Marantz SR4300 User Guide - Page 6

ENGLISH INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing the Marantz SR4300 Surround receiver. This remarkable component has been engineered to provide you with many years of home theater enjoyment. Please take a few minutes to read this manual thoroughly before you connect and operate the SR4300. As there are a number of connection and configuration options, you are encouraged to discuss your own particular home theater setup with your Marantz A/V specialist dealer. DESCRIPTION DTS was introduced in 1994 to provide 5.1 channels of discrete digital audio into home theater systems. DTS brings you premium quality discrete multi-channel digital sound to both movies and music. DTS is a multi-channel sound system designed to create full range digital sound reproduction. The no compromise DTS digital process sets the standard of quality for cinema sound by delivering an exact copy of the studio master recordings to neighborhood and home theaters. Now, every moviegoer can hear the sound exactly as the moviemaker intended. DTS can be enjoyed in the home for either movies or music on of DVD's, LD's, and CD's. "DTS" and "DTS Digital Surround" are registered trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. The advantages of discrete multichannel systems over matrix are well known. But even in homes equipped for discrete multichannel, there remains a need for high-quality matrix decoding. This is because of the large library of matrix surround motion pictures available on disc and on VHS tape; and analog television broadcasts. The typical matrix decoder of today derives a center channel and a mono surround channel from two-channel matrix stereo material. It is better than a simple matrix in that it includes steering logic to improve separation, but because of its mono, band-limited surround it can be disappointing to users accustomed to discrete multichannel. Neo 6 offers several important improvements as follow, • Neo 6 provides up to six full-band channels of matrix decoding from stereo matrix material. Users with 6.1 and 5.1 systems will derive six and five separate channels, respectively, corresponding to the standard home-theater speaker layouts. • Neo 6 technology allows various sound elements within a channel or channels to be steered separately, and in a way which follows naturally from the original presentation. • Neo 6 offers a music mode to expand stereo nonmatrix recordings into the five- or six-channel layout, in a way which does not diminish the subtlety and integrity of the original stereo recording. 2 DTS-ES Extended Surround is a new multi-channel digital signal format developed by Digital Theater Systems Inc. While offering high compatibility with the conventional DTS Digital Surround format, DTSES Extended Surround greatly improves the 360-degree surround impression and space expression thanks to further expanded surround signals. This format has been used professionally in movie theaters since 1999. In addition to the 5.1 surround channels (FL, FR, C, SL, SR and LFE), DTS-ES Extended Surround also offers the SB (Surround Back) channel for surround playback with a total of 6.1 channels. DTS-ES Extended Surround includes two signal formats with different surround signal recording methods, as DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 and DTSES Matrix 6.1. "DTS", "DTS-ES Extended Surround" and "Neo:6" are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. Dolby Digital identifies the use of Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio coding for such consumer formats as DVD and DTV. As with film sound, Dolby Digital can provide up to five full-range channels for left, center, and right screen channels, independent left and right surround channels, and a sixth ( ".1") channel for low-frequency effects. Dolby Surround Pro Logic II is an improved matrix decoding technology that provides better spatiality and directionality on Dolby Surround program material; provides a convincing three-dimensional soundfield on conventional stereo music recordings; and is ideally suited to bring the surround experience to automotive sound. While conventional surround programming is fully compatible with Dolby Surround Pro Logic II decoders, soundtracks will be able to be encoded specifically to take full advantage of Pro Logic II playback, including separate left and right surround channels. (Such material is also compatible with conventional Pro Logic decoders.) Dolby Digital EX creates six full-bandwidth output channels from 5.1channel sources. This is done using a matrix decoder that derives three surround channels from the two in the original recording. For best results, Dolby Digital EX should be used with movies soundtracks recorded with Dolby Digital Surround EX. Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. "Dolby", "Pro Logic", and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Circle Surround II (CS-II) is a powerful and versatile multi-channel technology. CS-II is designed to enable up to 6.1 multi-channel surround sound playback from mono, stereo, CS encoded sources and other matrix encoded sources. In all cases the decoder extends it into 6 channels of surround audio and a LFE/subwoofer signal. The CS-II decoder creates a listening environment that places the listener "inside" music performances and dramatically improves both hi-fi audio conventional surround-encoded video material. CS-II provides composite stereo rear channels to greatly improve separation and image positioning - adding a heightened sense of realism to both audio and A/V productions. CS-II is packed with other useful feature like dialog clarity (SRS Dialog) for movies and cinema-like bass enrichment (TruBass). CS-II can enable the dialog to become clearer and more discernable in movies and it enables the bass frequencies contained in the original programming to more closely achieve low frequencies - overcoming the low frequency limitations of the speakers by full octave. SRS Circle Surround II, SRS Dialog, SRS TruBass, SRS and symbol are trademarks of SRS Labs, Inc. SRS Circle Surround II, SRS Dialog and SRS TruBass technology are incorporated under license from SRS Labs, Inc.