Just ordered ADS 2000 Dolby Digital Decoder....

Insane3D

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May 24, 2000
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I just ordered one of these to go with my Promedia's. Has anyone used one of these? The reviews I read were good, but I was hoping to hear from people who are already using it. Thanks in advance.
 

Cybordolphin

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Oct 25, 1999
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No....

But I use an ($125) DENON AVD 2000 hooked up to a (5) channel Harman Kardon amplifier. It even works as my preamp. No need for a receiver. It has limited tonal control.... so I added a VERY clean sounding EQ for my center channel. At extremely high volume.... I do not have even a slight amount of hiss. It is pure silence. This is very cool while watching movies. The sounds come from complete silence. The EQ to my center channel... changed the sound dramatically. Instead of sounding like the center channel was coming from a tin can... my setup now sounds like I am at a movie theater. I can't stand tinny, harsh, sound. EQ's can color or distort the sound..... so you have to buy a NICE one. What a difference though.

What are you going to use the decoder for? Just your computer or a home theater setup?

I'd test it immediately and see if there is any background hiss, or coloration from this part of your sound system.

I purchased a Desktop Theater 5.1 dd decoder..... but it did not allow me to hook it up to a seperate (outside) amplifier. So now it just sits and collects dust. I paid $214 for that setup.... and as it turns out.... it was a waste of money. The Denon AVD2000 is far superior, and flexible.

I guess it depends on what you are going for.

Good luck! :)
 

Insane3D

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May 24, 2000
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I am going to use it for a mini-theater setup in my room. I already have a DD component system downstairs, and I wanted a powerful small room system that would hook into my PC. Right now I have two sets of Promedia's hooked up to my Philips AE soundcard as a 8.2 setup. I watch movies with my Hollywood Plus card on my TV, via a s-video connection. I am picking up the decoder because it will allow me to use AC3 as I am using Win2K and it has no software AC3 support yet. Also, the main reason is the control it will give me over the satellites. Is the Denon better? Where did you get yours? I also chose the ADS 2000 because it is the same decoder used on Videologic's Digitheater DTS setup...for alot less.
 

Cybordolphin

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Oct 25, 1999
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Well.. there you got me. The Denon does not decode DTS. I paid $125 from AudioReview's for sell forum. Fleabay has them too.

If you are setting it up in a real small room..... you probably are fine with just about any decoder.... as long as it does what you want.
I would still see if you can send the decoded signals to a seperate amplifier (for down the road). I would probably look at the new 6.0/6.1 decoders for the "rear" center channel speaker.

Also.... a really hot receiver that has the 6. decoder built in, and great sound quality is the "Outlaw" line of receiver. It kicks some serious arss apparently. Runs only $500 and has a nice amplifier section.

I would also like to see the Hollyweird cards come out with optical outputs.... that would be nice.

I think a Polk audio C1000p center channel would be great too.... but it would take up half your room! They can now be had for $600!!! And have built in sub/amps for built in subs right in the speaker! The center channel speaker is THE most important part of the speaker HT setup in my experience.
:)
 

Madcowz

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Jul 23, 2000
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Insane3d... hey it's me again here to ruin your fun :)
Just to let you know, the ADS2000 DD unit is the same decoder box used w/ the original digitheatre and not the digithreatre DTS. And if my memory serves me right it uses the same Zoran chip as the DD decoder box used for the Creative DTT2500 and DTT3500... regardless, it's a piece of junk. Will it decode Dolby Digital better than software
Yes.
Will it make your speakers sound better?
No .
Will it make your speakers sound like crap?
In all likelyhood.

A friend of mine who owns the Midiland s4-8200 which uses that same ADS2000 decoder did some subjective testing with and without the decoder. He tried his speakers on his live! 5.1 without the decoder and said the result was MUCH better sound. The entire time he had been using them w/ the decoder and he never realized how much it degraded the sound. I don't remember his exact words but he said the sound had more presence and that the bass from the sub was cleaner and stronger w/o the decoder. My guess is the cheap crappy components Zoran choose for the thing is the cause of this. Oh well, you may find different results, let us know what happens.
 

Insane3D

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May 24, 2000
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Madcowz:

Hmmm...I will just have to give it a try. I will only be using it for DVD's and I will most likely connect my speakers back to the AE when gaming or listening to music. Also, 3DSoundsurge said it was good and it worked will with the Promedia's. The guy who did the review of the ADS 2000 came to the Klipsch board and suggested it makes a good addition to the Promedia's. I will just have to wait and see, if it sucks it was only $95 amd I can return it. Did you read my reply to your earlier post? I have been doing several EAX, A3D, and DVD test, and my postional audio is all working correctly. I am not sure about the EAX and 5.1 distortion you said I would encounter, it has been working perfectly.
 

Madcowz

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Jul 23, 2000
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oh yes and for the icing on the cake, it will not decode dolby digital if It doesn't get an ac3/pcm stream. So in another words if Win2k cannot pass it through the soundcard, no Dolby Digital for you! The good news is however, I have heard news of Win2k now supporting dolby digital... w/ an update or whatever, that I am not sure of, but I do know it's possible

Ah and to further disappoint you, if you haven't thought of this already, you are going to have a tough time connecting all your speakers to the decoder. Perhaps you can use some y-connecters to solve this one. In addition I don't know how you are going to connect the sub since the Promedia system does not incorporate separate sub inputs. Heck I'm not even sure if this will work at all since you have to have the speakers connected to the sub since the sub is powering them. The ADS2000 is just a decoder, not an amp... hmm, you're going to have to figure this one out

EDIT: From you reply I see that someone has already used the ADS2000 w/ the promedia's so you shouldn't have too much trouble :)

Take care
 

Cybordolphin

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Oct 25, 1999
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He should be able to hook up to six speakers without splitters. And the decoder has a built in amp (however small) I believe.

His Hollyweird card should spit out the AC3 signal (mine does). That will go directly into the decoder. The (6) speakers go directly into the decoder (even a powered sub should plug in).

I think that for the size room..... he will be fine. I just would have spent the $$ on a better grade decoder, with much more options for use. The Denon can be used with seperate amps., and has lots of flexible sound fields, with many different configuration options.
 

Insane3D

Elite Member
May 24, 2000
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I plan on hooking it up as follows. I have two sets of Promedia's, so I have two front outputs and two rear outputs. I will connect one front output as the center channel, the other front output as the front channel, then I will use the Y adapter to connect both rears to the rear output. I can then connect the SPDIF out from the H+ to the ADS 2000 for the AC3 signal.

Cybordolphin:

I am curious, can you suggest a better DTS/AC3 decoder than isn't a ton of cash. I have a Onkyo Dolby Pro Logic reciever that maybe I could use the decoder with.
 

Maverick

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Jun 14, 2000
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you could try tracking down a Technics AC500D dolby digital/dts decoder
I think they run around $200 bucks on Egay
I've heard good things about them.

You can use it if you have a 6 channel input on your receiver
 

Cybordolphin

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Oct 25, 1999
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The Denon AVD2000 is better than the other decoders in the $200 price range. The Denon can be had for as low as $125. You have to check fleabay, and other sites like AudioReview (for sale items forum), etc..

You will have (6) channel "outs" from the decoder(s) or optical output that carries all channels. Some of the PC dd decoders have a built in amplifier for each channel right in the decoder itself, and you would just connect your (6) speakers directly to the decoder. On decoders like the DENON.... these outs can go into (6) seperate amplifiers (each amp you could run 1-4 speakers from), or into a (5) channel amplifier/receiver, etc.. You can have as many as (6) seperate amplifiers with more speakers than you would ever want. This is how I have my home theater. (4) speakers per channel for a total of 24 speakers.

Then there is "bi-amping" and speaker "bi-wiring", it goes on and on.

It really depends on what you want the decoder for, and what you want to spend.

But, I was mentioning that one consider a decoder that has more flexibility. I think for a small room... the PC decoders like the Desktop Theater 5.1 decoder... are adequate.