Couldn't resist the $10 price for this early 2-channel in 2-channel out unit. It's god to have a back-up in case the other breaks.
The other is a Nureality brand using the 2 in 2 out type of Circle Surround.
I figured the Hughes unit might have a "better" sound since it is from a "name brand" firm.
Well, it isn't the case, at least to my ears!!! Though the Hughes unit does affect the stereo sound and the Vario-Matrix acts upon the Circle Surround output in, to me, wondrous ways, the Nureality unit has a cleaner, more exciting sound and its contols allow me to tailor the output to a greater extent.
If I had bought the Hughes unit first I would not have been as enamored with SRS's Circle Surround and the way my Vario-Matrix works with it. But, since it WAS the Nureality unit I started with I maintain that the combination of Circle Surround fed into a Vario-Matrix unit creates bodacious synthesized quad from a stereo source and matrix-encoded material is decoded above and beyond by what the Vario-Matrix can do alone.
Thus, if you are interested in a basic quad set-up and are on a budget and.... if you can purchase a Nureality SRS Circle Surround unit at a decent price I say go for it!!!! There are AK-500s currently on eBay and if you can get one for $10 and low shipping.... well, go for it but I will not shout it out with enthusiasm as I do for the Nureality product.
Both units appear to be functioning properly. For whatever reason the Hughes unit doesn't reach the capabilities of the Nurality version of Circle Surround.... though both supposedly use the same SRS circuitry. Something causes the difference but I am not techie enough to open cases and determine the physical differences.
The other is a Nureality brand using the 2 in 2 out type of Circle Surround.
I figured the Hughes unit might have a "better" sound since it is from a "name brand" firm.
Well, it isn't the case, at least to my ears!!! Though the Hughes unit does affect the stereo sound and the Vario-Matrix acts upon the Circle Surround output in, to me, wondrous ways, the Nureality unit has a cleaner, more exciting sound and its contols allow me to tailor the output to a greater extent.
If I had bought the Hughes unit first I would not have been as enamored with SRS's Circle Surround and the way my Vario-Matrix works with it. But, since it WAS the Nureality unit I started with I maintain that the combination of Circle Surround fed into a Vario-Matrix unit creates bodacious synthesized quad from a stereo source and matrix-encoded material is decoded above and beyond by what the Vario-Matrix can do alone.
Thus, if you are interested in a basic quad set-up and are on a budget and.... if you can purchase a Nureality SRS Circle Surround unit at a decent price I say go for it!!!! There are AK-500s currently on eBay and if you can get one for $10 and low shipping.... well, go for it but I will not shout it out with enthusiasm as I do for the Nureality product.
Both units appear to be functioning properly. For whatever reason the Hughes unit doesn't reach the capabilities of the Nurality version of Circle Surround.... though both supposedly use the same SRS circuitry. Something causes the difference but I am not techie enough to open cases and determine the physical differences.
