Pro Logic II For Music

[progfan]

Does PLII tend to enhance or degrade your enjoyment of 2 channel music? For that matter, what is the proper surround speaker setting for listening? I turned it up from movie mode, but not so far up that it was competing with my mains. I never really bothered with those dreadful surround modes, ie concert hall, rock club for obvious reasons. But PLII does seem to have something more to offer. What is the general consensus around here?

[Wireworm5]

I like PLII, I agree with you that it enhances the sound, seems to accentuate the bass and smooth out the sound. I also listen in multi-channel stereo which I say sounds more forward. Both modes are good and its hard for me to describe the difference. I think it depends on the recording as to which sounds better.
I have my rear speakers set to 100% in stereo mode. For HT I set it to Spectacle soundfield on my Yammie and calibrated my system with a calabration disc. But for movies I still prefer multi-channel stereoand rarely use the other soundfields.

[kexodusc]

For some ambient music sources I like the effect PLII has. For just plain rock or blues, jazz or even classical music, I much prefer the Jazz, Concert Hall, or Rock settings on the yamaha if I feel the need for processing.
Every now and then I find the DSP's or PLII processing work rather well with the proper recordings. Most of the time, I find them all too distracting though.
There's nothing worse than a searing Joe Satriani guitar solo coming at you from 6 different directions every 3 seconds...I mean, he's good...but not THAT good.

[N. Abstentia]

ProLogic II for sounds too artificial to me for music...maybe because it IS artificial. I've just never seen the point of adding a bunch of junk to music that wasn't intended to be there. I feel that 2 channel sources should be kept in 2 channel.

[magictooth]

ProLogic II for sounds too artificial to me for music...maybe because it IS artificial. I've just never seen the point of adding a bunch of junk to music that wasn't intended to be there. I feel that 2 channel sources should be kept in 2 channel.

Definitely second this opinion except that I'd add that I dislike ALL of the DSPs that tend to come with receivers these days when they process a 2 ch. signal.

[kexodusc]

It might be more beneficial if manufacturers provided adequate and detailed instructions and suggestions as to when and how to properly use DSP's.
Anyone who's ever put a live recording through some Concert Hall processing knows what I'm talking about. Some are just to lively and distracting to ever be useful.
I can't say that I ever prefer DSP's over a clean, unprocessed sound, but from time to time, I don't mind playing with them, they can be somewhat enjoyable.

[topspeed]

I'm with N. and Magic, music encoded on 2 channel should be played back the way it was originally intended and mixed. I like my music in Pure Direct, 2 channel, no sub. Personally, I can't stand the DSP modes and I only use multi-channel stereo if it's background music.