Which program to use, DD XS, ES or IIx ?

[eddyg]

Hi,

I'm always in a quandary as to what surround program to select when watching DVDs. This is in a 6.1 setup on a RSP-1098.

For example, I just put a DD 5.1 DVD on, and it defaulted to DD XS, other options were DD ES and DD + IIx Cinema.

I must admit to not noticing a particular difference between them, but I'm not really sure what I should be listening for.

Any advice on what is best is appreciated, what do you choose?

I seem to recall a previous thread saying always choose IIx if available..

Cheers, Edward.

[Azeke]

Edward,

DoProIIx is beneficial when you have 7.1 (stereo mix of the center backs). If you add another channel in the rear you will reap the benefits of DoProIIx.

Hope this helps,

Azeke

[eddyg]

Edward,

DoProIIx is beneficial when you have 7.1 (stereo mix of the center backs). If you add another channel in the rear you will reap the benefits of DoProIIx.

Hope this helps,

Azeke

Thanks Azeke. So that means that DD EX and XS are just mono rears? Or that IIx mixes the rears better from the surround channels?

And I guess the difference between XS and ES is simply XS is Rotels version of the algorithm for the mono rears and ES is Dolbys.

So a cheat sheet would look something like this:

__________________5.1_______6.1________7.1
DD 5.1 Source _____DD ES_____DD ES_____DD + DProIIx
DTS 5.1 Source_____DTS_______DTS Neo:6 ?

Or is it best to simply always go for DPro IIx even with 5.1 and 6.1 even though there won't be any benefit?

Cheers, Edward.

[Andrew Pratt]

Honestly with 6.1 you likely wouldn't notice any difference between XS and PLIIx...I'm runing 6.1 as well and I just let it default to what ever it selects unless there's a DTS ES tract

[pciav]

I also run 6.1 in my system (RSP-1068, ATI 1806). In my first week with this combination I have used the following with 5.1 sources and the results, for me, are very positive.

DD 5.1 - DD EX
DTS 5.1 - DTS + XS

I am only talking about 5.1 sources here. DTS-ES encoded DVD's default to to DTS-ES Discrete as it should. Most Dolby Digital EX encoded DVD's do not have the proper flags and therefore I always use DD EX. Not much difference between DD EX and DD + XS. In a 6.1 system you can use DD + PL IIx M. You can not use DD + PL IIx C. I find the PL IIx M to be too diffused in my system and I do not want to change PL IIx music parameters everytime I watch a movie. For DTS 5.1 sources, the choices are the same. I watched Master and Commander last night DTS + XS and it was a good experience.

[Azeke]

You will not reap benefits from DoProIIx unless you are running 7.1 channels. I would take Andrew's advice and just let the pre-pro select your surround mode. Unless of course you can always find a speaker laying around and add it to the rear, provided you have the room of course.

Regards,

Azeke