Denon AVR-4306 User Manual

Page 102

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97

Additional Information

When DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 or Matrix 6.1 encoded sources are
decoded with a DTS-ES decoder, the format is automatically
detected upon decoding and the optimum playing mode is
selected. However, some Matrix 6.1 sources may be detected
as having a 5.1-channel format, so the DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 mode
must be set manually to play these sources. (For instructions on
selecting the surround mode (

page 32).)

The DTS-ES decoder includes another function, the DTS Neo:6
surround mode for 6.1-channel playback of digital PCM and
analog signal sources.

2

DTS Neo:6™ surround

This mode applies conventional 2-channel signals to the high
precision digital matrix decoder used for DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 to
achieve 6.1-channel surround playback. High precision input
signal detection and matrix processing enable full band
reproduction (frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz or greater)
for all 6.1 channels, and separation between the different
channels is improved to the same level as that of a digital
discrete system.
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.
This mode is effective for playing sources recorded in
conventional surround formats as well, because the in-phase
component is assigned mainly to the center channel (C) and
the reversed phase component to the surround (SL, SR and SB
channels).

DTS Neo:6 Music

This mode is suited mainly for playing music. The front channel
(FL and FR) signals bypass the decoder and are played directly
so there is no loss of sound quality, and the effect of the
surround signals output from the center (C) and surround (SL,
SR and SB) channels add a natural sense of expansion to the
sound field.

[4] DTS 96/24

The sampling frequency, number of bits and number of channels
used for recording of music, etc., in studios has been increasing
in recent years, and there are a growing number of high quality
signal sources, including 96 kHz/24 bit 5.1-channel sources.
For example, there are high picture/sound quality DVD video
sources with 96 kHz/24 bit stereo PCM audio tracks.
However, because the data rate for these audio tracks is
extremely high, there are limits to recording them on two
channels only, and since the quality of the pictures must be
restricted it is common to only include still pictures.
In addition, 96 kHz/24 bit 5.1-channel surround is possible with
DVD audio sources, but DVD audio players are required to play
them with this high quality.
DTS 96/24 is a multi-channel digital signal format developed by
Digital Theater Systems, Inc. in order to deal with this situation.
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, DTS 96/24 has a resolution of 24 bits, resulting in the
same frequency band and dynamic range as 96 kHz/24 bit PCM.
As with conventional DTS Surround, DTS 96/24 is compatible
with a maximum of 5.1 channels, so sources recorded using
DTS 96/24 can be played in high sampling frequency, multiple
channel audio with such normal media as DVD videos and CDs.
Thus, with DTS 96/24, the same 96 kHz/24 bit multi-channel
surround sound as with DVD-Audio can be achieved while
viewing DVD-Video images on a conventional DVD-Video player
(

1). Furthermore, with DTS 96/24 compatible CDs, 88.2

kHz/24 bit multi-channel surround can be achieved using normal
CD/LD players (

1).

Even with the high quality multi-channel signals, the recording
time is the same as with conventional DTS surround sources.
What’s more, DTS 96/24 is fully compatible with the
conventional DTS surround format, so DTS 96/24 signal sources
can be played with a sampling frequency of 48 kHz or 44.1 kHz
on conventional DTS or DTS-ES surround decoders (

2).

1: A DVD player with DTS digital output capabilities (for

CD/LD players, a player with digital outputs for
conventional DTS CDs/LDs) and a disc recorded in DTS
96/24 are required.

2: The resolution is 24 or 20 bits, depending on the decoder.

Audyssey MultEQ XT

There are several factors that can degrade the sound from even
the best loudspeakers in a listening room. One of the most
important is the interaction of sound from the loudspeakers with
large surfaces such as walls, the floor, and the ceiling in the
room. Even with careful loudspeaker placement and acoustical
treatments, there are significant problems that are caused by
room acoustics. These include reflections from nearby surfaces
and standing waves that are created between large parallel
surfaces in the room.
In a home theater the situation is further complicated because
there are several listening locations. The effects of room
acoustics on the sound arriving at each person’s ears are very
different and the result is a listening experience that is degraded
in a different way for every person in the room. It is not
uncommon to have variations in two adjacent seats that are as
large as 10 dB, particularly in the frequency range below 250 Hz.
The solution to this problem is to apply room correction after
precisely measuring how each loudspeaker interacts with the
room. Because the room causes variations in the frequency
response of the loudspeakers that are so large from seat to seat,
it is important to measure each loudspeaker at several locations
in the listening room. This should be done even if there is only
one listener. Measurement at a single location is not
representative of the acoustical problems in the room and will,
in most cases, degrade overall performance.
Audyssey MultEQ XT is the only technology that can achieve
room correction for multiple listeners in a large listening area. It
does so by combining the data collected at several points in the
room from each loudspeaker and then applying correction that
minimizes the acoustical effects of the room and is matched to
the frequency resolution of human perception (known as
psychoacoustics). Furthermore, MultEQ XT correction is applied
both in frequency and time domains and so there are no artifacts
(such as smearing of sound or modal ringing) that are
sometimes associated with traditional methods of room
equalization.
In addition to correcting frequency response problems over a
wide listening area, Audyssey MultEQ XT provides a completely
automated sound system set-up process. It identifies how many
loudspeakers are connected to the amplifiers and whether they
are full-range, satellites, or subwoofers. If there is a least one
subwoofer connected, Audyssey MultEQ XT determines the
optimum crossover frequency between each satellite and the
subwoofer(s). It automatically checks the polarity of each
loudspeaker and alerts the user if there are any that may be
wired out-of-phase relative to the others. It measures the
distance to each loudspeaker from the main listening position
and adjusts the delays so that sound from each loudspeaker
arrives at the same time. Finally, Audyssey MultEQ XT
determines the playback level of each loudspeaker and adjusts
the volume trims so that all levels are equal.

Additional Information

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