APPENDIX
Glossary
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Supporting bitrates up to 24.5 Mbps for Blu-ray Disc, DTS-HD Master
Audio can carry up to 7.1 discrete channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio
simultaneously. Supported by HDMI version 1.3 and designed for the
optical disc players and AV receivers/amplifiers of the future, DTS-HD
Master Audio also remains fully compatible with the existing multichannel
audio systems that incorporate DTS Digital Surround.
DTS Neo:6
Neo:6 decodes the conventional 2-channel sources for 6- channel playback
by the specific decoder. It enables playback with the fullrange channels
with higher separation just like digital discrete signal playback. There are
two modes available: “Music mode” for music sources and “Cinema mode”
for movie sources.
DSD
Direct Stream Digital (DSD) technology stores audio signals on digital
storage media, such as Super Audio CDs. Using DSD, signals are stored as
single bit values at a high-frequency sampling rate of 2.8224 MHz, while
noise shaping and oversampling are used to reduce distortion, a common
occurrence with very high quantization of audio signals. Due to the high
sampling rate, better audio quality can be achieved than that offered by the
PCM format used for normal audio CDs. The frequency is equal to or
higher than 100 kHz and the dynamic range is 120 dB. This unit can
transmit or receive DSD signals input from the HDMI jack.
FLAC
This is a file format for lossless audio data compression. FLAC is inferior
to lossy compression formats in compression rate but provides higher audio
quality.
MP3
One of the audio compression methods used by MPEG. It employs the
irreversible compression method, which achieves a high compression rate
by thinning out the data of hardly audible part to the human ears. It is said
to be capable of compressing the data quantity by about 1/11 (128 kbps)
while maintaining a similar audio quality to music CD.
MPEG-4 AAC
An MPEG-4 audio standard. As it allows compression of data at a bit rate
lower than that of MPEG-2 AAC, it is used among others for mobile
telephones, portable audio players and other low-capacity devices requiring
high sound quality. In addition to the above types of devices, MPEG-4
AAC is also used to distribute contents on the Internet, and as such is
supported by computers, media servers and many other devices.
LFE 0.1 channel
This channel reproduces low-frequency bass signals, and has a frequency
range from 20 Hz to 120 Hz. This channel is counted as 0.1, because it only
enforces a low-frequency range compared to the full-range reproduced by
the other 5-channels in Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1-channel systems.
PCM (Linear PCM)
Linear PCM is a signal format under which an analog audio signal is
digitized, recorded and transmitted without using any compression. This is
used as a method of recording CDs and DVD audio. The PCM system uses
a technique for sampling the size of the analog signal per very small unit of
time. Standing for “Pulse Code Modulation,” the analog signal is encoded
as pulses and then modulated for recording.
Sampling frequency and number of quantized bits
When digitizing an analog audio signal, the number of times the signal is
sampled per second is called the sampling frequency, while the degree of
fineness when converting the sound level into a numeric value is called the
number of quantized bits. The range of rates that can be played back is
determined based on the sampling rate, while the dynamic range
representing the sound level difference is determined by the number of
quantized bits. In principle, the higher the sampling frequency, the wider
the range of frequencies that can be played back, and the higher the number
of quantized bits, the more finely the sound level can be reproduced.
WAV
Windows standard audio file format, which defines the method of recording
the digital data obtained by converting audio signals. It does not specify the
compression (coding) method so a desired compression method can be used
with it. By default, it is compatible with the PCM method (no compression)
and some compression methods including the ADPCM method.
WMA
An audio compression method developed by Microsoft Corporation. It
employs the irreversible compression method, which achieves a high
compression rate by thinning out the data of hardly audible part to the
human ears. It is said to be capable of compressing the data quantity by
about 1/22 (64 kbps) while maintaining a similar audio quality to music
CD.
Sound program information
CINEMA DSP
Since the Dolby Surround and DTS systems were originally designed for
use in movie theaters, their effect is best felt in a theater having many
speakers designed for acoustic effects. Since home conditions, such as
room size, wall material, number of speakers, and so on, can differ so
widely, it is inevitable that there are differences in the sound that is heard.
Based on a wealth of actually measured data, Yamaha CINEMA DSP uses
Yamaha’s original DSP technology to combine Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby
Digital, and DTS systems to provide the audiovisual experience of a movie
theater in the listening room of your own home.
CINEMA DSP 3D
The actually measured sound field data contain the information of the
height of the sound images. CINEMA DSP 3D feature achieves the
reproduction of the accurate height of the sound images so that it creates
the accurate and intensive stereoscopic sound fields in a listening room.
Compressed Music Enhancer
The Compressed Music Enhancer feature of this unit enhances your
listening experience by regenerating the missing harmonics in compression
artifacts. As a result, it compensates for flattened complexity due to the loss
of high-frequency fidelity as well as lack of bass due to the loss of low-
frequency bass, providing improved performance for the overall sound
system.
SILENT CINEMA
Yamaha has developed a natural, realistic sound effect DSP algorithm for
headphones. Parameters for headphones have been set for each sound
program, so that accurate representations of all the sound programs can be
enjoyed on headphones.
Virtual CINEMA DSP
Yamaha has developed a Virtual CINEMA DSP algorithm that allows you
to enjoy DSP surround effects even without any surround speakers, by
using virtual surround speakers. It is even possible to enjoy Virtual
CINEMA DSP using a minimal two-speaker system that does not include a
center speaker.
