5.1

I have been wondering, is it possible to hook up a set of 5 speakers (a stero system, and a Labtech sound system) and then get something similar to 5 point one, do I just have to settle with regular surround sound?

Dolby I\'m pretty sure Digital coaxial cable passes through a digital signal (zeros and ones).  If you can find a link saying otherwise though please let us know.

without a DSP, yer only getting {surround} stereo

mm

okay while the 5.1 can -o- worms is open I have a question...now I have my PS2 hooked to a system with 2 front speakers a center channel and 2 rear speakers as well as a sub woofer...now I\'m getting True Dolby Sourround Sound...right? I know it\'s not digital but 5.1 non the less right?

@ Dolbytone: As THX said, Coax is Digital... and it is supposed to be the better way to give you 5.1, but IMO you only can tell the diff. on realy expensive High End equipment !

@ mm: define "DSP"
IMO DSP is just some sort of special adjustment given by your receiver... a Yamaha has 20 (or more) a SONY has 5 or 6 ! DSP (DCS or whatever it is called) just adds some effects to the original sound.
I only use one DSP program on my SONY AV Receiver for Video, DVD, Radio and so on...

6.1 is richer.

Granted 5.1 gives you the stereo effect, cept 6.1 gives it to you more dramaticly.

Reason I say this is because I\'ve been to the demo of it @ Chel\'s Audio.  Fun thing with 6.1 is you can even work it beta!

Now I know some people will probably flame me for saying it works with Beta, but Beta is better than VHS recording.  All news stations use, and I\'ve seen some pretty killer rips of movies on Beta.  Then again, its not DVD quality at all, plus, your sound system has to be on par with your players quality.


So 6.1 is better because it gives you more options.

i find a rear center channel [6.1] speaker VERY distracting, and dont even use it on my setup

mm

Try watching Heat with 6.1.  Thats what the demo was playing.  Absoultely amazing.

Originally posted by Dolbytone

I disagree with almost everything SaintKev3 said (except the thing about DVD audio).

Also, for your information, the coax cable is not a digital cable.  The information is converted to analog, run through the cable, converted back to digital and then piped into your DSP.

i agree with dolbytone and disagree with the eyes and thx.  you can say i am on his side.  this is what i think, coaxial cable is not digital.  you need an extra accesory and equip it to convert analog to digital.  I am not sure about the signal loss if there\'s any.  anyway, like dolbytone said, digital is digital, so both optical and coaxial cable gives the same sound quality since both is digital and can transfer the same amount of information.  i prefer optical because it easier to hook up but coaxical isn\'t that hard to hook up anyway.

but we all know 20.1 is thebest....
lots of wires though....
(Jk)

DSP = digital signal processor for those that didnt know.   Some can alter incoming signals and make them sound like you\'re in a stadium, concert hall, cave, etc...  Can be pretty useful for some CDs, movie scenes but overall just a playtoy.

btw- most audiophiles prefer digital coax over toslink.

what good is HEAT gonna do on a DTS system when a DTS version was never released, only DD 5.1

mm

Well, I found a reference for why people prefer Coax to Optical:

Digital coaxial wires use RCA connectors and are more robust than optical cables. Coaxial is preferred by many people in the high end due to it\'s inherent ability to pass a signal without the timing errors found when using some optical cables in specific applications. Optical cables should be used for short runs and never be bent tighter than a nine inch radius to prevent signal degradation.

I\'ll keep looking to see if I can find where I read the thing about D/A-A/D conversion of coaxial digital signals.  I saw it in a manual somewhere, but can\'t find it right now.  I\'ll let you know the source when I do find it.

Here are several peoples\' posts on HTF

Originally posted in a Coax Vs TosLink thread

I\'m a firm believer in the statement that "Bits are Bits!".
1\'s and 0\'s are either 1\'s or 0\'s. It\'s that simple, there is nothing in between! Differences in digital cable is all CRAP. IMO

Originally posted here

Q: And just to confirm, digital coax and toslink both pass a pure digital signal right? (ones and zeros)

A:Yeah they both pass a 100% pure digital signal.

Still just a bbs so the sources could be misinformed, but I have yet to hear otherwise.

so which cable crates the least degredation of signal?

this is what i use from my DVD to receiver