[ChrisUlrich]

Dolby Pro Logic IIz


Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital+ Decoding


dts-HD Master Audio and High Resolution Decoding


dts ES Discrete 6.1 Decoding


s Neo:6 Stereo-to-Surround Cinema and Music Mode


​dts 96/24 5.1 for DVD-Video Processing


Pure Direct/Direct/Stereo Modes on Digital/Analog inputs


Multi-Channel Stereo Mode


Video Game Mode


Mono Movie Surround Mode


Rock Arena Surround Mode


Matrix Surround Mode


Jazz Club Surround Mode


Virtual Surround Mode – For 2 Speakers/Headphones


This is so incredibly overwhelming! I am trying to figure out what the best setting is for 360, PS3, and movies! I know so many "simulate" background and some do things better than others... but reading about all them is so incredibly challenging. Sorry to ask such basic questions but I can't seem to figure out what each one means!

 

[wes k]

BUMP, BUMPITY, BUMP, BUMP!!!!

 

[audit13]

What kind of receiver for you have? How many speakers and subs?

 

[ChrisUlrich]

Denon 1312 (upgrading to either 2113 or 4308). I have Boston Acoustics MCS160 in a 5.1 setup with a single Klipsch RW-12D.

 

[BIslander]

There's not much to it, actually.


When the source is DD 5.1, DTS, TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, or DTS-ES, the receiver will decode them automatically for a 5.1 output.


When the source is stereo, you can apply a surround mode such as PLII or DTS Neo:6 to expand the two channels to 5.1.


Most of those other modes can be ignored. They use delays and such to simulate different environments and are worthless, imho.


Direct and Pure Direct turn off some of the receiver processing functions, the specific functions vary from receiver to receiver. No need to worry about them at this point.


That's pretty much it.

 

[Kilian.ca]

+1 on the worthlessness of the simulated hall modes, the names of which are self-explanatory (which jazz club or rock arena is simulated is left to your imagination). So are MCH stereo and game modes.


What can be confusing at first to the newbie is some of these (the first half) are audio encoding formats (which you can't change yourself) and the rest are audio playback/processing modes (which you can set). The Dolby and dts formats and modes are all explained on their official websites for a start and some are from old DVD days which you should know already. For 5.1 some modes like DPLIIz don't apply.

 

[wes k]

What's the difference between DplII Movie and DplII Music?

 

[BIslander]

Music Mode has parameters allowing the user to control the width and depth of the sound stage. The receiver manual explains how to set those parameters. Movie Mode tends to focus dialog in the center channel. Personally, I use PLII Music for all stereo sources.

 

[holt7153]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BIslander  /t/1466599/all-these-audio-settings-so-overwhelming#post_23164882


Music Mode has parameters allowing the user to control the width and depth of the sound stage.

If you were to futz around with the Music parameters could you make it sound identical to Movie, or is there something fundamentally different between the two? I generally prefer Music as well, but occasionally with aggressive material the L/R can become a little distracting.

 

[BIslander]

I believe there is a basic difference in how the two modes handle in phase/out of phase content in the source channels, although I don't recall what that difference is. However, according to Sanjay Durani, the resident expert on audio processing, the minimum width on Music Mode makes it sound just like Movie Mode.

 

[holt7153]

thanks-that makes sense. If you had the ability to make them sound identical then it would be redundant having two separate modes. And yes, having had Sanjay at my place a few times he is definitely the Surround Sound Whisperer

.

 

[ChrisUlrich]

So what's the best option for gaming with your 360 or PS3?

 

[Kilian.ca]



Quote:
Originally Posted by holt7153  /t/1466599/all-these-audio-settings-so-overwhelming#post_23165226


If you were to futz around with the Music parameters could you make it sound identical to Movie, or is there something fundamentally different between the two? I generally prefer Music as well, but occasionally with aggressive material the L/R can become a little distracting.

In Music Mode the setting with Center Width 0 means no Center spreading to the surrounds but it's still not necessarily exactly identical to the Movie Mode. In Music mode there is more bass by design, more info here, esp. post 9:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1405366/bass-drastically-different-between-plii-music-vs-pliiz-height

 

[audit13]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisUlrich  /t/1466599/all-these-audio-settings-so-overwhelming#post_23165840


So what's the best option for gaming with your 360 or PS3?

I don't apply any DSP modes to my source material and I find this sounds the best.

 

[holt7153]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kilian.ca  /t/1466599/all-these-audio-settings-so-overwhelming#post_23166197


In Music Mode the setting with Center Width 0 means no Center spreading to the surrounds but it's still not necessarily exactly identical to the Movie Mode. In Music mode there is more bass by design, more info here, esp. post 9:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1405366/bass-drastically-different-between-plii-music-vs-pliiz-height

excellent link-thanks for posting.