Yes, you are right about the discrete DTS back channel. When a film soundtrack master that has a back surround leaves the dubbing stage for DTS encoding, it has a discrete back surround channel. This still does not change the fact that anything beyond 5.1 or 6.1 in DTS in a pre/pro is _synthesized_ no matter how much marketing spin the manufacturers put on it.

Regarding DTS using the matrix in addition to the discrete in the back surrounds - the fact is that the back surround channel is mixed in MONO (both DD and DTS) and no after the fact scheme can make it otherwise - again anything more is _synthesized_, and NOT what the mixers intended.

Personally, I like the effect of 'stereoized' back surrounds: I'm not dumping on what anybody finds pleasing - I just wanted to inject a dose of reality check in all this. Marketing types will try to convince you of anything to move product!


[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited October 27, 2002).]