TX-SR601 Listening Environment and DSP Music and Movie Modes

The Reference System 3 listening room is characterized by a series of natural baffles and a good combination of neutral materials. Lots of time it is necessary to hang draperies and build or purchase fancy bass traps to eliminate problems in a room. I prefer to do it naturally, and as I built my home, I was able to construct a room where the furniture and natural materials could do most of the work for me. Bookshelves serve as diffusers, and 9' flat ceilings with berber carpet produce a room that is lively, but not highly-reflective.

The central listening position is a sofa located in the center of the room, 11 feet from the front wall, and 8' from the rear wall. The M80ti(s) are 8' apart and the QS8(s) are 7' apart on the rear wall to allow for reflectivity of the quadpolar design. The EP350 is situated outside of the left M80ti with the 180 degree phase switch engaged.

Due to the impedance of the Axiom Audio speakers, the Onkyo was in for a challenge. The M80s are rated at 4-ohms each, with the remaining 3 speakers coming in at 6-ohms. The Onkyo receiver is rated at 150W per channel according to JEITA (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association), 120W per channel according to DIN (Deutsche Industrie Norm), and 110W per channel according to the FTC when connected to a 6-ohm load at 1kHz (2 channels driven), < 0.1% THD). The FTC rates the SR601 at 85W per channel into 8-ohms with < 0.08% THD (2 channels driven, 20Hz - 20kHz). When connected to the Axioms, I was pleased at how well the Onkyo could power the speakers at relatively high volumes. As the M80s can play extremely loud, cranking up the Onkyo to near its maximum yielded some audible distortion - this was not entirely surprising given the technical ratings of the equipment.

DSP Movie & Music Modes

I would not call myself a DSP purist, at least with respect to DVDs and television. In fact, I am known to watch a majority of my movies with some form of DSP or other. In the case of the TX-SR601, however, there isn't much available to choose from.

The Onkyo comes with the standard Dolby Digital (including EX), DTS (including ES and Neo:6) and Pro Logic II modes. If you are a purist, your bases are covered. Some modes are available in both 2-channel and multi-channel modes, but I will place them where I believe you'll find them more useful. I'll explain some of the non-standard modes below:

Movie Modes

• Theater Dimensional (T-D): This interesting mode is created for those who have only two speakers and still desire a surround sound experience. It essentially creates a pseudo surround experience around a fixed listening position (the characteristics of this position can also be adjusted through the receiver setup menus.)

• MonoMovie: Excellent for old black and white mono movies. Keeps the original soundtrack in the center channel where it belongs and adds some ambience into the Front L/R speakers.
• CinemaFILTER (on/off): This EQs some high frequency out of the signal, taking the edge off of speakers or movie soundtracks that are "too bright". I thought this mode eliminated a lot of detail and do not recommend it use in most applications. If your speakers sound too bright perhaps you can adjust some of the acoustical properties of your room to compensate (add a throw rug, for example) or experiment with positioning.

Television Modes

• Enhance: Selecting the enhance mode will engage your surround channels in a soft ambient manner, also placing dialogue and main action into your center channel. I found this mode to be more of a hindrance on 2-channel music, but effective when watching sports programming.
• TV Logic: This mode claims to be geared towards a studio-based television program, enhancing surround sound and adding clarity to the center channel. I found that it basically accomplished this through sending some of the Front L/R information to the surrounds and over-accenting the center channel signal just a bit.

• ALL ST (all stereo): Located on the remote, this mode produces an all-encompassing background music presence. The front, surround, and surround back (if present) channels create a large, wide, stereo image.
• DIRECT: 2-channel source audio is output to the Front L/R speakers and not the subwoofer
• STEREO: 2-channel source audio is output with bass management information sent to the subwoofer according to the crossover settings and Speaker Setup menu.
• Orchestra: In this mode the center channel is muted and the surround channels enhanced to create an artificially more expansive surround environment. This is an effective mode for opera or when attempting to simulate a large hall or theatre. Warning: Don't try this mode on regular music as your head may explode.
• Unplugged: This mode enhances the Front L/R channels giving you the impression that you are closer to the stage performance of an artist. Try this mode on just about any CD and you'll instantly get a more intimate positioning of the sound field. Warning: You may not want to get this close to certain artists!
• Studio-Mix: Having recorded and mixed numerous tracks in the studio I found this mode to be reminiscent of a rushed 4am studio monitor mix - complete with crushed vocals and a relatively flat mix. If you like recessed vocals and a more subdued mix it might be fun to play with this mode.