Yesterday I bought a nice new Sony 5.1 surround sound system. Had to monkey with the settings of various components to get them all talking to each other, which I can understand. But when I got everything hooked up, sound was coming out and everything, I realized that all I was getting was 2.1, front right and left speakers and the subwoofer. Why is that the default?
I’m pretty certain that at least 95% of buyers who get a 5.1 system are looking for 5.1 sound. So why do they make us search for the setting for that, why isn’t 5.1 the default setting, and if you want something else, *then *you have to change settings?
Feel free to WAG on why this is, or offer up your own similar experiences. (I’m really just looking to vent with a little less steam than the Pit might warrant.)
In your case, it probably because Sony is trying to “do the right thing.” Was the source 5.1? If not, then the amp needs to synthesize the other three channels, and many people don’t like how that sounds (they expect stereo sound from a stereo source). If the source was 5.1 (AC-3), then the amp should have output 5.1 automatically.
I work in embedded systems (I design electronics that go into industrial devices). It’s not easy to pick defaults that make everyone happy. Sometimes you just have to pick ones that make the fewest people unhappy…
I’d be willing to bet that better then 95% percent of people who have 5.1 (or 6.1 or 7.1) capable systems only have 2 or 2.1 speakers attached to it. I assume they down convert everything to 2.1 on the assumption that people who add more speakers will know enough to make the adjustments rather then people then have people with only 2 speakers wondering why their movies sound like crap on this new system.
Also, it’s a safe assumption that most users will have at least 2 speakers, but after that how many will the user have? 2? 2.1? 3? 3.1? 4? 4.1? 5? 5.1? 6? 6.1? 7? 7.1? My receiver can handle all of these setups. What should it default to? Currently I have two fronts, a center and a sub (3.1) and it sounds great because I have really nice (Athena) bookshelf speakers that, while small, pump out phenomenal sound…also, since I moved to my new house I haven’t felt like crawling around in my attic to wire in the rear speakers.
But then you’re probably not the type of customer who goes out and buys a several-hundred-dollar all-in-one surround sound system, and I get that. But why would the default settings NOT be for someone who just did?
My Sony surround sound receiver auto detects and sets the output based on the input signal. I can change what effect is applied, simulated surround sound on a 2 channel signal, or concert hall and such effects on any type of signal, but if it detects a dolby surround sound signal or a DTS signal it automatically outputs 5.1.
Yeah, judging by what I have now read, it does seem odd that the default setting wouldn’t be, you know, what you’re buying the thing for in the first place.
What if you only did have 2 speakers and a sub-woofer and the system was set to 5.1? Would that cause unforeseen problems, with missing channels or something?
Mine didn’t do that off the bat, I was testing it with a BD disc, but I’ll have to see if my system has that detection.
I’d assume it depends on the system, but if you did set it for 5.1 and didn’t have the rest of the speakers, you’d be missing the sounds that would have been coming out of them. Someone more knowledgeable in the details of 5.1 might have a better answer.
Not to threadshit or anything but, next time you are in the market for a stereo receiver, take a look at the Onkyo offerings. Not only does mine auto-detect everything but it will auto adjust all the levels for the perfect listening experience. I used to be a Sony brand guy but now you couldn’t get me to install another Sony product if you paid me.
Mostly because, in my experience, Sony products have a shorter lifetime. My Sony camcorder began eating tapes shortly after I bought it, all of the Sony VCRs I ever had died prematurely, the first high-end Sony receiver I had lost a channel after two years, the one I got to replace it caught fire (well, almost. When the final stage amp died it visibly sparked), and I’ve been through three Sony TVs. Took me a long time to get the hint.
Does it have a DTS track for surround sound instead of Dolby? Does it have both? I used to have a Yamaha 5.1 receiver that would auto detect Dolby surround, but if the source was DTS you had to manually set it.
I’ve never been a huge Sony fan (current system was a hand me down), but I really have no complaints with my system. The Yamaha was great sounding but a real PITA to set up and required always switching component source depending upon where the sound was coming from. Play station, PC, DVD player, etc. Once slick feature with the Sony is it automatically switches to whatever component source it detects a signal from (others I’d guess do this as well).
This. The surround sound completes my fully Sony system, and it functions as a hub for HDMI inputs from all the components. One button on the home theater remote and everything switches over to the component I’ve selected, so no more using the TV remote to select the correct input, etc.
I started buying Sony about 3 years ago, first a 32" flat screen, then a 40" and a bluray player, then a 55" and a PS3 for 3D, and now the surround sound. So far, I’ve had none of the problems that **UncleRojelio **mentions, knock on wood.
I don’t remember what system I bought, but it was fairly easy to install. Then I recall going through the directions (yes, I actually read them) and there was a programmed test of all the speakers. I think it took me about 20 minutes, tops, to set it up.
Mine came with a remote dual back speaker that helps, or else I would have had to run wires across the room to the back.
At any rate, when I slap on a DVD with great sound, or get a good cable channel, I can hear every nuance. When a jet flies by in a film, I hear it coming from the back of the room, over my head and past the television - very cool.
BTW, I think I bought this system at Walmart for about $150 four or five years ago.
[QUOTE=FlyingDragonFan]
Is that because Onkyo is that much better, or did you have bad experiences with Sony?
[/QUOTE]
Ringing in as another Sony hater and Onkyo liker.
I had two Sony stereos conk out on after 13 months, conveniently one month after the warranty was up. One locked itself into FM station scanning, and the other’s CD mech failed and wouldn’t eject the tray. These were both $500 “executive” stereos. Another AV receiver just sounded shrill and edgy - it was all about digital soundfield processing and there was no way to get surround out of it without some nasty “Stadium,” “Rock,” or whatever mode attached.
As for Onkyo, I had a plane-Jane stereo that survived my abuse for 15 years until I let out the magic smoke driving a 2 ohm load, another that was fine, but outmoded as an AV amp, and my current one has been quite nice as well. (There also seems to be a sort of “trinity” of Onkyo electronics, NHT speakers and Velodyne subwoofers.) Just hook up the speakers, plug in the setup mike, and it runs a detection and level-setting routine. If you have a 5.1 or 7.1 setup, it susses that out and then all the surround modes come available. If you only have 2 speakers, the surround modes will not be available on the menus or front-panel controls.
As someone else mentioned, make sure your source (eg: BD player, satellite receiver) are configured to output 5.1 or 7.1 channel digital sound. Mine was not set for this out of the box, and it took a bit of poking to tell the BD player to NOT pre-process the soundtrack and just output the raw bitstream. IIRC, it was setting the player to “audiophile” mode that made it work right.