Surround Processor / Pre Amp / 3D Sound Field


A couple of years ago I purchased a Marantz AV8801 surround preamp but I was never happy with it. It hasn’t gotten much use and since then I haven't put too much effort and attention into surround sound. Sure it was able to decode the latest formats but the sound field was boring, lacked impact, and the 3D sound field it created was mediocre. I remember back in the days I had a Sony STR-DE series of receivers that had an enhance/exaggerate function where for each sound field, one could increase the effect of the field. This created excitement while watching movies and a huge dynamic range. I also remember even before this receiver when Dolby Digital was first coming out Yamaha had an external DD decoder DDP-1 to add this capability to their receivers. Well I still remember that the DDP-1 had the best 3D sound field that I have experienced. All 5 speakers were working with each other to precisely place the sound where it belongs and was simply not just noise coming from multiple speakers. It sounded truly 3Dish and the sound moved around in open air. I really miss those days.

I am not getting this with my Marantz in a 5.1 setup (I have no desire to goto Atmos at this time). There is nothing to enhance the 3D field to exaggerate the effect. It has been calibrated multiple times with it’s built in Audyssey. I wanted to know if there were any current surround preamps / processors that would provide a better 3d field or have this as a feature to adjust the effect?
audioman2015
Thank you for the advice. I do not believe it is an Audyssey issue or any type of calibration. I think it is the limitation of the equipment. In the past equipment that I have used (mainly with Dolby Digital and DTS formats), the equipment will decode those formats and then offer an endhanced 3D sound field based on the sound mode you chose - for example "Sci-Fi", "Acoustic Theater", etc. The equipment that I am finding these days only decode the format and that is about it. I would want equipment for example can decode DTS Master Audio and then process it into a sound field of my choosing, such as "Virtual", or "Impact".
Hey Audoman,

I use an Oppo 103 via a Halo P7 preamp. So essentially there is no real processing, but just decoding. Movies sound fantastic.

However, what I spend a lot of time with is getting the subwoofer calibration correct and room acoustics. This includes bass traps as well as carefully matched EQ.

When this is done correctly it’s simply breathtaking, and no additional processing is needed.

I might suggest you start out with some room acoustics. Throw some blankets up on the walls and pillows on the floor, especially between the speakers. See if this goes in the way you’d like. If it does, look into GIK Acoustics for great help and value products.

I guess my short answer is, if your basic 5.1 or 7.1 decoding isn't thrilling, it's not that you lack additional sound fields. It's probably your room/speakers.

Best,

E
I'm sure improving the room acoustics will help but I still remember the days of the original Sony Dolby Digital / DTS receivers and the Yamaha Dolby Digital decoder add on.  Room then had no treatments either.  If anyone knows of any processor that does additional processing I would be interested in taking a look at.  
@audioman2015 I would submit that if the Sony or Yamaha DD decoder of old is what you're seeking, it may be best to search for the vintage stand alone processor. You're right, AVRs today don't produce like the DDP.

I'm biased to Meridian. The 568 is from that era (for the most part) but remains a very strong contender in the market. It'll handle DD and DTS. I'd also venture to say you'd be very impressed with Meridian's Trifield. It can take some time to really dial in, but once you're there, you may forget all about the DDP-1. Honestly, the DDP-1 was one of my first exposures to multi-channel processing.
I have done thousands of tests in almost 18 years of time. I am  working in sound&vision for almost 19 years of time. I am a born perfectionist and always compare and test to create and find the best possible. 2nd best and good in my world is for losers.

I had many expensive sysems over the last 18 years of time. 3 dimensional sound or even better to say 4-dimensional sound has become my trademark.

I stopped selling 2-dimensional sound based on the the fact then people all directly choose for 3-dimensional sound.

I did run an andio shop for about 2 years of time. I had all the freedom to choose the brands and products I wanted to sell.

I had a big room as a slistening room. I always had a 2-dimensional vs 3-dimensional stereo system ready. I always started to talk for about 15 minutes about sound and also about 3-dimensensional sound.

Each single person (men and women) all choose for 3-dimensional sound. This had such a big influence on me that I stopped selling any kind of 2-dimensional audio again.

Almost all systems are 2-dimensional. In ourt world each system what creates no depth till 1 meytre of depth is 2-dimensional.

We call a system 3-dimensional when it is able to creat over 1.5metre on depth. 

For stereo and surround we use the same parameters and rules. 

3-dimensional sound makes both stereo and surround addictive and so much more appealing. It is the level of emotion and excitement what makes it superior to any 2-dimensional system. This is based on the human emotion and brains.

We create each stereo and surround system by Tru-Fi. These are 8 different parameters who all influence the human emotion. Most systems are incomplete and miss different parts of Tru-Fi.

3-dimensional stage is one of the 8 parts of Tru-Fi. In real sound, music and instruments stand in a 3(4) dimensional room.

It is insane that by far the most sold stereo and surorund systems are all 2-dimensional. Never you will hear a band playing on the same line like any 2-dimensional system is playing the music.

A surround system or even Dolby Atmos cannot create a 3-dimensional stage. I had to explain the people of Auro 3D that their system was a 2-dimensional system. 

They demoed a plane flying over us. When when the plane was flying more away from us it souned like the plane crashed.

I explained to him that his speakers and amps they use are all 2-dimensional. This is the DNA no one can change.

When he would have used amps, pre amp, source and speskers who are able to create a deep and wide stage his demo would have been much more realistic and would have create a real 3-dimensional stage.

I know the dna of many brands and products. By far most amps, pre amps, sources and speakers are 2-dimensional. This meand that also not even a system like Auro 3D or Dolby Atmos  will change this.

You can only create a 3-dimensional stage when each single part of your system owns it. For example: when you put a 2-dimensional product into a system what is able to create a stunning deep and wide stage, the full 3D stage is almost gone.

We have created Statement Audio Pro measurement. We work by 0.5 mm precision. And use the best professional lasers. We also use Audyssey pro but at a totally different superior effective way.

The people of Audyssey are very kind and helpful. But their knowledge in how a voice, instrument and the acoustic can work is limited. The measurments are done at the wrond places, wrong heights etc.

We have done for over 6 years of time in measuring the acoustic. In both stereo and surround we can create a Statement in sound. What creates a new level in realism ib  sound.

And yess this is 3-dimensional sound as it sounhds in real. I owned the most expensive Meridian 800 stuff. In my world at this moment the dna is not good enough to use anymore. In stage depth and width it misses the level other products can create.

Marantz (I sold it for over 6 years of time) is a 2 dimensional brand. This means that each component can create less than 1 metre of stage depth. Also Dolby atmos/Auro 3D will not change this.