kde Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Realize this is per listening preference, hovever what settings do most people listen to? Movies: Start with TrueHD, and then next best available (assuming TrueHD is the best). Music: Surround or Stereo? If people listen to music in Stereo, then why do dvds come with 5.1 surround for music dvds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 14, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 14, 2011 Movie Standard 2ch Music Never switch to anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted April 14, 2011 Author Share Posted April 14, 2011 I assume that 2 channel, means that only the front two speakers play. Why would you only want music from the front of the room? In a theater or stadium, wouldn't the sound "surround" you in the actual environment? EDIT: Note that I wouldn't want the guitar or voice to be coming from behind me, but the echos, etc would seem appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nezff Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Blurays: trueHD or dtshd. DVDs: Dolby digital 5.1 or dts Music: Dolby pl music, all channels stereo, sometimes I try pure audio 2ch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todzilla Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 With my H/K receiver on bluray, it just selects 'multi channel pcm', I don't have option for anything else. The AVR decodes trueHD and DTShd, so can I assume that these formats are being used. I've searched the manual and can't see a way to specifically select the other modes. For music I go back and forth between 2ch and 5ch stereo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornfedksboy Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Anybody else use THX as their listening mode for movies? That tends to be what I prefer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 14, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 14, 2011 With my H/K receiver on bluray, it just selects 'multi channel pcm', I don't have option for anything else. The AVR decodes trueHD and DTShd, so can I assume that these formats are being used. That's the ways mine is setup since my PS3 will not bitstream the data to the AVR and let the AVR decode it in DTS-Master and Dolby TrueHD. So my AVR never says those but are being decoded as such. I do not have a THX option either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 14, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 14, 2011 I assume that 2 channel, means that only the front two speakers play. 2ch are your main speakers + subwoofer. Why would you only want music from the front of the room? In a theater or stadium, wouldn't the sound "surround" you in the actual environment? In a theater, you are watching a movie. In a HT or living room setting, you would likely use a "surround" format. But for music, 2ch to me is typically what I choose because it is what my ears are used to hearing. Think about it....in a live concert, you don't have side or rear speakers. Just a massive wall of sound in front of you. Yes you hear stuff happening in the background but this is a reflected sound. EDIT: Note that I wouldn't want the guitar or voice to be coming from behind me, but the echos, etc would seem appropriate. I can understand that. The Eagles: Hell Freezes Over Concert DVD does just that. You hear the audience applause in the surrounds but I believe they also add subtle "music" in those channels as well. It sounds really awesome. When I think about it, I tend to listen to CD's in 2ch, watch Live Concert DVD's in 5.1 and movies in 5.1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Having 2 speakers I don't have much of a choice. [] When I had a surround setup I used whatever the highest quality audio format on the disc was and didn't add any soundfield enhancements. Now that I'm back to 2 channel I don't really miss surround sound that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todzilla Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 With my H/K receiver on bluray, it just selects 'multi channel pcm', I don't have option for anything else. The AVR decodes trueHD and DTShd, so can I assume that these formats are being used. That's the ways mine is setup since my PS3 will not bitstream the data to the AVR and let the AVR decode it in DTS-Master and Dolby TrueHD. So my AVR never says those but are being decoded as such. I do not have a THX option either. Thanks Youthman, thats what I thought, but nice to hear it from someone else with the same situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kde Posted April 14, 2011 Author Share Posted April 14, 2011 Do most AVR or Processors automatically select the best surround mode (TrueHD, PLIIx, etc)? I just got the Emotiva UMC-1 and haven't played with it enough yet, but don't think it automatically adjusts. I think my old Pioneer AVR used to adjust (not 100% sure). I would love something that adjusts automatically -- turn the tv or dvd on then the processor takes over and plays whatever best format available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage_Head Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Do most AVR or Processors automatically select the best surround mode (TrueHD, PLIIx, etc)? I just got the Emotiva UMC-1 and haven't played with it enough yet, but don't think it automatically adjusts. I think my old Pioneer AVR used to adjust (not 100% sure). I would love something that adjusts automatically -- turn the tv or dvd on then the processor takes over and plays whatever best format available. Well depends on the blu ray if a little older you would first need to go to the audio options at the menu screen of the blu ray movie. And change it to what you want. Then you probably have an auto mode on your avr that will read the highest possible format. In your case if you are seeing pcm then your avr is set right but if the movie came out on blu ray before the last year or so (probably like 2 years but I always check) the standard is just basic 5.1. Hit the display button on your ps3 remote up in the right corner you will see what the ps3 is decoding hd dts/true hd/ pcm/ next to that you see the size in hz some move some don’t. If you see just basic 5.1 Dolby pro then you need to change it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivernuggets Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 I just got the Emotiva UMC-1 and haven't played with it enough yet, but don't think it automatically adjusts. You can go into its menu and select what mode you want based on what the DVD/Bluray gives. After those adjustments it will be automatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrod Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Youth and todzilla, Do the older PS3's (non-slim) not allow you to select "bit-stream" or "PCM"? I have only owned the Slim. I have mine set to bit-stream and the Integra reads "Dolby TrueHD" or "DTS-MA" on blu-rays. I, like Youth, only use 2-channel ("Stereo") or one of the above lossless formats for movies. I can't bring myself to watch DVD's anymore (how sad is that). They are basically just there for my fiance. She has some truely terrible movies that we WILL NOT be purchasing on BD. For TV I set my DirecTV to output Dolby Digital. It's actually not that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I use the PLC II option on audio but the movies usually are 5.1. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted April 15, 2011 Moderators Share Posted April 15, 2011 Do the older PS3's (non-slim) not allow you to select "bit-stream" or "PCM"? The "Fat" PS3 does not support bitstreaming. The new "Slim" will allow you to send the audio uncompressed to the receiver and let your receiver do the surround decoding. This is why your receiver says "DTS-MA". At first, I was disappointed because my receiver didn't show the format but in reality, I shut the door to the cabinet and no one ever sees what it says on the receiver (including me)....they just hear it. [] I can't bring myself to watch DVD's anymore (how sad is that). I agree. I don't know if the PS3 just does a poor job of upconverting but to me, it's pretty grainy. Doesn't even compare to Bluray quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nezff Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I used to think pure audio sounded terrible, but it really makes my 63s sound great. The midrange is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BorderCollie Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I don't care much for watching DVD's anymore either. For the longest time I didn't understand what all the hype was with Bluray.... than I built an HTPC and about 6 months after I built it, I decided that I was going to throw a Bluray drive in it.... now I won't even bother watching a DVD.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornfedksboy Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 It's amazing. I've become an HD snob as well. I won't watch any type of action or sci-fi movie unless I can watch it in HD 5.1. I won't watch any of my 500 non-HD cable stations either (except the local Wichita State Shockers broadcast. It's horrid, but I'm a college basketball junkie and a fan). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironsave Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I like the Neo Cinema setting for DVD and Blu Ray rips encoded with 5.1 audio. (From my PC to the receiver via toslik cable) I also like Neo Music for 5 channel music; if I am doing the DVD/Bluray music thing...... (Same; via toslink cable; Blu Ray drive in PC). My sound card is set to pass through; so the receiver does the decoding.... Of course.... I listen to music in good ole' 2 (.1) channel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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