Does anyone else find surround sound distracting sometimes?

[ManBearPig]

I mean, I like it overall, but I sometimes find it really distracting and kinda wish I just had 2.1. Am I crazy?

 

[sdifox]

just means your surround sound is not setup properly.

 

[SockHaser]

What are you listening to?

 

[ManBearPig]

It's definitely set up right. Maybe it's because the rear of the room is open and I keep thinking the atmospheric noises or thumps are actual people looking behind me? Any ideas how to attach sliding curtains or something onto a wooden entrance? Without using screws lol.

 

[blackangst1]

It's definitely set up right. Maybe it's because the rear of the room is open and I keep thinking the atmospheric noises or thumps are actual people looking behind me? Any ideas how to attach sliding curtains or something onto a wooden entrance? Without using screws lol.

Meds up to date? :awe:

 

[wirednuts]

you should be able to put your system into 2.1 mode at will... most can...

i only run surround sound on movies and games. for tv, music, sports watching and everything else i like straight 2.0 (my setup has the subs built into the front towers). my fronts are also wide apart, so i get the simulated surround effect well. a lot of times i forget its in 2.0 while im watching movies. you SWEAR the center channel is pumping out sound buts its not!

 

[Modelworks]

It depends on the content and who authored it. Surround like anything can be good or bad depending on how it is done. Dolby used to require extreme standards for releasing anything with their label on it but now it is pretty relaxed and the mixing can be downright awful.

 

[JSt0rm]

It depends on the content and who authored it. Surround like anything can be good or bad depending on how it is done. Dolby used to require extreme standards for releasing anything with their label on it but now it is pretty relaxed and the mixing can be downright awful.

dolby prints mo-disks and insures levels dont peak above what is expected in the film outs. I have seen them trim mixes down to make sure they dont peak but they dont really have a creative say in the process. They will only do this in dolby tuned rooms. I'm sure bad mix choices are made everyday though.

 

[thomsbrain]

My room has the front door to my house on the right side of the room relative to my couch. I freaking hate when movies have someone knocking on a door in the right rear channel.

 

[Rifter]

There is something to be said about a good 2.0 or 2.1 system that is for sure.

I used to run a crappy HTIB 5.1 system and replaced it with a quality 2.0 system and the 2.0 system sounds better hands down, but it was also 5 times the price.

 

[JSt0rm]

There is something to be said about a good 2.0 or 2.1 system that is for sure.

I used to run a crappy HTIB 5.1 system and replaced it with a quality 2.0 system and the 2.0 system sounds better hands down, but it was also 5 times the price.

but that has nothing to do with surround sound and everything to do with quality of components.

 

[ManBearPig]

My room has the front door to my house on the right side of the room relative to my couch. I freaking hate when movies have someone knocking on a door in the right rear channel.

Yeah! I think its definitely because of my location.

 

[videopho]

yes rooms do the talking on their own.
That's why people need acoustic room treatment.
I use DIY for most of my room treatment with the exception of bass absorber.

 

[alcoholbob]

It's a mixing problem I've experienced in some movies...simply no ambient sound from the surrounds...then a massive explosion of sound during panning...annoying

 

[JSt0rm]

It's a mixing problem I've experienced in some movies...simply no ambient sound from the surrounds...then a massive explosion of sound during panning...annoying

sometimes thats by design. I know of a short film that the sound was in 5.1 but only used 2 channel audio until the final scene and a single gunshot rung out from the rear speakers.

I'm not saying that the use in the case you are saying was good but sometimes the intent is to frustrate or disorient the audience. Other times its meant for immersion and too much stuff can take away from that. The focus should always be on the screen and the story.

This is why i prefer SDDS over dolby 7.1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Dynamic_Digital_Sound

The problem is for dolby 7.1 all that needs to happen in the theaters is a software upgrade of existing processors to alter the surround array to act as 4 channels. So this is the path of least resistance.

For sdds you need 5 front speakers. This allow you to do some amazing things with effects, dialog and music centered on the actual action of the film. Problem is they would need to redo the installation of every theater in the country.

 

[ManBearPig]

While you're here, should I be using the Dolby pliix or whatever it is on my receiver? Also, on uncharted (ps3 game) it had a bunch of diff sound options...I chose LPCM 7.1 because I figured that's the best...was I right?

 

[JSt0rm]

I'm not familiar with dolby pliix? You should only choose 7.1 if you do in fact have 7 speakers (this would be 4 surround speakers) otherwise your receiver is probably folding down the 4 channels into 2. Go with the 5.1 option otherwise.

quick google pliix is prologic 2x and again only use this if you are wanting to play 5.1 or stereo audio out all 7 speakers. For uncharted if you are already outputing 7.1 audio then there is no need for pliix.