Sony Reciever owners - Do you use different sound fields or just Normal Surround???

[Spoon]

I was looking through the manual for my DB830 and noticed all the different soundfields listed and which type of movies to watch for these fields. Does anyone use these and if so how do they work?? Any recommendations??

thanks

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Afternoon, Homer. Care for some chili? I've added an extra
ingredient just for you. The merciless peppers of
Quetzlzacatenango! Grown deep in the jungle primeval by the
inmates of a Guatemalan insane asylum.

I'm lazy, I paid (http://www.dvdtracker.com/~Spoon.asp):)

[Gonnosuke]

I just use the automatic settings (AFD).

[jpcamb]

I only use the other sound fields when I'm watching non DTS/DD 5.1 titles. I have yet to find one that does great for eveything, but the option for mixing mono movies seems a lot better than using others.

[ZenDog]

I own the Sony 555es so I have an excessive amount of sound fields to choose from. I find that the sound fields, especially the cinema fields, work nicely. The AFD is very poor on the 555es so I never use it. When I watch DVDs I tend to use the virtual sound fields because the sound completely envelops you and makes it feel as if there are 10 speakers surrounding you when there are only 5. These fields may not work well in the DB830, but they work great in my 555es with my setup.

[ECydeDave]

I also use the Auto Format Decoding (AFD) when watching any surround sound encoded DVD. When I watch movies on TV or VHS (yuck!!!) then I go through the sound fields to see which sounds the best for the particular movie/show I'm watching.

[necros]

I always just left it on Cinema Studio B, that sounded the best for most stuff I heard.. never even knew what AFD was till now though so maybe I'll set it to that next time and see if there's a difference http://talk.dvdtalk.com/ubb/smile.gif

[ZenDog]

The bottom line is that the sound fields differ depending on what speakers you have with your particular sony reciever. Just try them all out on as many sources as you can and make the call yourself.

[Josh H]

I use AFD for DVD's that are in DD/DTS and Normal Surrounds for other dvd's and video games. I usually don't bother with the stereo when watching tv.

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Josh Hinkle
My DVD's (http://www.angelfire.com/wv/joshhinkle/mydvds.html)
My CD's (http://www.angelfire.com/wv/joshhinkle/mycds.html)

[bbalfour]

I use AFD for DVDs that are really amazing (T2, Juraasic Park, Bugs Life). For other action movies, I like the way Cinema B makes the dialogue crisper and makes the action more enveloping. For a few musicals that my wife and I watch, I do think that Cinema C is nice. And for romantic comedies, Cinema A gives a good balance of musical score and dialogue.

Bottom line, play with multiple settings during a given movie.

I will say, however, that if you haven't set up the speakers in a good configuration (according to www.crutchfield.com (http://www.crutchfield.com) or www.dolby.com (http://www.dolby.com) for example), set up the distances and sizes on the DB 830/930, and calibrated things with Avia or THX disks, then you might not notice things as much.

And, I don't think that my setup is all that "high end". I have a DB930, a set of matching Atlantic Technology low end speakers (4 sat, 1 center and a sub) and a Pioneer 424 DVD player.

Experiment and have fun.
Brad

[jkzahn]

You guys are talking about the Digital Cinema Sound right (Cinema Studio EX A, B, & C)?

bbalfour (if you are still here - this thread being almost 2 years old) - can't you use the AFD...AND the Cinema Studio Decodings.....the AFD just decodes whether you are sending it a Dolby Digital, DTS, or Pro-Logic.....then you can just listen normally or with the Cinema Studio.

I just got the STRDE985 and have found the Cinema Sound pretty good.....although I am a little nervous about if it is distorting the effects.

Anyone else have an opinion on the DCS features?

[GMLSKIS]

AFD