Sony HT-K170 - Manual (Page 20)

20
Additional Information
Glossary
Center mode
Setting of speakers to enhance Dolby Pro
Logic Surround mode. To obtain the best
possible surround sound, select one of the
following four center modes according to
your speaker system.
• NORMAL mode
Select NORMAL mode if you have front
and rear speakers and a small center
speaker. Since a small speaker cannot
produce enough bass, the bass sound of
the center channel is output from the front
speakers.
• WIDE mode
Select WIDE mode if you have front and
rear speakers and a large center speaker.
With the WIDE mode, you can take full
advantage of Dolby Surround sound.
• PHANTOM mode
Select PHANTOM mode if you have front
and rear speakers but no center speaker.
The sound of the center channel is output
from the front speakers.
• 3 STEREO (3 CH LOGIC)
Select 3 STEREO mode if you have front
and center speakers but no rear speaker.
The sound of the rear channel is output
from the front speakers to let you
experience some of the surround sound
without using rear speakers.
Dolby Pro Logic Surround
Decoding system of Dolby Surround sound
standardized in TV programmes and movies.
Compared with the former Dolby Surround
system, Dolby Pro Logic Surround improves
sound image by using four separate channels:
off-screen audio effects, on-screen dialog, left-
to-right panning, and music. These channels
manipulate the sound to be heard and
enhance the action as it happens on the
screen. To take advantage of Dolby Pro Logic,
you should have at least one pair of rear
speakers and/or one center speaker. You also
need to select the appropriate center mode to
enjoy a full effect.
Dolby Digital (AC-3)
This surround format is more advanced than
Dolby Pro Logic Surround. In this format, the
rear speakers output stereo sound with an
expanded frequency range and a subwoofer
channel for deep bass is independantly
provided. This format is also called “5.1”
because the subwoofer channel is counted as
0.1 channel (since it functions only when a
deep bass effect is needed.)
All six channels in this format are recorded
separately to realize superior channel
separation. Furthermore, since all the signals
are processed digitally, less signal
degradation occurs. The name “AC-3” comes
from the fact that it is the third audio coding
method to be developed by the Dolby
Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
5.1 CH/DVD jacks
These jacks are used to input decoded Dolby
Digital (AC-3) audio signals, allowing you to
enjoy 5.1 channel surround sound. Use these
jacks to connect a Dolby Digital (AC-3)
decoder or a DVD player with a built-in AC-3
decoder.
Surround sound
Sound that consists of three elements: direct
sound, early reflected sound (early
reflections) and reverberative sound
(reverberation). The acoustics where you hear
the sound affect the way these three sound
elements are heard. These sound elements are
combined in such a way that you can actually
feel the size and the type of a concert hall.
• Types of sound
• Transition of sound from rear speakers
Test tone
Signal given out by the amplifier for
adjusting the speaker volume. The test tone
will come out as follows:
• In a system with a center speaker
(NORMAL/WIDE/3 STEREO modes)
The test tone is output from the front L
(left), center, front R (right), and rear
speakers in succession.
• In a system without a center speaker
(PHANTOM mode)
The test tone is output from the front and
the rear speakers alternately.
Center
speaker
Rear
speaker (R)
Rear
speaker (L)
Front
speaker (R)
Front
speaker (L)
Center
speaker
Rear
speaker (R)
Rear
speaker (L)
Front
speaker (R)
Front
speaker (L)
Front
speaker (L)
Front
speaker (R)
Rear
speaker (R)
Rear
speaker (L)
Direct sound Early
reflections Reverberation Level
Early reflection time Time
Center
Front (R) Front (L)
Rear (L, R)
3 STEREO
NORMAL/WIDE
Rear (L, R)
PHANTOM
Front (L, R)
Center
speaker Front
speaker (R)
Front
speaker (L)
Reverberation
Early reflections
Direct sound