DTS Neural Surround...just curious how many of you use this feature? (especially Tech Package owners)

If so, what audio settings do you use with it for the best sound? (bass, treble, speaker settings, etc.)

What audio input have you found to have the best sound using this feature? (SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, etc.)

Thanks in advance!

 

I turned it off. Makes the system sound flat to me. I think I have the fader set a click or two towards the rear, and the roof up a click. On the equalizer, I have the bass up just ever so slightly.

I'm no audiophile, and I listen to radio most of the time (I really like HD Radio with three channels - I didn't even discover that for months!) and when I listen to music I use Amazon Music. I might try the HD version at some point, but I'm not sure I care enough about it to pay extra. I thought the sound quality of the Sirius was pretty good, but honestly I don't drive enough to warrant paying even a little for it, and I wasn't really impressed with the stations either. It reminded me why streaming music is just so much better now than "radio" is when it comes to playing songs you like.

 

Isn't Off the default?

No audiophile here either. Other than a small bass bump, it's factory defaults. Amazon Music's limited HD & HD Ultra does sound noticeably better, to me, even over Bluetooth connections. But again, selection is limited so probably not a renew from me.

 

No, I don't think DTS is turned off by default. It's a key element of the "3D" ELS system. I remember reading here on AZ someone who said it wasn't great and on that recommendation I turned it off and finally really appreciated the audio system. But some (with more speakers?) may prefer it.

 

I have a quick question for everyone that may be suitable for this section. I prefer the surround setting set to front seats. When I do that the system says it is saving my new setting. Every time I shut the car off and start it again, it reverts to full vehicle setting. Does anyone have an explanation? Thanks

 

I’d have to play with a bit but are you talking about DTS or just the fader? I have my fader set a click or two to the back and once set, it’s stated that way.

 

Sorry, I meant the surround setting. As I recall, you can set for driver, front seat, full vehicle.
but it always defaults to ‘full’ after I restart the vehicle. No?

 

I don’t like the DTS surround. It muddles up the sound. I listen 99% to a thumb drive, with HD music. 48 or 96/24, give or take. Also have 20 or so 5.1 albums at 48/24[highest) and the system is just incredible. Only listen to news on Sirius, and will not renew.
I keep the center about in the middle, and the top spkers set a little high.
treble set to middle, med set down two notches, and bass in the middle. I also have a extra sub, so I use that most of the time also. THe existing sub works well some of the time, depending on the source.

 

Really wanted to know the proper set up for this 3D system because right now when I listen while driving does not feel anything than normal - I cannot even hear anything coming out of the ceiling speakers. YouTube reviewer are all raving about this audio system and I don't feel that?

 

which model rdx?

 

A-Spec with ELS 3D

 

OK, so u got all 17,000 speakers. cool.
got out to day to drive and played with the top speakers control and listened. i found that turning them up raised the soundstage, as expected. it is not OMG! raising, it is subtle. Use the best sound source you can to hear it. Sirius does not count as a music sound source IMHO. Music off your phone, plugged in, higher bit mp3 should be good.

 

I have Advance with the full suite of speakers. I kinda lost count after a dozen or so.

IMO the ceiling speakers help a lot with clarity, especially for my tired old ears.

Generally, I'm not a big fan of DTS "neural", but in this implementation I think it recruits the ceiling speakers and improves clarity, especially for vocals.

Usually in car audio, my ankles have a front-row seat at the concert. I kinda like it when my ears get a decent seat.

But yeah, if it's not USB AAC or high-bit rate mp3, it's muzak anyway. If the source is muddy, the rendition will be muddy.

 

One of the targets Elliot Scheiner and Panasonic had for his namesake system was a natural, live performance sound. I'm not a music snob or unusually focused on music reproduction, but "natural" sounds like what I'd prefer.

When I test drove a Mazda CX-5 with their Bose system, I immediately noticed how thumpy it sounded, even at low volume. Not being critical, it just seemed enhanced. Fine, if that's what the buyer wants. That was also kind of ironic since Bose has often been labeled with: "No highs, no lows, it must be Bose". Maybe they're compensating these days. My point being, adding anything synthetic seems like a crutch. I prefer the idea of a default sound attempting to reproduce music as close to live as is possible inside a car that mortals can afford. I think that was Scheiner's intention. (That's actually what he said it was)

I'm going to leave the enhancers off and go with Scheiner's design out of the box. So far, I'm truly pleased. And no argument about source quality being the largest factor in output quality. Download the HDtracks sampler onto a USB stick to hear the proof of that.

As always, personal preference is the correct preference. Tweak or no tweak, your call.

 

Well said sir!

 

One thing I will add is that I only listen to the car audio when I'm hauling a$$ cross-country on some epic solo road trip, never sitting still in my driveway. So anything that helps the audio punch above the noise floor without my ears ringing for a week like after a '70s rock concert, is somewhat welcome. YMMV

 

That fake surround DTS Neural is horrible to me. The older RDX's had a Dolby fake surround which actually wasn't bad, but after the very first time I tried it I shut that DTS Neural off and have never turned it back on. Stick with real 5.1 discrete files and you'll be much happier.

 

That would limit my selection to nothing.

I find it interesting that people talk about "soundstage" and "imaging" in reference to things like studio recorded rock music. Unless I'm missing something, those sessions are recorded close-mic and most time delay or "imaging" is added when the individual tracks are mixed together for the final product. So complaining that some kind of processing at the reproduction system is "artificial" really means that you prefer the original artificial processing to the later artificial processing. And yeah, some are better than others.

I still have a Carver "sonic holography" preamp collecting dust in my basement. That preceeded Dolby 5.1 by a few decades, and tried to do the trick with only two speakers. Of course, we each have only two ears. It's only when multiple sets of ears want to listen at the same time that life gets more complicated. LOTS more complicated...

 

Anyone use the compressed music enhancer feature or do you keep that off as well?

 

Since all of my music are either Uncompressed FLAC or wav files, I keep it off.

Seriously though. With the cost of large capacity memory sticks so much cheaper now a days, I don’t understand why anyone would download or rip compressed music.

 

For those that have 5.1 Flac files - where/how are you acquiring the files? I only know of hdtracks.com

 

I have been using Amazon HD which also streams in UD that matches HD tracks offerings. Very happy with it, especially in my Volvo XC90 with Bowers & Wilkins audio.

https://www.audioholics.com/news/dolby-atmos-music

 

Hey WunderWagen, quick question about Amazon HD. Once you sign up for the service, do you have to do anything on your device (I have an iPhone) so you're getting the HD stream to the vehicle? Or does the app recognize you're an HD subscriber and default to the HD quality? I'd like to try this and see how the ELS system sounds. Thanks!

 

I also have an iPhone... for me I use the CarPlay direct connect for best signal as the Amazon Music App is on CarPlay. On the app just make sure to have it set to HD/UD for downloads. There is a setting for WiFi and for cellular so set it on both.

 

You can get them on Amazon also.
But hdtracks are popular.

 

You can try here to get started.

https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/f...afford-to-buy/

 

Like this, WunderWagen?

 

Yep, although depending on your location the cell signal may not be strong enough for HD streaming which means you will get buffering (loading) during songs. If that happens change the Mobile Date to best available. You can also download the HD/UD songs to your phone if you have the storage space and want some high quality songs all the time.

 

Thanks. I just purchased a few albums in Flac format and played in the RDX. HUGE difference!!!

 

I don’t like the DTS Neural Surround. It sounds phoney to me. I didn’t mind the Dolby surround on my retired 2008 RDX.

 

You and I are on the same wavelength. Are you a member over at the quad forum? If not, you should check it out.

 

I’m not a member but I do lurk around there from time to time. I like to find out what’s new in the esoteric world of recorded sound. I had an uncle who had a quadrophonic stereo system back in the 70’s. To achieve the best sound back in the late 70’s I even owned an expander hooked up to my Bryson 4B powered stereo with Magneplanar speakers. Upscale stereo systems were a big deal to most of my friends back then. Theses days surround sound is great and not very expensive.

 

just get some 5.1 surround sound music. The car delivers! If you would like a sample, I would not mind to oblige.

 

A kind offer, thank you. The weekends prior to picking up my RDX I spent some time ripping 20 or so DVD-A’s I had purchased back in the 90’s. I never thought they would be used again. The car certainly gave them new life.