what surround mode to use

fkcfkc
fkcfkc Posts: 11
edited October 2009 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
I have a 5.1 system and the B&K ref 50 s1.

I am confused to all these surround modes.

I primarily listen to concert DVD's and CD's.

When you guys listen to DVD's encoded in DTS, do you usually listen to DTS setting, DTS ES, or DTS Neo 6 or 96/24. I have no idea when you would use the various formats. I wonder why receivers have all these formats rather than just putting the one that is the best in their decoders?

How about Dolby Digital? Rf? EX, or normal DD?

I assume if something has Pro Logic, you always use the Pro Logic II?

For those of you that only have 5.1 like me, do you ever select the THX settings?

When you listen to regular old CD's, what settings do you typically use to listen to music?

Thank you for answering my newbie questions.

I love all the features, but am a bit overwhelmed.
Post edited by fkcfkc on
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  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited October 2009
    I always thought DTS-ES/Neo 6 only worked for 6.1 setups. I currently run a 6.1 setup and only until then was I able to use Dolby Digital EX/DTS-ES (I would assume it'd work for 7.1 if I ran said-setup).

    Dolby Digital alone is 5.1 I thought. I've always liked the "less compressed" soundtrack of DTS over DD anyway.

    Pro Logic is a much older format, Pro Logic II is an 'artificial' surround mode that can take 4 channel/2 channel soundtracks and create a 5.1 soundtrack from it.
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  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited October 2009
    Forgot to add, when running regular CD's I use Pure Direct mode. :D
    There's a huge difference going from Stereo to PD mode on my Denon, but again everyone's setup is different.
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  • thuffman03
    thuffman03 Posts: 1,325
    edited October 2009
    kawizx9r wrote: »
    Forgot to add, when running regular CD's I use Pure Direct mode. :D
    There's a huge difference going from Stereo to PD mode on my Denon, but again everyone's setup is different.

    Pure Direct mode I thought would be the same as bypass were the pre would not do any processing of the sound and just pass it through to the amp. Is that not correct?
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  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited October 2009
    thuffman03 wrote: »
    Pure Direct mode I thought would be the same as bypass were the pre would not do any processing of the sound and just pass it through to the amp. Is that not correct?

    That's correct, like I said though we all have different gear. Sometimes the DAC in your CDP/DVD might be better than the AVR/Pre and vice versa. In my case the one built into my player is better hence why I use Pure Direct mode. :D
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited October 2009
    When I had a Denon receiver, I use 5.1 channel stereo for cd's. Now that I have a prepro I use Pro Logic II for music. For movies I let my Pioneer take care of doing the decoding. I prefer DTS movies but they rarely make a DTS track anymore.
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  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited October 2009
    cfrizz wrote: »
    When I had a Denon receiver, I use 5.1 channel stereo for cd's. Now that I have a prepro I use Pro Logic II for music. For movies I let my Pioneer take care of doing the decoding. I prefer DTS movies but they rarely make a DTS track anymore.

    Blasphemy!

    Even the Master-DTS bluray soundtracks can be downconverted to regular DTS.

    +1
    As I said above as well, DTS > DD any day.
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited October 2009
    I'm talking about std def dvd's Kaw. I don't have a Blueray player & I am in no hurry to get one.
    kawizx9r wrote: »
    Blasphemy!

    Even the Master-DTS bluray soundtracks can be downconverted to regular DTS.

    +1
    As I said above as well, DTS > DD any day.
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  • kcoc321
    kcoc321 Posts: 1,788
    edited October 2009
    The B&K equivalent of 'Pure Direct' is the "St Lt Rt" setting. I use it when I want to use just my front speakers only. It contains the total signal unprocessed, which is why it is the recommended setting for 'tape out' also.

    When I want to use my sub also, I use the "stereo" setting. = 2.1 (not the 3 stereo, which is front and center plus sub..ie...3.1)

    There is a chart in the manual for which speakers are used with which settings.
    You can also use the "ultra" setting to add sub usage when you are using 'large' speaker settings.
    Also don't forget to taylor the x-over points for each speaker based on what you have.

    All the plethora of available options on the B&K Components can take some research, but it is nice to be able to set things up however you want.

    Also nice is the 40 presets you can save the settings you like for each source.
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  • packetjones
    packetjones Posts: 1,059
    edited October 2009
    I have a quick question about sound settings as well. I dont really understand the settings for PCM/Bitstream. What is the difference? I noticed that on a concert DVD that i have that PCM was dramatically louder than the DD option in the menu of the disk.

    For example on my dish network box i have the options for DD/PCM, DD only, and PCM only. I have it set to DD/PCM right now. On my HD-DVD player for HDMI it has Auto, PCM, and down-mixed PCM. Only on the SPDIF does it have PCM and bitstream. I currently have it hooked up via HDMI, and have auto selected. Is this correct?

    Did not mean to hijack the thread with this question but i figured it was somewhat related.
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  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 5,064
    edited October 2009
    kawizx9r wrote: »
    Blasphemy!

    Even the Master-DTS bluray soundtracks can be downconverted to regular DTS.

    +1
    As I said above as well, DTS > DD any day.

    I agree...the DTS sound has much more depth and the DD seems flat in comparison.
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