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 Post subject: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 16 Feb 2016, 23:30 
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I'm just looking for how you guys like to decode Dolby Stereo tracks on LD and DVD in the modern environment. My new Onkyo 626 advertised all formats but only has DPL2 and DTS Neo 6 along with other proprietary modes. Now that I've done a better setup it sounds pretty good but nowhere near as authentic and mono central oriented as the DPL decoder in my old Sony str-de675. Flipping between PL2 and Neo 6 has the latter as sounding more refined in places and certainly heavier on the low end. DPL2 however seems to do a better job with details and balance. Channel bleed does happen more on both though and it's just not as authentic as my old amp was I think.

Any thoughts? I'd love a Shure HTS decoder like Disclord always talked about but not only are they super expensive and rare but all new receivers have no analog ins whatsoever. I'd try to use my Sony edp-800 but the led display is totally burned out.


And my Onkyo doesn't even decode PL flags like my old amp did. Some DVD menus and tracks were flagged and used to pop up as regular ProLogic, and now they simply stay 2.0.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 17 Feb 2016, 14:59 
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Are you sure that the digital display is truly burned out on your SDP-E800?

This was covered in other postings in that you can turn off the digital display completely. You just have to access the menu system and make sure that the display is not working. I know it is not easy to tell if there is no display to guide you. (Like calling the phone company when your phone is not working. Kind of hard to do).

If you want, I can post the necessary steps to turn the display on. The SM is posted on this forum if you would prefer to reference it.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 17 Feb 2016, 18:57 
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Sure I'd love to know!!
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 17 Feb 2016, 21:15 
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This is how I did it on my SDP-E800:

1) Turn power off (if on) and then back on.
2) Press DPC mode button 5 times. You should see << OTHER SETUP >> on the display.
3) Press the -> button on the circular button just to the right of the DPC mode button. This should get you the DIMMER display in the lowest intensity. Pressing the -> 2 more times to increase the display intensity.
4) Press the DPC mode button again. After a delay, the display will change to which input you last chose.
5) The display should now be set.

I have my display on the brightest setting and I do not find it very intrusive.

I checked the SM and it does not tell you very much so I did not find it helpful.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 17 Feb 2016, 21:56 
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My Harman Karden has all the old modes as well as the DTS and DD hacks. I use Neo 6 Cinema most of the time but it does produce phantom rear channel events on some movies, usually old ones. With Hollywood grade 90s discs it works perfectly most of the time.

I do get in the mood for regular PL though. It is more authentic.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 18 Feb 2016, 01:38 
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my Pioneer 59TXI has PL, PLII and PLIIx, plus THX & DTS modes.
i find that DTS NEO:6 changes the sound.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 18 Feb 2016, 06:17 
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I tired it and my 800 didn't respond at all. I'm now convinced the led is gone. It only fired up for a few seconds when I first got it and then for a few minutes once I had had it on a while-then never again.

Comparing again with better settings, it appears Disclord was right and Neo 6 is a much better decoder. PL2 seems more for general upmixing of non matrix sources such as games and regular 2.0 tracks to faux 5.1. going back and forth between the two with a well known track shows the PL2 having channel bleed and fake stereoizing in the rears while Neo 6 is properly front centered and more discrete.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 18 Feb 2016, 20:22 
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sdraper wrote:
I tired it and my 800 didn't respond at all. I'm now convinced the led is gone. It only fired up for a few seconds when I first got it and then for a few minutes once I had had it on a while-then never again..


FWIW, this is on sale on e-bay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/222022600571?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The display works on it.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 18 Feb 2016, 20:56 
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I find PL2 standard and movie to be really center heavy. PL2 music spreads the sound a bit more but at the expense of separation. My personal preference is to have only dialogue in the center but I'm at the mercy of the sound mixer. Neo 6 produces some weird artifacts sometimes so I never use it.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 19 Feb 2016, 07:57 
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Playing with them again and new system tweaks shows PL2 cinema as having channel bleeds as it tries to make the rear stereo. Neo 6 is far better and has a fuller sound too.
Found this from Disclord:
Quote:
"DTS:Neo-6 was designed to decode Dolby Surround encoded films and DTS never made an encoder for it - Neo-6 is much more accurate in decoding Dolby Surround than Pro Logic or PL II because it breaks the spectrum up into 12-20 bands and decodes each band separately, which allows simultaneously dominant sounds to be decoded and placed in their proper channel wi no leakage of unwanted sounds or pulling non-dominant sounds towards the dominant ones. Pro Logic can only decode one dominant sound at a time and PL II is the same since both are broadband logic steering designs."
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 20 Feb 2016, 11:15 
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I can appreciate PL2 on most of my LD's.

Some Dolby Surround titles come close to discrete 5.1DD if you ask me.
It adds to the charm IMHO :thumbup:
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 22 Feb 2016, 06:45 
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Neo 6 is better on test modes and overall but whenever I use either on this new amp I get the sense of the center leaking into a fake stereo surround and at time a phantom rear center feeling which is totally wrong.
The 626 has no regular PL nor does any modern unit I know of. Does anything properly decode PL over digital optical or coaxial without degrading the signal? New units don't even have analog ins so I can't try the test mode on my ddp-1. I'd try the 800 but I don't know if I could get it back to ac-3 mode without the display going.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 22 Feb 2016, 08:05 
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Think I may have figured out the culprit. Apparently Neo 6 is trying to matrix out a rear center from the already matrixed out stereo surrounds. This is causing the phantom rear center issue and PL2 is fine and far more like my old PL amp now that I've re-calibrated. I also have to get used to the big jump forward in clarity so that will take a while.
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 22 Feb 2016, 19:53 
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DPL vs DPLII give this a read!
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 26 Feb 2016, 17:41 
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That's a great read.
I found out it's my Onkyo though. I ran the ddp-1 test mode and used the center and surround rca in my two analog ins. Everything was corrected.
So...does the sdp unit decode prologic over optical?
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 28 Feb 2016, 10:07 
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Just wanted to add that I gave Neo 6 a whirl with my own setup (coaxial digital out from my CLD-59 to my Kenwood KRF-X9070D). So far it sounds noticeably better than PLII in most instances I've tried. I'm curious now to see how well it works with video games with Dolby Surround!
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 Post subject: Re: Best method for Dolby matrix tracks in modern equipment
PostPosted: 07 Mar 2016, 21:07 
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Realized just now my speaker levels had gotten all zeroed out so my surrounds were WAY higher than they should be. That fixed most of the problem, but now I have to contend with tracks I loved coming across as so loud in the highs they're almost screechy at times. Anyone else have LD suddenly change this much when buying a new receiver? I'm seriously considering getting an old top line unit for cheap just for LD.
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