Filter
Top Products
OPERATION 33
Operation
Surround Mode Selection
One of the most important features of the
AVR 8500 is its ability to reproduce a full multi-
channel surround sound field from digital
sources, analog matrix surround encoded pro-
grams and standard stereo or even mono pro-
grams.
Selection of a surround mode is based on personal
taste, as well as the type of program source mate-
rial being used. For example,CDs, motion pictures
or TV programs bearing the logo of one of the
major surround-encoding processes, such as Dolby
Surround should be played in either the Dolby Pro
Logic II Movie (with movies) or Music (with
music) surround mode, with any DTS NEO:6
mode or with Harman Kardon´s exclusive Logic 7
Movie Mode, to create a full range 5.1 channel
or (with Logic 7 and DTS NEO:6) even 7.1 chan-
nel surround signal from surround encoded pro-
grams, with a stereophonic left and right rear sig-
nal, just as it was recorded (e.g. sound being
recorded from left rear side will be heard from
that side only, for more details see chart on page
30). In addition the THX Mode may be used with
both analog and digital soundtracks to provide
optimal reproduction.
When no rear speakers are in use, the Dolby 3
Stereo mode should be selected with all surround
recordings.
Note that when Dolby Digital 2.0 signals (e.g.
”D.D. 2.0” tracks from DVD),that are encoded
with Dolby Pro Logic information, are received
via any digital input, the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie
mode will be selected automatically (in addition
to the Dolby Digital mode) and will decode a full
range 5.1 channel surround sound even from
those recordings (see also ”Dolby Digital” on
page 35).
To create wide,enveloping sound field environ-
ments and defined pans and flyovers with all
analog stereo recordings select the Dolby Pro
LogicII Music or Emulation mode or Harman
Kardon’s exclusive Logic 7 Music mode for a dra-
matic improvement in comparison to the Dolby
Pro Logic (I) mode of former times.
NOTE: Once a program has been encoded with
matrix surround information,it retains the sur-
round information as long as the program is
broadcast in stereo.Thus,movies with surround
sound may be decoded via any of the analog sur-
round modes such as Pro Logic II Cinema,Logic 7
Cinema or DTS Neo:6 Cinema,when they are
broadcast via conventional TV stations, cable, pay-
TV and satellite transmission.In addition, a grow-
ing number of made-for-television programs,
sports broadcasts, radio dramas and music CDs
are also recorded in surround sound.You may
view a list of these programs at the Dolby
Laboratories Web site at www.dolby.com.
Even when a program is not listed as carrying
intentional surround information,you may find
that the Dolby Pro Logic II Music,DTS NEO:6
Music or Logic 7 Music or Enhanced modes often
deliver enveloping surround presentations through
the use of the natural surround information pres-
ent in all stereo recordings.
However,for stereo programs without any sur-
round information the Theater,Hall and 5/7CH
Stereo modes should be tried (effective particularly
with old ”extreme”stereo recordings) and for
mono programs, we suggest that you try the
Theater or Hall modes.And when you use only
two front channel speakers you should select
Harman’s patented VMAx mode,delivering a virtu-
ally three dimensional sound space with two
speakers only.
Surround modes are selected using either the
front panel controls or the remote. First deter-
mine which of the surround mode categories you
wish to choose from and press the button corre-
sponding to that category: Dolby modes
5
M
or DTS Surround
Ú
N
from digital sources,
DTS Neo:6
&
T
from analog sources, Logic
7
7
y,DSP
9
A
modes or Stereo
$
S
.
As you press any of the Mode Select Buttons
AM N
y
ST
579$&Ú
the surround mode name will appear in the Main
Information Display
ˆ
. and in the on-screen
display.
The THX modes involve specialized postprocess-
ing techniques that optimize the audio signals
after they have been decoded.Thus,when select-
ing a THX mode,the AVR will automatically
examine the signal to see whether it is analog or
digital and apply Dolby Digital or DTS decoding if
needed.The special THX circuits will then be acti-
vated.To select a THX mode, press the Home
THX button
6
j
on the front or remote and
the proper THX mode for the active input will be
activated.For further information on THX pro-
cessing see surround mode table on page 30.
When the 6-Channel/8-Channel direct inputs are
in use there is no surround processing, as these
inputs take the analog output signals from an
optional, external DVD-Audio or SACD player or
another source device and carry them straight to
the volume control without any further digital
processing.
As the surround modes change, one or two green
LEDs will light next to the current mode in the
Surround Mode Indicators
¯
list on the
front panel.
Note that the Dolby Digital or DTS modes (except
DTS Neo:6) may only be selected when a digital
input is in use. In addition, when a digital source
is present, the AVR will automatically select and
switch to the correct mode (Dolby Digital or
DTS), regardless of the mode that has been pre-
viously selected. For more information on selecting
digital sources, see the following section of this
manual.
To listen to a program in traditional two-channel
stereo, using the front left and front right
speakers only (plus the subwoofer, if installed and
configured), press the Stereo Button
$
S
until SURROFF
appears in the Main
Information Display ˆ.
Depending on the number of speakers selected for
your system configuration,you may also select a
”five channel stereo” or ”seven channel stereo”
mode which places the two-channel stereo signal
in all speakers,rather than just those at the front
of the room.To select this mode, simply press the
Stereo Button
$
S
until the desired mode
name appears in the Main Information Display ˆ
and in the semi-OSD display.
Note that no surround mode is available when an
HDCD or MP3 source is being decoded.
Digital Audio Playback
Digital audio is a major advancement over older
analog surround processing systems such as Dolby
Pro Logic.It delivers five or six discrete channels:
left front,center,right front, left surround and right
surround and with DTS ES (see below) even sur-
round back (with identical signals for left and
right).Each channel reproduces full frequency
range (20Hz to 20kHz) and offers dramatically
improved dynamic range and significant improve-
ments to signal-to-noise ratios. In addition,digital
systems have the capability to deliver an additional
channel that is specifically devoted to low-frequen-
cy information.This is the “.1”channel referred to
when you see these systems described as “5.1”,
“6.1”or “7.1”.The bass channel is separate from
the other channels, but since it is intentionally
bandwidth-limited,sound designers have given it
that unique designation.