Is surround sound for music and home theater on its way out?

[jevans64]

Voice from the center is by design. When you talk to a person, where does their voice come from, straight ahead or out from the sides ? Barely hearing anything from the rear is also by design. I think anything from the rear during a "normal" scene will be rather discrete. It's really only used noticeably during some scenes, such as something moving and going past you. Try Black Hawk Down, for example, and the helicopters will start quietly in the rears, get louder in the rears (as if they're coming towards you), then transition to the fronts. Other scenes, such as a door closing, can be done only through the right rear or left rear and can sometimes cause you to actually turn your head.

Totally agree. THAT is what surround sound is for. Those pops, bumps, and creaks when watching a spooky movie. Even the craptacular Paranormal Activity series of movies made excellent use of the surround channels that makes the wife/GF cling to your arm. There have been a number of times where I've gotten up to peek out the window to check if there REALLY was a thunderstorm outside. LOL Saving Private Ryan is another great example of effective use of surround sound to convey the sounds/experience of war.

 

[madmadworld]

got dolby pro logic in 1989 still enjoying it now, for movies only. never found reason to upgrade. only used a few times to understand lyrics in music. lol

 

[Tampa8]

This thread made me laugh, I wonder how many of the people here crying a river about the potential demise of their favorite technology, surround sound, are the same ones who berated and ridiculed those of us whose favorite technology is the "gimmicky" 3D TV.

All sarcasm aside, I hope this rumor leads nowhere, as I immensely enjoy both technologies.

I don't see them as being the same. First, millions of people have been using surround sound for a long time. Second there are thousands of movies that make use of it, and many TV programs and sporting events. Both unlike 3D. Third, and most differently, if it is starting to fade, it has alot to do with technology. Soundbars are attractive not just because they sound good and are easy to install, but because mobile devices now can make use of them too wirelessly making them dual purpose. (They can be wireless with TV's also in some cases)
3D has not even taken off, let alone fade and not because of new technology. This is more like losing Video player technology to DVD's, or records to discs. The previous technology was very popular, it's just that new technology came along, that is not the case with the non-start of 3D.

 

[Teehar]

got dolby pro logic in 1989 still enjoying it now, for movies only. never found reason to upgrade. only used a few times to understand lyrics in music. lol

Man that was awesome when it first came out.

I know this much,when playing a movie/show with 5.1 on a scene with dogs barking,gets our dogs started barking every time.With tv or even small stereo speakers they pay no attention.Certain car sounds convince them that we have company.

 

[waylew]

Have never had anything more than stereo,and I'm just fine with that.

 

[navychop]

Okay, I'm actually in the process of validating whether to buy a newfangled HT Receiver when my old 7.1 ones work just fine, and I almost always listen to music using an old 2-channel Yamaha amp and a pair of Kliphorns or my Klipsch KLF-30s for metal. Does anyone listen to surround for music these days? The last time I did was probably when I bought the Tina Turner Live in Amsterdam DVD.

IF you "upgrade" be VERY SURE it is HDMI 1.4 compatible.

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Edit: Typo.

 

[riffjim4069]

IF you "upgrade" be VERY SURE it is HDMI 1.3 compatible.

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HDMI 1.4, which I assume is backwards compatible. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_022RXA3020/Yamaha-RX-A3020.html?tp=179#details-tab

 

[navychop]

HDMI 1.4, which I assume is backwards compatible. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_022RXA3020/Yamaha-RX-A3020.html?tp=179#details-tab

Got me! TYPO!

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[KC9TIK]

Voice from the center is by design. When you talk to a person, where does their voice come from, straight ahead or out from the sides?

My ears are on the side. Monaural audio is totally 1900's tech.

Barely hearing anything from the rear is also by design. I think anything from the rear during a "normal" scene will be rather discrete. It's really only used noticeably during some scenes.

In other words, rear speakers don't get used enough.

 

[dfergie]

Okay, I'm actually in the process of validating whether to buy a newfangled HT Receiver when my old 7.1 ones work just fine, and I almost always listen to music using an old 2-channel Yamaha amp and a pair of Kliphorns or my Klipsch KLF-30s for metal. Does anyone listen to surround for music these days? The last time I did was probably when I bought the Tina Turner Live in Amsterdam DVD.

There are many concert BD's that rock with surround sound ... watching the Olympics, when they started I heard good echoes of the gun thru my surrounds...

 

[John Kotches]

My ears are on the side. Monaural audio is totally 1900's tech.

If we use phantom stereo, instead of the voice being locked to the center of the screen, where it's supposed to be, it moves around based on seating position. Someone left of center gets the phantom image left of center and someone right of center gets the phantom image. Only a person in the sweet spot gets the image where it is supposed to be relative to the screen.

With dialogue, especially principal dialogue, all seats hear the sound in the correct relative position. It also isn't monaural as the sound can (at the mixer's discretion) be anywhere on the front soundstage.

Original "stereo" was a 3-speaker solution, with an LCR array.

In other words, rear speakers don't get used enough.

It depends on the context of the movie. I wouldn't expect a movie like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to have the same utilization of surrounds as something like Pacific Rim. Sound is an integral part of the overall movie experience, and using surrounds just 'cause you have 'em isn't really doing much for the experience.

 

[Hall]

My ears are on the side.

Unless one of your ears are farther forward than the other, your argument makes zero sense.

This doesn't make it monaural audio either unless everything only comes from your center speaker. If that's the case, you've got it set up wrong.

 

[KC9TIK]

Unless one of your ears are farther forward than the other, your argument makes zero sense.

This doesn't make it monaural audio either unless everything only comes from your center speaker. If that's the case, you've got it set up wrong.

You're argument makes zero sense. Why is it better to use one speaker instead of two? Seems like a waste of some good JBL L100s.

Only the voice comes out the front, the background noise comes from the sides.

 

[Hall]

Don't use a center speaker then....

 

[John Kotches]

You're argument makes zero sense. Why is it better to use one speaker instead of two? Seems like a waste of some good JBL L100s.

Several of us have explained exactly why. I notice you haven't responded to that.

Since you don't want to address the stability of a fixed center channel vs. phantom imaging there is nothing nothing left to discuss.

Only the voice comes out the front, the background noise comes from the sides.

Let us know when you want to discuss phantom imaging and comb filtering, the 2 big reasons why you want a fixed center channel.

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[KC9TIK]

You've explained: "Someone left of center gets the phantom image left of center and someone right of center gets the phantom image. Only a person in the sweet spot gets the image where it is supposed to be relative to the screen."

I guess it must be because I always sit in the center and I tuned the sound processor's audio to mix exactly where I sit.

 

[jayn_j]

You've explained: "Someone left of center gets the phantom image left of center and someone right of center gets the phantom image. Only a person in the sweet spot gets the image where it is supposed to be relative to the screen."

I guess it must be because I always sit in the center and I tuned the sound processor's audio to mix exactly where I sit.

Hey, whatever works for you. I promise not to tell you how to set up your system as long as you don't preach about how all the rest of us are doing it all wrong.

 

[Balock]

I currently have a 2011 Pioneer HT receiver/amp hooked up in 5.1 with a Klipsch Quintet set (older generation) and a 12" Klipsch sub. I'm very pleased with this setup. We use it almost exclusively because the Samsung TV's speakers sound awful. The Pio replaced an early-90's Sony Dolby Pro Logic 40w rcvr which showed its limitations when I got the Klipsches.

The best sounding TV I ever had was a 27" Sony from 1990 that had large front-firing speakers on either side of the tube...Clear sound with plenty of bass. It also had SRS which worked very good with some material--the meeting hall scenes in Star Trek IV were well suited to it. Most music don't fare so well, tho.

Still have my dad's 1972 Pioneer SX-990 too. Between that, the Eagles Live album and his Sansui speakers I'm surprised I can still hear.

 

[John Kotches]

I guess it must be because I always sit in the center and I tuned the sound processor's audio to mix exactly where I sit.

It is fine to have a preference. You asked why a hard center channel was preferred. That's what we were explaining.

I do actually get what you are saying and I have found that most center channels come up weak in comparison to the "regular" speaker. For those that are "attentive" listeners the timbral difference between unmatched speakers can be distracting. Most times it bothered me to some extent when I was writing reviews. I've only had a few that were cohesively blended.

The only solution for this is to use identical speakers across the front. I went identical in all locations so the only timbral differences are based on location.

Unless you are in a purpose built room you are going to have compromises. Heck, even my purpose built room has a few compromises. Just a couple but they are there. I think I'm the only one that notices.



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[teachsac]

For me, using two speakers for movies and TV, doesn't work. I need that center channel in the center of the TV to get the dialog matching the position.

I agree with you John. Matching the speakers across the front is a must. I remember that time way back in the olden days when Prologic first came out, and I picked up a center that was a different brand than my stereo speakers. I could hear the differences.

S~