Yes, when I took the center speaker down, I changed the settings to "none" for center. Didn't miss a beat. I'll have it back up soon, and will actively listen for differences.

Hmm, for MIPS, as far as processing a 48kHz signal, to produce a phantom center would be at most 96,000 integer "add" operations per second, on top of what ever else was going on at the same time. A phantom center requires adding half the center signal to the left and right signals. Halving the center signal is just a bit-shift operation, which on most CPUs is extremely little work. Even if it requires a full "operation," that's still only 144,000 opertions per second, hardly a drop in the bucket when you're talking Millions of OPS.

So I don't think not supporting a phantom center in some modes is a matter of MIPS, I think it's a software oversight. Either someone didn't think to include it, or somebody didn't want to write the code to do it.

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Matthew J. Hill
matt@idsi.net

MeanGene-- I believe AZRyan, who posts here occasionally, has always operated with a phanton center-- and in fact had a whole thread going on the subject. I'm sure if there was a problem, he would have mentioned it long ago. Anyway, I did a check on my 950 by going to Speaker Configuration and selecting- Center: NONE and played both DD and DTS in 5.1(LOTR and Gladiator) with NO problems. Surrounds were active- working "as normal". I am not sure why yours is not working. Many, if not most, movies start in 2.0 DD for the intro credits and selection menu and don't switch to multi-channel until the thing starts.


Matthew, does your 950 not operate with a phantom center selected? Have you tried?
I would think being able to select "NO" for a center channel is pretty much a stock option in anybody's surround processor- I really doubt they would leave this option out.

Now with your center channel disabled go into 5 channel stereo and play a DVDA or CD or what ever and listen to the rear speakers. Do ya hear anything?

Hello MeanGene---I don't believe 5 channel stereo was/is designed to "phanton" a center if you do not have one. I would recommend PLII-M if you want the surrounds to be active. You can probably change the dimension and panorama adjustments enough to approximate 5 chnnel stereo with 4 speakers (well, sort of). It will also allow a "phantom" center image.

I guess the question I am scratching my head over is: Is there Music Missing when you setup your system with no Center Channel? If so, what modes does this happen in? The sub woofer seems to stop getting a signal in certain modes when you don't have a center channel. What happens to the LFE? Does it get discarded or distributed? Same with the fronts does the signal get spread out or canceled out.

Hello Everyone,

Setting the center channel to "None" has no effect on the surround modes that are available. In modes where a center channel is typically involved (DD, DTS, PL II, etc), the Model 950 will automatically "down-mix" the center channel information to the front speakers. The "all channel" stereo modes simply operate with the number of channels that are activated.

If any one is concerned that their Model 950 is not functioning properly, we would encourage you to contact us directly first. Most of the time these issues are solved with simple configuration changes.

Yeah, but where's the fun in that?

I still have a problem with the center channel thing.

If you set the center channel to "none" and then watch TV through the 950 you will only get stereo. When you press the stereo button on the remote your only choices will be stereo. You will not have the choice of Stereo 5 or Stereo 7 mode. This means that you will not be able to hear the rear channels or the sub woofer. You have to turn on the center channel to be able to use anything more that 2 speakers in a non-DTS mode. I don't like this "feature". Please tell me if I am wrong.






[This message has been edited by MeanGene (edited November 14, 2002).]

Your 950 appears to be working as designed, MeanGene. I don't know why it works this way, but if you list the center or the surrounds as "none" you lose the 5/7 Stereo mode. (Losing it with no surrounds makes sense. Losing it with no center seems a little odd.) I tried it briefly using an analog stereo input this morning, and found that I still had the Pro Logic II and NEO6 modes available (including PLII with CES when I disabled the center channel). So if you have no center channel, you apparently cannot use the 5/7 Stereo mode. All other modes remain available, however.



You should still hear the subwoofer in Stereo mode, assuming that your mains are "small." And you aren't restricted to DTS only -- you are losing the 5/7 Stereo mode only. For TV viewing, I use PLII, which does support a phantom center.

Gotta head off to work now... Hope that helps some...

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review