Playing DTS 6.1 with 5.1 Speaker Set-up?

[theMaximus]

Forgive me if this topic has been covered by another thread before. My search didn't return any results.

I've never really given this a thought until now, but I started wondering about this subject since I see more and more DVDs with DTS 6.1 or DD EX 6.1 tracks. If you have a 5.1 speaker set-up but at the same time select 6.1 track from a DVD using a receiver that can decode 6.1 tracks (in my case Rotel RSX-1056), what would happen to the actual sound track? In other words, would some of the sound intended for the rear center be lost or would the receiver/processor redistribute the sound intended for the rear center to the two rear side speakers?

I do have a separate 2-channel power amp (Rotel RMB-1070), which would allow me to build up to 7.1 system, but I'm actually using the 1070 to power up the mid/bass drivers of my B&W 704s in the front and using the front channels of the 1056 to drive the tweeters of the same speakers. (I found driving the whole speaker with 1070 made the tweeters sound a little too bright for my taste). Anyway, just wondering what would happen if I played 6.1 tracks with 5.1 speaker set-up.

Any answers would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[Chris D]

From what I remember, when playing a 6.1 format on a 5.1 system, the rear channel will be played by the side surrounds when it is DD EX or the common DTS ES Matrixed. If I remember right, the only time you LOSE the rear channel is when it is DTS ES ***DISCRETE*** which is pretty rare.

[Aussie Geoff]

theMaximimus,

It is even better than Chris thought - both Dolby and DTS have worked hard to make it backward compatible for all 5.1 system, so providing your system is setup to say it has 5 speakers (i.e. you have not told it there are 6 or 7 but not connected them) the sound will play perfectly on a 5.1 system. For example DTS have actually duplicated the 6th channel in the left and right rears in their DTS-ES Discreet and the DTS-ES Discrete compatible processor will say (if you have 6 or 7 speakers) "ah ah" and take away from the rear left and right channel the sounds that it has extracted from the discrete rear centre channel - thus avoiding doubling up... Older processors don't even recognise the extra rear channel and therefore still play all the sound information.... In that way even if the processor predates DTS-ES or DD EX it will play on perfectly...

Here are a couple of web links that explain this and other arcane matters...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Theatre_System

http://www.dts.com/consumer/technology/at-a-glance-details.php?ID=1857247944&glanceID=Overview

http://hometheater.about.com/od/beforeyoubuy/a/surroundsound_5.htm

Geoff

[Aris A]

On another thought....

theMaximimus,

It is even better than Chris thought - both Dolby and DTS have worked hard to make it backward compatible for all 5.1 system, so providing your system is setup to say it has 5 speakers (i.e. you have not told it there are 6 or 7 but not connected them) the sound will play perfectly on a 5.1 system.

Geoff

Sorry to hijack this thread but since I'm in the same situation, I would like to ask, how about if I haven't completed my 5.1 setup(no surround speakers yet), so fronts, center & subwoofer only, would the receiver still recognize it? Will it play as a 5.1 setup but less the surround speakers? Thnx.

[David Meek]

Aris, just make sure your pre-pro/receiver is set to recognize only the 3 fronts and the sub. The entire soundtrack will be output through those active speakers only.

Oh, welcome to The Guide! :welcome:

[Aris A]

Thanks David. I'm still learning the features for this receiver(hk avr630). Thanks also theMaximus.

[theMaximus]

Thanks for the info, guys.