Benefits of an A/V amp's effects fields?

[ChrisJam]

Hi,

In a thread I have in another Audioholic forum I asked some follow-up questions. But they might be better suited for this amp forum. The original thread is
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?p=207804#post207804

My amp is a Yamaha HRT-5280 (equivalent to RX-V800).

What's the advantage of my amp's digital sound field processor (DSP)? (My amp has the DSP, a Dolby Pro Logic decoder, a DTS/DTS ES decoder, a Dolby Matrix 6.1 decoder, and various combinations of these.) The DSP helped when I had a 2.0 set-up, and again when I got a sub to make 2.1. Now that I have 5.1 available to me, do you recommend that I keep the extra processing on or off? Is this something you might change from DVD to DVD?

Thanks.

 

[MDS]

You will get mixed opinions on DSP effects in receivers. I think they are mostly worthless while others think they are wonderful. Yamaha receivers tends to have hundreds of combinations of effects via their 'cinema dsp' features and you can tweak them with all kinds of settings (and often overlay those effects on top of 'straight' processing like DD/DTS/etc).

If you don't have a solid background in acoustics, messing with things like setting attack/delay/reverb times will generally do nothing but really mess up the sound. But if you love to tinker more than actually listening you have endless opportunities to do so with a receiver like a Yamaha that includes all of those DSP programs. My feeling is that after the initial 'wow' factor wears off and you've messed with a few dozen of them you will no longer use them at all and will instead stick with the Dolby and DTS decoders. It's hard enough to choose between PLII Movie/Music/Game, DTS NEO:6, All Channel Stereo, etc let alone taking the time to try out a hundred different DSP programs that all alter the sound in slightly different ways (often not for the better).

I tend to buy Onkyo receivers due to good experience with them over the years. They include about 5 'Onkyo original DSP' programs and IMO that is five too many. I don't use any of them, ever.

 

[xboxweasel]

I don't use any of them, ever.

Same here. I have everything set to "straight" in my Yamaha receiver. Personal preference. I did read one review where the author actually prefered to use the presense speakers with a Yamaha receiver. He said he would never go without using them. I've never tried them. Don't think I will. Like ChrisJam said, it's a gimmick and might be fun for a while. But honestly, give them a try. You might like one and use that DSP in certain situations.

 

[Hi Ho]

DSP's have their place. Yamaha has the best DSP's IMO. It's all about personal preference, as the others have said. In certain situations they can be pretty cool and can actually simulate different environments well.

Since my Panasonic receiver has HORRIBLE DSP modes, I to all of my music listening in stereo. I'm planning on buying a Yamaha receiver soon. I'm sure I'll mess around with the DSP's but I'm guessing the majority of my music listening will still be in stereo.

 

[ChrisJam]

All of you have given good info. Thanks.

MDS, I certainly do not have a good background in acoustics, so I won't be messing with the reverb/delays options!

Maybe in an ideal listening room there'd be a reason to have as many DSP options as my amp has. But frankly, I can't hear a difference between most of them. 70 mm Spectacle? 70 mm Sci-Fi? Adventure? No difference to me.

I'll experiment with having the DPS off. I might have time tomorrow to play a well-mixed DVD and see how it does with different settings.

But--this may sound like a funny question--how do I set my amp so that it plays straight, to use xboxweasel's term? I see two ways: One, I hit my effects button and turn off all the special effects. Presto, no DPS (and I think no Pro Logic, either). Or two, I go to my amp's menu and choose
10>DD/DTS>Normal>Pro Logic/Normal. (See attached photo from my manual.) In the little time I've had to experiment so far, but these methods seem to kill the extra pizzazz that the DPS movie effects give. Which is normal, unadulterated, 5.1 sound?