Jump to content

Pro Logic II overrated?


the goods

Recommended Posts

I always have my receiver and speakers on when I'm watching satellite TV broadcasts and my unit is a Denon 2802. I don't watch VHS tapes anymore anyway but I also hear everyone saying that PL II also sounds great for regular TV. I have tried using it but still find that 5 Channel Stereo sounds better even on regular TV because there is constant info. being heard from the rears. I agree that PLII is an improvement over the original version and you hear a little more from the rears but it doesn't seem as dramatic an improvement as everyone says. Am I missing something? Also, it seems that I hear a little more from the rears in the music mode than the cinema mode when watching TV. This doesn't make sense to me. Is PLII just better suited for older DVD's and VHS Tapes than regular TV?

------------------

the goods

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i feel the same way. The Hercules GTXP's 5.1 expansion sounds LIGHT YEARS better than expensive ProLogicII and was made by a computer company, not some audio pioneer.

what i like is a mix of the front left/right turned into a mono center channel, then regular left and right for the front and back. you get NO morphed sound which is so very nice Smile.gif

------------------

-justin

SoundWise

promediatech@Klipsch.com /1-888-554-5665 - RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5s>

Email Me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think maybe you are wanting to hear too much from the rear. I mean, if you like that, fine. I'm not criticizing your taste or personal preference. It's just that there is no way dpl-II, or any other matrixed process, is going to put a lot of constant sound in the rear, unless you have the levels cranked way up, back there. And then you'll hear them all the time, but it will sound totally unrealistic. But maybe that would sound good to you, so, "to each his own", eh?

------------------

JDM

'98 klipschorns, Infinity SM-120's (surr.)

Dynaco QD-2

Sennheiser HD-580's

Sony TA-F606ES int. amp.

Sony ST-S550ES tuner

Sony CDP-X33ES CD player

Sony DTC-75ES DAT recorder

Sony PS-LX510 turntable w/ Audio-Technica AT-216EP cartridge

Akai HX-A3 cassette decks>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

in a nutshell, that's what PL-II is supposed to do. take the surround channel from the limited range to full range. if you're gonna have surround, why not want it full range?

will come in handy for dolby surround/2.0 stuff, like most of these digital cable movies. that is when i finally get it in an upgrade for the pre/pro.

btw, you may get more sound from the rears w/ 2.0 movies in stereo mode, but you don't get the front to back sweep effects either.

------------------

My Home Systems Page

This message has been edited by boa12 on 09-05-2002 at 03:26 PM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But isnt 5 channel gonna send the same signal to all 5 speakers? So you would in effect, be losing your center channel, because it will sending the same signal as the mains. You would have no separation.

Supposed to be great for music, but not for HT.

------------------

Mains: KLF 10's

Center: RC-3 (I know--doesn't match mains)

Surrounds: Quintets

Receiver: Denon 3802

DVD: Denon DVD-900

TV: Sony 36XBR400

VCR: Mitsubishi HS-U48

LaserDisc: Pioneer D605

MIT T2 and T3cables throughout

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Egad, krusty46, you may have lost your "Wonder Bred" credentials on that one!

5.1 provides five discrete channels... that means that no channels are the same... each is mixed to put you in the middle of the action. More over, they are now full-range rather than having some reduced capacity monaural surround channels which is the legacy of ProLogic... ProLogic II is a side road... and Dolby Digital EX is the highway... six full-range discrete channels... with all the power to make the most of sound in every direction. Plus, a subwoofer channel to scrape the bottom range of non-directional sound to bring the HT sounds that are up to the range of music's finest... and beyond to the far frontiers of special effects.

This Forum is a wealth of what's real in HT and multi-channel music... just roam the Forum archives and find a full range of opinion and fact. Learn how to make the most of your Klipsch system. -HornED

This message has been edited by HornEd on 09-05-2002 at 06:10 PM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think ol' crusty was referring to the "5-chl stereo" modes that many receivers offer. NOT DD 5.1. In most of the 5-channel stereo set-ups, the L & R information is summed and sent to the center channel, and sent as is, L to L suround and R to R surround, all at equal level. It is referred to as "party" mode sometimes, which is what it is really intended for anyway.

Please reinstate Crusty46's "Wonderbread" credentials!

DPL-II may indeed be a sideroad for movie sound, but it could be a very important tool to help keep two-channel music recordings from sounding lame to ears that are primed for surround sound.

------------------

JDM

'98 klipschorns, Infinity SM-120's (surr.)

Dynaco QD-2

Sennheiser HD-580's

Sony TA-F606ES int. amp.

Sony ST-S550ES tuner

Sony CDP-X33ES CD player

Sony DTC-75ES DAT recorder

Sony PS-LX510 turntable w/ Audio-Technica AT-216EP cartridge

Akai HX-A3 cassette decks>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oops, I guess that was a crumby retort... I've been in Sourdough Mode so long I forgot about the Party Wry.

Does this mean I have to abstain from listening to my '98 Klipschorns until I complete a "U2 can be a party animal" refresher coarse? Thanks for being an astute crumbcatcher, JDM! -HornED

This message has been edited by HornEd on 09-06-2002 at 09:04 AM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:

Originally posted by boa12:

i've been waiting so long now for the upgrade, i forgot what advantage PLII is supposed to offer over 5-7 speaker stereo for stereo music sources. can anybody refresh me in a nutshell?
Wink.gif


justin to the rescue!

Question

Whats the difference between Pro Logic, Pro Logic II, and Dolby Digital 5.1?

Answer

Dolby Pro Logic is a matrix decoder that decodes the four channels of surround sound that have been encoded onto the stereo soundtracks of Dolby Surround program material such as VHS movies and TV shows. Dolby Surround is a matrix encoding process that in essence folds Left, Center, Right, and Surround channels onto stereo soundtracks. A Pro Logic decoder unfolds the four channels on playback (without a Pro Logic decoder, the encoded program plays in regular stereo).

Dolby Pro Logic II is an advanced matrix decoder that derives five-channel surround (Left, Center, Right, Left Surround, and Right Surround) from any stereo program material, whether or not it has been specifically Dolby Surround encoded. On encoded material such as movie soundtracks, the sound is more like Dolby Digital 5.1 (see below), while on unencoded stereo material such as music CDs the effect is a wider, more involving soundfield. Among other improvements over Pro Logic, Pro Logic II provides two full-range surround channels, as opposed to Pro Logics single, limited-bandwidth surround channel.

Dolby Digital 5.1 is a method of transmitting and storing 5.1-channel soundtracks via newer digital media such as DVD, digital cable, digital broadcast TV (DTV), and satellite transmissions. Unlike the Dolby Surround encode/Pro Logic decode process, which sacrifices channel separation to get surround onto any stereo soundtrack, Dolby Digital 5.1 is a discrete system that keeps the multiple channels fully separated throughout the encoding and decoding processes. In addition to having full-range Left, Center, Right, Left Surround, and Right Surround channels, Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks carry a sixth (.1) channel recorded with low-frequency effects (those bass rumbles and booms you feel as well as hear in a well-equipped cinema).

------------------

-justin

SoundWise

promediatech@Klipsch.com /1-888-554-5665 - RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5s>

Email Me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...