Surrounds for DVD
May 21, 2003
I've been told that to really enjoy the DVD experience, I
have to get surround speakers. I have a receiver with Dolby Digital and DTS, but as of yet
resisted getting surround speakers. I like DVD in stereo and am wondering how much more
there is when you add surrounds.
Richard Kreh
There is no question that upgrading from TV sound to a
receiver and stereo speakers makes a huge difference in playing back DVDs. In fact, I'd
likely say that that step makes a bigger difference than any other in the
TV-to-surround-system continuum. However, although adding surrounds will affect things in
a subtler way, the addition does get you much closer to what the filmmaker intended you to
hear. Effects that occur behind you just can't be reproduced properly by stereo
loudspeakers. So although you got most of the way there when you added hi-fi sound to your
movie-watching experience, there is still more to be heard. My guess is that if you added
properly matched surrounds to your system you'd appreciate the improvement and get more
out of your DVDs.
Speakers, speakers, speakers
May 18, 2003
I am currently running a Denon AVR-1082 receiver putting
out a clean 110W into 6.1 channels. I have a 12" Cambridge SoundWorks powered
subwoofer and the company's mid-to-high surrounds with matching Newton M300 center-channel
speakers front and rear. My front speakers are 1986 DCM QED1As, one model down from the
venerable Time Windows. I wanted to upgrade my main speakers to Paradigm or PSB, but I
recently stumbled onto the M22Ti bookshelf speakers from Axiom. Are the Axioms so much
better than the Paradigms and PSBs as I have seen in the many reviews? Thanks for any
assistance you can give me.
John R.
Reading our archives you can see that we highly
recommend speakers from each of the three brands you mention -- there's not a dog in the
bunch. So it's really not a case of one brand being across-the-board better than the
others, but finding the right model within the right brand for your tastes and needs. You
can start by reading reviews, which you've done, but then you really have to listen to the
candidates to find what suits you, your system, and your room, best. Good luck with your
search.
Vasant?
May 15, 2003
Will there be a review of the Vasant integrated amp soon?
Thanks,
Don Cooper
Yes, we are waiting on a new review sample because the
design was revised. Hopefully we'll have a review around midsummer.
Dolby Digital or DTS?
May 12, 2003
I'm getting ready to buy a new receiver and remember that
Dolby Digital and DTS were both competing with each other a number of years ago. Is one
better than the other and does most new equipment have both?
John Garner
Dolby Digital and DTS happily coexist together in
virtually every receiver and surround-sound processor on the market today. You'll almost
certainly get both with whatever you buy. Although many listeners report that a slight
advantage goes to DTS when it comes to sound quality, I've personally heard each sound
better than the other -- it depends entirely on the individual movie. Whether or not one
technology is superior is open for debate, but what's clear is that they are both very
good and each have their moments -- both good and bad. Luckily you won't have to choose
and can listen to what you think sounds best.
Biwire or biamp?
May 10, 2003
I was wondering about biwiring versus biamping. I have a
pair of Paradigm Studio/40 speakers. They can be biamped or biwired for better
performance. I have a limited budget. I can go one of two directions, and I was wondering
which would be the best way to go: biwire with a very good amp -- Bryston, Conrad-Johnson,
or other of the same level -- or biamp with two decent, good-quality amps like Rotel,
B&K, Hafler, or other. Recommendations please on which amps as well. Thank you and
best of luck on your site.
Neil
You'll get widely varying answers to this question, so
the short take is that you should experiment both ways to determine what sounds best, if
that is feasible. I've always had better luck with going for the better equipment and
simplifying the setup. An amplifier like a Bryston or a Conrad-Johnson would make those
Paradigms sing and likely be a final purchase -- something you wouldn't feel the need to
upgrade for quite some time. I just don't think the biamp setup would improve performance
enough to justify the complexity and the compromise of not getting the better equipment.
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