Are you ready for 11-channel surround sound?

by: Brent Butterworth

 

Not just one but three companies have recently announced surround-sound technologies that go beyond 7.1 channels. Now home theater enthusiasts who thought they were finished adding extra speakers to their systems are asking: Is adding a bunch of new speakers to my system really going to make a difference?

 

It’s too early to answer that question for sure, because only one of the new technologies has actually hit the market. But I can share a few first impressions.

 

First Up: Dolby Pro Logic IIz

The first of the systems to be announced—and to be available in actual products—is Dolby Pro Logic IIz. PLIIz adds two front height speakers to a 5.1- or 7.1-channel system. The height speakers mount 3 feet or more above the front left and right speakers.

 

In most home theater systems, adding Pro Logic IIz should be fairly easy. However, the benefits aren’t dramatic. When I tried the first PLIIz-equipped receiver, I didn’t get the sensation of height that I expected, but it did make my speaker system sound somewhat bigger and more robust. The effect was noticeable only when I played action movies, though.

 

Coming Soon: Audyssey DSX

The second system to arrive will be Audyssey DSX, which is scheduled to arrive in new receivers this summer. In addition to the front height speakers that PLIIz uses, DSX also adds two width speakers, positioned outside the existing left and right speakers. The system uses two, three, or four surround speakers—so you could have a system with as many as 11 channels, plus a subwoofer or two.

 

I got an early demo of DSX at the University of Southern California’s Immersive Listening Lab, and I liked what I heard—but just as with PLIIz, the effect was fairly subtle.

 

The Big Maybe: DTS Neo:X

DTS demonstrated its own >7.1 technology at last January’s Consumer Electronics Show. However, the company has provided no specifics since then about the technology. (My guess is they put together a demo just to steal some of the thunder from Dolby’s announcement of Pro Logic IIz.) The tentative name for the technology is Neo:X, and what little information DTS has provided suggests it’s a 10-channel system with two front height speakers and one rear height speaker.

 

It’s still way too early to tell if >7.1 systems will take off. One thing’s for sure, though: These technologies will be more successful in custom home theaters than they are in the mass market. In custom home theaters that have their speakers mounted behind fabric walls, adding the extra speakers should be fairly easy. So if you’re planning to upgrade soon, think seriously about adding one of these new technologies to your system.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 at 12:22 pm and is filed under Home Theater Systems, Speakers, Surround Sound. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.