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Virtual/Phantom Speakers, do they work? (1 Viewer)

GeoffryB

Auditioning
Joined
Nov 6, 2001
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13
My Sony ES supposedly has the ability to create virtual speakers that makes you feel that you really have rear or side speakers, even though you really don't. Does anyone have experience with this on Sony or any other HT, and how well does this really work? How can I test this to see for myself how well this works?

Geoffry
 

Brett DiMichele

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2001
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Brett
Geoffry,

Yes it does work. The phenominon is called psycoacoustics.

A 2 channel source that goes through the processor and the

sound that it output is specialy processed so that the timing

coupled with reflected sounds makes your ears and your brain

think that there are rear speakers. Tonight for the first

time I used this feature on my Onkyo 787 and I have to say

I am impressed. You can close your eyes and pinpoint rear

sounds that flat out "shouldn't" be there.. Infact I checked

the surrounds 3 times to make sure they wern't playing!

I wouldn't use this for movies though, why bother when you

have DD,DTS,DPL.. But for 2 channel music it is a neat feature IMHO.
 

Brett DiMichele

Senior HTF Member
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Sep 30, 2001
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Thomas,
Sure is.. And there ain't nuttin revolutionary about it..
In fact psycoacoustics have been used numerous times over
the past 5 decades or so :)
 

Jagan Seshadri

Supporting Actor
Joined
Nov 5, 2001
Messages
528
Some recordings have the psychoacoustic effects built-in!
Examples:
Beatles - I am the Walrus (in the latter half of the song)
Jimi Hendrix - House Burnin' Down (near the end)
They both used stereo phasing :)
 

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