Question on speaker settings for DVDA vs DVD

Shell
Shell Posts: 134
edited September 2003 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
I am about to buy Denon 2900 DVD player that has DVD-A and SACD. My question is, the rear speakers for DVD movies are supposed to have a diffuse sound is this also true with digital audio such as SACD or DVD-audio. Or are these digital music formats suppose to have a focused sound.

Also there is not much out there about the Denon 2900 do any of you own it or have heard the sound quality? Thanks from a semi novice.
Post edited by Shell on
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,645
    edited September 2003
    My take,

    Multi-channel for DVD...........2 channel for SACD or DVD-A.

    I also believe that you compromise sound quality when using all-in-one type players.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • John K.
    John K. Posts: 822
    edited September 2003
    I assume that you're speaking of multi-channel discs(some SACDs are two channel); the best rear surround speakers vary with the type of music and what has been put into the surround channels. On some discs, classical music especially, the surround channels carry ambience information which most believe is better when produced by more diffuse speakers. Other discs put specific musical instruments into the surround channels and direct radiating speakers do a bit better job there.

    The sound quality when using the 2900 is just fine, as good as any other CD/DVD player.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited September 2003
    This is a good question and I can answer it like this.....

    First and formost the rear speakers have to match the rest of the system.Bipolar and or Dipolar speakers can play music very well.Placement and setup I believe could be more of a factor then design.Listen to polk bi polar rears like the Lsi/FX or the rti series,they sound great playing music.Bi polar could be argued to be the correct choice.

    Mono rears for dual roles might not always be the correct choice.Really depending on the room and placement.But for SACD and DVD AUDIO they could and really are the best choice.

    Now ask your self this question.........Is SACD/ DVD AUDIO more important then Home Theater???Which is a better choice?If using monos for rears for theater gets the job done,then use em,if bipolar is key then go that route.

    Perfect world is one thing,real world is another.Best of both worlds would be to use a Denon avr with A-B surround speakers.Then you can have both hooked up and switch for movies and music.............
    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Shell
    Shell Posts: 134
    edited September 2003
    Thanks for everyone’s help. I guess I will have to wait till I get the player to decide what is best. Maybe the wife will let me sweet talk her into getting the LSI FX speakers, that way I can change the setting with the Di polar switch. I also see many 5.1 channel discs also carry the 2 channel tracks. I read reviews where some prefer the 2 channel to the surround mode when listening to music.

    Thanks again.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,645
    edited September 2003
    Let me straighten something out for you. Some 2 channel discs also carry multi-channel, not the other way around.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2003
    I have done some extensive 5.1 SACD listening and still prefer 2CH format. It is definetly neat, and worth a listen, but stereo is king.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,524
    edited September 2003
    Shell,
    The design specifications for both DVD-A and SACD call for five full-range, equally matched (read identical) speakers plus a subwoofer. In my experience, multi-channel DVD-A and SACD do not achieve optimum sound when played back on Polk's FX surround speakers. On the other hand, the ambient surround effects of DVD movies don't have the optimum effect with direct radiating speakers that are good for music use as surround speakers. You can get around this by using a Denon receiver that allows hooking up A and B sets of surround speakers. That way, you have a choice (and more speakers).

    However, I do agree to an extent that music sounds best in two-channel mode. It depends on the mix on the disc though. For example, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon sound great in their multi-channel versions. A lot of multi-channel discs haven't been worth the effort in my opinion though.
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