Question Regarding Mono/2.0 Audio Tracks on 5.1 Systems

[iv3rdawG]

New to the whole audio world, but I just got my 5.1 system setup a couple months back. This could be a dumb question, but figure I'd ask it here. I was watching Carnival of Souls on Blu-ray, a film from 1962. Of course it isn't 5.1, but instead features a mono soundtrack.

Now, my question is, when I play films with mono soundtracks, is it intended for the audio to come out of all five speakers, like it does on my system by default when being played through my PS4? The same thing happens for my Something Wild Blu-ray, which has a 2.0 surround track. I'm using a Denon AVR-S510BT receiver. Thanks!

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Your receiver is probably setup to default to a setting that takes the sound and spreads it out across all speakers (I believe that it is called "matrixing"). There are settings that you should be able to easily change to using your receiver remote that will rectify the output to the proper single/duel speaker experience.

My Onkyo receiver has various options that I can cycle through at the touch of a single button when it detects non-HD audio tracks. If I remember correctly, it was defaulted to a setting where it would matrix similar audio tracks into a 5 speaker experience. Was kind of jarring when I first heard it. "Wait. This doesn't have a 5.1 audio track on it. WTF?"

[iv3rdawG]

Been tinkering around with it as per your suggestion on mono, 2.0 and 5.1 films. It seems to pick up 5.1 tracks just fine, but everything else it seems to just shoot out to all speakers. Still, trying to find the right mode for each is kind of annoying, especially when there are two that sound nearly identical. Here's a mostly comprehensive list of all the options: http://manuals.denon.com/AVRS510BT/N...SYyriqsmlp.php

[bigshot]

If your receiver has a DSP for "Direct" or "Straight", you can use that for plain mono, and it also should play 5.1 properly if the track is multichannel. It might turn off your equalization settings though.

The thing that is affecting your output is either Dolby ProLogic or DTS Neo:6. It may be that your standard 5.1 DSP defaults to one of those if the audio is mono or stereo. Check the settings and you should be able to disable those.

[solarrdadd]

also, some receivers, there is a specific setting on what to do with "mono" input signals and it give you an option of things the system should do with such a signal, sometimes, it's "play to left", "play to right", "play to center", "play all channels stereo", etc. you should go through all of your speaker/audio settings to see if such options are available. sometimes, these things are in sub, sub menus, so, look carefully.

good luck, keep us posted.