Surround Sound settings

[steelyman]

I bought some new rear speakers for surround sound on my (only) television. I’ve had a similar setup in the past but it was a long time ago.

I spent a good amount of time investigating what settings on the individual pieces gave the best sounding results.

There weren’t many choices on my TV (Samsung): either PCM or Neo-2.5 (which I’d never heard of). A search turned up the information that Neo-2.5 is a proprietary tech from Samsung and DTS (never heard of that either).

PCM was selected by default. Switching to Neo-2.5 made a huge difference not only in surround but also in the low end from the subwoofer.

I think I may be done. Anyone know anything else to try? My sources are streaming exclusively through Roku, a Blu-ray player and an HD OTA antenna.

I think the only thing to pay attention to is whether individual titles are identified as 5.1 sound. I did find a few discs in my collection labeled as such, mostly music/concert discs.

[ADDED] Here is the most understandable (to people like me) description of pros/cons I found:

https://questionfun.com/what-is-dts-neo-2-5/

 

[Qs Laptop]

How many speakers do you have? What are you using to drive your speakers? For example, do you have an AVR (audio visual receiver) or a stereo amplifier?

 

[steelyman]

How many speakers do you have? What are you using to drive your speakers? For example, do you have an AVR (audio visual receiver) or a stereo amplifier?

The audio system is four speakers: a soundbar, a subwoofer and two rear speakers, all Bose.

[ADDED] I have a completely separate room on a different floor that is meant for music. This setup is for home entertainment/theater (used a lot in these pandemic times).

 

[Qs Laptop]

The audio system is four speakers: a soundbar, a subwoofer and two rear speakers, all Bose.

So no stereo or AVR. I'm guessing there is an small amplifier in the soundbar. I'd also guess your soundbar has a right channel, a left channel and a center channel speaker. Thus, when combined with your rear speakers and subwoofer, you have a 5.1 system--Right, Left, Center, two rear surround speakers (left and right) and a subwoofer.

You should be using the PCM setting on TV to send audio to your soundbar. The DTS Neo 2.5 is a sound processing scheme by Samsung that is supposed to make a system with only 2 speakers (front left and front right speakers inside your TV) sound like surround sound. They use some sort of reverb and sound delaying processing to fool you into thinking you have 5 speakers. I'm guessing it plays louder in DTS Neo 2.5 mode as well.

The problem with using DTS Neo 2.5 when you watch material that was recorded in 5.1 surround sound is you are mucking up the audio track with artificial sound processing. Since your sources are a blu-ray player, Roku stick, and HD OTA antenna, almost all your audio will be encoded in true 5.1 surround sound. I'd say only the lesser OTA stations that are not in HD do not have 5.1 surround sound.

In my opinion, set your TV's audio to PCM output and you will get the true 5.1 surround sound the sound engineers on the TV production crew intended, not some fake remixed sound processing you will get with DTS Neo 2.5.

 

[OldShooter]

There are many test tone files available for download. If you want to continue the exercise, download some in the low and high frequency ranges and see how your room sounds. Probably you will find that the bass is turned up unnaturally high and, if you're older, you high frequency range hearing is gone. You will also be able to check balance as heard in your listening position.

Also try playing music that has had minimal sonic processing. This rules out almost everything except classical and organ music. Any time the sound has been messed with, like with equalization on a few channels, there is no way you can know whether your room is giving you the same sounds that the recording engineers heard. Hence, judging system accuracy is impossible. Low organ pedal notes and electrifying triangle sounds are fantastic for judging a system. Cello and trumpet concertos are fun, too.

Re what to try, "settings" are only part of the equation. Speaker placement and height changes the room's sound in significant ways. Things like wall distance and corner placement make a big difference, too.

 

[steelyman]

In my opinion, set your TV's audio to PCM output and you will get the true 5.1 surround sound the sound engineers on the TV production crew intended, not some fake remixed sound processing you will get with DTS Neo 2.5.

Thanks. I will continue to play with this (“play it by ear”) and learn as I go along. I think you’re correct that the Neo 2.5 system manufactures a surround effect.

I notice it’s source-dependent. The TV recognized that it was receiving a Dolby stream OTA and offered that selection.

 

[steelyman]

Update: ignorant me had set up the soundbar when first bought using the supplied optical cable connected to the TV. I had no idea what HDMI ARC was (Audio Return Channel) even though one of the TV’s ports is labeled as such.

I’ve now replaced the optical connection with the HDMI ARC cable supplied with the soundbar. All is working and sounds great.

I’m hopeful this will better support 5.1 surround and continue to test/experiment.

Bonus: one less cable hanging around. [emoji4]

[ADDED] The soundbar conveniently has both HDMI In and HDMI ARC out ports. The Blu-ray player now uses the HDMI In port. Neither had been used previously.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Update: ignorant me had set up the soundbar when first bought using the supplied optical cable connected to the TV. I had no idea what HDMI ARC was (Audio Return Channel) even though one of the TV’s ports is labeled as such.

I’ve now replaced the optical connection with the HDMI ARC cable supplied with the soundbar. All is working and sounds great.

I’m hopeful this will better support 5.1 surround and continue to test/experiment.

Bonus: one less cable hanging around. [emoji4]

[ADDED] The soundbar conveniently has both HDMI In and HDMI ARC out ports. The Blu-ray player now uses the HDMI In port. Neither had been used previously.

Glad to hear you have it all sorted out.

You should hear no difference in sound quality between the 5.1 optical cable and the HDMI connection. There would be a difference if you had more than 5 speakers because optical cable can't do more than 5 channels. But, yes, it is nice to eliminate a cable from the equation.

 

[steelyman]

Glad to hear you have it all sorted out.

You should hear no difference in sound quality between the 5.1 optical cable and the HDMI connection. There would be a difference if you had more than 5 speakers because optical cable can't do more than 5 channels. But, yes, it is nice to eliminate a cable from the equation.

Thanks again. Live and learn (and hear!). I’m preserving the PCM setting as suggested if the source warrants. Trying it out with a Janet Jackson Hawaii concert video w/surround. A little hard to focus on the sound cause man oh man can that lady dance!

 

[steelyman]

I’ve had enough time to fool around with things and have settled on leaving the audio signal untouched, which is basically Qs recommendations.

When you (or I) get a new gadget there’s a rush/urge to play around with it, like a ooh! ooh! thing.

But going minimal seems to work best for me. If the audio source is surround it works. Even if not the rear speakers add depth, both front/rear and right/left.

Thanks for the tips!