Re: questions
Thanks for the responses!
Yes, I would like suggestions on equipment, particularly as to what type of dolby (or similar) processing to use, how to best handle the equalization problem, and what effect equalization might have on the surround processing.
Our present set-up is pretty minimal, just an Alpine auto stereo with satellite radio, and a Pioneer DEQ "digital sound processer", 3 low power amps, 4 small Infinity bookshelf speaks and a 10 inch sub. There is no good location for a center channel speaker, and since we watch little visual material, it is not missed much.
Our source material will be from the cd library and the xm satelite radio. We do have some dvd's aboard, which we watch on the computer from time to time, but not often, and do not want to put much emphasis on this side of things.
I have a good software 1/3 octave audio analyzer computer program, and a pink noise source. I have set the 2/3 octave channel eq in the Pioneer for smoothest response. I end up with as much as 10 db of change between adjacent bands of the eq., and the difference between having the eq in or out is dramatic. The only other processing the Pioneer does is some sound field stuff, introducing echo, reverb, etc. This part makes, at best, only a modest change, and the result is quite program dependent.
It seems that low end recievers have some surround processing, but no means for equalization. Mid range ($500 +) have varying forms of eq available, but are quite large and power hungry. Available space might be possible for a Yamaha RX-v1500, or similar, but I would probably have to copy the CD's to MP3 to make room. We spend a fair amount of time at anchor in odd places in the world, and must live off the power we can generate and store on the boat.
We can change the 4 Infinity speakers, but again, size is important and speaker placement is restricted.
Donald
