Enhanced Surround to 7.1 from 5.1?

[Deckard_9732]

I want to use my 7.1 setup all the time but I am not sure about the enhanced surround choices to do this?

If I have DD or DD 5.1 in am using DD PLIIx and that seems right....

What do I use if I have DTS or DTS 5.1?

What do I use if I have DTS HD MA 5.1?

What do I use if I have True HD 5.1?

Any suggestions would be appreciate....I am using the Sony STR-DA4400ES and my choices are: PLIIx, Neo:6 Cinema. Neo:6 Music, Neural-THX.

[Uncle Leo]

Pretty sure you can only hear 7.1 from a 7.1 movie. Not like neo 6 which remixes it

[un4gvn94538]

from dolby site

Pro Logic IIx is the first and only technology to expand any existing stereo- or 5.1-channel audio for a 6.1- or 7.1- channel playback, creating a seamless, natural surround soundfield that immerses you in the entertainment experience.

[Uberbot]

Originally Posted by un4gvn94538

Pro Logic IIx is the first and only technology to expand any existing stereo- or 5.1-channel audio for a 6.1- or 7.1- channel playback, creating a seamless, natural surround soundfield that immerses you in the entertainment experience.

And I would add that it really does a decent job at it. I've been running a 7.2 system for about a year and PLllx is always the default choice for 5.1 movies.

On my Onkyo there are a few other options listed in the manual. Neural THX 5.1 / 7.1 for example.

[Deckard_9732]

Originally Posted by Uberbot

And I would add that it really does a decent job at it. I've been running a 7.2 system for about a year and PLllx is always the default choice for 5.1 movies.

On my Onkyo there are a few other options listed in the manual. Neural THX 5.1 / 7.1 for example.

I thought that PLIIx was the right choice but since DTS uses a different encoding and playback rate I wasn't sure if the PLIIx would be proprietary to Dolbly encodes only.

Also, does PLIIx affect the playback DD TrueHD 5.1?

[ozzman]

Originally Posted by Uberbot

And I would add that it really does a decent job at it. I've been running a 7.2 system for about a year and PLllx is always the default choice for 5.1 movies.

On my Onkyo there are a few other options listed in the manual. Neural THX 5.1 / 7.1 for example.

I use PLIIx For my music and For Movies(Not really for movies i mean HD TV)
I like to use all my speakers as well.

There are some that are hell bent on just useing the 5.1 thats Why we have are own systems

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by Deckard_9732

I thought that PLIIx was the right choice but since DTS uses a different encoding and playback rate I wasn't sure if the PLIIx would be proprietary to Dolbly encodes only.

Also, does PLIIx affect the playback DD TrueHD 5.1?

well, the best thing to do is go to the dts site and see what they offer. im sure there is a list just like the dolby site.
most people dont want to add any audio processing to lossless audio so, like myself, dont use any.

[Deckard_9732]

I could not find any compatibilty information with DTS on their site but I did find it on the Dolby Site and it is fully compatible with DTS 5.1 & DTS ES.

So the real question would be? If you want to here 7.1 with a BD disc that has Dolby True HD 5.1 or DTS MA 5.1 would Dolby PLIIx change the charactertics of the sound.......or simple enhance it? This may require a audio expert

[BIslander]

PLIIx uses data in the surround channels to produce stereo rear channels for 7.1. DTS Neo:6 uses a similar technique to produce a mono rear channel, which gets duplicated to both rears in a 7.1 system. I am not familiar with Neural THX. All of these DSPs can be applied to PCM, Dolby, and DTS sources, including the lossless ones (depending on the capabilities of your processor, of course).

I don't believe there's any remixing involved here, except for level adjustments in the surround channels to properly accomodate the addition of the rear channel(s).

[Deckard_9732]

Neural-THX is new encoding standard primarly for use in gaming. If the disc is not encoded with Neural-THX processing then it does nothing.

I want to thank everyone for their input but we still don't have a definitive answer. We all agree that we can use PLIIx for everything 5.1 lossy and below to get 7.1 surround.

But how exactly does PLIIx effect 5.1 lossless TrueHD & DTS MA and are we stuck with 5.1 for most TrueHD & DTS MA BD Disc playback?

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by Deckard_9732

But how exactly does PLIIx effect 5.1 lossless TrueHD & DTS MA and are we stuck with 5.1 for most TrueHD & DTS MA BD Disc playback?

The vast majority of BDs are released with 5.1 tracks. That's the way movies are mixed for theatrical release. Even 7.1 mixes for home release are usually done with the original 5.1 stems. It's not as though the sound presentation is redesigned for 7.1. The remixer finds a way to extract rear content from the original 5.1 elements.

As for PLIIx, we know what it does. It intelligently redistributes sound from the surrounds to create stereo rear channels. I'm not an audio engineer and I don't know all the particulars about how it is done. But, what additional information do you need?

[kefrank]

Can PLIIx only be applied to bitstreamed input or can it be applied to PCM input as well?

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by kefrank

Can PLIIx only be applied to bitstreamed input or can it be applied to PCM input as well?

Both. But, you need to check the manual to see if your receiver has any limitations in that regard. Some AVRs, for example, cannot decode HD and apply PLIIx at the same time.

[Hoser59]

Originally Posted by Deckard_9732

But how exactly does PLIIx effect 5.1 lossless TrueHD & DTS MA and are we stuck with 5.1 for most TrueHD & DTS MA BD Disc playback?

My Sony DG720 will matrix 5.1 lossless sent via PCM to 7.1 using PLIIx, and in my opinion it does a very good job.

[Beta Man]

Well Replicant..... although the question seems to be answered, I'll throw in my $0.02 regarding matrixing.......

I generally find it to be true (in my opinion) that the studio's mix to 5.1 sounds better when played at 5.1 rather than letting your receiver (likely the cost of one of the cables connected to the studio's mixing gear) do the job.

But your results may vary.

[Sir Terrence]

Originally Posted by Uberbot

And I would add that it really does a decent job at it. I've been running a 7.2 system for about a year and PLllx is always the default choice for 5.1 movies.

On my Onkyo there are a few other options listed in the manual. Neural THX 5.1 / 7.1 for example.

Unfortunely at this time there is no such thing as a 7.2 system, no matter how impressive it seems to sound You are running a 7.1 system with two subwoofer on one channel just like I am. There is no current audio system that offers two seperate discrete subwoofer channels, and there is no current mix that contains two seperate LFE channels, or a left and right subwoofer mix.

Its not how many subs you have in your system, its how many discrete channels are mixed and passed.

[Sir Terrence]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Well Replicant..... although the question seems to be answered, I'll throw in my $0.02 regarding matrixing.......

I generally find it to be true (in my opinion) that the studio's mix to 5.1 sounds better when played at 5.1 rather than letting your receiver (likely the cost of one of the cables connected to the studio's mixing gear) do the job.

But your results may vary.

You know I agree with you