Home Theater, wich option to choose?

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o9lifted

o9lifted

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o9revo
I've just bought myself a home cinema entertainment system and a 47'' HD-TV :drool:

I just dont know what too choose in the option menu, between (Living room, Small home theater, Large home theater). My suround system got 1100W so should I use large home theater? Its what Im using at the moment but I would like to get some more opinions on this. Also setup for the TV, should I use flicker reduction or sharper (something?) or just leave it as it is (dont remember the option as Im not home atm).

Thanks for your answers.
 
Small Home Theater is what I use. It gives the best balance between being practical and sounding good with my equipment. However, if you're already used to Large Home Theater, there really isn't much reason to switch I s'pose.
 
I think small home theatre suits best for this type of equipment.
 
The sound of the Ferrari P4 (super licence @tokyo) was up the roof compared to other cars.... Will do some more testing when I get back home..
 
o9lifted
What sets the line between a small and a Large Home Theater?
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Large Home Theater makes louder cars louder and quieter cars quieter. That's why the Ferrari was so loud compared to everything else. Small Home Theater makes the differences in volume smaller, as well as increases the volume for menu sounds and music. Living Room makes the volume differences between everything even smaller still.
 
Toronado
Large Home Theater makes louder cars louder and quieter cars quieter. That's why the Ferrari was so loud compared to everything else. Small Home Theater makes the differences in volume smaller, as well as increases the volume for menu sounds and music. Living Room makes the volume differences between everything even smaller still.
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Best answer ever!! Thank you very much:)
 
I would go for small cinema, taking a look at the specs of your system it doesn't have the dynamic range or output (1,100W is I'm afraid marketing bobbins) to gain a great deal from going to large.

Stick to small and it should do the job.
 
On my Yamaha HD receiver my remote has a decode option. When I choose that option the system displays Straight, then the the car I am driving is coming from the center speaker and the others are coming from around the room. As for my speakers they are small since I don't have a very large room where my Home Theater is. My bedroom is about twice the size of my living room and have a Kenwood receiver with large speakers and believe it or not I like the living room set up the best. I have 10" powered subs in both rooms but it doesn't seem to get enough low end to tell the difference.
 
Scaff
I would go for small cinema, taking a look at the specs of your system it doesn't have the dynamic range or output (1,100W is I'm afraid marketing bobbins) to gain a great deal from going to large.

Stick to small and it should do the job.
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This is a great post.

Do not look a wattage numbers. My rule of thumb in this aspect is:
Set the dynamic output relative to the weight of your amplifier(s) :)
 
Vegard
This is a great post.

Do not look a wattage numbers. My rule of thumb in this aspect is:
Set the dynamic output relative to the weight of your amplifier(s) :)
Click to expand...

How may I change the dynamic output, and how can I see what the weight of my amplifier are? I mean should I put it on a scale? lol 💡

I've never had a Home Theater System before so Im kinda really new to this.. Also is there anyone who could tell me wich type of option (in GT5) to fit my TV, like sharpen, flicker reduction etc.. My Philips-TV is a 1080p (i think) and got 400hz something (in real life its more like 100hz :ouch: Thinking of changing it back to a 200hz, payed about 1900$=10.000NOK )
 
Vegard
This is a great post.

Do not look a wattage numbers. My rule of thumb in this aspect is:
Set the dynamic output relative to the weight of your amplifier(s) :)
Click to expand...


Ive just weighed my AV amp it was just over 19kilos, so what dynamic output would you reccomend. :eek::lol:
 
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I was happiest with Small Theater.

The Large Theater setting is weird. Yes, the cars are much louder, but the music is VERY faint, even in the menus, which is very odd. I have a decent HT system with a subwoofer, and I've watched many movies with wide dynamic range. Yes, explosions and gunfire are louder than dialogue, as they should be, but I haven't heard this kind of strange disparity with music. Uncharted also has a setting for dynamic range, and the music isn't a problem either in that one.

It just seems strange that that was what was intended. Unless their idea of "wide dynamic range" was to crank up the engine sound to extreme levels relative to the music.

o9lifted, those sharpness and flicker settings only apply to SD video output.
 
o9lifted
How may I change the dynamic output, and how can I see what the weight of my amplifier are? I mean should I put it on a scale? lol 💡
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As a very rough rule of thumb the weight of a receiver is an indication of size of transformers its running and to kick out serious power you need serious power in.

It doesn't help that manufacturers of 'single-box' systems basically lie about the output. Your system is sold as 1,100 watts, made up of 5 x 180 watts and a 200 watt (passive) sub. However if you look at the spec that 180 watt per channel is at 10% THD, now THD is Total Harmonic Distortion, in other words how distorted the sound is and 10% is totally unlistenable. To be blunt it will never realistically roll out 180 watts per channel. As an example my STR-DA2400ES is rated at 110 watts per channel, but at a TRD of 0.7%, or the level at which distortion is starting to occur, as such is a realistic rating of power.

You then also have to account for speaker sensitivity (measured in db), I believe your LG system is around 80db, which is not bad for a 'single-box' system. The Monitor Audio's I use on mine are around 87 db. The difference here relates to both how 'loud' a speaker will sound for the same power going into it (87db will sound far, far louder than 80 db for the same power going in) and also the dynamic range its able to reproduce without loosing the far ends.

As you can see its unfortunately not as simple as going for a system that has big numbers on the box, you do need to dig a bit deeper to find the real story, however as this is your first AV system you are now a little better armed for when you look to upgrade. Something I would always recommend via the separates route.
 
SirDrexl
I was happiest with Small Theater.

The Large Theater setting is weird. Yes, the cars are much louder, but the music is VERY faint, even in the menus, which is very odd. I have a decent HT system with a subwoofer, and I've watched many movies with wide dynamic range. Yes, explosions and gunfire are louder than dialogue, as they should be, but I haven't heard this kind of strange disparity with music. Uncharted also has a setting for dynamic range, and the music isn't a problem either in that one.

It just seems strange that that was what was intended. Unless their idea of "wide dynamic range" was to crank up the engine sound to extreme levels relative to the music.

o9lifted, those sharpness and flicker settings only apply to SD video output.
Click to expand...


Scaff
As a very rough rule of thumb the weight of a receiver is an indication of size of transformers its running and to kick out serious power you need serious power in.

It doesn't help that manufacturers of 'single-box' systems basically lie about the output. Your system is sold as 1,100 watts, made up of 5 x 180 watts and a 200 watt (passive) sub. However if you look at the spec that 180 watt per channel is at 10% THD, now THD is Total Harmonic Distortion, in other words how distorted the sound is and 10% is totally unlistenable. To be blunt it will never realistically roll out 180 watts per channel. As an example my STR-DA2400ES is rated at 110 watts per channel, but at a TRD of 0.7%, or the level at which distortion is starting to occur, as such is a realistic rating of power.

You then also have to account for speaker sensitivity (measured in db), I believe your LG system is around 80db, which is not bad for a 'single-box' system. The Monitor Audio's I use on mine are around 87 db. The difference here relates to both how 'loud' a speaker will sound for the same power going into it (87db will sound far, far louder than 80 db for the same power going in) and also the dynamic range its able to reproduce without loosing the far ends.

As you can see its unfortunately not as simple as going for a system that has big numbers on the box, you do need to dig a bit deeper to find the real story, however as this is your first AV system you are now a little better armed for when you look to upgrade. Something I would always recommend via the separates route.
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Thank you for your answers.

I have another question.. Does the GT5 sounds, like engine, soundeffects etc, appears to each speaker or is it possible to change where the noice comes from, e.g like having the engine noice coming from the Center ONLY or is there a way to change this? Having the engine noice coming from the Center only and the noice from the surrounding cars coming from the front and back speakers sounds good, like now it seems a bit mixed (I can hear the cars behind me but you get the picture right?)
 
o9lifted
Thank you for your answers.

I have another question.. Does the GT5 sounds, like engine, soundeffects etc, appears to each speaker or is it possible to change where the noice comes from, e.g like having the engine noice coming from the Center ONLY or is there a way to change this? Having the engine noice coming from the Center only and the noice from the surrounding cars coming from the front and back speakers sounds good, like now it seems a bit mixed (I can hear the cars behind me but you get the picture right?)
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There's no way to manually move things around, but the positioning of sounds will depend on your view setting. Of course, the goal is to make it sound the way it would if you were there. In the cockpit view, you will hear the engine in your immediate vicinity, with much of it coming from surround speakers. If you switch to the bonnet cam, the engine sound will shift to a little bit in front of you, and with chase cam it's farther in front. (These will vary a bit by car.) Bumper cam and cockpit cam seem to sound the same.

Any background music will always be out in front, and this separation helps keep it from being too distracting when using the cockpit view.
 
Also as you are new to home cinema, it might be worth spending a bit of time setting the relative levels of each speaker, depending how close they are to your seating position. It's not just for gaming of course, but you get a much more constant sound driving a car in GT5 than you do when watching a movie.

As an example, my room is small so I have bipolar rear speakers hung on the wall and I sit just in front of them. For most TV/movie watching it's fine but when driving the Mazda 787B the screaming engine noise from just behind my head gets a bit tedious after a couple of laps of Sarthe!:crazy:
 
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My AV amp is somewhat old now poss 10 years and rated at 140 watt rms for left,centre and right and 110 watt rms for left rear and the same for right rear. it also has 2 x phone for sub out and there connected to 2x Rell active subwoofers at 250 watt rms, these are set up as subs so you tend to feel them rather than hear them. The Av amp is THX certifeid for home use and to meet that your amp has to be able to output 100 watt per all 5 channels continuosly thats not musi power or evem maximun power as these 2 are as others have stated not very acurat foe example a 140 watt rms means the amp has the capability of producing that sort of power before distorting or clipping accurs I would think mine peak well in excess of a 1000watts for only a fraction of time though.

I kid you not this system on 1 third volume can rattle every window in my house including upstairs and there double glazed units. I sit and watch a film and when the subs kick in they can with the right ( Terminator 2 when lory hits the bridge support) film make you feel a bit nausias when the sound pressure waves hit you.

Best set up with sound level meters and sitting in the correct hot zone helps.

As I said its a bit dated now but still high quality DD and DTS come from it. The rest of the system are Mission speakers all round with Teac CD transport and Teac separate DAC for music.
Cost me around £8000 ten years ago.
 
You can go on and on about the technical side of it and about what other people like, but ultimately you have to use your ears and your own taste.
I am not saying the technical part isn't important (especially the harmonic distortion) but ultimately it is about your taste.

1. Set up your speakers, make sure the balance is right based on your listening position (as stated above).
2. Set the whole thing as neutrally as possible. No EQ, no dynamic processing and no special features (if possible).
3. Drive a lap and listen carefully to the different elements in sound.
4. Go through the sound changing options one by one and listen well. Drive a lap and listen if you like the sound, then try the next setting, drive a lap and see if you like it better or not. Take your time listening to the different settings to let your ears really get used to the new settings. What might sound very nice for the first few seconds might get very annoying in a full lap.



Scaff
*snip*
As you can see its unfortunately not as simple as going for a system that has big numbers on the box, you do need to dig a bit deeper to find the real story, however as this is your first AV system you are now a little better armed for when you look to upgrade. Something I would always recommend via the separates route.
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Numbers tell you some interesting things, and when comparing two sets you like, it is good to look at the numbers.
However, using your ears is the only way to really judge a system. Oh, and be sure to use your own ears, not the ones of the guy selling the set to you :)
 
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To the op, what sort of sound format do you use while playing GT5 ? The sound format alone affects the overall volume even when using the same settings like large theatre.
5.1 DD usually sounds louder than DTS 5.1, is your HT capable of 5.1 or 7.1 LCPM inputs ? If it does, I suggest to try it, in my experience LCPM audio sounds best in most game if they can output them, the next would be DTS then DD.

By the way, I use small theatre with DTS 5.1, sometimes I use LPCM 5.1, both sounds great, especially with my own music in GT5 - if you want to calibrate sound quality, I suggest Wipeout HD, it has the best DTS music conversion ever, even standard mp3 sounds much better:).

I have a Harman/Kardon AVR with a full set of Mordaunt Short speakers, the best investment I've made, they sounds gorgeous. Another note, never use any sound processor when listening to music, playing games or watching movies, a good set of speakers and AV would sound natural with no adjustment in input signal, saves for speaker position, size, delay, crossover, etc. Your AVR should have it's own speaker size settings, make sure it's correct, sometimes advanced setting of the AV got forgotten, they determine the sound quality.
 
I switched mine to Large Theater last night and was fairly impressed (I'm running a 6.1 component system). It felt like the sound staging was much more realistic. I see what people mean about the menu sounds being extremely quite, but I'm OK with that. If I have to listen to the GT Auto/New Car/Used Car/Tuning music one more time, I'm going to snap.
 
Ok guess I got a bit smarter.. Only thing I'll have to change now is the distance of my speakers from where I sit (rear speakers are a bit closer to me then the front, guess I¨have to do some measuring)

Edit: Thanks again:))
 
o9lifted
Ok guess I got a bit smarter.. Only thing I'll have to change now is the distance of my speakers from where I sit (rear speakers are a bit closer to me then the front, guess I¨have to do some measuring)

Edit: Thanks again:))
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If you get to the point where you can't move the speakers any further, you may be able to set delays for you different speakers. That way the sound from each speaker will hit your ears at the appropriate time.

If you ever decide to upgrade your receiver, look for one that has a calibration microphone. The receiver will repeat a noise from each speaker while you move the microphone to different points in the room. It will then automatically adjust the levels of each speaker to give you optimal sound staging (as far as automation goes).
 
HAL20XX
If you get to the point where you can't move the speakers any further, you may be able to set delays for you different speakers. That way the sound from each speaker will hit your ears at the appropriate time.

If you ever decide to upgrade your receiver, look for one that has a calibration microphone. The receiver will repeat a noise from each speaker while you move the microphone to different points in the room. It will then automatically adjust the levels of each speaker to give you optimal sound staging (as far as automation goes).
Click to expand...


Or use a sound presure meter. readily available and measure sound in decibles, If your amp does have a white noise test (sounds like loud hissing) place the meter where you sit and adjust each channel output till yopu get the same reading. also does your amp have the facilty to input distance from seat to each indivedual speaker.
 
Wow didnt realize there where two pages here lol!

Didnt got the time to read all off these comments, I do think Im running the game in a 5.1 system (@Ridox2JZGTE). What I've chosen in the GT5 option menu. LPCM doesent tell me anything, I do know my systems support DTS and DD.. I'll check by this thread once again later maybe not today.. And see what changes I've done etc
 
o9lifted
Wow didnt realize there where two pages here lol!

Didnt got the time to read all off these comments, I do think Im running the game in a 5.1 system (@Ridox2JZGTE). What I've chosen in the GT5 option menu. LPCM doesent tell me anything, I do know my systems support DTS and DD.. I'll check by this thread once again later maybe not today.. And see what changes I've done etc
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You got that internet sorted yet, need to meet up again online mate.
 
o9lifted
Wow didnt realize there where two pages here lol!

Didnt got the time to read all off these comments, I do think Im running the game in a 5.1 system (@Ridox2JZGTE). What I've chosen in the GT5 option menu. LPCM doesent tell me anything, I do know my systems support DTS and DD.. I'll check by this thread once again later maybe not today.. And see what changes I've done etc
Click to expand...

So you are running in 5.1 mode, how do you connect your PS3 to the AVR ? Optical or HDMI ? AVR with HDMI audio input can use LPCM multi channel offered by PS3. Choosing small or large theatre in GT5 is a matter of preference, my AVR speaker setting is large to match the spec of my speakers, but in GT5 I use small, because the overall sounds from menu fx, music and car sounds are more balanced - less dynamic range, but when I want to crank it up and enjoy myself, I do set it to large at times.

When I play Uncharted series game and some other games with similar sound options, I do set them to Large speaker, maximum dynamic range, they sounds much better on those games.
 
Ridox2JZGTE: Ps3 connected with HDMI to the Home theater system, I did bought the Optical cable but I dont use it.

Mark: Theyre still digging mate, I've been told that it or I should be online some time in August. So I just gotta wait and see, you know how it works..... delay after delays
Looking forward to do some real racing though ;) with a 60/60 Mbits line!
 
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