I prefer my multich systems over 2ch (do still have one 2ch setup tho). No Atmos, tho, not really wanting to dig into my ceilings.
I'd say LFE is getting less robust these days, tho.
How many years ago and what sort of setup was it?
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Where is the Flaw in most Multichannel Preamps/ AVRs?
- Thread starter Fredygump
- Start date
I'd say LFE is getting less robust these days, tho.
How many years ago and what sort of setup was it?
I have one. Nice DAC. https://www.stereophile.com/content/topping-dm7-8-channel-da-processor
D'accord.
LFE has been (and is) a minor issue with me since the vast majority of my MCH collection does not (and never will) have one. I don't know why it is needed with a really good system.
LFE in movies is what I was referring to. It's not really well used for music IME in any case. Then again re-routing it even with capable speakers isn't always possible.
- Thread Starter
- #65
I said it was a bit over 10 years. It was essentially this system linked below, except I had 2 subwoofers. (Mine was from before Klipsch bought them, though I don't know if that makes a difference.)
https://www.energy-speakers.com/products/home-theater-systems/?sku=V-6-2-HTS
And then I had a second hand flagship Harmon Kardon AVR, Emotiva 200x 5 channel amp. So yeah, it was well above average as far as a 5.1 system goes.
Definitely a decent system, too bad Energy got swallowed up and spit out. Perhaps now there are a few more codec/processing options you didn't have but wouldn't say it has changed particularly. Still mostly in the recording itself and the speakers and setup in the room rather than the electronics. I have just liked the multich possibilities more than just 2ch....goes for both movies and music (have a pretty decent multich collection going).
ps as to worrying about sinad of an avr vs 2ch, I find that fairly irrelevant in use.
- Thread Starter
- #67
That brings up another question. Should we expect that a stereo mix from a movie incorporates all the low frequency content, or is some of the LFE content lost?
I've found that the audio I get from Amazon Prime sounds great in stereo.
I did a comparison using the same movie from multiple sources, blueray, Amazon, and moviesanywere. All were in stereo, and I had an RTA running while playing to see general differences. Amazon's audio sounds great, but high passed around 30hz. Movies anywhere audio was boosted from 70-100hz, and also high passed around 30hz. The blueray extended down to ~20hz, but nothing impressive/ special/ different that was immediately evident to me.
My speakers are quite unique--they are 4 way active speakers, a DIY mash-up of a Genelec W371A and 8381A. Both have a built in subwoofer capable of 110+dB @20hz, with F3 of ~16hz....so I should be able to reproduce any low frequency content that is available.
(I'm also trying to see if there is a way I can coax a multichannel signal out of my Mac Mini and into the HTx, but so far no luck. This whole thing is a lot more complicated than it should be...)
I'd guess more lost or at least at the intended level.
I really do not profess any insight or, to be honest, great interest in movies. IMHO, LFE is not needed for music recordings. Bass management is available where necessary or desired.
More depends on how the LFE channel is utilized in the particular recording...generally it's not important for multich music that I've run across.
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Of course the sound quality of the DCX is nowhere near the Mindsp Flex. It can’t run FIR. The power of the DSP is not great, which limits the number of active PEQs. No high-Q PEQs either. And no Dirac.
It does however have a number of features which the Flex doesn’t have. And I miss them.
- Front panel buttons, config display and meters
- Does not require a PC
- All settings are stored in the unit itself, and can also be retrieved from the unit. Not possible on the Flex.
- Settings lock and password protection
- 60 presets vs 4 on the Flex
- Peak meters
- Fast attack limiters
- Dynamic EQ
- XO point phase adjust
- Delay is displayed in both time and distance
Is a bit of a cobbled-together kludge. But just wanted to share another solution set that I have up and running. At the centre of it is an SPL MC16 16-channel controller. For 9.1.6 music playback, it is fed by an Audient Oria with Dolby Reference Player running on a Mac Mini. For two-speaker stereo as well as three-way active crossover, I am running BACCH4Mac on the same Mac Mini. There are also some Nobsound 1-in-3-out and 3-in-1-out boxes floating around so that, for example, different DACs can be used into the MC16. Or so that, after the MC16, the centre channel goes to the centre amp and speaker in surround playback. Whereas it needs to go to the left-channel bass-range in the active crossover setup. Total expenditure adds up. But it is a lot of fun. Everything is balanced connection too, with none of the ground loop issues that can happen with RCA-cinch connectors.
Music like Beatles Abbey Road, I prefer in stereo. But music like Booka Shade Movements I prefer in ATMOS. It often comes down to how the engineer mixed the ATMOS. I prefer when they use the left and right front speakers for vocals, not the centre channel. I have basically the same speaker as a centre channel as I have left and right in normal stereo mode. But maybe my ears and brain are more used to soundstage imaging a voice when it arrives from left-right speakers instead from front on.
PS: The second set of sixteen inputs on the MC16 is for the ATMOS movie set-up, using Dirac on an ARCAM AV-40.
Music like Beatles Abbey Road, I prefer in stereo. But music like Booka Shade Movements I prefer in ATMOS. It often comes down to how the engineer mixed the ATMOS. I prefer when they use the left and right front speakers for vocals, not the centre channel. I have basically the same speaker as a centre channel as I have left and right in normal stereo mode. But maybe my ears and brain are more used to soundstage imaging a voice when it arrives from left-right speakers instead from front on.
PS: The second set of sixteen inputs on the MC16 is for the ATMOS movie set-up, using Dirac on an ARCAM AV-40.
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An update. Thanks to Ralph Stens of RSTAudio.de, I now have my downstairs 9.2.6 surround system integrated with my active crossover stereo system. Ralph built me a special version of his 8-way VV8 preamp with a third box, a crossover multiplexer (VV8 CM). When in 2.1 mode, the VV8 CM takes the 2.1 output from my SPL MC16… so, the front left right and the LFE channels… and splits the LFE for the front left and right subs… and splits the left and right channels at 2500 Hz to send to the mids and to the tweeters separately. This is done as zero dB passthrough. The crossover uses Sallen-Key topology.
When in stereo mode, the VV8 works as normal, with volume control at the VV8 for up to eight channels. Though, with my three-way set-up, I only use six.
When in stereo mode, the VV8 works as normal, with volume control at the VV8 for up to eight channels. Though, with my three-way set-up, I only use six.
