O P E R A T I N G I N S T R U C T I O N S
AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER RVD-6090R

INPUT SELECTOR

REMOTE SENSOR DIGITAL DIRECT

MASTER VOLUME

T D A S
T0TALLY DISCRETE AMPLIFIER STAGE

ON/OFF

STANDBY OPTICAL COAXIAL

ST TUNED AUTO

M PRESET MEM
dB kHz MHz Pro Logic 3 Stereo THEATER HALL

SPEAKER

ms SLEEP

VIDEO AUDIO

DYNAMIC RANGE

CINEMA EQ

DIRECT

SPEAKER MODE

FM MODE

MEMO/ENTER

TAPE MONITOR CHANNEL SELECTOR
6 CH DIRECT DIGITAL INPUTS DSP MODE STEREO

TUNING/PRESET

TUNING/PRESET MODE
PHONES BASS TREBLE CHANNEL LEVEL

VCR 2 INPUT

RVD-6090R

AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER

Introduction
UNPACKING AND INSTALLATION

ENGLISH

Congratulations on Your Purchase! Yourn new high fidelity receiver is designed to deliver maximum enjoyment and years of trouble free service. Please take a few moments to read this manual thoroughly. It will explain the features and operation of your unit and help ensure a trouble free installation. Please unpack your unit carefully. We recommend that you save the carton and packing material. They will be helpful if you ever need to move your unit and may be required if you ever need to return it for service. Your unit is designed to be placed in a horizontal position and it is important to allow at least two inches of space behind your unit for adequate ventilation and cabling convenience. To avoid damage, never place the unit near radiators, in front of heating vents, in direct sunlight, or in excessively humid or dusty locations. Connect your complementary components as illustrated in the following section. FOR U.S.A. Note to CATV System Installer: This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer's attention to Article 820-40 of the NEC that provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as practical.
FCC INFORMATION This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION : TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

WARNING

CAUTION: Any changes or modifications in construction of this device which are not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.
Caution : Do not block ventilation openings or stack other equipment on the top.
READ THIS BEFORE OPERATING YOUR UNIT
FOR U.S.A. AND CANADA. 120 V FOR OTHER COUNTRIES.. 110 V/220 V
FOR YOUR SAFETY Units shipped to the U.S.A. and Canada are designed for operation on 120 V AC only. Observe all safety precautions with use of a polarized AC plug. However, some products may be supplied with a nonpolarized plug.
FOR YOUR SAFETY Units shipped to countries other than the above countries are equipped with an AC voltage selector switch on the rear panel. Refer to the following paragraph for the proper setting of this switch. AC VOLTAGE SELECTION This unit operates on 110-220 V AC. The AC voltage selector switch on the rear panel is set to the voltage that prevails in the area to which the unit is shipped. Before connecting the power cord to your AC outlet, make sure that the setting position of this switch matches your line voltage. If not, it must be set to your voltage in accordance with the following direction.

CAUTION : To prevent electric shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, fully insert.
FOR EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA. 230 V/240 V
FOR YOUR SAFETY Units shipped to Australia are designed for operation on 240 V AC only. To ensure safe operation, the three-pin plug supplied must be inserted only into a standard three-pin power point which is effectively earthed through the normal household wiring. Extension cords used with the equipment must be three-core and be correctly wired to provide connection to earth. Improper extension cords are a major cause of fatalities. The fact that the equipment operates satisfactorily does not imply that the power point is earthed and that the installation is completely safe. For your safety, if in any doubt about the effective earthing of the power point, consult a qualified electrician. PAN-EUROPEAN UNIFIED VOLTAGE All units are suitable for use on supplies 230-240 V AC.
AC voltage selector switch

AC 220 V

AC 110 V
Move switch lever to match your line voltage with a small screwdriver or other pointed tool.

CONTENTS

UNPACKING AND INSTALLATION... 2 READ THIS BEFORE OPERATING YOUR UNIT... 3
System Connections..... 5 Front Panel Controls.... 7 DIGI LINK III System Remote Controls.... 8
REMOTE CONTROL OPERATION RANGE.... 9 LOADING BATTERIES.... 9

Operations

LISTENING TO A PROGRAM SOURCE... 10 SURROUND SOUND..... 13 ENJOYING SURROUND SOUND.... 14 LISTENING TO RADIO BROADCASTS... 18 RECORDING..... 20 OTHER FUNCTIONS..... 21
Troubleshooting Guide..... 22 Specifications..... 23

System Connections

Do not plug the AC input cord into the wall AC outlet until all connections are completed. Be sure to connect the white RCA cord to the L(left) and the red RCA cord to the R(right) jacks when making audio connections. Change the position of the FM indoor antenna until you get the best reception of your favorite FM stations. A 75 outdoor FM antenna may be used to further improve the reception. Disconnect the indoor antenna before replacing it with the outdoor one. Place the AM loop antenna as far as possible from the receiver, TV set, speaker wires and the AC input cord. Point it in the direction that offers the best reception. If the reception is poor with the AM loop antenna, an AM outdoor antenna can be used in place of the AM loop antenna. Make connections firmly and correctly. If not, it can cause loss of sound, noise or damage to the receiver. If the electricity fails or the AC input cord is left unplugged for about 2 weeks, the memorized contents will be cleared. Should this happen, memorize them again.

(OUTDOOR ANTENNA)

AM LOOP

PRE OUT REAR

COAXIAL

TAPE MON.

AC-3/PCM

FRONT SPEAKERS R (8)

AC INPUT 120V~60Hz 2.1A

MODEL NO. RVD-6090R

MADE IN KOREA DESIGNED IN USA

REC VIDEO MON. OUT

SUB WOOFER

OPTICAL

CENTER

REAR SPEAKERS R (8)

SER. NO
WARNING:"SHOCK HAZARD-DO NOT OPEN" AVIS:"RISQUE DE CHOC-ELECTRIQUE-NE P AS OUVRIR"
Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. "Dolby", "PRO LOGIC" and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confidential Unpublished Works. 1992-1997 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1)This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2)this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. E85649
29Z3 LISTED AUDIO EQUIPMENT

ANTENNA

6-CH DIRECT INPUT REAR

DIGITAL INPUTS

DVD/ TV

IN VCR1

AC OUTLET

SUB WOOFER L R

OUT VIDEO L R DIGI-LINK CENTER SPEAKER(8)
SWITCHED 120V~60Hz 100W 1A MAX

(INDOOR ANTENNA)

AM loop antenna
Tape deck or additional audio component
DIGI-LINK STEREO DOUBLE CASSETTE DECK DD-5080C

HIGH NORM CD SYN REC

COUNTER

MIN SEC

RELAY P

T SIZE

MEMORY

B/C/OFF

R PLAY

-00 -20 -10 -6 -+3 +6

REVERSE

AUTO REVERSE

DUBBING NORMAL HIGH

CD SUN REC

PLAY/AUTO TAPE SELECTOR

MIC MIX MIC

HX-PRO
RECORD & PLAY/AUTO TAPE SELECTOR

PLAY(LINE OUT)

PHONES

REC LEVEL

REC BALAMCE

R SOURCE

300 ohm feeder
*Tape deck or graphic equalizer

REC(LINE IN)

SOURCE

CD player

MULTIPLE COMPACT DISC PLAYER CDC-5080R

OPEN/CLOSE

V-CD PBC REVERT PROG PEAK DELETE AUTO EDIT

GRAPHICS

SCENE TRACK
RANDOM REPEAT ALL 1 DISC S A< >B MPX INTRO

INDEX STEP

PHONES LEVEL REMOTE SENSOR PROGRAM/REVIEW RANDOM REPEAT

MIN MAX

SUPPLIED ADAPTOR
PLAY TAPE MON. REC VIDEO MON. OUT

FRONT CH OUT

IN VCR1 OUT

6-CH DIRECT INPUT

REAR CH OUT

REC(IN)

Video deck 1
V-CD PBC REVERT PEAK PROG AUTO EDIT

RANDOM

SCENE TRACK INDEX

6 CH decoder

PLAY(OUT) OUT

DELETE

REPEA T ALL 1 DISC S A< >B MPX INTRO

PHONES LEVEL PHONES

PLAY(OUT)
DVD player or additional video component

SUB WOOFER L R CENTER

Monitor TV

VIDEO IN

CENTER CH OUT SUBWOOFER CH OUT
Use these jacks to connect the corresponding analog outputs of 6 CH decoder or DVD player with 6 CH output for Dolby Digital or DTS, etc. (For details, see the operator's manual of the component to be connected.)
The TAPE MONITOR PLAY/REC jacks may also be connected to the LINE OUT/IN jacks of an optional graphic equalizer. q The DVD/TV jacks may also be connected to an additional video component such as a cable TV tuner or a video deck.

s PRE OUT connections

Power amplifier

FRONT PRE OUT REAR

s CONNECTING SYSTEM CONTROL

Front speakers

Sherwood component with DIGI LINK II or III
Power amplifier Rear speakers Power amplifier Center speaker

DIGI-LINK

Tape deck Graphic equalizer

System control cord

Powered subwoofer
Connect this jack to the DIGI LINK jack of the external Sherwood component that uses the DIGI LINK II or III remote control system.
Use these jacks when adding additional amplifiers. q Connect the PRE OUT jacks to the powered speakers or the power amplifiers connected to speakers respectively. q To emphasize deep bass sounds, connect a powered subwoofer.

s AC INPUT CORD

Plug this cord into a wall AC outlet.

s SWITCHED AC OUTLET

FRONT SPEAKERS R (8) L
This outlet is switched on(power on mode) and off(standby mode) according to power controls as follows(Maximum total capacity is 1A, 100W):
Standby mode switched AC outlet off Power on mode switched AC outlet on
s CONNECTING SPEAKERS s CONNECTING DIGITAL INPUTS

Front right Front left

Component with COAXIAL DIGITAL OUT
Component with OPTICAL DIGITAL OUT

Rear right

Rear left
The COAXIAL or the OPTICAL DIGITAL OUTs of the components that are connected to "CD", "VCR2" and "DVD/TV" of this unit can be connected to these DIGITAL INPUTS. q A digital input should be connected to the components such as LD player, CD player or DVD, etc. capable of outputing Dolby Digital(AC-3) or PCM format digital signals. q For details, refer to the operating instructions of the component connected. q When making the COAXIAL DIGITAL connection, be sure to use a 75 COAXIAL cord, not a conventional AUDIO cord.

CENTER SPEAKER(8)

Center
Never short circuit the + and - speaker cords. Be sure to connect speakers firmly and correctly according to the channel (left and right) and the polarity (+ and -). q Be sure to use the speakers with the impedance of over 8. q For installing the speakers, refer to "Speaker placement" on page 14.

In the standby mode, when pressing an input selector button, the unit is turned on automatically and the desired input source is selected.
AUX TAPE MON. VCR 2 STEREO
PRESET - for selecting equalizer pattern. USER - for adjusting equalizer pattern as desired. FILE - for selecting desired equalizer pattern in the preset or in the user mode. T.MON - for monitoring the sound of recording or playback on tape deck. DISPLAY - for selecting equalizer display.

STEREO BUTTON

6CH DIRECT DVD/TV DSP MODE INPUT SELECTOR T.TONE CH SEL.
DSP MODE BUTTON DOLBY SURROUND BUTTON CHANNEL SELECTOR BUTTON
TEST TONE BUTTON DELAY TIME BUTTON DELAY ADJUST BUTTON DISPLAY BUTTON SLEEP BUTTON CHANNEL LEVEL UP/DOWN ( / ) BUTTONS

D.TIME

ADJUST CH LEVEL MASTER MUTE

DISPLAY

MASTER VOLUME UP/DOWN ( / ) BUTTONS MUTE BUTTON
In the DIGI LINK III remote control system, if pressing PLAY, etc. on CD player or tape deck, CD or TAPE MONITOR is selected automatically without selecting the input source and then PLAY, etc. starts. Notes: Some functions for CD player, tape deck or equalizer may not be available. For details about functions, refer to the operating instructions of each component.
REMOTE CONTROL OPERATION RANGE
RDS RT TIMER 12 ST TUNED AUTO VCR12V-CD TAPE 2 M PRESET dB kHz MHz EON TP TA PTY Pro Logic 3 Stereo THEATER HALL MEM

POWER 3

P.SCAN 4 5

A<<B

PRESET USER FILE T.MON

DECK DISPLAY

TAPE MON. VCR 2

STEREO

6CH DIRECT

DVD/TV

DSP MODE
INPUT SELECTOR T.TONE CH SEL.
Use the remote control unit within a range of about 7 Meters (23 feet) and angles of up to 30 degrees. Aim at the remote sensor.

LOADING BATTERIES

Remove the cover. Load two batteries matching the polarity.

("AAA" size)

Remove the batteries when they are not used for a long time. Do not use rechargeable batteries(Ni-Cd type).
LISTENING TO A PROGRAM SOURCE

ENGLISH Before operation

Enter the standby mode.
Select the desired input source.

POWER 3 P.SCAN 0

CD REPEAT

AUX TAPE MON. VCR 2

TAPE MONITOR

T.TONE

CH SEL.
The STANDBY indicator lights up. This means that the receiver is not disconnected from the AC mains and a small amount of current is retained to support the memorized contents and operation readiness. To switch the power off, push the POWER switch again. Then the power is cut off and the STANDBY indicator goes off. In the standby mode, turn the power on.

Each time the AUDIO button is pressed, the input source changes as follows; TUNER CD AUX (frequency display) Each time the VIDEO button is pressed, the input source changes as follows; VCR1 VCR2 DVD When the TAPE MONITOR button is set to on so that TAPE M indicator lights up, other inputs can not be heard from the speakers. To listen to a input source other than TAPE MONITOR, be sure to set the TAPE MONITOR button to off. TAPE MONITOR function You can connect either a tape deck or a graphic equalizer to the receivers TAPE MONITOR jacks. To listen to the component connected to these jacks, set the TAPE MONITOR button to on. If you connect a 3-head tape deck, you can listen to the sound being recorded during recording, not the source sound. For further details, refer to the operating instructions of the component connected. When selecting the 6 CH DIRECT as desired, 6-DIRECT is displayed and the 6 separate analog signals from 6 CH or decoder connected to this unit pass through the tone (bass, treble) and volume circuits only and directly transfer to the speakers. (In case that the TAPE MONITOR button is set to on, the TAPE MONITOR button is automatically set to off.) To cancel the 6 CH Direct function, press the 6 CH DIRECT button or select the desired input source. These 6 separate analog signals can be heard only, not recorded.

POWER 2 P.SCAN 9 DISC

CD TUNER

POWER 2 3

Each time the POWER button on the remote control is pressed, the receiver is turned on to enter the operating mode or off to enter the standby mode. In the standby mode, if the INPUT SELECTOR button is pressed, the receiver is turned on automatically and the desired input is selected. Switch the speakers on.

6 CH DIRECT

CD INTRO

REPEAT

ADJUST

CH LEVEL

MASTER
Then sound can be heard from the speakers connected to the speaker terminals. When using headphones for private listening, press the SPEAKER switch again to switch the speakers off.
When CD, VCR2 or DVD is selected as input source
Select the digital or the analog input connected as desired.
Adjust the (over all) volume.

DOWN UP

Each time this button is pressed, the corresponding input is selected as follows ; OPTICAL COAXIAL ANALOG
To listen to Dolby Digital (AC-3) program source in the 2-CH downmix mode, in the stereo mode, the corresponding digital input should be selected. (For details, refer to Downmixing into 2 front channels on page 17) Notes: When the selected optical or coaxial digital input is not connected, the selected DIGITAL INPUT indicator is flickering, meaning no sound. (Refer to ENJOYING SURROUND SOUND on page 14.) The sound from the component connected to the selected digital input can be heard regardless of the selected input source.

Delay time

When the center speaker or the rear speakers is(are) closer to the listener than the front speakers, the sound from the center speaker or the rear speakers can arrive at the listeners ear earlier than the sound from the front speakers. In this case, the imaging is not as sharp and stable as it could be. For audible improvement, the sound from center speaker can be delayed with the center delay time setting so that the sound from the front and the center speakers will be heard at the same time and the sound from the rear speakers can be also delayed with the rear delay time setting so that the sound from the front and the rear speakers will be heard at the same time. The optimum delay time will be different according to the room size and the acoustic properties. It is recommended that you try different times to obtain the best effect. It is adjustable in the surround modes except for the normal stereo mode. (For details, refer to In the surround modes except for the normal stereo mode, adjusting delay times of the speakers on page 17)
Speaker placement ENGLISH
To obtain the best surround sound effect in your home, place the speakers as follows; Front speakers: Place each front speaker about 1m (40 ) from the TV set. Center speaker: Place the center speaker either above or below the TV set to assure good visualization of center channel program. Rear speakers: Place the rear speakers approximately 1m above the ear level of a seated listener on the direct left and right of them or slightly behind. Subwoofer: Reproduces powerful deep bass sounds. Place a powered subwoofer anywhere in the front as desired. The ideal surround system needs all the speakers listed above. However, if you dont have a center speaker, a subwoofer or rear speakers, select the best possible surround mode with the available speakers. To enjoy the surround sound best, the speakers to be connected are as follows;
Modes Dolby Digital(AC-3) Dolby Pro Logic Other Surround
FRONT LEFT SUB WOOFER TV set CENTER SPEAKER FRONT RIGHT
Front Center Rear Subwoofer

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes Yes Optional
Yes Optional Yes Optional

Stereo Yes Optional

6 CH DIRECT Yes Yes Yes Yes

REAR LEFT

REAR RIGHT
If a DTS Decoder is connected to the 6 CH DIRECT INPUTS, the most accurate reproduction requires that front, center and surround speakers all be full range speakers. Note:To avoid interference with the TV picture, use only magnetically shielded center and front speakers.

ENJOYING SURROUND SOUND

Surround sound effect will not work properly if the signal passes through a graphic equalizer. Please refer to your equalizer operating instructions for guidance on switching off (or defeating) the equalizer. Select the desired surround mode. When selecting the Dolby Surround mode.

POWER 3 P.SCAN 0 DISC CD REPEAT
When selecting a surround mode among THEATER, HALL 1 and HALL 2 modes.
Each time the DSP MODE button is pressed, the surround mode changes as follows; THEATER HALL 1 HALL 2 Playing Dolby Surround program sources, (bearing the or the trademarks) in THEATER, HALL 1 or HALL 2 modes, may produce better surround effects. When the 6 CH DIRECT is selected as input source, the surround mode cannot be selected.
DOLBY D I G I T A L DOLBY SURROUND
When playing either DVD software ,etc. bearing the trademark or video, DVD or LD software,etc. bearing the trademark, the Dolby Digital(AC-3) mode or the Dolby Pro Logic mode is automatically selected to according to the input signal. When playing Dolby Digital(AC-3) program sources encoded in the 2 channel format, either the Dolby Pro Logic mode or the Dolby Digital(AC-3) mode will be automatically selected based on the encoding process. (If the Dolby Digital(AC-3) mode is automatically selected, pressing the DOLBY SURROUND button will select the Dolby Pro Logic mode.) To enjoy the Dolby Digital mode, be sure that the program source and the corresponding digital input are selected correctly. If not, no sound will be heard.
When canceling the surround mode for normal stereo operation.

DISC CD

Adjusting the settings of front, center ,rear speakers, and subwoofer connected. If the speaker setting is adjusted to S, the low range bass sound of the channel(s) is redirected to the subwoofer or the front channels and if the speaker setting is adjusted to N, the sound of the channel(s) is redirected to other channels.
Press the SPEAKER MODE button for more than 2 seconds to enter the frontcenter-rear speaker mode.
The front-center-rear speaker setting is displayed. When the 6 CH DIRECT is selected as input source or ANALOG is selected as signal input in the stereo mode, the speaker mode function is not available. Memorize the desired speaker setting while it is displayed.
Each time this button is pressed, one of 11 different speaker settings are selected and displayed for 8 seconds as follows; FL CS RS, FL CL RS, FL CL RL, FL CL RN, FL CS RL, FL CN RL, FL CS RN, FL CN RS, FS CS RS, FS CS RN and FS CN RS In the displays, F stands for Front, C for Center, R for Rear, L for Large, S for Small and N for None. When judging whether a speaker is Large or Small, please note that a standard large speaker has a cone size larger than 12 cm(5 inches). The following speaker settings cannot be selected. Front :Small, Center : Large and Rear : Large(FS-CL--RL) or Center : None and Rear : None(CN-RN) setting. Select the desired subwoofer setting.

Each time this button is pressed, the subwoofer setting changes and is displayed for 8 seconds as follows; The desired speaker setting is memorized and then it enters the subwoofer mode. If the speaker setting display disappears, start from step 2 above, again. SUB W(oofer) -- Y(es): When using a subwoofer. SUB W(oofer) -- N(o) : When not using a subwoofer. In case that the front speaker is set to S, the subwoofer is automatically set to Y.
Memorize the subwoofer setting while it is displayed.
Checking the speaker setting
If the subwoofer setting display disappears, start from step 2 above, again.
Each time this button is pressed briefly, the frontcenter-rear speaker or subwoofer setting is displayed.
Adjusting the speaker settings
Select the desired speaker setting.
Adjusting each channel level
Select the desired channel.
Adjust the level of the selected channel as desired.

CHANNEL LEVEL

CHANNEL SELECTOR
INTRO AUX TAPE MON. VCR 2 STEREO
6CH DIRECT DECK SEL. DVD/TV DSP MODE
Each time this button is pressed, the corresponding channel is selected and displayed for 3 seconds as follows; Front Left Center Front Right SubWoofer Rear Left Rear Right When in the normal stereo mode or when a speaker setting is N, the center, rear or subwoofer are not available.
If the channel display disappears, start from the above step 7 again.
Repeat the above steps 7 and 8 to adjust other channel levels.
In Dolby Digital (AC-3) or Dolby Pro
In these modes, the volume level of each channel can be adjusted easily with the test tone function.
Do the steps 7 to 9 in Adjusting each channel level until the sound level of each speaker is heard to be equally loud.
Enter the test tone mode.
Cancel the test tone function.
The test tone will be heard from the speaker of each channel for 2 seconds as follows; Front Left Center Front Right SUBwoofer Rear Left Rear Right When the speaker setting is N, the test tone of the corresponding channel is not available.
In the surround modes except for the normal stereo mode, adjusting
When the distances from the prime listening position to front left, center, front right, rear left and rear right speakers are same, the basic settings are as follows according to the surround modes; In the Dolby Digital(AC-3) mode Center delay time : 0 ms, Rear delay time : 0 ms In the Dolby Pro Logic, Theater, Hall 1 and Hall 2 modes Rear delay time : 15 ms If the center or the rear speaker(s) is(are) not at the same distance from the prime listening position as the front speakers, increase or decrease the center delay time by 1 ms for every about 30 cm(1 foot) it is closer or farther away and increase or decrease the rear delay time by 5 ms for every about 1~1.5 m(3~5 feet) it is closer or farther away. Adjust the delay time.
The delay time will be displayed for 5 seconds. The corresponding delay time is displayed. The center delay time can only be adjusted in the Dolby Digital (AC-3) mode. When playing Dolby Digital (AC-3) program sources in the THEATER, HALL 1 or HALL 2 modes, the center and rear delay times can be adjusted just as they are in the Dolby Digital (AC-3) mode.

Memorize the delay time.

DECK SEL. CD DECK USER FILE T.MON DISPLAY TUNER VCR 1 EQUALIZER
INPUT SELECTOR AUX TAPE MON. VCR 2 STEREO T.TONE CH SEL.
INPUT SELECTOR T.TONE CH SEL. DISPLAY
Each time this button is pressed, the delay time changes in regular intervals. If the delay time disappears, start from the step 13 again.
The rear delay time can be memorized without pressing the DELAY TIME button. In Dolby Digital(AC-3) mode, repeat the above steps 14 and 15 to adjust the rear delay time.
Downmixing into 2 front channels
Allows the multi-channel Dolby Digital(AC-3) signal to be reproduced through only two speakers or through headphones. When playing the Dolby Digital(AC-3) program sources, press the STEREO button.

POWER 3 P.SCAN 0 DISC CD

ST and the Dolby Digital(AC-3) indicators light up, meaning it enters the 2-CH downmix mode, and then the 5 discrete channels(front L, center, front R, rear L and rear R) are mixed down to 2 front channels.
To cancel the 2-CH downmix mode, select the desired surround mode. When play is stopped or interrupted, etc., the 2-CH downmix mode is not canceled even though ST and the Dolby Digital(AC-3) indicators goes off. If the headphones are plugged and the SPEAKER switch is set to off while playing the Dolby Digital (AC-3) program sources, it will enter the 2-CH downmix mode automatically(but only the Dolby Digital(AC-3) indicator lights up still) and if the headphones are unplugged and the SPEAKER switch is set to on in the 2-CH downmix mode, it will return to the previous mode.
Check the delay time to be adjusted.
LISTENING TO RADIO BROADCASTS

ENGLISH Auto tuning

Select the tuner.

POWER P.SCAN

Select the desired band.

FREQUENCY

INTRO SCAN

DECK SEL

AUX DVD/TV VCR1

EQ PRESET

USER FILE DISPLAY T.MON

CHANNEL SEL T.TONE

STEREO D.TIME ADJUST

DISPLAY SYS

REMOTE CONTROL RM-RVD-98L
Each time this button is pressed, the band is changed to FM or AM. Pressing the BAND button without first selecting TUNER, will automatically select the tuner.

Select the tuning mode.

Press the TUNING/PRESET UP( ) or DOWN( ) button for more than 0.5 second.
Each time this button is pressed, the mode changes as follows; Tuning mode : PRESET goes off. Preset mode : PRESET lights up.
Then AUTO appears on the display. The tuner will now search until a station of sufficient strength has been found. The display shows the tuned frequency and TUNED. If the station found is not the desired one, simply repeat this operation. Weak stations are skipped during auto tuning.

Manual tuning

Manual tuning is useful when you already know the frequency of the desired transmitter. Perform the steps 1~3 in Auto tuning procedure and press the TUNING/PRESET UP( ) or DOWN( ) button repeatedly until the right frequency has been reached.

Dubbing from video components onto VCR 1
Start recording on the VCR 1.
Select VCR 2 or DVD as recording source.

POWER P.SCAN 5

Start play on the VCR 2 or the DVD.
The audio and video signals from the VCR 2 or the DVD will be dubbed onto the VCR 1 and you can enjoy them on the TV set and from the speakers. Select CD as audio recording source.
Dubbing the audio and video signals separately onto VCR 1
Example) When dubbing the DVD video signal and the CD audio signal separately onto VCR 1.
Select DVD as video recording source.
Start play on the DVD and the CD respectively.
The audio signal from the CD and the video signal from the DVD will be dubbed and you can enjoy them on the TV set and from the speakers. Note : Be sure to observe the order of the above steps 1 and 2.

OTHER FUNCTIONS

Compressing the dynamic range (Dolby Digital(AC-3) mode only)
This function compresses the dynamic range of previously specified parts of the Dolby Digital(AC3) sound track(with extremely high volume) to minimize the difference in volume between the specified and non-specified parts. This makes it easy to hear all of the sound track when watching movies at night at low levels.
Then the DYNAMIC RANGE indicator lights up. Press again to cancel. In some Dolby Digital(AC-3) software, this function may not be available.
Operating the sleep timer
The sleep timer allows the system to continue to operate for a specified period of time before automatically shutting off. To set the receiver to automatically turn off after the specified period of time.
Adjusting the brightness of the fluorescent displays
Each time this button is pressed, the sleep time changes as follows; 90 OFF

Unit : minutes

Each time this button is pressed, the brightness of all fluorescent displays of Sherwood components by the DIGI LINK III changes together as follows; ON dim OFF In the display OFF mode, pressing any button will restore the display ON mode.
When the sleep time is selected, all display panels of Sherwood components connected by the DIGI LINK III are dimly lit.

Troubleshooting Guide

If a fault occurs, run through the table below before taking your receiver for repair. If the fault persists, attempt to solve it by switching the receiver off and on again. If this fails to resolve the situation, consult your dealer. Under no circumstances should you attempt to repair the receiver yourself. This could void the warranty.

PROBLEM

No power

POSSIBLE CAUSE

The AC input cord is disconnected. Poor connection at AC wall outlet or the outlet is inactive. The speaker cords are disconnected. The master volume is adjusted too low. The MUTE button on the remote control is pressed to ON. Speakers are not switched on. Incorrect selection of input source. Incorrect connections between the components. Surround mode is switched off(normal stereo mode). Master volume and rear level are too low. Monaural source is used. Rear speaker setting is N. Surround mode is switched off(normal stereo mode). Center speaker setting is N. Master volume and center level are too low. No antenna is connected. The desired station frequency is not tuned in. Antenna is in wrong position. An incorrect station frequency has been memorized. The memorized stations are cleared. No antenna is connected. The antenna is not positioned for the best reception. Weak signals.

AM TUNER SECTION

Tuning frequency range.... 520~1710 kHz Usable sensitivity..... 500 V/m Signal to noise ratio, 80 dB/m..... 40 dB Selectivity..... 25 dB

GENERAL

Power supply.... AC 120 V, 60 Hz Power consumption...... 2.1 A Switched AC outlet.... TOTAL 1 A, 100 W max. Dimensions (W H D).. 330 mm(17-3/8 4-15/inches) Weight (Net)..... 10 kg(22 lbs)
Note: Design and specifications are subject to change without notice for improvements.

5707-04707-001-0

Four-Channel Laserdisc

by David B. Hadaway In BASS v21n5/6, John Thompson asked about 4channel laserdiscs. I have a laserdisc from Japan that is partly what he seeks. The performance is of excerpts from Carl Maria von Webers Der Freischtz. On one side the digital tracks are the orchestra and the analog tracks are the chorus and soloists. The other side is a mix of the four tracks to two. As far as I know, it is the only one of its kind.
Dynamic Range of Recordings
by E. Brad Meyer (Massachusetts) The BASS v22n1 July 1998 meeting summary included my comments that the quietest recording I have measured has a noise floor of -87dBA. This note clarifies some details. The point I measured in the Telarc Verdi Requiem was the silence with room sound and musicians during the Mors Stupebit. I used A weighting and the reference level is digital full-scale. Noise level in an analog system is generally measured from the 3% distortion point, but that point varies quite a bit with different tapes. In the old days, it was about 0VU, which was about 200 nanowebers/ meter of flux. Nowadays, the hotter tapes will probably not reach 3% until 6-8dB or even more above the old reference, and the 0VU point is set correspondingly higher. In any case, a digital systems equivalent point would generally be taken to be about -10dBfs, since both systems can transmit brief peaks of 8-10dB above that level.
power amp here. In other words, this needs to be approached from a system point of view. By the way, trying to attenuate this wide-dynamicrange output enough to drive an A/D converter that runs off of 5V (or +5V only) without running into thermal noise problems seems close to impossible. Nonetheless: it seems clear that Hadaway should go ahead and make a tweaks-only, db Systems 150+dB-dynamic-range preamp. for the 21st century. way digital-ready. and beyond. After all, we all know that 24/96 is not enough either DRM.]

Repairing Headphones

by David B. Hadaway I needed a pair of sealed-back headphones for location monitoring of concert recordings. I didnt want to subject my expensive headphones to the wear and tear of location travel, so I settled on Radio Shacks best, which were on sale. After a year, one of the plastic cylindrical earpiece pivots broke where it was hollow for the signal wire to pass through. Not willing to throw anything away, I managed to repair it by finding a metal machine screw of about the same diameter, hacksawing a slot in it for the cable, and epoxying it in place with Devcon Plastic Welder. This worked fine until the headband broke (it is all plastic). I reinforced it with two pieces of coathanger wire and liberally coated it with epoxy. The cable had no strain relief where it entered the earpiece, so I coated it with Goop (a rubber adhesive) to forestall a failure. [Coathanger, epoxy, Goop: these Radio Shacks must be lookin good by now DRM.] Another pair of headphones of mine, of B&O manufacture, broke at the headband pivot socket. I drilled a hole, slightly larger than the pivot, in a piece of sheet aluminum and epoxied it in place. Both phones are now working fine and are strengthened in the vulnerable areas. Of course they should have been built that way to start with.

currently have TV investments exceeding that level (whether the home theater audio and source playback system is included in this number is not stated). Arlen points out that the IEEE-1394 interface copyprotection agreement between the cable TV industry and CEMA is not yet final, and that independent analysts expect that it will be November [1999] or later until 1394 technology can be widely installed. The MPAA is also reviewing the copy-protection agreement, as they greatly fear illegal copying. HBO Goes HD The February 1999 issue of Broadcasting & Cables Digital Television reports that HBO was to begin distribution of HDTV in March. On the HBO HDTV channel, at least 45% of the movies will be in 1080i, growing to at least 60% by the end of the year. They are using the Kodak/Philips Spirit Datacines (the best currently available) for film-to-video transfers. Their flaw is that the transfers are being monitored on $40,000 35-inch professional monitors, which still do not show up the flaws visible on 6-foot-wide projection screens. The interview/article by editor Ken Kerschbaumer goes into a lot of interesting technical and management details. DTV Issues The December 1998 AudioVideo International reports that cable TV companies and TV receiver manufacturers have agreed to use FireWire (IEEE-1394) to transfer signals between cable and TV sets. (They still havent resolved the copy-protection issues.) It also reports that Matsushita and Philips have announced plans to sell DTV receiver cards for PCs by the end of 1999, and that the FCC has extended the small-dish rules to allow apartment dwellers to use their balconies, patios and other private outdoor areas for dishes. Common-use areas, such as roofs and shared gardens, are still off-limits, as are window sills and exterior walls. Renters Can Put Up Small Dishes In the December 1998 issue of the Transponder, David Draty reports in more detail on the FCCs amendment to their rule regarding small-satellite dishes to prohibit restrictions that impair the use of dishes and antennas in rented apartments, homes or other dwellings and adjacent outside property such as balconies, patios, gardens or yards that are exclusively used by the renter; this still does not include general-use areas such as gardens, roofs or exterior walls. The Building Owners and Managers Associa-6Boston Audio Society Speaker
tion is objecting to the ruling as going too far in giving the tenants this right and for expanding the definitions of leased premises and tenants. The DTV Station Engineers View The February 1999 Digital Television included the results of their December 1998 editors telephone survey of 100 DTV station engineers about their stations migration to DTV. It is not surprising that the great majority had substantially increased budgets for 1999 due to the transition. It is interesting that: by far the largest group (1/3) were using DVCPRO digital ENG equipment; more than half said their stations hadnt decided what H/DTV format (1080i, 720p or 480p) they would use (22% had selected 1080i, 15% had selected 720p); half expected to be broadcasting through the Internet within three years. The most entertaining result was that 85% disagreed with the HDTV format selected by their parent network. NIST HDTV Broadcast Technology Program The February 1999 SMPTE Journal includes an overview of this program by Christopher Ward and Ray Lowe. Recognizing the many still-non-standardized processes that are involved in the production and broadcast of HDTV, this National Institute of Standards and Technology program is trying to codify techniques that can facilitate workable interconnection among the processes and between facilities. The article presents an excellent sense of the multidimensional complexities program producers and broadcasters (including terrestrial, cable and satellite) have to face to bring this new age of TV to the people. Digital TV Starts Slowly As reported by Greg Tarr in the January 9 TWICE, 42 stations began DTV broadcasting by early November 1998; the cable industry is still trying to limit severely the must-carry responsibility for DTV signals, particularly since a terrestrial DTV station could transmit from one HDTV up to five separate SDTV (S = standard) signals over their channel. Although CEMA and the National Cable Television Association have agreed to use IEEE-1394 as the basis for the interface between cable set-top boxes and DTV sets, copy protection and control details are still being worked out (four copy-protection proposals are under consideration; the 5C system [5 company: Sony, Hitachi, Matsushita, Intel, Toshiba] and XCA [Extended Conditional Access: Thomson, Zenith] seem to be leading the pack). Multipath is a problem

in DTV reception, too; the federal government has levied a 5% tax on PPV services transmitted by DTV stations; and GUI design and differentiation among DTV stations, cable TV systems, and DTV set manufacturers are being hotly contested. [Remember, when considering DTV equipment, test reports in video magazines show that almost none of them can actually display full 1920 x 1080 resolution, even with interlace scanning. This is particularly true of current pixelated displays LCD, DMD/DLP, plasma DJW.] DTV Channels Conflict with Wireless-Mike Frequencies In the March 1999 issue of Systems Contractor News, Pete Moe wrote Frequency Conflicts Spell Wireless Mic Headaches about the interference problems expected by stage groups using wireless microphones, due to the large increase in the use of channels 60-69 (764-806MHz, which includes the frequency range authorized for wireless mike systems) by DTV stations. The FCC Web site www.fcc.gov/oet/dtv/start/dtv2-69.txt lists the DTV channel allocations for the US. Where Is HDTV Going? In Widescreen Review (v8n2, March 1999), Dale Cripps (editor/publisher of HDTV Newsletter; http://web-star.com/hdtv/hdtvnews.html) wrote HDTV Launched; But to Where? With What?, which covers the HDTV presence at the WCES99, the state of the industry, and the prospectus for H/DTV from various perspectives. This is a very good overview. Film/Video Aspect Ratios In the same issue Richard Travis wrote Watching Movies in the Era of Widescreen Television, Part 5: Fundamentals, which addresses aspect ratios and letterboxing in a more understandable manner than most of the writing on this subject. Runcos Digital Dawn Also in the issue, Dale Cripps interviewed Sam Runco, who as founder of Runco International is a leader and innovator in projection video systems. Video Image Brightness In the May 1999 Home Theater letters, Joseph Calise (president, Sights-n-Sounds, Farmingdale, NY) writes, after reading an article in the December 1996 issue, According to the SMPTE standards in the article, Don Stewart (of Stewart Filmscreen) helped come
up with the following equation: The ANSI lumen rating of the projector should be divided by the square footage of the screen, then multiplied by the gain of the screen to come up with the footlamberts (brightness). He goes on to say that 10 footlamberts or more will provide an acceptably bright picture. CEMA DTV Guide CEMA and the Harris Corps DTV Express (the DTV-studio-in-a-truck thats touring the US) provided several informative documents on the state of and prospects for DTV. The CEMA DTV Guide (dated January 1999, it is available from www.CEMAcity.org or 703-907-7600) includes lists of HDTV-integrated TV sets, HDTV-ready displays, set-top boxes and active DTV stations, a DTV faq, and several informative articles. Harris DTV Booklet Harris has published the Media Guide to Digital Television (54 pages), which includes a discussion of DTV, a DTV faq, industry DTV resource guide, and a glossary. I find the guide a little loose with the truth (HDTV does not deliver movie theater quality images and a DTV receiver will not have the same wide screen as a cinema), and the glossary fair. The contacts directory of equipment manufacturers, networks and involved federal agencies is the only reason to get this booklet. Philips DTV Booklet (by dummies) Philips, through IDG Books, has published DTV for Dummies, a 50-page booklet that addresses the DTV system in rudimentary terms and is clearly aimed at encouraging acceptance and purchase of DTV. Two errors are the incorrect definition of bandwidth (given as the range a signal can travel [! DRM]) and their repeated claim that HDTV will deliver cinema-quality images (even 1080i at 1920 x 1080 will not match the image from 35mm film). Available free by calling 888-747-3138; excerpts are at www.philipsusa.com. Quantel Digital Fact Book Quantel (www.quantel.com) offers Edition 9 of the Digital Fact Book, a 126-page glossary of DTV and digital video terms and facts; this is a very good reference. Roll Your Own TV Channel Two companies, Replay Networks and TiVo, offer systems that you can teach, and they can heuristically learn, your viewing preferences, after which theyll

sites that infringe on copyright, and works to shut them down. CD/DVD Anti-Piracy Program: The International Recording Media Association (IRMA) has announced plans for the worlds first anti-piracy certification/ compliance program for manufacturers of compact discs and DVDs. This program, modeled after the ISO 9000 standards, is designed to help pressing plants ensure they are not publishing pirated material. MP3 Remodels Labels? is a short item on the various ways companies are trying to deal with piracy and copyright protection while making money selling music over the Internet. MP3 Use Triggers Lawsuits: MP3 has become sufficiently popular that big companies are investing in the technology and the lawsuits are flying, including a suit by PlayMedia Systems (an MP3 Internet music-technology firm) against Nullsoft (maker of the Winamp MP3 player) over alleged copyright infringement. Tracking Music Downloads: www.mp3.com will use Audiosofts BackOffice e-commerce system to track music downloads for royalty payment determination. DVD-Audio: Signed, Now Sealed by Terence P. Keegan proclaims the completion of the final piece of the DVD-Audio puzzle copy protection. IBM, Intel, Matsushita and Toshiba announced on March 3 a content protection framework for DVD-Audio that the four companies developed together with Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, BMG, EMI and Sony Entertainment. They presented their solution to the Copy Protection Technical Working Group, which advises the DVD-Forum. Approval is expected, and product is anticipated this fall. Additionally, Sonys SACD has also been finalized, with equipment and discs expected this year. DVD Royalties: Philips has announced its intentions to begin collecting royalties on the DVD technology on behalf of itself, Sony and Pioneer. Disc manufacturers are to pay $10,000, of which $5000 gets credited against royalties of 54/disc. The royalty on DVD players is 3.5% of net selling price of each unit sold with a minimum of $5 per player. Philips also intends to collect 0.3 cents per disc for MPEG-2 audio patents held by Philips, IRT and CCETT (Philips claims these patents are critical to use of the Dolby Digital AC-3 Boston Audio Society Speaker
audio coding); Dolby Labs questions Philips right to collect this royalty. Slow Transition to Multichannel Audio: Christopher Walsh wrote this article about the expense and major technology/infrastructure changes for broadcast stations migrating to HDTV. He includes Dolbys NAB convention announcement of Dolby E, which allows a more convenient and superior to AC-3 distribution of surround audio for DTV broadcasters. He also notes that many stations are choosing to pass only the 2-channel audio feed (which might be in Dolby Surround) instead of the 5.1-channel soundtrack, partially because they are not set up to monitor it, and a lot of people are making what is probably the false assumption that whatever comes from the network will be just fine. Dolby E: A short item states that Dolby E can use an existing AES/EBU (digital) pair, or two tracks of a digital VCR, to transmit up to eight discrete channels, easing the transition complexity and expense. Dolby claims that Dolby E can survive multiple decode/encode cycles without quality degradation and that the matching of audio with video frames enables seamless editing and switching in the digital domain and allows metadata to be carried by the bitstream through the entire process. DTV Info Sources: Web sites listed: www.fcc.gov; www.digitaltelevision.com; www.tvbroadcast.com (the electronic format for Television Broadcast magazine); www.vidy.com (the electronic publication of Videography magazine).

In The Fifth Column, John Marks notes that a pair of Shahinian Obelisks has been included in an evolving home stereo system that is now considered Provisionally Poetic and Acceptable System No. 1. Dan Sweeney also wrote Audio Shows & the Cost of the High End, about the high cost and politics manufacturers endure to attend shows like CES. He creates the perspective of a small startup high-end amplifier company, and steps through the trials and tribulations encountered. It Was 32 Years Ago Today In the April 1999 Pro Sound News, The Real Fifth Beatle Remembers (by Christopher Walsh) synopsizes Sir George Martins recent presentation reminiscing about the making of Sgt. Pepper. Music on DVD In the November 1998 Audio, Al Griffin wrote Making the Scene, in which he describes the making of the James Taylor Live at the Beach Theatre concert DVD. Griffin monitored every step in the process, from recording the concert in surround sound, through audio mixing the DD 5.1 soundtrack, the MPEG-2 video-compression process, cutting and monitoring the DVD. This is an informative piece about the creation of a DVD by people who care about their work. More Music on DVD As reported in the January 8TWICE, Chesky Records has released DVD Super Audio 24/96 twochannel recordings. Delos Internationals three DVDVideo titles are in DD5.1 plus a DPL-encoded PCM track; two of these titles use a 448kbps bitstream, and one (the 1812 Overture) has a hidden track at 640kbps that is readable only by the Sony DVD-1000. Hi-Def Audio In the January 1999 Audio Video Interiors Mark Fleischmans High-Definition Audio is about the impending DVD-Audio format. His errors of fact include claiming that the CD sampling rate is 41.5kHz (44.1kHz is the number) and that one of the DVDAudio sampling rates is 196kHz (192 is the number). He does note that in at least one comparison, of the 16/44.1 CD and the 24/96 DVD releases of Red Rodneys 1957, he just might have been imagining things the differences were very subtle.
DVD-Audio Finally Has a Standard From the February 9 press release, obtained from the Parsons Audio web site: The DVD Forum announced today that its Steering Committee has approved Version 1.0 of the DVDAudio Disc specifications, making it the fifth of the DVD format family after DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM and DVD-R. Major Characteristics: DVD-Audio supports a wide range of Digital Audio options. The versatility in music creation practiced by the music industry is accommodated by the following elements: Available sampling frequencies are 48kHz, 96kHz, 192kHz, as well as 44.1kHz, 88.2kHz, and 176.4kHz. Bit resolution is also widely supported 16bit, 20bit and 24bit. Up to six channels are available for multichannel recording, with a maximum transfer rate of 9.6Mbps. Recording options range from two-channel to multichannel sound. In two-channel stereo, more than 74 minutes of recording time is possible on a singlesided/single-layer disc, even at the highest-quality mode of 24bit/192kHz. With multi-channel modes, even at 24bit/96kHz, six-channel recording can be included with more than 74 minutes of playback time. The signal is claimed to have an immediate presence, like that of an actual concert hall or an entirely new, highquality three-dimensional surround sound environment. Compatibility with the DVD-Video and DVD-ROM formats. DVD-Audio content recorded in multi-channel mode can also be played back properly on a two-channel stereo system, as intended by studio producers, thanks to the dedicated content producer-directed fold-down capability. Enriched Added Value Options The format supports playback of video clips with PCM and/or AC-3 sound with the quality of the DVD-Video format. Video slide shows can also be included for viewing while listening to the music. DVD-Audio Discs can contain all kinds of information of interest to music fans, including visual display of liner notes (album title, song titles, artist data, etc.), artist discography, and a URL (uniform resource locator) for access to bonus contents on the Web which, at the content providers discretion, might or might not be available only for users with certain commands or passwords.

clusive, and it is possible to make very successful surround recordings including elements of both techniques. When we use spaced techniques, in very general terms, the playback space becomes sort of a miniature hall and as we move about in it, our perspective shifts from increasingly dry to increasingly reverberant, just as in a real concert hall when we move toward and away from the stage. Meanwhile, localization is a little vague, and we get little sense of any sounds originating from within the array of playback speakers. When we record with a coincident array, we get a more specific, highly defined illusion that is primarily detected from a very specific point in space (the sweet spot). That illusion includes comparatively sharply delineated acoustic sources and ambiences, as well as a clear sense of being at a particular vantage point in the hall. Both illusions are fun. Both can be extremely satisfying musically. But the sensations they provide are quite different. However, keep in mind that we still have much to learn, which leads us to how these different arrays sound in direct comparison. The Sound of the Spaced Array At first listening, the spaced array was the most spacious and entertaining version. The surrounds were rich and gave a strong sense of the hall. The orchestral timbres were very true to life, and the general orchestral ensemble sounded both lifelike and spacious. There was decent envelopment (the term David Griesinger has coined to describe our sense of being in the soundfield created by the recorded ensemble, as opposed to perceiving that soundfield as being in front of us), and a generally satisfying sense of spaciousness and involvement with the recorded event. Its not perfect, however, and over time, a number of annoying flaws made themselves known. First, the lack of precise localization began to get a little obvious, and the entertaining wash of spaciousness began to be supplemented by a sense of a non-orchestral vagueness, which is to say that the orchestral image wasnt all that solid. Further, the highly directional characteristic of the trumpet soloist made the level of the trumpet sound a little louder in the rear mikes than it was in the front mikes. To make it worse, the off-axis sound quality of the trumpet in the front mikes made them sound comparatively reverberant. This resulted in a sense of trumpet everywhere rather than a point source. On the plus side, the Boston Audio Society Speaker

something was being lost between the samples. Bob Stuart, who was standing nearby, jumped into the fray. He was asked: Is anything being lost between the samples? Of course not, if you dither properly. Do you have double-blind tests that show 44.1 is inadequate? the Sony man was asked. Yes, but they are company-private, as far as I know. This sort of feeling is widespread in companies because they need to believe it to justify their marketing. [I dont think it is always a legit assumption that they really believe this stuff; I think what they are knowingly doing is corrupt and immoral DRM.] Moran: Its widespread partially because the Wall Street Journal prints it as fact and people believe it. Meyer: In this case, the Times probably consulted Laurence Johnson or Robert Harley. Moran: They still print that its hamburger and it will never again be steak. Meyer reported his impression that the DVD-Audio group seemed to be acting like winners. The panel member from Sony was asked why they were trying to spoil the game with their minority format, and he simply claimed that their version offers better sound. [Expert sources have reported to me that actually, Sonys Super Audio technology is at best a middling achievement: audibly fine but no great shakes technically at all, and hardly superior to anything DRM.] The DVD-Audio specification provides for automatic mixdown of multichannel sources to two channels. Both systems include provision for a bottom layer of pits to allow them to play on any CD player (so the upper layer, a semi-reflective between the aluminum layer and the surface that is actually below the main layer in actual playback, would carry the new, denser bits). Meyer feels if this feature is not implemented each format is doomed to fail. Meyer went to a demo given by Tom Holman (to three people at a time, in a completely darkened room) of a multi-channel record/playback system. In the 1970s Meyer and Holman had both heard Bolt Beranek & Newmans concert hall simulator, which was a 12-channel system of AR4ax speakers arranged in a hemisphere, and a subwoofer extending the system response flat to 20Hz (see BASS vol.2 no.11). The room was large and almost completely deadened. The source was a rather dry close-miked two-channel orchestral recording. BBN used a tape player running at 30ips with multiple playback heads spaced to give delays (at that time it was the only way to generate high-quality delayed signals). Each pair of speakers was delayed and equalized to represent different parts of the hall: ceiling reflections, side wall reflections, Volume 22 no. 2, published May 1999 -23-
etc. The BBN system could be set to simulate Symphony Hall or Carnegie Hall, and it sounded as if you were there. {One must wonder whether it would quite do so today, to our much better-educated ears DRM.] Holmans goal was to recreate this effect in the home with 12.1 channels. In his demo there were separate channels recorded at various locations in the hall, not derived from two front channels. There was a great feeling of spaciousness, but to Meyer the illusion of being in the hall was not entirely convincing. In the concert part of the demo, one pair of surround channels (a pair of dipoles located above and behind the listener) were too loud. To this criticism Holman said that the channel balance was provided by the recording engineer, and he hadnt altered it. (This of course implies that the gain of the playback channels was calibrated.) Q. Were the recording microphones in the same location as the loudspeakers? A. It wasnt clear. Hadaway: Richard Burwen went to 4-channel recording, then returned to two. He found that he got better results from synthesizing ambience rather than trying to record it with more channels. Ira Leonard: David Griesinger says the same thing. In many cases he can use his Logic 7 processor to generate better ambience than recording it discretely. Apparently the placement of the microphone in a surround sound recording is very critical. Meyer: And there is great temptation in engineering a surround-sound recording to make the surrounds too loud or too prominent. John Eargle, a very tasteful engineer, made a recording of the 1812 Overture where the chorus at the beginning slowly migrates from the back to the front of the hall; but it doesnt sound like a real chorus moving. Meyer asked him why he had created this artificial effect and Eargles answer boiled down to, Because I could. Q. Was Holman trying to sell this system to manufacturers? A. It was apparently a demonstration of what could be done. He did seem to think it was important that the head of Panasonic audio, who attended the same demo I did, should hear the system. Comment: Holman has a consulting company; perhaps he wanted to advise companies on this kind of system. John F. Allen: When we ran the digital Fantasia at the Century Plaza, in 1985, we derived the surrounds from two channels and it worked beautifully. When you turned off the main speakers the surrounds were Boston Audio Society Speaker

amazingly loud, yet people kept complaining that the surrounds werent working. When we turned off the surrounds for them, the sound collapsed into the screen channels and they were startled. The temptation to put too much in the surrounds is almost irresistible. J.K. Pollard: Remember the birds at the Tanglewood music shed? Cohen: I was in the surround-sound business with Sound Concepts, and at one point I was thinking that part of the realism of the concert hall was the subtle audience noise. So I thought I should build an audience noise generator. Panasonic had the biggest booth this year: 434 feet long, 22,000 square feet. Phyllis Eliasberg: Panasonic had a great press conference. It was imaginative, engaging, mostly digitized and used a magician who popped back and forth between live presentation and appearing on a large high-definition screen. Panasonic showed a portable CD player with a 40second memory. A model wearing the unit jogged on a treadmill while you listened to the music being played on her CD player [she had a most graceful stride DJW]. Eliasberg: You may need a new home for all the equipment. Sharp showed Be still, my heart a 56 plasma screen with breathtaking clarity. It put everything else in the shade, she thought, and was only $52,000. Everything was digital: your house is connected to a server. Howard Stringer (who used to be Eliasbergs boss at CBS and is now president of Sony) made the keynote speech before a very crowded auditorium, telling everyone that they might be making wonderful products but no one is going to use them because they are too difficult. She applauded madly and was the only one. He turned to her and said I thought I left my wife at home. Meyer: Harman/Kardon is making a very userfriendly remote with simple menu-driven operation. You rotate a thumb-wheel to scroll through menus and press the wheel to make a selection. Uniden is coming out with a cordless phone that will automatically choose the cheapest rate at the time of the call. You will get one bill from Uniden. Of course, this involves canceling your existing accounts and giving your business to the company that made your phone. Koss has $20 headphones that fit in the ear canal, using slow-release foam. They sound good and block airplane noise as well. They also introduced a version of the Porta-Pro, always one of the better phones in Volume 22 no. 2, published May 1999 -24-

the $40-$50 range, with two individual on-ear transducers instead of a headband. Designed for running, its called the Sporta-Pro. Alvin Foster reported that Stax is still in business. He compared their $5000 Omega model with their $800 model and they sounded very similar. Owades heard some Stax ear-bud phones (the SRM-1, $500) that sounded really nice. There were good reports of new headphones from Ergo based on the Heil pleated accordion-style driver and retailing for $1000. SOTA showed a turntable whose vacuum holddown pump is quiet enough to be run in the listening room. The company was using a Souther linear tracking arm (My arm?! exclaimed Lou). Bob Carver has bought his old company back [its stock has been under 40 cents a share since last summer and once dipped almost to a dime DRM]. He has a revolutionary new product: a cigarette-packsized amplifier, running from a car battery, designed to drive a woofer. According to Foster, the most transparent speaker at the show was the Von Schweikert Research, which seemed to disappear when the music was playing (the transparency, Foster felt, is due to lack of cabinet diffraction). [According to the Melbourne Audio Club newsletter: Speaker manufacturer Von Schweikert Research is closing its facilities in the aptly named city of Watertown, New York. VSR announced that melting snow from heavy January storms flooded the plant, and the companys insurance did not cover the damage, which was over US$ 1 million DBH.] Roger West of Sound Lab showed the new lessexpensive version of the A-1 electrostatic speaker. It sounded very good until he turned it up to normal listening level, at which point it distorted grossly because the amplifier was rated at only 18W/ch. Why? Foster cried. West was using a grossly underpowered amplifier because of the magical aura of tubes; despite (or perhaps because of) the need to strain to hear the music, some people told him that his was the best sound of the show. Hsu Research introduced a $500 woofer with a built-in amplifier that looks like a winner. He won the 1998 Stereophile Woofer of the Year award and will pitch it to dealers [a change from his direct-toconsumer marketing DJW]. Revox was back. The name was bought by a Swiss company that was showing plasma video displays as well as a complete line of home-video gear from the DVD player on.
Ira Leonard: Eggleston showed a loudspeaker that was not for the average home (audience: A lot of speakers there werent for the average home!). When mastering engineer Bob Ludwig moved to Maine he started Gateway Recordings. He liked the Eggleston Andra but was looking for something better, so they built the Ivy ($100,000 a pair, 790 pounds each) for him. The tweeters are at standing ear height because Ludwig works standing up. The side panels are made of black Italian granite (none of that New Hampshire stuff). Meyer noted that on a test he uses employing third-octave bands of noise, the Ivy system was the least-resonant speaker hes heard. Foster: I thought they had the best sound at the show except for the bass. They had a small speaker for $3000 that was very good. The new Revel F30 speaker (designed by Kevin Voecks; $3500) was considered by several of the BAS attendees to be the best value of the show. Voecks had a surround system accompanied by a nicely set-up video projector with the Snell & Wilcox line multiplier; Meyer opined that as at previous shows, the Snell & Wilcox was associated with the best NTSC video he saw anywhere. Steve Owades remarked on the return of old brand names: Sansui, Akai. Yamas Enterprises (310) 3273913 is now handling Stax and has repair facilities for all Stax phones under the name Accutech. They also handle Accuphase. The nicest computer speakers Owades has heard are from Evette and Shaw in Salt Lake City. Unfortunately theyre $2200. They also make a power amplifier whose case is machined from 1 aluminum billet. Mbl was, as always, showing their speaker, made of strips in a vase-like shape, clamped at the top, with a loudspeaker driving the bottom. Meyer: In some ways these always sound extraordinary, with almost miraculous detail, in a very ordinary and fairly reflective room with untreated walls. The speakers are very smooth, though not completely uncolored, and entirely omnidirectional horizontally. Another German outfit, Burmeister, is in the MarkLevinson mode, which is a lifestyle trip: Be like Dieter Burmeister. Like mbl, they make the whole line: preamps, amps, CD players, tuners, power conditioners, D/A converters, etc. The prices are in the tens of thousands of dollars. The salesman said to look behind the speaker and see why. Owades couldnt resist the back of the speaker was covered

tortions and perceived playback quality, based on a study of 45 different speakers in three different rooms. But even if not a major factor, distortion is somewhat important. My research with multiple listeners indicates that harmonic distortion above 1.2% on 2060Hz tones is audible, and above 0.3% at higher frequencies is audible. On complex music, about 10% distortion is considered the requirement for audibility. In my study with tones, I used two sinewave generators. One fed the main tone while the second generator was set to the second harmonic; in other words, if 16Hz were under study, the first generator was set for 90dBspl at 16Hz and the second was set to 32Hz (second harmonic) and its level raised from -100dB (0.001% HD) to a level at which the listener in a real room could detect a difference when the second tone was switched on or off by a second party, singleblind. A regular feature of Keeles reviews in Audio is maximum peak power tests. Using his custom tones, he has reported that audible distortion in loudspeakers does not occur until extremely high levels are reached. Similarly, Tom Nousaine, in his Stereo Review subwoofer reviews, has demonstrated that lowfrequency distortion on music is heard only at very high playback levels. Both report harmonic distortion of more than 10% for audibility. Wide Dispersion: Planar Dipole Line-Source Loudspeakers An extremely large radiation surface, such as a long ribbon, characterizes the planar dipole speaker. The Sound Lab A-1, an electrostatic design, and the Wisdom Adrenaline, a ribbon design, are excellent examples. Each is about 6 high. When stereo-only playback is desired, they and similar speakers have the dispersion pattern most closely fulfilling the auditory requirements of the human ear: wide and uniform. How much direct and indirect energy does such a dipole generate? It presents a more diffuse overall soundfield to the listener because 50% of the energy generated is projected out the back of the speaker toward the front wall, away from the listener; thus at least half of the speakers output is reflected at least once before being heard [in a listening with typical placement, though, this is true of all speakers over a wide, non-treble frequency range, because of the integrating time of the ear DRM]. Because the soundfield is diffuse in this way, it imparts a greater

A dipoles bidirectional radiation often means it will have a flatter power response than a monopole loudspeaker. Flatness is important because in a room we listen chiefly to a speakers power response, as Roy Allison and some others point out. A major fault sometimes alleged for dipole speakers is the unnatural reflection created by the strong rearward radiation toward the front wall [this is chiefly a treble effect compared with conventional forward-facing speakers, and some find it highly pleasant DRM]. It arrives at the listener well after the initial sound. I maintain that since all speakers generate both useful and unwanted reflections within a room, the real questions to settle for the listener should be: (1) the amount of frequency response alteration, (2) the composition of the delayed sound, i.e., how many early and late reflections are included, and (3) the percentage of direct and indirect sound. A dipole should be placed at least 7.5 from the front wall an adequate distance according to the BBC information provided by Holman during his recent presentation. Holman stated that a reflection is of negligible importance if it occurs at least 15ms after the initial arrival and its energy is at least 15dB lower. Such reflections do not affect either timbre or localization. And longer delays can augment the listening experience. Floor and Ceiling Reflections Having vertical dispersion restricted means planar speakers send less energy to the floor and ceiling, so a listener encounters fewer early reflections. What further distinguishes planars from other designs that aim for partly reduced vertical dispersion, such as midrange-tweeter-midrange, is that planar speakers maintain a more consistent response with different head heights. In some MTM speaker designs, vertical dispersion is limited only over an octave; above that range the speaker is beamy and below it the dispersion is broad. Boundary augmentation affects planar dipoles like any speaker, but less so because of the height of the source driver, its restricted vertical radiation pattern, and the effective multiple distances to the floor and ceiling, which distribute the Allison effect over a broader frequency range, tempering its severity. As a test, I placed a cone speaker 18 off the floor, and there was a dip around 188Hz, just as Allisons work predicts. The dip caused noticeable voice coloration, a tonal or timbral change that was a clear result of the floor, front wall, and side wall reflections. To introduce a similar 200Hz dip into the output of my Boston Audio Society Speaker
Amazing speaker, I used a 1/3-octave equalizer, and the bottom-of-the-barrel sound that I had associated exclusively with box speakers was now being exhibited by the Carvers, pushing the voice from front stage. By judicious placement, such boundary-augmentation problems can be minimized for any design, including box speakers, along with other early reflections that color the sound. Dips to the Side Another advantage of planar dipole loudspeakers is the sideways cancellation that results when the frontfiring signal meets the rearward-firing, out-of-phase sound. When this happens, a dip (null) occurs and potentially annoying early side-wall reflections are reduced. Multiple-Speaker Interactions According to Keith R. Holland and Philip R. Newell (September 1997 AES preprint), using loudspeakers in pairs for the reproduction of two-channel stereo give rise to mutual coupling [multiple speaker interaction] effects, which compound the usual loudspeaker/room interface problems. There are two primary effects, and one historical reason, that have instigated the requirement for a separate center channel speaker in home theaters. Any pair of speakers radiating the same information creates a phantom image between them. If one speaker is louder, or if the listener is closer to one speaker, this phantom image will shift toward that speaker. If the pair of speakers is the left and right channels, this shift of the phantom center image will skew, or distort, the front proscenium of sound. Compared with a signal coming only from a single center channel speaker, the interaction of two speakers radiating the same signal causes a frequency response notch at around 2kHz at the listeners ears. This obviously results in a change in timbre. Offcenter listening to a single signal from two speakers results in further comb-filtering effects, the frequency response changing with position. The movie industry puts dialog in the center channel, since dialog is of primary importance in most films. As a result of two speakers radiating the same signal, the frequency response balance at the listeners ears is also gradually boosted in the lower midrange and bass, due to mutual coupling. Having two speakers radiate the same signal at the same level, midrange and highs increase 3dB compared with either Volume 22 no. 2, published May 1999 -29-

The good news is that there typically are fewer early reflections than from a cone loudspeaker behavior more like that of planar loudspeakers. The downside is that a horns limited dispersion can mean it is less suited to being used as a lone pair in a stereo system [depending on your goal and taste DRM]. Wide-dispersion proponents argue that in any case, since pinpoint imaging is not that important a part of the concert experience, it also is not that important for playback. Power Response The dispersion pattern of a typical horn-loaded driver, such as the JBL SVA1600, might be quite narrow especially in the treble, meaning the overall balance at our ears will probably have too much bass and too little highs and will contain the least amount of reverberant energy [also depending on how close one sits and on the liveness of the room surfaces DRM]. This imbalance might happen even if the axis response is flat. Floor and Ceiling Reflections Early vertical reflections are typically minimized because horn-loaded drivers often have restricted vertical output. Horizontal Dispersion Although constant-directivity horns can be designed to have wide and even horizontal dispersion, the equal of [and sometimes better than] many other speaker types, most often the radiation pattern is restricted to a defined listening area, which is great for theaters. The result is minimized side-wall interference and extremely tight imaging about the best. Why All This Is Important? The effect of the sound distribution of a loudspeaker its dispersion pattern or patterns is rarely correlated in audiophile writing with what we actually hear in a room. Correcting my 1991 definition of the narrow-driver planar dipole speaker to that of a speaker having wide dispersion, for example, fits better with the conclusions reached by the authors listed in that article: Moir, Queen, Kates, et al. According to Moir, The soundfield in a room does not become increasingly diffuse with the passage of time as is generally thought, but instead becomes increasingly ordered, with the sound energy concentrated in well-defined spatial patterns even at the lower frequencies. Thus, reverberation is not the decay of a diffuse soundfield
but the decay of well-defined patterns of energy. The resulting sound is composed of short and long reflections and imperfect frequency response(s). Hence, listening to a narrow-dispersion speaker will be a very different experience from listening to a widedispersion one. The latter will produce the type of reverberation patterns that contribute to the envelopment that many audiophiles crave. Such a reverberant field provides the blending of orchestral voices and the feeling of spaciousness that are the essence of the concert hall experience. [Some listeners feel widedispersion designs are superior for all kinds of music, not just large-force/large-space classical DRM.] Multichannel Sound Requirements There is considerable debate in the home multichannel playback arena about how many speakers are needed and what constitutes the ideal dispersion pattern when the music source is a stereo CD. Signal processors have been manufactured to convert existing stereo CD output into surround signals that their manufacturers claim provide the best of both worlds: discrete, localized effects that image to the left, center, right, and sides and rear. They also claim to have effects that wrap all the way around the listener. The Yamaha DSP-1, the Citation 7.0, and the Lexicon processors are among the many units available. The goal of these devices is to place the listener in a 3D soundfield. To do this most successfully, each speakers dispersion pattern, the number of speakers, and location requirements will be different from a system set up in accordance with the THX guidelines for video soundtracks. The home speaker setup for the playback of movies was largely copied from the THX movie theater standards, established after considerable research. However, the playback requirements are not the same if reproducing music is the main criterion. In the theater, many people sit off-center in a very large room. To keep dialog centered, a center channel was incorporated in the standard, along with directional front left and right speakers. The THX criteria have a frontal bias; the intent is not to enclose you in a musical soundfield. To prevent the listener from localizing sound to the side speakers, dipole speakers were specified. An added reason for a diffuse soundfield on the side was to reduce the audibility of film dropouts, clicks, random noises, etc., that enter during the moviemaking process, and leakage from the Dolby Surround matrix decoding of some front-channel sounds. In the home music system, however, spaciousness and envelopment are key for many listeners. Stereo Volume 22 no. 2, published May 1999 -31-

The Boston Audio Society

Membership Application 1999
Name (please print)_______________________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________________ City, state, zip, country if not USA___________________________________________________________ Optional: Occupation________________Phone no(s)_______________________Email_____________ (BAS usage only) Status: Renewal_____ New Member_____ Address change_____ Current members receive 6 issues of the Speaker and, for zip codes 017__ - 024__, monthly meeting notices, which may be either printed or emailed (or both); please let us know your preference. Dues _____ $35 Basic membership (overseas* $55; includes Speaker by airmail); Basic dues cover only a portion of publication costs. _____ $45 Contributing membership _____ $75 and above Supporting membership (these members will receive the BAS Compact Disc vol. I when available) _____ other (also indicate here if you have already renewed for $35 and wish to make a contribution) *Overseas members only may charge their dues and contributions to MC/Visa by sending email to dbsystems@ibm.net or writing to: DB Systems PO 460 Rindge, NH 03461 USA. Make checks payable in $US to the Boston Audio Society; foreign checks must be from banks with US affiliates. We would ask everyone to renew for the start of volume 22 and, if your subscription has not expired yet, to consider the difference a contribution (the last issue of volume 21 contained more than a year of material). Otherwise, just deduct the remaining part of your subscription from your renewal. Samples and back issues Published issues of the BAS Speaker contain a trove of audio information. While there have been 21 volumes since 1972, we suggest that new members consider acquiring vols 17 on. Write for information about availability, contents, and costs. Directory We have a membership directory and will provide a copy to members who request it. Tell us if you are willing to be listed, and if so how: ____no listing ____name only ____home phone ____work phone_____email. To receive a copy of the directory, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope with a note. Constitution To receive a copy of the BAS constitution, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope with a note. Fame The BASS can always use articles on audio matters. Send them to the editor, David J. Weinberg, BASS, 10705 E. Nolcrest Drive, Silver Spring, Maryland 20903-1006; 301 593-3230; DJWeinberg@compuserve.com. Your byline will appear in good company, as a number of our contributors have gone on to eminence as audio writers and editors. Note that for meeting summaries there is compensation. Send this form to: The BAS PO 211 Boston, Mass. 02126 USA. Send all membership correspondence there as well, but not Speaker submissions. Thank you.