Arcam E-2 manual Surround modes, Introduction, Two-Channelsource Modes, Modes For Digital Sources

Surround modes

INTRODUCTION

Your AV8 processor provides all the key decoding and processing modes for analogue and digital signals.

MODES FOR DIGITAL SOURCES

Digital recordings are usually encoded to include information about their format type. The AV8 automatically detects the relevant format in a digital signal, such as Dolby Digital or DTS, and switches in the appropriate decoding.

Sometimes additional material at either the beginning or the end of the main movie may only be in a two-channel format, rather than 5.1 for the main movie.Your AV8 automatically chooses the correct decoding of the soundtrack as necessary.

MODES FOR ANALOGUE SOURCES

If you would rather listen to a 2.0 or 2.1 bitstream in ordinary stereo (with or without a subwoofer), press MODE to cycle through to the Stereo mix mode (e.g., Dolby Digital 2/0.0 on the display). However, if the source becomes a multichannel bitstream (e.g., 5.1) again, the AV8 will recall Stereo mix mode and therefore output a Stereo Downmix of the multichannel signal. Full surround output can be re-achieved by pressing MODE to cycle through to the surround mode encoded on the disc.

If at any point THX post-processing is applied to a source (either analogue or digital), it is applied globally to that source button regardless of digital input format (Dolby Digital or DTS), analogue or digital two-channel surround mode (e.g., Neo:6 Music) or downmixing modes.The only exceptions where THX post-processing is not applied are in the Effects modes and Direct mode.

TWO-CHANNEL SOURCE MODES

Analogue recordings do not contain information about their encoding formats, so the desired decoding mode – such as Dolby Pro Logic

– needs to be selected manually.

MODE MEMORY

The AV8 has a comprehensive memory that allows it to store different settings for each source button. The text below applies to all inputs except DVD-A.

Dolby Digital or DTS audio data (sometimes collectively referred to as ‘bitstream’ sources) can be output in three mix modes, selected using the MODE button:

Surround (e.g., five main channels plus a subwoofer for a 5.1 source)

Stereo Downmix

Mono Downmix

The AV8 will remember which mix mode was last used with a bitstream source. See ‘Multichannel Source Modes’ for more information.

Two-channel audio, regardless of whether it is analogue or digital PCM (e.g., the digital output from a CD player) can also be output in three mix modes, selected using the MODE button:

Surround (e.g., Dolby Pro Logic II Movie, Neo:6 Music, etc.)

Stereo (or Effects)

Mono

The AV8 will remember which mix mode was last used with a two- channel source, and if Surround, which particular surround mode. See ‘Two Channel Source Modes’ for more information. If an effect mode has been applied whilst in Stereo, this will also be remembered. See ‘DSP Effects Modes’ for more information.

A special situation occurs with a bitstream (Dolby Digital or DTS) 2.0 or 2.1 source.They can be output in the following three mix modes:

 Surround (using Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode)  Stereo

 Mono Downmix

There is a link between the mix modes for multichannel bitstream (e.g.,
5.1) and two-channel bitstream (2.0 or 2.1) sources. If a 5.1 source
is played in Surround mix mode, the AV8 will remember this for all
bitstream sources (e.g., DTS-ES Matrix, Dolby Digital 3.0, etc.) and
use the maximum number of speakers the signal is encoded for. As a
result, when a 2.0 or 2.1 bitstream is played the Surround mix mode
is recalled and the AV8 enters Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode to try
to recreate the surround environment from what may be a Pro Logic
encoded source.	E-24
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The following decoding and surround modes are available;

Mono

Stereo

Pro Logic II Movie

Pro Logic II Music

Pro Logic Emulation

Neo:6 Cinema

Neo:6 Music

These modes are available with two-channel analogue and two-channel PCM digital sources.

NOTE: A Dolby Digital 2.0 source may only be decoded as Mono, Stereo or Pro Logic II Movie.

Mono: The AV8 will combine the left and right audio channels from a stereo signal to produce a mono signal.This can be of benefit when playing older audio recordings or VCR tapes, especially mono LP records.

Analogue Stereo: In this mode the AV8 works as a conventional high quality audio pre-amplifier. If the subwoofer is enabled in Stereo mode, some processing of the signal will be carried out. For ultimate sound quality with analogue sources, select the Stereo Direct function.

Digital Stereo: Decodes two-channel digital signals such as PCM signals from sources such as CDs and some DVDs.

Dolby Pro Logic II: There are two different modes available in Pro Logic II; Movie and Music modes. Due to the different recording methods used for movies and music, use the right decoding mode for your source material for best results.

Movie Mode: Movies are mixed and monitored in a calibrated multichannel environment. Movie mode is a fixed mode designed to reproduce a similar end result when listening using a home cinema system.

Music Mode: Stereo music is not designed for surround processing, although good surround effects can be obtained through the right processing. As the optimum processing varies according to the recording, Music mode allows user adjustment of the processing characteristics. Information about adjusting the Music mode by using ‘Dimension’ and ‘Centre Width’ controls can be found in the ‘Main Menu Screen 2’ section.

Dolby Pro Logic Emulation:This mode should only be used when the source material is encoded as Dolby Pro Logic. Pro Logic processing on straight stereo sources can sound muffled and compressed, and is not recommended.