Here is another simple way of making the surrounds and centre channel fully active!
Note: this in no way degrades the decoding rather than enhancing the movie enjoyment!
Most common uses and there are load of common home cinema, theatre uses that maybe unaware because you follow the rules too much.
Okay so what do you need, well first youfll need an array of surrounds lined down the sidewalls and across the rear wall.
Next a Dolby pro-logic decoder and use the main AVR to do most of the decoding whether its Dolby or dts 5.1, doesnft make any differences.
One of two ways of blending the monaural matrix that is borrowed from the fronts is sent to an additional Dolby pro-logic decoder where the fronts will be re-plugged to function in the same way as before, providing your set-up is made-up of separates!
Take the matrix rear from the Dolby pro-logic decoder and send it to an audio mixer, plug it into one of the many line inputs say for example you use line input 1 and set the (pan pot) to centre position!
Now take the surround outputs from the main AVR decoder and send its two outputs to line inputs (2 and 3) set the pan pots for line 2 to left and line 3 to right this will send the signal out in (((stereo))).
Next use the line outputs left and right and plug it into a second Dolby pr-logic decoder and use that for normal surround or centre back surround or other!
Now set the levels just like any other ordinary set-up the only difference is the mixer and the levels on the additional Dolby pro-logic decoders than needs balancing.
Once youfve sorted that out turn off the fronts, mute if youfre using a loudspeaker management crossover system or disconnect the wire terminals for LCR and switch of the sub bass because you need to pay attention to the surrounds!
Set the Dolby pro-logic decoder to one and you can mute the discrete surrounds from the main AVR with a flick of few switches on the audio mixer line (2 and 3). use the faders on the mixer and raise the level on line 1 make sure you have set the level with (pink noise) wide band from a calibration disc, thou the matrix wonft be trigged in this function unless therefs an anti-phase signal present.
So use youfll have to figure the levels out for yourself, that is what I did.
Play a film that has no surround information and then use the matrix bland of the fronts to give a wrap-around-effect all the time rather than a dull lifeless effect in the room.
DVD cover taken from the region 1 DVD that is the same as region 2.
Here is an example of one film A View To A Kill (1985) the surrounds are monaural on the film, but have good steering when they come into use. The opening credits chapter 2 is only played over L/R thou Ifm not sure if the newer James Bond films have re-mixed it, because the first edition just rocks if you know how?
If you what the lyrics in the active in the centre channel, real easy, just add a preamplifier and route the centre channel from the first Dolby pro-logic decoder and plug the other centre channel output from the main AVR into the preamplifier and set it to (mono mode) now use the level on the Dolby pro-logic decoder to set the correct amount of balance, or just have tinker around with it.
The Paris scene chapter 6 has a background traffic ambiance a few subtle echo voices in the distance in the restaurant scene, or the guitar playing a few notes. The scene goes mute but the soft whistle surrounds.
(o Flamenco guitar intro)
The John Barry score slowly starts to fade in at 16m.42s on the discrete surrounds but if you what this to happen earlier then use the level on the matrix surround where the music starts up front at 16m.30s just as Mayday enters the room with strings playing tense moment that gradually increases, till the point that the Mayday casts the line out onto Achille Aubergine gets the point!
