# dts neo 6 music vs pl2



## pharoah

has anyone else im sure some have.since adding surround speakers the other day.ive been playing around with some settings.listening to music with the neo6 setting has a cool effect on some music.so far im experimenting a bit with neo 6.in a couple days im gonna switch it up to pl2 music.see which i like.so people who have tried these.which do you like better and why?


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## Lulimet

DPL II or 5 Channel Stereo for me only. DTS Neo:6 sounds too thin. Also channel separation is better with DPL II.


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## pharoah

ok i havent tried the pl2 music yet.im still playing with neo6.thanks for the response.i will be trying the pl2 in a couple days.i will see if i agree or not.


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## willis7469

Neo6 for me hasn't been very good. Sounds more "processed" to my ear. (In my head?) we have 7.2, and I play a little with pure audio, and 2.2, but mostly plIIx(7 channel PL). The one thing i don't like about pro logic, since it's matrixed, is it sometimes puts the weirdest sounds, or instruments in the rears an it's distracting. Although sometimes it's ok. I'd like to try out some of the multichannel remixes that Steven Wilson(porcupine tree) has done.


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## pharoah

i know what your saying.i was playing a sting song called perfect love gone wrong.the song has some trumpet playing in it.the trumpet just comes through the surround speakers loudly.it sounds totally off.


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## sdurani

I prefer PLII Music to Neo:6 music mode. The adjustabilities of PLII are really helpful, letting the user choose how much centre info and surround info are extracted. Also, Neo:6 is too mono-ish in the surround field for my tastes; I prefer the stronger stereo separation of PLII (and PLIIx) in the surround field.


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## pharoah

been watching some tv shows in pl2.switching to and from neo6.i think im agreeing with the opinions presented that pl2 is better than neo6.gonna play some music after bit in pl2.


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## ajinfla

Logic 7


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## asere

I know the conversation is not about THX but for music I enjoy THX Neural over any other DSP.


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## willis7469

asere said:


> I know the conversation is not about THX but for music I enjoy THX Neural.


I will take that for a spin. Ironically for the most part I personally haven't had much luck with thx modes.(mostly I've tried in movies)


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## asere

willis7469 said:


> I will take that for a spin. Ironically for the most part I personally haven't had much luck with thx modes.(mostly I've tried in movies)


For me it's the other way around. I've had luck in the music department but for movies not so much. For me THX tames the sub and the surrounds too much.


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## willis7469

asere said:


> For me it's the other way around. I've had luck in the music department but for movies not so much. For me THX tames the sub and the surrounds too much.


Lol, maybe I can't write today! What I meant was,thx modes for me and movies hasn't worked. I find the sub and surrounds too pulled back also. I probably have prejudice toward thx music modes because of this, but I'll try it due to your appreciation of it.


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## asere

willis7469 said:


> Lol, maybe I can't write today! What I meant was,thx modes for me and movies hasn't worked. I find the sub and surrounds too pulled back also. I probably have prejudice toward thx music modes because of this, but I'll try it due to your appreciation of it.


Yes please let me know what you think.


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## ajinfla

asere said:


> I know the conversation is not about THX but for music I enjoy THX Neural over any other DSP.


Interesting. How do you implement it? (sorry, don't see a system list)


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## pharoah

im currently starting a round of left 4 dead 2 in pl2 mode.curious how a game sounds.


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## asere

ajinfla said:


> Interesting. How do you implement it? (sorry, don't see a system list)


You would need an avr with THX. I'm not sure if all THX certified avrs have Neural.


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## willis7469

asere said:


> You would need an avr with THX. I'm not sure if all THX certified avrs have Neural.


Well...it seems despite thx select plus 2 certification, it does not have neural mode. It does have a number of modes including a thx music, and probably 2 dozen others. Even proprietary Onkyo modes! Never liked those much. So I couldn't try it out, but I did revisit neo6, and IMO, makes the presentation somehow feel smaller, compared to pl2x, and even pure audio which I like sometimes just to hear how a particular song or album was mastered, in the buff.


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## pharoah

yeah im down to about the same conclusion.stereo,or pl2 is best for music.


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## sdurani

willis7469 said:


> Well...it seems despite thx select plus 2 certification, it does not have neural mode.


DTS bought Neural in 2009, so when it comes to receivers made in the last few years, THX post-processing no longer uses Neural as its base for upmixing 2-channel sources.


pharoah said:


> yeah im down to about the same conclusion.stereo,or pl2 is best for music.


Keep in mind that PLII Music mode has user adjustments to tailor the surround processing to your particular tastes (you get to decide how much centre and surround information is extracted).


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## asere

Can you still adjust dsp parameters with Audyssey engaged or will Audyssey override it?


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## sdurani

asere said:


> Can you still adjust dsp parameters with Audyssey engaged or will Audyssey override it?


If you mean Audyssey room correction, then that has nothing to do with surround processing (PLII). You can adjust PLII parameters with or without Audyssey room correction engaged; won't make a difference.


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## ajinfla

asere said:


> You would need an avr with THX. I'm not sure if all THX certified avrs have Neural.


Sorry for not being clear asere, I meant *your* implementation. What receiver, speakers, etc. 4ch, 5ch, 7ch?
I have 2 feeds to a Harman DPR2005 (different analog inputs) from my RX-A800, LR and SL SR. That way with movies/surround content I can switch the DPR to pass thru of the surround signal (SL SR) and feed my omni surrounds whatever format is being used on the RXA. With music, I switch the DPR to the LR (pure stereo) feed and engage Logic 7 music. That way the front stage is pure (2ch) stereo (signal), but the rears have the Logic 7 processing. 4ch "stereo". No center.
I believe Neural is supposed to leave the LR _perceptually_ intact, but I've never heard it.

cheers


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## willis7469

Another thing worth mentioning is you can engage audyssey dynamic EQ. This is a global setting, and the short version is you'd notice a substantial increase in the sub and surround channels. It's really designed to work with multeq for maintaining the surround envelope mixed into movie soundtracks when played back at less than reference level playback (-0 mv), but can also give a different experience to music.


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## pharoah

ive had dynamic eq on through all my listening tests.along with the audessey room correction.


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