Sony DB 930 Surround Modes (1 Viewer)

[Jerry Raupp]

Situation: I just got a DirecTV receiver with an optical out for Dolby Digital. This is connected to my "preamp" a Sony DB 930. For non DD programs I like to use either Normal Surround or Cinema Studio EX. B. I leave the receiver set to one of these settings. When the DirecTV box outputs a DD signal, I get all of the indications that the Sony is treating it as I would expect.

Question: Is the receiver sending the speakers the Dolby Digital output or does it dumb it down somehow because of the other surround setting?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Chuck Kent]

Sony receivers can apply their DSP modes to DD signals. So when you're in Studio Ex. B, you are having extra processing applied to the signal. When you're in Normal Surround mode, you're processing pure DD with nothing extra added.

 

[Jerry Raupp]

Thanks Chuck, so simply put if I want pure Dolby Digital I should use Auto Format Decode or Normal Surround. Right? Thanks.

 

[Chuck Kent]

Yes, you are correct!!!

 

[AaronBatiuk]

Is the receiver sending the speakers the Dolby Digital output or does it dumb it down somehow because of the other surround setting?

No "dumbing down" occurs. If you use Cinema Studio EX A/B/C, you will still get 5.1 discrete channels, but of course the extra processing is added to the signals. In fact, the Cinema Studio EX modes were designed for multi-channel sound. They just happen to work very well with surround-encoded 2 channel sources also.

If you want to hear all 5.1 channels without any extra DSP processing, use either normal surround or AFD.