Weapon X

I love my new reciever, but I read a review that said DD 5.1 and DTS should 'sweep' all around you...

Now, I can HEAR the effects out of the left and right..certainly 'directional', but I don't 'feel' like a cow is flying through my room in 'Twister' like I have been told I am supposed to. I am VERY aware of where the sound emanates..right channel, left, etc...

It could be my ears...I kinda have a bad time hearing...

Or were my expectations a little too much ?

I can tell the difference between PL and DD....and DTS sounds clearer and has seemingly more LFE's...

Any ideas?

Does volume effect the surrounds?
(Been listening at low volumes)

brilon

Did you calibrate all the channels?.I highly recommend a SPL Meter from Radio Shack to calibrate ALL channels to the same level.

danw

Calibrating is definitely the first step. As brilon said, get an SPL meter, but also get Avia or Video Essentials to assist in the setup.

I noticed a big difference in Dances with Wolves. In the beginning (just after Costner returns from the hospital) there are two gunshots. One is in center one to the right. In DD5.1, you hear the center shot come at you and the right shot go by your ear. In DTS, you hear the center shot hit the ground in front of you and the right shot whistle past your ear!

The Eagles: Hell Freezes Over is amazing. The DTS track blew me away when I first heard it--it was just soo rich an clear. Now try the PCM track--it sounds dead flat in comparison.


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Dan

My ever-growing DVD list.

JimRochester

I empathize because I also have trouble hearing, but calibration is essential. Get Avia or VE and an SPL meter, that will get all the speakers on an even keel. From there you can re-adjust to compensate for your hearing. Location of the speakers will also affect the sound, the closer to the ground, the more throaty it will sound, masking many of the higher frequencies. Getting the speaker higher will enhance the higher frequencies

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Jim's HT pics with Mitsubishi 55907, Yamaha 595a, Def Tech BP 2004's, Toshiba 5109, Pioneer LD
Widescreen Presentation
Jim's DVD's

Wolfchild

And what kind of quality are your speakers? You didn't specify what they are. Not trying to say yours are bad, but some are much better than others with making their location transparent, and lower quality speakers with a flat sound might give you less of a surround effect.

DVDs are all different quality too. Even some touted as being really cool FX discs just amount to a lot of LFE usage and aren't all that impressive to me. Every once in a while you pop on in that really makes you smile though.

debbert

I also recommend the calibration with Video Essentials or Avia, and the Raido Shack analog SPL meter.

Another thing to think about is whether your speakers are timbre matched. If not, you usually won;t get the smooth transitions in your sound field because the speakers are mismatched.

Weapon X

Thanks for the help...

Calibrate? Ugh..I am just not into the tech stuff, and my room is oddly shaped...

The timbre is the same..all are Sony speakers. Center is the 490, sides are the $400 a pair from Sears, the rears are basic Sony rears, and the sub is temporarily a Jensen until my Sony sub comes in...

(BTW-I guess I must be nuts, cuz the Jensen sounds GREAT)..

As for effects, the ONE cool effect I DID feel 'sweeping' was on Apocalypse Now, witht he helicopters at the start...

Wow.

But Twister just didn't do it.

I will try and get a disc....

Wolfchild

Same brand of speakers isn't the same thing as having them from the same series though, see what I'm saying? Like all my speakers (except sub) are Infinity RS series, but I wouldn't expect a new Infinity speaker or one from 15 years ago to match. That could make a bit of a difference (especially the center not matching the mains). Not familiar with the speakers you're talking about though - maybe they actually are matched up pretty well.

Don't know that Twister really has all that great of sound FX although the DTS version has a good impression of wind blowing all around you on my setup.

Cliffhanger SE, at the beginning, has a pretty awesome effect of a helicopter sweeping around from behind on your right side. Try something with horses running from one side of the screen to the other - that usually gives a good panning effect.

JimRochester

I haven't sold electronics in many years so take what I say with a grain of salt, but SONY never had high quality speakers. They had the name, but audiophiles would wretch at the suggestion of SONY speakers

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Jim's HT pics with Mitsubishi 55907, Yamaha 595a, Def Tech BP 2004's, Toshiba 5109, Pioneer LD
Widescreen Presentation
Jim's DVD's

danw

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Weapon X:
Calibrate? Ugh..I am just not into the tech stuff, and my room is oddly shaped...<HR>

Trust me, you need to calibrate your speakers. It makes an amazing difference, even in oddly shaped rooms (my parents' living room certainly fits that category). A few decibels here and there really add up and make a gigantic difference. Once all the levels are even you'll be able to pick up on the more subtle detail in a soundtrack.

quote:<HR>The timbre is the same..all are Sony speakers. Center is the 490, sides are the $400 a pair from Sears, the rears are basic Sony rears, and the sub is temporarily a Jensen until my Sony sub comes in...<HR>

I don't know how these speakers sound, but I bet they'll let you hear the difference between DPL and DD5.1 and DTS. I can tell you I have some fairly cheap speakers (rear: Optimus LX5-II, front: Wharfedale Modus 2 [bookshelf speakers], center: Wharfedale Modus Center, Sony SA-WM40 sub) and I can certainly enjoy the difference in sound quality.

quote:<HR>But Twister just didn't do it.<HR>

For me neither. It sounds good, but it just doesn't sound all that great, if you ask me.


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Dan

My ever-growing DVD list.