music STEREO vs Pro Logic 2x

[olli66]

hi! first, please excuse my bad English. I'm from Germany...
I have a question for you.
Some months ago I bought a Marantz SR-9300. This was an big investment for a student like me...I have a great pair of front speakers. exaxtly the same onces for surround. BIG ones! Great for DVD Audio and SACD. Sound is fantastic! But mostly I listen to CDs that only come in stereo. To me most surround modes like Pro Logic and Neo do not do a good job making the stereo channel to sourround format. I still prefer stereo. But I heard that the new Pro Logic 2 X mode (the X one !!! the normal Pro Logic 2 mode my receiver has) is really nice for making stereo music to multichannel. But I don't know any places where I can do a test listening. My Marantz SR 9300 was supposed to get an upgrade for Pro Logic 2 X but it was cancelled. So I ask you guys! Anyone of you had the chance to listen to stereo music in Pro Logic 2x? What do you think?

 

[Duffinator]

The x in PLIIx is for 7 channel. So if you are using only 5 speakers it won't make any difference. I think PLII is a huge improvement over the original PL. I use it for TV mostly. The music version is OK for music but I still prefer stereo when listening to CD's. Like most new receivers my Denon 3805 has DTS Neo6 as well. While I like DTS better than DD I much prefer PLII over Neo6 for 2 channel Music and Cinema.

 

[Duffinator]

I forgot to mention that L7, the sound processing that Mark Levinson developed, that's available on Levinson and Harman Kardon products is IMO better than both PLII or Neo6. Not sure what they are doing but it sure sounds good with music.

 

[olli66]

thanks for the info!!! sure I have 7 speakers. I forgot to mention this...I have 4 huge ones (front left and right and back left and right) and 2 medium ones for the surround back channels...my center speaker is large, too...

 

[dsa220]

I forgot to mention that L7, the sound processing that Mark Levinson developed, that's available on Levinson and Harman Kardon products is IMO better than both PLII or Neo6. Not sure what they are doing but it sure sounds good with music.

I do believe that Lexicon is the company that developed what you are refering to as L7, that is if you mean LOGIC 7; Dr. Griesinger is best known as the architect of Lexicon's Logic 7 processing.

 

[Duffinator]

I do believe that Lexicon is the company that developed what you are refering to as L7, that is if you mean LOGIC 7; Dr. Griesinger is best known as the architect of Lexicon's Logic 7 processing.

My bad. I knew it was one of the Harman International companies. How do you like L7?

 

[dsa220]

How do you like L7?

My current system does not incorporate Logic 7, but from what I have heard at a friend’s house it is no better or worse than any other available DSP or surround choice.

I personally do not like any of the current offerings, but if I had to choose one, it would be DTS Neo:6 as I feel that it is the least destructive [sonically] to the original two-channels. This is with respect to music.

I have pretty much given up on any form of processing with respect to music, I find a well set-up two channel system to be far more coherent and involving than any multi channel processing can currently accomplish. It’s a little like bleaching rice so that it looks nice and white, then adding back nutrients to try and make it wholesome again; the intent is nice, but the execution leaves an aftertaste.

Now for television viewing, that’s a whole different story; I prefer the DTS Neo:6 Cinema for all of my television viewing. I like the way the surrounds are employed better that in DPL II. Neo:6 has always sounded smoother and more coherent [to me] that DPL II. Have not tried DPL IIx, so that could change.