Sherwood R-671 manual Surround Sound, Surround modes

SURROUND SOUND

•This receiver incorporates a sophisticated Digital Signal Processor that allows you to create optimum sound quality and sound atmosphere in your personal Home Theater.

Surround modes

■DTS Digital Surround

DTS Digital Surround(also called simply DTS) is a multi- channel digital signal format which can handle higher data

rates. Discs bearing the “ ” include the recording of

up to 5.1 channels of digital signals, which can be generally thought to provide better sound quality due to the lower audio compression required.

It also provides wide dynamic range and separation, resulting in magnificent sound.

■DTS - ES Extended Surround™ ( )

This is a new multi channel digital signal format which greatly improves the 360- degree surround impression and space expression thanks to further expanded surround signals, offering high compatibility with the conventional DTS format. In addition to the 5.1 channels, DTS-ES Extended Surround also offers the surround back (sometimes also referred to as “surround center”) channel for surround playback with a total of 6.1 channels. DTS-ES Extended Surround includes two signal formats with different surround signal recording methods as follows:

•DTS-ES™ Discrete 6.1

Because the signals for 6.1 channels (including the surround back channel) are fully independent, it is possible to achieve a sense that the acoustic image are moving about freely among the background sounds surrounding the listener from 360 degrees. Though maximum performance is achieved when sound tracks recorded with this system are played using a DTS -ES decoder, when played with a conventional DTS decoder, the surround back channel signals are automatically downmixed to the surround left and surround right channels so that none of the signal components are lost.

• DTS - ES™ Matrix 6.1

With this format, the additional surround back channel signals undergo matrix encoding and are input to the surround left and surround right channels beforehand. During playback, they are decoded to the surround left, surround right and surround back channels.

Because the bit stream format is 100% compatible with conventional DTS signals, the effect of the DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 format can be achieved even with DTS 5.1- channel signal sources. Of course, it is possible to play DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 - channel signal sources with a DTS 5.1 - channel decoder. When DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 or Matrix 6.1 sources are decoded with a DTS - ES decoder, the format is automatically detected upon decoding and the optimum surround mode is selected. However, some DTS - ES Matrix 6.1 sources may be detected as DTS sources. In this case, the DTS - ES Matrix mode should be selected manually to play these sources.

■DTS Neo : 6™ surround

This mode applies conventional 2-channel signals such as digital PCM or analog stereo signals to the high precision digital matrix decoder used for DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 to achieve 6.1- channel surround playback. DTS Neo : 6 surround includes two modes for selecting the optimum decoding for the signal source.

• DTS Neo : 6 Cinema

This mode is optimum for playing movies. Decoding is performed with emphasis on separation performance to achieve the same atmosphere with 2-channel sources as with 6.1-channel sources.

• DTS Neo : 6 Music

This mode is suited mainly for playing music. The front left and front right signals bypass the decoder and are played directly so there is no loss of sound quality, and the effect of the surround signals from the center, surround left, surround right and surround back channels adds a natural sense of expansion to the sound field.

■DTS 96/24

Conventional surround formats used sampling frequencies of 48 or 44.1 kHz, so 20 kHz was about the maximum playback signal frequency. With DTS 96/24, the sampling frequency is increased to 96 or 88.2 kHz to achieve a wide frequency range of over 40 kHz. In addition, this format has a resolution of 24 bits, resulting in the same frequency band and dynamic range as 96kHz / 24 bit PCM signals.

As with conventional DTS surround, DTS 96/24 is compatible with a maximum of 5.1 channels. DTS 96/24 is fully compatible with the conventional DTS surround format, so DTS 96/24 sources can be played using a conventional DTS 5.1 channel decoder.

“DTS”, “DTS-ES”, “DTS 96/24” and “Neo:6” are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.

■Dolby Digital

Dolby Digital is the multi- channel digital signal format developed by Dolby Laboratories. Discs bearing the

“ ” includes the recording of up to 5.1 channels of

digital signals, which can reproduce much better sound quality, spatial expansion and dynamic range characteristics than the previous Dolby Surround effect.

■Dolby Digital EX

This mode creates the back (sometimes also referred to as “surround center”) signals from the surround left and right signals in Dolby Digital 5.1 channel source using a matrix decoder and provides 6.1 channel surround playback. For the best results, this mode should be selected during playback of

sources(bearing the “ ”) recorded in Dolby Digital

EX. With this additional channel, you can experience more dynamic and realistic moving sound especially.

When Dolby Digital EX sources are decoded with a Dolby Digital EX decoder, the format is automatically detected upon decoding and the Dolby Digital EX mode is selected. However, some Dolby Digital EX sources may be detected as Dolby Digital sources. In this case, the Dolby Digital EX mode should be selected manually to play these sources.

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