Best listening modes

[nabster]

<font face="Verdana" size="2">I get completely lost trying to figure out the best mode to have my receiver in for anything besides DVD's. Maybe I am not thinking clearly enough, or maybe I dont understand each of the modes well enough, or maybe I cant make up my mind by plain ol' experimentation .. so I thought I'd ask on this forum. I have
a Harmon/Kardon AVR510. </font>

<font color="#FF0000" size="2" face="Verdana">The modes available to me are: </font></p><ul><LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">DTS </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Dolby Digital </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Dolby Pro-Logic </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Dolby 3 Stereo </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">5Ch Stereo </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Hall 1 </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Hall 2 </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Theater </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Logic 7 C </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Logic 7 M </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">VMAx Near </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">VMAx Far </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Surround Off </font></li>
[/list]

<font color="#008000" size="2" face="Verdana">The types of audio sources that I want to identify best sources for are:</font></p><ul><LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">FM</font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">CD </font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Tape</font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">Computer Audio</font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">MP3</font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">VHS</font></li>
<LI><font face="Verdana" size="2">TV</font></li>
[/list]


[This message has been edited by nabster (edited January 15, 2001).]

[ANDREMIKE]

I would sy
RADIO/tape/CD (unless it's a DTS CD)
either...
3ch stereo
5ch stereo
surround off.
Its a matter of listening enjoyment...
I like 5ch the best

TV/VHS
It has to be
Dolby Pro-Logic unless you have satelite dish or digital cable then Dolby Digital (if the programming is available!)

DVD
DTS or Dolby Digital

[DigIt]

I have found that different music categories will sound better/worse with different surround modes. Jazz, for instance, benefits from a livelier delay, whereas rock tends to just get muddier.

[Illinois Enema Bandit]

I also like 5ch stereo mode for CD/tapes/FM

Music DVDs which have only the PCM soundtrack I usually run in direct stereo mode - sounds much better than when played back in Pro-Logic. Otherwise it's DD or DTS

[nabster]

I dont have digital cable, so its Pro Logic for the TV.

But I've been on Logic 7 -M for CD's and FM .. any differences between that and 5ch Stereo? As far as I see it, in laymans terms, in one case its being split into 7 channels, in the other into 5 ..

[Rand]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by nabster:
I dont have digital cable, so its Pro Logic for the TV.

But I've been on Logic 7 -M for CD's and FM .. any differences between that and 5ch Stereo? As far as I see it, in laymans terms, in one case its being split into 7 channels, in the other into 5 .. </font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've never heard Logic 7 so I can't comment
on it but 5 channel stereo is one reason to
buy a Denon. What matters isn't so much how
many channels the sound is split into but how
well it's done. I really don't care for sound
processing for the most part with the exception of 5cs, it's the only dps I use.

[PoorBoy]

It's stereo all the way baby! 2 channel magic! Or maybe I just say this because I only have 2 speakers...

[bralph]

Good question... I have the HK AVR500, and use Logic 7 for TV, VHS, and CD but I also haven't taken a lot of time to compare/contrast them all.

[SINGLE104]

You may have to experiment, and listen to each, and every soundfield that's available and choose which one sounds the best to you for music.
But for movies, you most definitely want to choose: DTS, and Dolby Digital. but most receivers will automatically select the audio format whichever your DVD is encode with.
Some DVD's will default to 2 channel, or Dolby Surround unless you switch it to DTS, or Dolby Digital from your audio button,or from the menu of the DVD.

[This message has been edited by SINGLE104 (edited January 18, 2001).]