Receiver advice

[Obbop]

Eventually I wanna get one of those groovy Marantz receivers with multiple decoders and Circle Surround. But, they're BIG bucks. In the interim I'm thinking of one of the lower priced Pro Logic II receivers since they have fallen in price so much. I need surround synthesizing so I don't have to buy encoded stuff.

Here's the problemo, quadizens.... here in the cultural backwater of Omaha Nebraska the offerings at local audio stores, etc. is very limited. And, the receivers I've looked at had a blazingly apparent lack... no balance control for the rear speakers L/R or between the front and rear speakers... the sort of balance control even the cheapest 70s quad units had.

I've poked around on-line but descriptions on various units are lacking.

Do any of ya'll know of a Pro Logic II unit with full control over the balance, oh, and the tone control, too, that is in the affordable range? I don't wanna go over $250.

Any help appreciated!!!

 

[JonUrban]

I hear the DEnon 1802 is pretty good for the price, but I am not sure how cheap you can get it for.

:-jon

 

[quadjoe]

Perhaps you guys could answer a question for me: from what I've been reading about Pro Logic II, it sounds as if it might decode SQ recordings, as it seems as if they are using some of the same matrix encode/decode logic. Am I correct in this, or is it just wishful thinking?

 

[Cai Campbell]

I haven't experienced DPLII firsthand, but from what I've read, it supposedly decodes QS material perfectly, but NOT SQ.

This fact makes me think that Dolby simply copied Sansui's logic. So, Dolby's "improvement" on their own technology was to steal (or buy or borrow) another thirty-year-old technology! I'd sure like to know the full story there.

I've always prefered QS vario-matrix to DPL for synthesized surround sound by a long shot.

 

[bmoura]

I don't know about QS decoding, but Pro Logic II does a MUCH better job of decoding Pro Logic material than the original Dolby Pro Logic processing.

For example, some of my Pro Logic encoded Laserdiscs (pre Dolby Digital era) sound much better than before.
As for the techniques, PL II was developed for Dolby by Jim Fosgate. It features a new patented "servo logic" technique that Dolby's Roger Dressler details on the Dolby Web Site at www.dolby.com/tech/l.wh.0...IIops.html

There's also a great series of articles on PL II on the AVS Forum from Jim Fosgate and Charles Wood (formerly of Audionics/Fosgate).

Bottom line: If you don't have Pro Logic II, you'll want to get it.

 

[radioheadrox]

I've played some SQ encoded recordings through the DPLII decoder in PowerDVD XP 4, and it seems to decode things very nicely. Great channel separation, sounds go where they're supposed to.

 

[AllAroundSurround]

Does anyone make an outboard / preamp with DPLII built in and 5.1 out!? Sounds interesting!
Rob