# Best Surround Sound Modes for My 7.1 Setup



## Nordo (Feb 28, 2008)

Just bought a Denon AVR-X1500H to replace my blown Onkyo.

I need to know which modes give the best experience. 
I have a standard 7.1 speaker setup in a dedicated home theater. 
My sources are DVDs, Blu-ray DVDs, CDs, TV and some AC-3 content. 

I'm particularly interested in the new (for me) DTS Neural:X and DTS Virtual:X, at least for my Blu-ray collection. 

However can anyone explain why you lose your Audyssey settings if you select DTS Virtual:X?

I also can't find any information on the difference between the two modes, and if both would suit a standard 7.1 setup.


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## sheiqshack (Mar 5, 2012)

I guess both modes create a virtual DTS-X sound (which is DTS' answer to Dolby Atmos).
But they do so from a stereo source, 'upmixed' to all available speakers - which isn't the real deal.
Both Atmos and DTS-X can only really be perceived if the source is mixed with that technique. 
To every other source the processor is just adding artificial placement & widening. But do listen and decide for yourself.
It makes kinda sense that all this upmixing will overrule Audyssey, because it is interfering with it.


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## Nordo (Feb 28, 2008)

Hi Dan

Thanks for the quick reply.

Many years ago when I first bought my Onkyo (TX-SR805), there was a lot of discussion on HTS regarding the best playback modes for 5.1 and 7.1 speakers when playing the various source formats that were available back then.
I experimented a fair bit, but ended up for each input, just matching mode to source format. e.g. if the source was Dolby Digital, I had the Onkyo play it in Dolby Digital (even if it meant losing the output from my two back speakers).

But with new 3D virtual surround modes, I know I have DVDs which would benefit from them if properly implemented - Master and Commander come to mind, which I normally play using the supplied 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. During the battle scene, when below decks, you can hear the crew running about on the deck above. I am hoping that this effect would be enhanced by one of the virtual 3D playback modes.

I guess once I have the Denon properly set up, I'll just have to A/B the various modes to see what effect and quality difference there is.
There seems to be very little knowledge available regarding the 3D formats.
It appears that the virtual ones are basically an elaborate DSP.


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## AVoldMan (May 15, 2011)

I too have had similar problems with trying to decide on what modes would best suit different source material or formats. The owner's manuals on these complicated components leaves much to be desired! Most feature descriptions are not even a complete and/or an intelligible sentence. Marketing departments for these AVR companies have thrown in more and more switches, bells and whistles without a single concrete example of what is going on. What should we be hearing? What I usually do is exhaustively go through each of the settings while listening and/or by measuring with a REW setup. This takes a significant amount of time (sometimes weeks or months) with discipline and sometimes leaves me with questionable or puzzling conclusions!

What happened to the days when the receivers had clearly defined and calibrated (in dB's) tone controls with specified crossover frequencies that you instantly new what the intended effect was and the impact on the sound before touching the knob? When did the user lose all their control!


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## Nordo (Feb 28, 2008)

AVoldMan said:


> I too have had similar problems with trying to decide on what modes would best suit different source material or formats. The owner's manuals on these complicated components leaves much to be desired! Most feature descriptions are not even a complete and/or an intelligible sentence. Marketing departments for these AVR companies have thrown in more and more switches, bells and whistles without a single concrete example of what is going on. What should we be hearing? What I usually do is exhaustively go through each of the settings while listening and/or by measuring with a REW setup. This takes a significant amount of time (sometimes weeks or months) with discipline and sometimes leaves me with questionable or puzzling conclusions!
> 
> What happened to the days when the receivers had clearly defined and calibrated (in dB's) tone controls with specified crossover frequencies that you instantly new what the intended effect was and the impact on the sound before touching the knob? When did the user lose all their control!


My Onkyo manual (8-10 years old?), gave clear descriptions of each "Listening Mode", explaining what it did and what sources would benefit from it.
It made it quite easy to select the best surround sound mode to apply to a limited channel source - TV, CD, old DVD, etc.
Problem is that a lot of those modes that could create surround sound from say a 2 channel source, have disappeared.

The manual for my new Denon (had to download it) is 279 pages long, but the descriptions of the various formats and modes are vague at best.
And as you said, todays manuals have been very poorly written (maybe an afterthought) or badly translated from the original language (no longer Japanese).

I'm currently re-jigging my sub (4x15" infinite baffle), and will need to EQ it with my FBD and REW, before I run Audyssey and then can finally start proper listening and setting the various modes, etc.
I'm waiting for someone to help with the sub re-jigging and that's why I am in limbo (nothing worse than waiting for someone who doesn't appreciate the urgency of the situation:hissyfit.


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