Do always set your receiver to the encoded mix?

[peep6543]

I have a 5.1.2 setup that defaults to Dolby Surround or DTS:X Neural if I like, but I just started Leprechaun and it's 2.0. I changed to just front stage and it got me thinking. Do most people always set their AVR to match the audio track or do you default to utilize all speakers you have available?

I'm thinking there isn't a wrong answer, I'm just genuinely curious.

[slimdude]

I have a Denon 4400, and I have it set to Direct, which plays the audio configuration that I select on the disc.

[peep6543]

Interesting. I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-LX102 I wonder if it has that function.

Side question, do you always select the option on the disc that offers the most channels? Or the option originally released in theaters?

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by peep6543

Interesting. I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-LX102 I wonder if it has that function.

Side question, do you always select the option on the disc that offers the most channels? Or the option originally released in theaters?

Yes, on the 4K UHD discs I choose Dolby Atmos, or DTS:X which ever the movie is encoded with. The standard Blu-rays, I always select either DTS Master Audio or Dolby TrueHD 7.1 to 5.1.

[Scarriere]

In my living room I use 5.1. or 7.1, no upmixing.

In the bedroom I always use Atmos, DTS-X or their upmixers.

[oddbox83]

Old receiver and speakers I had it set to surround for everything, as I found the stereo sound weak and spread out, sounded better balanced when matrixed into surround.

New speakers are significantly better and I find I prefer to leave everything direct. Impressive stereo and surround alike.

[TripleHBK]

I've tried to use "Direct" on several occasions but it just sounds terrible as it removes any of the room equalization applied to the track. As a result I run THX Cinema or THX Music for whatever it is I am listening to on my Onkyo Receiver. These settings allow for room correction and other advancements but retain the original speaker orientation (1.0/2.0/2.1/4.0/5.1/7.1) mixed in under the DTS-MA or Dolby TrueHD tracks, so I've found it's really the best outcome as it's not forcing unnecessary surround sound, but still helps the tracks sound as good as they can given my listening environment.

[peep6543]

That's a sweet setting. I gave Direct a shot the other day and it somehow deselected something within my Xbox so Step Brothers 4k kept wiggin out on me (at least I think that was the cause).

I generally use auto surround and an upmix on everything but it would be cool to experience some things exactly as they are presented.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by TripleHBK

I've tried to use "Direct" on several occasions but it just sounds terrible as it removes any of the room equalization applied to the track.

Just to clarify, I perhaps incorrectly used the term "direct" to prefer to playing 1.0 and 2.0 tracks in plain stereo/mono.

[Magicman38]

I have a Yamaha 7.1 and I always use “Straight” (which I assume is the same as direct) if I can. That way I can hear as the Director and Sound Mixer, etc intended.

[CompleteCount]

With Sony, I always use the "AFD" setting (Auto Format Decode) to get mixes as they are intended.

[slimdude]

I don't know what brand of receivers you guys have but, direct mode is not a soundfield. Direct mode automatically decodes the audio that's been selected specifically on the disc by the viewer.

[WaltWiz1901]

Originally Posted by peep6543

...but I just started Leprechaun and it's 2.0. I changed to just front stage...

I generally use auto surround and an upmix on everything but it would be cool to experience some things exactly as they are presented.

If the movie's sound mix was recorded *with* the Dolby Stereo* matrix (as is most likely the case with Leprechaun), then you should listen to it in Dolby Pro Logic (I/II/IIx/IIz)/Dolby Surround. Listening to the mix in, say, direct would only make it come out the front left and right speakers; Dolby Stereo movies were typically played through a theater's left, center, right, and surround speakers (a monaural signal was sent to the surrounds rather than the full-range stereo surround signals on most Dolby Digital soundtracks).
*The moniker "Dolby Stereo" is a misnomer, as 'stereo' usually refers to two channels/speakers versus the four encoded channels of a DS mix. "Dolby Surround" (the name of the encoding technology used for numerous VHS'/LaserDiscs/DVDs, the first home version of Dolby's matrix decoding technology, and the upmixer found on most Atmos receivers) would be a more appropriate name for this format

[oddbox83]

Unfortunately, newer receivers seem to have ditched the option of traditional Dolby Surround if you have any Atmos modules. It's use those or nothing. I would have liked an option for a traditional Dolby Surround setting.

[WaltWiz1901]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Unfortunately, newer receivers seem to have ditched the option of traditional Dolby Surround if you have any Atmos modules. It's use those or nothing. I would have liked an option for a traditional Dolby Surround setting.

Among the Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity staff's "[Surround Sound Processor] Benchmark Specifications" (which was typed in 2003, more than a decade before receivers with Dolby Atmos, the new Dolby Surround, etc. came about and less than three years before Blu-ray became available to the public, but is still relevant today) is this note on how processors (and to a similar extent, receivers) should play back surround-encoded 2.0 tracks:

Pro Logic

Surr Encode Flag Reading
The unit should read the "Surround Encoded" flag in two-channel AC-3 bitstreams and set Pro Logic/Stereo playback appropriately, and the user must be able to override.

It's frustrating that there are little to no currently available receivers that can do this and (AFAIK) there aren't any Blu-rays with surround-flagged 2.0 Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, or LPCM tracks. During the LaserDisc era, some discs had their audio encoded as either Dolby Surround-encoded [L]PCM or DTS Stereo (the DTS counterpart to Dolby Surround/Pro Logic); why in the world didn't they bring those encoding techniques back during the Blu-ray/HD era?

[blackadder213]

My receiver seems to automatically detect what I am listening to and change itself. I have noticed the display sometimes says Dolby, other times DTS or TrueHD.

[hoytereden]

I'm still using my Onkyo 805 and I usually leave 7.1 tracks alone. For 5.1, I'll toggle between leaving it as-is or THX Ultra2 Cinema and see what sounds better. For Mono or Stereo I usually go to the all channel modes for those.

[5meohd]

Originally Posted by WaltWiz1901

Among the Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity staff's "[Surround Sound Processor] Benchmark Specifications" (which was typed in 2003, more than a decade before receivers with Dolby Atmos, the new Dolby Surround, etc. came about and less than three years before Blu-ray became available to the public, but is still relevant today) is this note on how processors (and to a similar extent, receivers) should play back surround-encoded 2.0 tracks:

It's frustrating that there are little to no currently available receivers that can do this and (AFAIK) there aren't any Blu-rays with surround-flagged 2.0 Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, or LPCM tracks. During the LaserDisc era, some discs had their audio encoded as either Dolby Surround-encoded [L]PCM or DTS Stereo (the DTS counterpart to Dolby Surround/Pro Logic); why in the world didn't they bring those encoding techniques back during the Blu-ray/HD era?

Very good question. Does anyone happen to have an answer? I saw other threads here stating that Criterion Collection bluray discs with DTS 2.0 can possibly contain the surround matrix encode. True or false? And are any current high end receivers able to decode? Maybe Marantz or Rotel or?

[oddbox83]

If it’s an original Dolby Stereo mix it should decode. The only thing missing is the flag so you have to do it manually. You’ll be up mixing on most receivers to how many speakers it has but you should have the correct matrix info info embedded at least so it’s not all false.

[Scarriere]

Originally Posted by peep6543

I have a 5.1.2 setup that defaults to Dolby Surround or DTS:X Neural if I like, but I just started Leprechaun and it's 2.0. I changed to just front stage and it got me thinking. Do most people always set their AVR to match the audio track or do you default to utilize all speakers you have available?

I'm thinking there isn't a wrong answer, I'm just genuinely curious.

I'v had 5.1.2 in my bedroom for quite awhile and now have 5.1.2 in my living room. I use Dolby Surround Upmixer on both AVRs for watching tv and cable movies.
Obviously, I use Atmos for UHDs and Blu-rays that have Atmos or rarely, DTS X.