Does Anyone Actually Use the Different Sound Settings (Concert, Club, Normal, etc.)?

[hershon]

Interested in your insight in this. Other than listening to CD's in the normal listening mode albeit over 5 speakers and a sub but natural not prologic sound, I've never used a receivers different sound settings such as concert atmosphere, club settings, etc. as the sound just didn't seem normal and natural to me. That may be just my tastes. What about you guys? Do you ever listen to CD's at different sound settings. If the overwhelming answer is no here, that sounds like another gimic companies use to give us features we don't want/need to raise the price of their product. Who knows, maybe I'm in the minority here & am wrong. Just curious.

[elbarono]

I don't use them. To me they are totally useless. I wish manufacturers would drop them and put money into other components.

[topspeed]

Hate 'em. Never used them, likely never will. Then again, I'm a traditionalist and prefer two channel all the way. I don't even listen in 5 channel stereo unless it's on for background music.

[drseid]

Interested in your insight in this. Other than listening to CD's in the normal listening mode albeit over 5 speakers and a sub but natural not prologic sound, I've never used a receivers different sound settings such as concert atmosphere, club settings, etc. as the sound just didn't seem normal and natural to me. That may be just my tastes. What about you guys? Do you ever listen to CD's at different sound settings. If the overwhelming answer is no here, that sounds like another gimic companies use to give us features we don't want/need to raise the price of their product. Who knows, maybe I'm in the minority here & am wrong. Just curious.

While admittedly I *can't* use them anymore, as my Cary does not offer them (big loss -- sarcasm intended)... I used to be able to when I previously had a Marantz receiver as the pre/pro, and I found them outrageously bad sounding; IMO, a complete waste. I would agree that it would be wise for manufacturers to omit these things in favor of more important features like better DACs and amplification sections... With the advent of DPL IIx for music and DTS Neo6, it makes them even more irrelevant (although I don't use those modes often either, I confess).

---Dave

[kexodusc]

For movies I use and really enjoy having the DSP options available. Sometimes they are a lot of fun, sometimes just straight processing works better. For music, I have used them, rarely, they're fun to play with a bit, but I much prefer straight 2-channel stereo. With the exception of 5 or 7-channel stereo, I use that when I'm wandering the house and just want background music...even then I could just crank up 2 speakers.
I don't think the cost of DSP's is anything significant to shake a fist at, I'd be surprised if it would even change the price on most receivers. I look at it more as a "throw-in" that might look attractive to some buyers. I don't think any manufacturer really spends much time focusing on these either, despite the amount of space they seem to occupy in some owner's manuals.
Don't think I'd miss them if they were gone.

[chimera128]

I use some of them for stereo movies but the ones for music sound too strange. I don't like the echo. I also use 5-7 channel stereo but that is only when people ask me if I can play it through all the speakers, otherwise i just use the mains for music.

[shokhead]

I hate all those modes but 5 channel stereo is great,i really on play cd's in that mode. 2 channel is,well just to flat.

[Worf101]

I think they're a waste of processing power and a gimmick for folks too lazy to listen or adjust their systems. I used to used 5 channel stereo a lot when I was running the Ohm Walsh F's as my mains. But now that I'm running relative "modern" speakers like my Platinum Studio 3's as mains I just listen to music in stereo. Soundstaging is a wonderful thang.

Da Worfster

[jeffrodesiac]

Interested in your insight in this. Other than listening to CD's in the normal listening mode albeit over 5 speakers and a sub but natural not prologic sound, I've never used a receivers different sound settings such as concert atmosphere, club settings, etc. as the sound just didn't seem normal and natural to me. That may be just my tastes. What about you guys? Do you ever listen to CD's at different sound settings. If the overwhelming answer is no here, that sounds like another gimic companies use to give us features we don't want/need to raise the price of their product. Who knows, maybe I'm in the minority here & am wrong. Just curious.

if i use them for CD it would only be "normal surround" the wife likes it but i prefer 2ch&sub myself i dont change them for movies either if i do its always a cinema sound