RDC-7 questions

[popcorn1]

Hi....I am the proud new owner of an RDC-7, and would like to know if anyone has any advice as far as setup, what dsp modes everyone likes best, are you using the RE-EQ feature ?
Also with the x-over at 80 what does everone have there front mains set at small or large ?
Any setup/listening suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks,
Craig

[jakermc]

I am also a new owner, so I am still experimenting like yourself. Here is what I have found so far:

Speaker set-up: L+R are set to large, everything else to small. My main speakers are Martin Logan Ascents that are flat to about 35hz while my ML Cinema and Scripts stay flat to about 70 or 80hz. I keep my subwoofer cross-over turned off and rely on the RDC-7 to handle bass management.

Stereo mode: I keep the subwoofer setting off and allow the Ascents to run full range. I miss the last octave by doing this (pipe organ music?), but it is better than having the sub on and reproducing everthing from 80hz down. This would sound way to heavy since the Ascents are also reproducing these frequencies. Another alternative is to use the subs crossover to filter everything out above 35hz, but this would require me adjusting the cross-over everytime I switched between stereo and surround. The compromise I made seems to work best.

Upsampling: On in every mode possible. I love this feature.

Surround modes: Straight Dolby D or DTS most of the time. Still playing with Re-eq and THX to determine when its needed. Without a doubt the RDC-7 is brighter than my last pre-amp, so I do use these features from time to time. When it sounds bright, I just cycle through the options and see which sounds best.

Dolby PL II: I use Movie mode when watching TV. With some sporting events, its a great effect. With others, I hear no difference at all. I also found that I enjoy the Music mode quite a bit, even more than Stereo on a lot of material.

DTS Neo: Dolby PL II blows it away on both TV and Music, at least in my opinion.

All other DSP: Haven't tried them, not sure if I ever will.

I don't have rear surrounds yet, so I can't report on those features.

Anyone else going to chime in?

[Burke Strickland]

Welcome both of you to the "Club"! Thanks for sharing your questions and insights. And congratulations on making an excellent purchase decision! Couldn't have done better myself. :>)

I don't really like DSP modes. I replaced a Yamaha DSP-A3090 with my RDC-7, and it had a boatload of them. Most were too gimmicky for serious listening. I don't find the RDC-7's that I've tried any more convincing. For movies, it is usually either unadulterated Dolby Digital or DTS. I occasionally do the THX "re-eq" if I notice a "too bright" surround sound.

I find the "direct" and "stereo" modes so good for two channel music, I have no inclination to tamper with the sound field by invoking DSP. That includes Dolby Prologic (DP) II Music. I find the DP II Movie to be quite a step up over the older "standard" Dolby Prologic for movie soundtracks, but I have not found myself at all enthrallled by DP II Music.

I have my L/R mains (Magnepan MG 3.6s) set to "Large". They effortlessly go down to 40 hz and I prefer to let my ears be rewarded with their seamless sound top-to-bottom.

Knowing what other equipment you are using and what your listening preferences are would probably help some of the other folks here calibrate an answer regarding setup and listening preferences. (I already know the equipment part, but they don't yet.) :>)

I agree with jakermc that you DO want "upsampling" turned on where ever it is offered as an option. It really makes a very positive difference on Redbook CDs. (They won't be DVD-Audio, but they'll sound a lot closer when using the upsampling.)

Burke