The Outlaws’ Guide to the Marantz AV7005
number of DVD players available that will output an SACD’s DSD signal via HDMI v1.2a
or higher. Other players will convert DSD to PCM and output multichannel PCM via
HDMI. The AV7005 will require an SACD player to convert DSD to PCM if connected
with HDMI. SACD players can also be connected via stereo or multichannel analog
audio.
The Listening Mode Toolbox
In addition to the numerous audio formats supported by the AV7005, there are even
more
processing modes (also called “listening modes”) available for use with those
formats. To help understand the distinction between audio format and listening mode,
we should review the three different basic forms of audio processing that may take
place.
Decoding: The digital audio formats (Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby TrueHD,
DTS-HD) must be decoded before anything else can happen.
Post Processing – Surround Processing: One way or another and no matter how
many channels of audio are involved, each audio input will end up as a PCM
signal. At that point, the opportunity exists to apply additional processing. Some
of the options include Dolby Pro Logic II/IIx, DTS Neo:6, and Dolby Digital EX.
These modes can expand the original signal, creating additional audio channels.
Post Processing – Additional Processing: Once decoding and processing tasks
have been completed and a final set of audio channels are in place, there are a
number of other processes that may be carried out. These include bass
management (redirecting low frequency data among the various speakers and
the subwoofer), time delay, A/V sync (delaying the audio signal to synchronize it
with the video signal), and Audyssey or manually-configured equalization.
Sometimes post processing includes reducing the number of channels, as when
a system lacks a center channel and the data in that channel must be re-
distributed to other channels. In some cases, the listening mode will force the
AV7005 to skip portions of the signal processing in order to perform as little
manipulation of the audio signal as possible.
The decoding of digital audio formats will happen without any user intervention, and the
signal processing obeys settings selected in the AV7005’s setup menus. It is that middle
step, the surround processing, which may involve the greatest degree of user
involvement. The remote control’s “SURR” button will scroll through the available
options for surround processing. A series of tables on pages 106 and 107 of the
AV7005 User Manual identifies the listening modes that can be used with each source
audio format. To aid in understanding those tables, we have provided a brief overview
of the surround modes listed in the left column of those tables.
Auto
The Auto surround mode selects a listening mode based on the signal format. This is
the AV7005’s default behavior.
Audio Formats and Listening Modes
Marantz AV7005
35
_
