2
Introduction
to the CP-3
PLUS
Lexicon
The Ambience and Reverberation modes transform the listening room into
a new acoustic space, letting you choose an environment which matches
your music or your mood. Unlike most ambience processors, the CP-3
PLUS
provides full stereo processing, preserving the critical SI information in the
recording and expanding upon it. The Ambience mode generates the side
and rear reflection patterns of idealized rooms and concert halls. The larger
spaces add the true depth and realism of a concert hall to classical and
popular music, while the smaller spaces are ideal for jazz and rock. The
Reverberation mode is similar, but places more emphasis on rich, dense
reverberant decay than on early reflections. It is especially good for simu-
lating large, highly reverberant spaces such as churches, stadiums, and
cathedrals.
The requirements for processing sound for home theater are quite different
than those for music. Lexicon invented the technology that permits the most
accurate reproduction of film sound in the same system that is used for
music listening, and the software-based CP-3
PLUS
is optimized for each of
these unique tasks. The Music Surround mode is specifically designed to
optimally play conventional stereo music through any system which in-
cludes side or side-located rear speakers. Additionally, the CP-3 is able to
perform automatic analysis and error correction to compensate for prob-
lems in the source material.
For films encoded with Dolby Surround, Lexicon has incorporated the
Lucasfilm Home THX Cinema processing into the CP-3
PLUS
. This utilizes a
patented, completely digital Dolby Pro Logic Surround decoder, and is the
only one with automatic correction of inter-channel phase and channel-
balance errors (the most common audio problems in currently available
video releases of films).
A new Stereo Surround feature introduces a technique for extracting five
channels of surround information from a standard 4-2-4 matrix-encoded
soundtrack (Dolby Surround, Ultra*Stereo, etc.) This feature, available in
the THX mode, allows the stereo music in soundtracks to be reproduced
with a full stereo spread, unencumbered by the relatively narrow separa-
tion of the front speakers. Left-to-surround, and right-to-surround pans are
also enhanced. Instead of sound jumping from a front channel to both
surrounds, the left and right side speakers can function independently to
facilitate smooth and fluid pans. Sounds directed to hard left and hard right
(the main left and right speakers) will not appear in the side surrounds.
This technique overcomes the limitation of the monaural sound channel
inherent in these formats, while remaining true to the front hemisphere
directional cues. The audio imaging tracks the picture image in a way which
fulfills the intent of the sound mixer. The drama of this effect is most
noticeable with strong stereo music soundtracks.
The CP-3
PLUS
also provides modes for expanding monaural film sound
tracks (Mono Logic), general TV viewing (Television) and, of course, direct
two-channel stereo playback (Effects Mute ON).
