Arcam FMJ AV9 - Manual (Page 28)

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Surround modes
Introduction
Your AV9 processor provides all the key decoding and processing modes for analogue and digital signals.
Modes for Digital sources
Digital recordings are usually encoded to include information about their format type. The AV9 detects
automatically the relevant format in a digital signal, such as Dolby Digital or DTS, and switches in the
appropriate decoding.
Modes For Analogue sources
Analogue recordings do not contain information about their encoding formats, so the desired decoding
mode – such as Dolby Pro Logic – needs to be selected manually.
Mode Memory
Dolby Digital or DTS audio data (sometimes collectively referred to as ‘bitstream’ sources) can be output
in three mix modes, selected using the
MODE button:
< Surround (e.g., five main channels plus a subwoofer for a 5.1 source)
< Stereo Downmix
< Mono Downmix
Two-channel audio, regardless of whether it is analogue or digital also can be output in three mix modes,
selected using the
MODE button:
< Surround (e.g., Dolby Pro Logic II Movie, Neo:6 Music, etc.)
< Stereo (with effects applied for analogue or digital PCM)
< Mono
The AV9 has a comprehensive memory that allows it to store the settings for each source button (except
for DVD-A output). Thus the decoding mode for the following three groups of source material can be
stored independently:
< Dolby Digital (multi-channel) and DTS source material
< Two-channel PCM and Analogue source material
< Two-channel Dolby Digital source material
There is a link between the mix modes for multi-channel bitstream (e.g., 5.1) and two-channel bitstream
(2.0 or 2.1) sources. If a 5.1 source is played in Surround mix mode, the AV9 will remember this for
all bitstream sources (e.g., DTS-ES Matrix, Dolby Digital 3.0 etc.) and use the maximum number of
speakers the signal is encoded for. As a result, when a 2.0 or 2.1 bitstream is played the Surround mix
mode is recalled and the AV9 enters Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode to try to recreate the surround
environment from what may be a Pro Logic encoded source. If you would rather listen to a 2.0 or 2.1
bitstream in ordinary stereo (with or without a subwoofer), press
MODE to cycle through to the Stereo
mix mode (e.g., Dolby Digital 2/0.0 on the display). However, if the source becomes multi-channel
bitstream (e.g., 5.1) again, the AV9 will recall Stereo mix mode and therefore output a Stereo Downmix
of the multi-channel signal. Full surround output can be re-achieved by pressing
MODE to cycle through
to the surround mode encoded on the disc.
Two-channel source modes
The following decoding and surround modes are available:
< For PCM or Analogue sources: Mono
Stereo
Pro Logic II Movie
Pro Logic II Music
Pro Logic IIx Movie Pro Logic IIx Music
Pro Logic Emulation
Neo:6 Cinema
Neo:6 Music
< For Dolby Digital 2.0 sources: Pro Logic II Movie
Pro Logic II Music Pro Logic IIx Movie
Pro Logic IIx Music
< For DTS 2.0 sources: Mono
Stereo Pro Logic II Movie
Note: Pro Logic IIx Music and Pro Logic IIx Movie options are selectable only when surround-
back speakers are present.
Mono: The AV9 will combine the left and right audio channels from a stereo signal to produce a
mono signal. This can be of benefit when playing older audio recordings or VCR tapes, especially
mono LP records.
Analogue Stereo: In this mode the AV9 works as a conventional high quality audio amplifier.
Note that if the subwoofer is enabled in stereo mode, then some processing of the signal will be
carried out. For ultimate sound quality with analogue sources, therefore, select the Stereo Direct
function.
Digital Stereo: Decodes two-channel digital signals such as PCM signals from sources such as CDs
and some DVDs.