Using The Surround Modes; Dolby Pro-Logic Surround - Marantz SR490 User Manual

USING THE SURROUND MODES
DOLBY DIGITAL (AC-3) SURROUND (SR590 only)
Dolby Digital (also known as AC-3) is new tecnology that was originally
developed to provide six separate channels of high quality discrete multi-
channel sound for motion picture theaters. The Marantz AV receiver brings
that same high quality sound into your home when used a compatible laser
disc player, as well as from future Dolby Digital sources such as DSS,
Digital Video Disc (DVD) and High Definition Television (HDTV).
The wide dynamic range of Dolby Digital enables the Marantz AV recever
to reproduce soundtracks with their full fidelity and a realism that is not
possible with conventional matrix surround systems.
DOLBY PRO LOGIC SURROUND
This is the setting you will probably use for watching most Dolby Surround
(DO DOLBY SURROUND ) encoded videos. This provides you with left
and right stereo for off-screen imaging, a center channel for most on-
screen dialogue, and a surround channel! for ambiance and special effects.
There are three center channel modes available in Dolby Surround.
"PHANTOM" should be used if you have elected not to use a center
channel. This mode of operation directs the center channel information
equally to the left and right channel speakers, creating a "phantom" center
image of the dialogue. This is the way the first generation Dolby Surround
worked.
"NORMAL" should be used if you are using a small center channel
speaker (or speakers) with limited bass response.
In NORMAL mode, the
lower frequencies (below 100 Hz) are removed from the center channel
and redirected equally to the left and right speakers. Since bass frequen-
cies are omnidirectional, this will not affect the imaging of the center
channel. The dialogue will still appear to come from the video screen.
"WIDE" should be used if you are using a full-range center channel
speaker that is just as capable of good bass response as your main left and
right speakers. In this mode, all the center channel information remains in
the center channel output.
Delay times available in Dolby Surround : 15 to 30 mS (milliseconds)
Delay times available in Dolby Digital (AC-3) : 0 to 15 mS (milliseconds)
For most home theater setups, the 20mS setting works best. This setting
should be used if your front speakers are the about the same distance
away from the listening position as the surround speakers are located.
Choose the 30mS setting only if you are sitting much closer to the surround
speakers than to the front speakers.
Choose the 15mS
setting
if you are further away from the surround speakers than you are to the
front speakers.
DOLBY 3 STEREO
This mode of operation is available to provide a center channel image for
stereo program sources that are not encoded with surround sound. This
is use for watching older movies or TV shows that are recorded in stereo,
particularly if your speakers are located relatively far apart from each other.
In this way, dialogue will be correctly located at the video screen, while the
stereo information will provide off-screen imaging. Only NORMAL and
WIDE center channel modes are available in 3 STEREO Mode. Delay time
is OMS because the SURROUND channel is off.
DOLBY PRO-LOGIC SURROUND
[Speaker Selection and Placement]
Front Speakers: These should be full-range, high quality speakers; the
best speakers in your system. They should be located far enough from
each side of your TV monitor to provide a well defined stereo image. The
TV monitor should be located midway between the left and right front
speakers. You may use smaller speakers if you are using a sub-woofer with
your system.
Surround Speakers: The rear speakers in your surround sound system
provide ambient sound for an open, "concert hail" effect when listening
to music. They also spread the sound and provide special effects on video
soundtracks when used in the Dolby Surround mode.
The demands made on your surround speakers are far less than on your
main speakers. Therefore, these speakers do not need to be as large (and
as expensive) as your main speakers. Deep bass response is not important
at all. Good 2-way bookshelf speakers will handle the job easily, and most
full-range mini-monitors are also quite suitable for this application. De-
pending on how extensive you want to get with your installation, there are
also several in-wall and wall-mount speakers that are suitable for use as
surround sound speakers. Dipole-type surround speakers can provide
even wider dispersion, with a diffused sound field which provides envel-
oping surround sound effects.
The surround channel speakers should be mounted so that their sound is
dispersed throughout the viewing area.
Ideally, you should install the surround speakers along the side walls of the
listening room, directly above and to the left and right to the listeners or
slightly behind them. Their height should be about 1 meter higher than the
level of the listener's ears. (Figure 1-A). This will provide the best surround
sound effect and should be used with both conventional direct-radiating as
well as dipole speaker types. If this is not possible or practical, then try
mounting the surround speakers on the back wall of the room, and aim
them so that they are not firing directly sounds do not reach directly toward
the listener's ears. (Figure 1-B) Another approach is to mount the speakers
facing upward so that their sound is dispersed by the ceiling and rear wall
(Figure 1-C).
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