I really enjoy listening to music CDs in 2 channel stereo. However, that doesn't seem to be the common or best way to listen since we have so much new technology today. I have a Yamaha receiver with Dolby, etc. etc.etc. It has more listening modes than I have years left on planet earth!! I've tried many of the different music modes but other than the "6 channel" mode (I'm only set uo with 5.1 at this time), most seem boomy, boxy or just don't sound crisp or normal. My question has 2 parts: 1.Is there a particular mode that sounds better or seems to be the preferred mode? 2. Is there some adjustments that I need to make to get better sound? Any thoughts?
I don't care for the DSP modes at all. They just add an unnatural tone to the music. For me, I just stick with a plain old two channel set up. I am now running an integrated tube amp, which I love. Different sound than what I got through my H/K. Although now I don't get my sub to fill in the bottom end.
As for better sound, I don't know what you find lacking. . . Try moving your speakers around--away from the wall, toe them in a little, etc. Just experiment. Also, some recordings are just bad and no amount of tweaking can improve that.
Thanks for the input. The sound is great with 2 channel stereo which includes the sub or even direct stereo which eliminates the sub. I was just wondering if it was me or if these other DPS modes just don't sound as good with the music. The 6.1 channel has the best sound of all the DPS modes on my receiver.
i stay away from the DSP's also.
i will admit, i like the way music sounds while listening to Neo6 music. that just about the only one i will use, and only on occasion. i would say 90% of the time, i listen to music with 2.1. my mains, with the sub offering support on the low stuff.. i think it sounds more crisp and detailed that way. just my opinion.
the DSP's and 'all channel' do come in handy when you have the room full of people, or you find yourself walking or being mobile in the listening room. but, for just sitting down and enjoying, i hit the sweet spot on the couch with the 2.1
bigjohn
The DSP modes are kinda gimmicky. I think I played around with them once on my first Sony receiver. That was about seven years ago.
Wait, I take that back. I have a Logic 7 setting on my H/K that I tried when I first got it. My speakers were all different and I got mixed results. Nice full sound, though.
Looks like BrenR's poll supports the 2 channel mode over any of the DSP modes..
In reply to:
DSP modes
my onkyo has a DSP mode called 'enhance'.. i found that i did like that when watching football games. it put the announcers square in the center, and moved the crowd noise out to the surrounds. i liked the effect it created a lot, but like i said, just on football games.
bigjohn
My receiver is a Denon and I prefer to listen to music in 2 channel Direct mode. For some reason, the Denon's Stereo mode sounds a bit compressed and less dynamic. I never listen to DSP modes with music. I prefer to listen in 2 channel stereo unless it's a concert on DVD or a DVD-Audio disc. The exception is Denon's 5 channel mode when I listen to some of my electronica/ambient discs, or if I'm cleaning the house and need fuller sound.
So then, maybe, I don't know, but...
Could it be that all those other modes are for those poor unfortunate souls(um..never mind)who have somewhat lesser speakers?
"Hang on Martha, Just seventeen more modes to try and I'll bet we'll get these Best Buy speakers to really sing!"
On my Denon 2805, I usually use Pure Direct mode, however, Direct mode is not bad either, and the screen does not go blank and you can also enter setup mode if you like to play around with the speaker configuration.
Charles, there's sometimes a misunderstanding about two considerably different types of processing that can be applied to CDs and other two channel material. One is the DSP modes such as Jazz Club, Beergarden, Sportin' House, etc. which add amounts of reverberation to the material in quantities that the designers consider to be pleasant. The other is modes such as DPLII(x), Logic 7 and Neo:6 which add nothing artificial, but simply extract the ambience reflected from various directions during the recording and which had to be placed in the only two channels which were available. It's the reproduction of this ambience which originally came from the sides and back entirely from two front speakers which is "unnatural". No home reproduction can duplicate the experience of the live performance, but reproducing the ambience from side and/or back surround speakers where it belongs can bring us a little closer to reality. The effectiveness depends on how much ambience is mixed into the stereo channels and very dry close-up recordings will show less benefit. In any case, we aren't confined to the limitations of two channels when we have the speakers and processing available and this shouldn't be wasted.
JohnK,
The believability and "transparentness" of this natural ambiance extraction is entirely dependent upon the algorithms. There is an immediately apparent difference between Neo6 and DPLII, for example. As to which one is truer to the original recording environment, I have no idea. I just know I prefer Neo6 in the listening tests I've done.
I do listen a lot in either DLPII, or NEO6. I've found that my preference is source dependent. Some discs sound better, to me, in one format, while other discs sound better, to me, in the other. Whatever.
I tend to use Neo:6 when running M2 mains and Stereo Direct when running M60 mains.