[lmacmil]

Just looking for opinions here. I just got a new AVR (Yamaha V765). Will be hooking it up tomorrow. I've read a little about Dolby PL II on the Dolby site.


I'll try it and eventually decide for myself but was wondering if anyone thinks having sound coming out of all 5 speakers (I have a 5.1 setup) enhances the listening experience. And if so, do you think it works better for certain types of music or is it equally great or equally "sucky" for all types? FWIW, I listen to both rock and classical, depending if I want to relax or get energized.

 

[bluesky636]

Works great for me. It has several parameters that can be adjusted to suit different types of music. I use it all the time (DPL IIX for a 7.1 system).

 

[ChrisWiggles]



Quote:
I'll try it and eventually decide for myself

You already know the answer.


It's a subjective choice. I never use it when I listen seriously. Sometimes I'll turn it on if I've just got music in the background, party, etc, but I always stick with straight 2-channel stereo.

 

[SaltwaterCat]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisWiggles /forum/post/18156950


You already know the answer.


It's a subjective choice. I never use it when I listen seriously. Sometimes I'll turn it on if I've just got music in the background, party, etc, but I always stick with straight 2-channel stereo.

It is subjective...I have a yamaha also and like the 7 Ch Stereo setting as it fills up the room..for music while splitting the speakers in a left/right channel array

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bluesky636 /forum/post/18156883


It has several parameters that can be adjusted to suit different types of music.

Can't underscore the above enough. Being able to customize the surround processing to your personal preference and varying source material is extremely helpful. The PLII Music mode can be adjusted to be as subtle or as agressive as you like.


For someone used to 2-speaker playback, I would suggest initially setting the Centre Width to 7 (no centre info extracted) and Dimension to +3 (minimal surround extraction). You can then start moving the Centre Width parameter towards 0 (zero) to find out just how much centre fill you like. Same with the Dimension parameter, adjusting it towards -3 until you find out how much surround extraction sounds best to you. Will vary with material, but definitely worth experimenting with.

 

[lmacmil]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SaltwaterCat /forum/post/18160476


It is subjective...I have a yamaha also and like the 7 Ch Stereo setting as it fills up the room..for music while splitting the speakers in a left/right channel array

Got mine hooked up today and am kind of digging this 7 ch stereo setting myself (even though I have just 5 speakers.) Definitely good for rock and roll. Haven't tried classical yet.

 

[Magnefied]

FWIW, I have Dolby ProLogic IIx, Lexicon Logic 7, DTS neo:6, and a 7 channel stereo mode to play with. I'm always flicking back and forth between different processing and plain old 2 channel. I don't think the type of music matters as much as the individual recording. Some 2 channel recordings sound great with some fake matrix processing applied and some just sound weird. Many times, I find myself reverting to stereo. If I had to rate the different processing I'd say...

1. Dolby ProLogic IIx
2. Lexicon Logic 7
3. DTS neo:6
4. 7 Channel Stereo

 

[bluesky636]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sdurani /forum/post/18161040


Can't underscore the above enough. Being able to customize the surround processing to your personal preference and varying source material is extremely helpful. The PLII Music mode can be adjusted to be as subtle or as agressive as you like.


For someone used to 2-speaker playback, I would suggest initially setting the Centre Width to 7 (no centre info extracted) and Dimension to +3 (minimal surround extraction). You can then start moving the Centre Width parameter towards 0 (zero) to find out just how much centre fill you like. Same with the Dimension parameter, adjusting it towards -3 until you find out how much surround extraction sounds best to you. Will vary with material, but definitely worth experimenting with.

Actually, you have Dimension backwards: +3 is most surround extraction, -3 is least. At least that is how it works and sounds on my Onkyo:


"Dimension


With this setting, you can move the sound field forward

or backward when using the Dolby Pro Logic II Music

or Dolby Pro Logic IIx Music listening mode. It can be

adjusted from –3 to +3 (default is 0). Lower settings

move the sound field forward. Higher settings move it

backward.


If the stereo image feels too wide, or there is too much

surround sound, move the sound field forward to

improve the balance. Conversely, if the stereo image

feels like it is in mono, or there is not enough surround

sound, move it backward."


I normally use a center width of "4" and a Dimension of "0" or "+1". I also prefer "Panorama" turned "On".

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bluesky636 /forum/post/18171078


Actually, you have Dimension backwards: +3 is most surround extraction, -3 is least. At least that is how it works and sounds on my Onkyo:

Seems it is implemented differently elsewhere. For example, the Meridian 861 manual says "-3 puts the balance to the rear of the room while +3 puts it to the front". The Acuras ACT-3 uses 0-6 for dimension settings (0,1,2 = front, 3 = neutral, 4,5,6 = rear).


In any case, instead of giving a number, I should have simply said to use the setting with the minimal surround extraction.

 

[bluesky636]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sdurani /forum/post/18172447


Seems it is implemented differently elsewhere. For example, the Meridian 861 manual says "-3 puts the balance to the rear of the room while +3 puts it to the front". The Acuras ACT-3 uses 0-6 for dimension settings (0,1,2 = front, 3 = neutral, 4,5,6 = rear).


In any case, instead of giving a number, I should have simply said to use the setting with the minimal surround extraction.

And manufacturers wonder why their manuals are so confusing sometimes.

I looked on the Dolby site before I posted to see if there was any sort of standard and found none.

 

[lmacmil]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnefied /forum/post/18170277


FWIW, I have Dolby ProLogic IIx, Lexicon Logic 7, DTS neo:6, and a 7 channel stereo mode to play with. If I had to rate the different processing I'd say...

1. Dolby ProLogic IIx
2. Lexicon Logic 7
3. DTS neo:6
4. 7 Channel Stereo

Mine can do all those excepte Lexicon Logic. I gotta say they all sound very similar to me although I haven't spent too much time listening carefully to each one.

 

[sivadselim]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bluesky636 /forum/post/18172993


And manufacturers wonder why their manuals are so confusing sometimes.

You no like manual?

 

[Magnefied]



Quote:
Originally Posted by lmacmil /forum/post/18173984


Mine can do all those excepte Lexicon Logic. I gotta say they all sound very similar to me although I haven't spent too much time listening carefully to each one.

General Characteristics

• Dolby ProLogic IIx - Creates an enveloping sound field. The surrounds and rears are readily noticeable on a lot of recordings. That can be good or bad. One guy, voice and guitar should not be emanating from both the front soundstage and beside you. Best with larger bands and more complex music.
• Lexicon Logic7 - Less emphasis on an enveloping surround field and more of an emphasis on the front stage. Works best with "smaller" acoustic recordings and voice.
• DTS neo:6 - More like Dolby than Lexicon but I never seem to like it and find myself jumping back to the other two processing modes or stereo.
• 7 Channel Stereo - No attempt at steering or sound field creation at all, simply more speakers radiating sound. Not bad for entertaining large groups where you just want evenly distributed sound for everyone.

With all of this processing available, I still find myself going back to 2 channel more often than not for 2 channel recordings. It's always been a trial and error affair for me and it may have something to do with the fact that I just like my Magnepan MG3.6's ability to create a realistic soundstage. I've been listening for about 2.5 hours this afternoon and almost all of that has been in 2 channel. Mark Knopfler, Golden Heart is in the Oppo at the moment. Before that Diana Krall, Live in Paris. Mighty Sam McClain, Keep On Movin. Ronnie Earl, Still River. Pat Coil, Schemes And Dreams. I'm relaxed.

 

[bluesky636]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sivadselim /forum/post/18174066


You no like manual?

I am a strong advocate of "RTFM".

 

[bluesky636]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnefied /forum/post/18174205


I've been listening for about 2 hours this afternoon and almost all of that has been in 2 channel. Mark Knopfler, Golden Heart is in the Oppo at the moment. Before that Diana Krall, Live in Paris. Mighty Sam McClain, Keep On Movin. Ronnie Earl, Still River. Pat Coil, Schemes And Dreams.

I just finished listening to a 6 CD set of the complete organ music of Buxtehude in DPL IIX. Sounded like I was in the church where it was recorded.

The recordings were made in 1957 on analog reel-to-reel tape. Not sure of the number of tracks. Except for some slight tape hiss, they sound spectacular.

 

[Magnefied]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bluesky636 /forum/post/18174266


I just finished listening to a 6 CD set of the complete organ music of Buxtehude in DPL IIX. Sounded like I was in the church where it was recorded.

The recordings were made in 1957 on analog reel-to-reel tape. Not sure of the number of tracks. Except for some slight tape hiss, they sound spectacular.

Cool! I don't appreciate how relaxing music is until I shut off the TV and start listening. Suddenly it dawns on me that a few hours have gone by, I'm totally relaxed, and my mind hasn't been on anything else the whole time. Luckily, if my wife doesn't want to listen she just wanders off to another part of the house with a book or watches TV. She's pretty understanding about my audio addiction. The kids wouldn't be caught dead near the music so they head off to their gaming room to slaughter aliens. I can't do it often but once a week it's really nice.

 

[Peter M]

It also depends on the room ... multichannel rooms tend to have more absorption so stereo can sound lacking ... stereo rooms tend to be more reflective to create spaciousness.


In my treated room it's PLIIx all the time ...

 

[radicaljester]

i used prologic II... i used this settings Dimesion -2 , Center width 4 , Center Image 0 , & listening mode : wide..sounds great to me

 

[NuSoardGraphite]

Wow. Some serious thread necromancy.


Anyway, I like DPLII the best, although sometimes All Channel Stereo works great, depending upon the material. although lately I've been listening to a lot more material in 2 channel format and finding it more pleasant that way.

 

[bao01]

I listen to dubstep with female vocals: Nero, Bassnectar etc

It has a lot of wierd sound effects and bass.

Anyone else listen to this stuff with surround processing?

Would it sound good in PL II, all stereo or something else?