Question about 2.0 surround.

[Rottweiler30]

Ive always listened to stereo 2.0 tracks on bluray/DVD as just that. 2.0, left and right speakers.

Ive started to wonder lately if ive been hurting the sound quality by not playing them as 2.0 surround/Pro Logic?

Are all 2.0 stereo tracks (DTS MA 2.0 etc), intended to be matrixed into the surrounds or just some? If its just some how do we tell by the Blu Ray case?

Or is it purely an optional thing and listening to 2.0 soundtracks just out of your front left and right channels is as much original intent as 2.0 surround?

Many thanks.

[jusmu]

2.0 is meant to be listened in Dolby Surround-mode because that`s how it was in theaters.

You could do test. Star watching movie in stereo half an hour and then start again with Dolby Surround and see with you are missing (or are you).

[Rottweiler30]

Originally Posted by jusmu

2.0 is meant to be listened in Dolby Surround-mode because that`s how it was in theaters.

You could do test. Star watching movie in stereo half an hour and then start again with Dolby Surround and see with you are missing (or are you).

If youre telling me 2.0 is meant to be heard in surround theres no need for me to test is there?

I dont think anyone could tell if they were missing something if they wasnt aware of what was missing.

[Rottweiler30]

Im wondering if my amp will actually automatically switch to dolby surround on applicable 2.0 soundtracks?

I have the Denon x1700

[Warm Gun]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

Im wondering if my amp will actually automatically switch to dolby surround on applicable 2.0 soundtracks?

I have the Denon x1700

No, it only remembers what mode you last used for the codec. But if you play dual channel mono (2.0 mono) tracks in Dolby Surround, the sound will simply come out of the center channel, assuming you have a center channel. My system is 4.1 surround, so I don't worry about it.

I don't play all stereo tracks in Dolby Surround. The vast majority of the time I do, but every once in a while I get a movie that sounds less impactful and just worse. Most TV shows mixed in stereo sound better in stereo.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

Im wondering if my amp will actually automatically switch to dolby surround on applicable 2.0 soundtracks?

I have the Denon x1700

I don't think it will switch from Stereo. You might be able to set your player to keep Stereo as Stereo, but I'm not sure what happens to Dolby Stereo!. As to the 2.0 it depends on the track, Dolby Stereo should be matrixed to LCR and Mono Rears as far as I remember.

It generally depends on the content, some stuff sounds weird when you start spreading it around.

I don't think you're missing any information if you stick to 2.0, just the direction that sound is coming from.

[Rottweiler30]

But theres literally no way of knowing whether a certain 2.0 track is designed to be played as 2.0 or whether the filmmakers intended 2.0 surround?

[crutzulee]

I think in many ways the vintage of the movie will give you some clue... most movies from the 80's were encoded with surround info in their stereo tracks.

[TheMGR]

You should assume that all discs with a 2.0 stereo soundtrack are meant to be decoded as matrix surround. I doubt there are many discs with 2-channel stereo mixes that don't decode this way.

[Rottweiler30]

So on the Denon x1700 id scroll to dts surround for dts 2.0 tracks and dolby surround for Dolby 2.0 or LPCM 2.0 stereo tracks?

Is there likely to be a setting in my UB820 that would allow 2.0 stereo tracks to be output as surround automatically since weve established the amp cant?

[Rottweiler30]

Theres options for downmix....Stereo or surround encoded.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

But theres literally no way of knowing whether a certain 2.0 track is designed to be played as 2.0 or whether the filmmakers intended 2.0 surround?

Like the other chaps posted, generally if a feature was after A Star is Born (1976) and presented in Dolby Stereo it should have the LRC and mono surround. As that's what it was intended for.

[Rottweiler30]

Originally Posted by chip75

Like the other chaps posted, generally if a feature was after A Star is Born (1976) and presented in Dolby Stereo it should have the LRC and mono surround. As that's what it was intended for.

Well ive just had a very brief play around as its late.

I put Icons new Point Break blu ray in, chose 2.0 from the main menu then flicked through the movie modes on my amps remote. Nothing saying dolby or dts surround. Got DTS MA, Virtual, Stereo. Mono Movie DTS Neural X, and maybe a few others I forget.

I stuck my ear to the rear speakers when DTS MA was selected thinking the display might not show it but they were silent and the info button on my amp just showed L and R speakers under input and L, R and subwoofer under active.

So I dont know how to get 2.0 surround anyway.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

Well ive just had a very brief play around as its late.

I put Icons new Point Break blu ray in, chose 2.0 from the main menu then flicked through the movie modes on my amps remote. Nothing saying dolby or dts surround. Got DTS MA, Virtual, Stereo. Mono Movie DTS Neural X, and maybe a few others I forget.

I stuck my ear to the rear speakers when DTS MA was selected thinking the display might not show it but they were silent and the info button on my amp just showed L and R speakers under input and L, R and subwoofer under active.

So I dont know how to get 2.0 surround anyway.

I'll have a look at my amp later, mate. Have you tried Direct?

[Rottweiler30]

Thanks Chip. No I heard direct bypasses Audyssey settings I think when I first got the amp so Ive always left it on 'auto'. According to the manual there is a dolby surround/dts surround option but I couldnt see it when I toggled through.

[Rottweiler30]

Im starting to think, after reading around, that 'DTS Neural X' is DTS' setting to get surround from 2.0 sources. I reckon playing a Dolby True HD 2.0 track will then allow 'Dolby Surround' to be a listed setting instead?

Edit...Is there even any blu rays with Dolby TrueHD 2.0!? I cant actually find any when looking through my collection statistics on this site?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

Edit...Is there even any blu rays with Dolby TrueHD 2.0!? I cant actually find any when looking through my collection statistics on this site?

You have three in your collection, but they're all Dolby TrueHD 2.0 Mono, so I'm not sure what happens if you use ProLogic, I think it just goes to the Center channel.

[Rottweiler30]

Originally Posted by chip75

You have three in your collection, but they're all Dolby TrueHD 2.0 Mono, so I'm not sure what happens if you use ProLogic, I think it just goes to the Center channel.

It does apparently, yes.

So would you say Neural X is for non Dolby 2.0 surround? I dont think Dolby 2.0 surround is even going to be a factor seeing as they appear to be as rare as rocking horse droppings, but maybe 'Dolby Surround' would appear as an option if one was playing?

[Rottweiler30]

Originally Posted by TheMGR

You should assume that all discs with a 2.0 stereo soundtrack are meant to be decoded as matrix surround. I doubt there are many discs with 2-channel stereo mixes that don't decode this way.

When 2.0 tracks are matrixed into the surrounds by an amps upmixer are the chosen sounds/effects specifically intended by the filmmaker? Or it is jut an amp gimmick that echoes things about?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

When 2.0 tracks are matrixed into the surrounds by an amps upmixer are the chosen sounds/effects specifically intended by the filmmaker? Or it is jut an amp gimmick that echoes things about?

My knowledge is limited, but Dolby Stereo was a 4-track system designed to be backwards compatible for mono and two channel theatres. So each track would include, I assume, separate information by the film's sound mixer/filmmaker.

When technology became available enthusiasts wanted to experience the same sound at home so decoders became available for content that was in the surround format, initially it was a slightly watered down version before becoming the equivalent of what was used in theatres.

So Pro Logic produces what's there, but it and other matrix decoders can also create pseudo surround.