"Broadcast News" from Penteo

[penteosurround]

http://www.penteosurround.com/press-orban.html

 

[winopener]

W-O-W! Orban!

 

[Chris Gerhard]

John, it sure sounds like your business is progressing nicely now. That is good news.

Chris

 

[JonUrban]

Nice! Congrats, John.

 

[Brett]

I have the Marantz AV7005. It has a surround mode dubbed multi ch stereo in it. It creates a great surround effect from stereo much better than any dolby or DTS effect and it doesn't muddy/veil up the sound. It sounds like what I imagined the pentosurround process would be. You can hear distinct RL and RR sounds and it allows one to hear into the music because everything is spread out front to back as well as left to right.

 

[wanners]

I have the Marantz AV7005. It has a surround mode dubbed multi ch stereo in it. It creates a great surround effect from stereo much better than any dolby or DTS effect and it doesn't muddy/veil up the sound. It sounds like what I imagined the pentosurround process would be. You can hear distinct RL and RR sounds and it allows one to hear into the music because everything is spread out front to back as well as left to right.

How is this different from Onkyo's 5ch stereo? I've found DPL II to be the best surround processor, as you often get the illusion of discreteness and movement. 5ch stereo has a lot of sounds in the rear, but it's all static.

 

[DKA]

I have the Marantz AV7005. It has a surround mode dubbed multi ch stereo in it. It creates a great surround effect from stereo much better than any dolby or DTS effect and it doesn't muddy/veil up the sound. It sounds like what I imagined the pentosurround process would be. You can hear distinct RL and RR sounds and it allows one to hear into the music because everything is spread out front to back as well as left to right.

I can't speak for Penteo, but the short answer to your comparing what your receiver can do and what can be done with a good stereo-to-surround method is this: No, it's not the same.

Your DPL II mode, or whatever, is applying the same settings on everything you throw at it. You have very little control, other than a few panorama and whatnot, settings. There is zero comparison between that and what, for example, SPEC can do with a stereo source since you, yourself, are able to apply a host of settings and modes to any length of a piece of music you choose to. There are also ways to do "on the fly" converting utilizing SPEC, through your PC, available on SurroundByUs.com.

I agree that stereo 5ch modes do next to nothing.

 

[mandrix]

John (Penteo) had a fairly nice software process for converting stereo to surround in that it would fold back down to the original stereo. As far as being discrete, well sometimes yes, sometimes no. I have to agree with DKA that SPEC is better overall for most music when used skillfully.
As far as whatever hardware implementation John or the new owners came up with, I've never heard it so I can't speak to that.
I also don't use SPEC "on the fly" but some folks seem to think highly of it. I seldom use DPL II or any similar processes, preferring instead to spend the time to convert to surround those stereo titles I like.

 

[DKA]

John (Penteo) had a fairly nice software process for converting stereo to surround in that it would fold back down to the original stereo. As far as being discrete, well sometimes yes, sometimes no. I have to agree with DKA that SPEC is better overall for most music when used skillfully.
As far as whatever hardware implementation John or the new owners came up with, I've never heard it so I can't speak to that.
I also don't use SPEC "on the fly" but some folks seem to think highly of it. I seldom use DPL II or any similar processes, preferring instead to spend the time to convert to surround those stereo titles I like.

DTS Neural Upmix also does the same folding-back-to-stereo and does a decent job, but not as customizable as SPEC and, oh yeah, $500.

 

[mandrix]

DTS Neural Upmix also does the same folding-back-to-stereo and does a decent job, but not as customizable as SPEC and, oh yeah, $500.

I wouldn't say DTS Neural does a decent job. I would say it's just okay at best.

 

[DKA]

I wouldn't say DTS Neural does a decent job. I would say it's just okay at best.

Really? I was somewhat surprised by it. I expected a total dud, but it's easily the cream of the "one-button, in a box" solutions. It destroys V.I. That being said, I have zero use for it.

 

[mandrix]

........ That being said, I have zero use for it.

Exactly.