’t sound good to you maybe it's the room or an inadequate sub or your system isn’t calibrated properly. Get an SPL meter and a cal disc and see if you like them better and then start tackling the room with acoustic treatments and then call SVS and have them send you a real sub.

 

[SpencerT]

They are not that bad but seem to lack detail and crispiness (certian highs seem missing). Having heard the very good reviews about ascends I was intriged and decided to give them a shot. But I don,t think that they are in the same league as the ascends, or not?