The Official INTEGRA DTC-9.8 Thread - Page 424

Not Larry. Good question. Allow me to explain. First, PLIIx works with 5.1 and 2-ch sources. Even though the same technology is used, the operation is rather different for each.

In the case of 2-ch sources the only difference between Game and Movie mode is how the bass is captured for driving the subwoofer. Movie mode taps L/C/R (same as Music mode), while game mode taps L/C/R/Ls/Rs. This ensures that major rear effects--a tank attack from the rear, has all the rumble preserved. Why not do that for Movie and Music, too? Since there are only 2-channels in the source, what comes from the 5 outputs of PLII in the bass range is just those same two channels depending o how the signal is steered by the decoder. Summed back together for the subwoofer, the bass can add or cancel depending on phase. It caused some wavering of bass levels that was not ideal. Such subtle nuances are not an issue for game sound--no offense intended--so it was more important to retain the bass effects for max impact.

For 5.1 sources, there is no Game mode for PLIIx. No need.

The difference between Movie and Music modes for 5.1-->7.1 PLIIx is not frequency response--both are ruler flat. It has to do with how the decoder handles correlated surrounds. If the Ls and Rs signals in the 5.1 source are highly correlated, they will steer to the rear speakers. That is desirable for EX, ES soundtracks and most modern 5.1 movie mixes. It is not so desirable for movies with mono surrounds or music mixes with highly correlated surrounds. In that case the rear speakers operate as before, but the Ls/Rs speakers are prevented from "running dry" as the sound is steered to the rears. It maintains better envelopment and integration of the surround effect.

For most content, the Movie and Music modes sound exactly the same.

Hi Chet,

This posting addresses most of your question.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...postcount=1393

If you activate Audyssey by running a calibration all listening modes will keep Audyssey enabled except Direct and Pure Audio (on Onkyo sister devices) and multichannel analog inputs.

Larry

Hi Chet,

Yes, I am using "Dolby Pro Logic IIX Movie" as my preset listening mode for all multichannel formats. If I happen to be listening to a music concert, and if I happen to remember, I might manually select the "Music" version, but I've never noticed a difference.

I do not run games.

Larry

Hi Jeff,

Don't get my wife started on this topic! She complains that I have a very frustrating sort of memory. She grumbles I can't remember when we're going to dinner with friends even if she told me just 5 minutes ago. Yet, ask me the distance from the earth to the sun, yeah she points out, I can remember that "important" piece of trivia.

Larry

My wife is very familiar with my selective memory as well.

With me, it extends to hearing as well ... or so I am told.

As for me, I actuallly have a short attention spa...um...what where we talking about again?

I got new speakers recently and decided to bi-amp them. I used the directions in the manual, but found that my analog multichannel input (SACD player) now steers speaker assignments incorrectly. My fronts now sound like my surrounds and my surrounds are my fronts. All of my digital sources still work correctly however. Anybody else have this issue or a solution? I am on fw 1.05

Are you sure the SACD player's front L/R and rear L/R audio cables are not swapped?

I don't know if anyone is still around but I will ask anyways. I have a chance to purchase this processor for a couple hundred bucks and I was wondering what you guys thought about that? Is there something better out right now with better feautures such as a USB etc.. Has this processor been dependable , are they still giving updates. Any info would be appreciated . I was thing of using this with my krell 400xi i would use this processor to hook up everything and then from it's preout to the krell. I have only a two channel setup.

I think its a great p/u for a few hundred bucks, none of the new features has made me want to switch my 9.8 out. "Something better out there" is subjective and will appy to what suits your listning habbits & enviroment. My unit has been dependable since day one, I'm still very happy with the 9.8 performance.

My unit still performs great. No firmware updates in quite a while. Remember this is a pre/pro not an avr.

Thanks for responses . Since I have only a stereo setup how would you rate this processor for 2 channel music. Or is this processor mainly for hometheater . How does it stack up against competition in 2 channel.

Ok so no new firmware updates but could you tell me whatever firmwares they did put out what did it add to it. Also what is the latest firmware that should be on it so I can make shure this unit has it .

I upgraded from a 9.8 to an 80.2 recently. you can get a 9.8 for $200? why even ask for buying advice? that's more than a steal...

great unit. I upgraded to get more HDMI ports and the more advanced Audyssey room correction software....ran that unit for 3 years and it was perfect. it now serves as my backup should I ever need it.

What comments do you have regarding the sound quality from the 9.8 to the 80.2?

Jeff

Hi, Jeff here as well. the advanced Audyssey room correction is a defininte improvement. the surround seems to blend more seamlessly between speakers than on the 9.8.

Multi-channel 5.1 analog input. I like it better on the 80.2. LFE channel definitely has more punch.

2 channel audio. to my ear, the 80.2 and 9.8 are so similar, I could not pick a winner. Others have said they prefer the 80.2. everybody's ear is certainly different-so subjective...

feature-wise, it was a no-brainer upgrade for me. double the HDMI's, 1.4a for 3d(though I doubt I will ever get into that), advanced Audyssey, and I really like the ability now to set up the video resolution individually for each input. that is huge for me.

to me, the 80.2 is more of an evolution than a revolution, when compared to the 9.8. Integrea did a LOT of things right with the 9.8...improvements are incremental, IMO.

Most people that have one and that are critical about 2 channel performance, say 2 channel analog is not one of it's strong points. A few even have went so far as to add another preamp in their system for a 2 channel bypass setup.

That's not good I like To listen to two channel music . Is there a way to bypass all processing and feed my krell integrated amp from the integra preouts. This way i can take advantage of all the connections but let my krell do all when listening to music.

Sure. Does your Krell have a HT Bypass function on one of its inputs?

I think you want to bypass the Integra completely if you are using analog sources and feed those direct to the Krell.

Yeah it has that.

Why do you suggest this?

Because as soon as the signal passes through the Integra the "damage" is done.

There is a great thread about using htbypass-capable units with this family of Integra/Onkyo pre-pro's. There are good tips and great diagrams. I recommend giving it a quick read.

If you decide to pass on that 9.8, please send me a PM.
Thanks!

So far i am going to get it I am gonna pick it up on Thursday . I have read lots of good things about it also it has all the connections I need and the two outputs are a must because I have a tv and a projector. Not yo mention the price is right . So what would be the best way to hook up my ps3 to integra and then to my krell 400xi. I am thinking hdmi out from ps3 to integra then xlrs out to krell . Any opinions?

Also I am wondering is there any issuse with the krell being an integrated amp and also using the integra since they both have preamps?

I have a 9.8 and I use a HTPC with a ATI video card, so my connection to the 9.8 is over HDMI, my problem is that I want to play music from my HTPC to zone 2 which I know doest have the ability to take the digital signal coming from the HDMI and convert it to analog for zone 2, has anyone figured out a way to do this?

I guess the only thing I can think of is getting a usb DAC, but having to switch sound output devices in windows would confuse/piss-off the wife, like to see if anyone has any other suggestions.

Using Win 7, ATI 5450 via hdmi out to 9.8

The guy Iam going to buy the processor from told me he has not done any updates to the integra. Is this good bad or the updates I have read about are not that important?

You will want to update it.

+ 1!

Can you be more specific as to why I would want to update it? Also how would I update it? Thank you for the help