3.1 set up with Denon 4700 (interim period) help?

supersonic 395

Established Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2021
Messages
426
Reaction score
193
Points
117
Location
London
I am in the process of renovation and currently we can use a 3.1 setup (or even a 3.1.2 setup with upfiring speakers), but even after configuring this in the Denon 4700H, what's the best sound setting to watch movies with native 5.1/7.1 DD-THD/ DTS-HD MA, DTS:X, DA tracks?

I am guessing a setting where-in the surround channels are output from the front L&R speakers but I want to ensure the dialogue is coming through the center speaker - would one of either Dolby Surround or DTS Neural mix (or DTS Virtual Mix) work with dialogue still being pushed through the center speaker? (Or is there another setting which won't do too much audio processing except downmix the surrounds to the front L & R).

Thank you for your help
 
Anything more than stereo 2 channel sources and you'd not need any upmixing. All your speakers would be engaged anyway. If the source is however stereo in nature then the centre will not be engaged or portray anything without using additional upmixing such as Dolby Surround or Neural:X. Whether you actually need or benefit from engaging the centre is debatable though.

The AV receiver automatically downmixes multichannel sources to the channels you've speakers to cater for without you having to do anything.
 
Anything more than stereo 2 channel sources and you'd not need any upmixing. All your speakers would be engaged anyway. If the source is however stereo in nature then the centre will not be engaged or portray anything without using additional upmixing such as Dolby Surround or Neural:X. Whether you actually need or benefit from engaging the centre is debatable though.

The AV receiver automatically downmixes multichannel sources to the channels you've speakers to cater for without you having to do anything.

Ahhh okay so I can just leave it in Direct and the 4700 will by default downmix the surrounds to the L&R? 😁

For native stereo I don't mind the center not being engaged but for films with dedicated centre channel, I just wanted to get this pushed through the center speaker 😁
 
I'd suggest not using the DIRECT mode. That mode bypasses additional bass managent configurations and room EQ correction as well as bypassing any processing associated with upmixing. Simply select the discrete format coming into the receiver via the options you get when you press and hold down the MOVIE button on the remote. THis will result in you getting the discrete format sans any additional upmixing applied to it while still engaging the receiver's bass management and room EQ correction processing.
 
Last edited:
I'd suggest not using the DIRECT mode. That mode bypasses additional bass managent configurations and room EQ correction as well as bypassing any processing associated with upmixing. Simply select the discrete format coming into the receiver via the options you get when you press and hold down the MOVIE button on the remote. THis will result in you getting the discrete format sansany additional upmixing applied to it while still engaging the receiver'sa bass manafent and room EQ correction processing.

Ahhh okay perfect thank you so much for clearing this up and helping me 😁 I will be testing out some films a bit later this evening as well
 
I quite often use 3.1 or 3.1.2, however, when I play a disk that has either DTS-HD MA, DTS:X or Dolby True HD the surround sound gets sent to the atmos speakers instead of the left and right. If I disable the atmos speakers then the surround sound does get played through the left and right channels. If I play dolby atmos content then this works as you would expect, surround sound gets sent to L&R and atmos content through the atmos speakers.

This is with my player set to bitstream and my Denon sound mode set to auto, and no upmixer.

I am in the middle of emailing Denon who are not much help at the moment.

Would you mind checking what happens in this scenario with your receiver please?
 
I quite often use 3.1 or 3.1.2, however, when I play a disk that has either DTS-HD MA, DTS:X or Dolby True HD the surround sound gets sent to the atmos speakers instead of the left and right. If I disable the atmos speakers then the surround sound does get played through the left and right channels. If I play dolby atmos content then this works as you would expect, surround sound gets sent to L&R and atmos content through the atmos speakers.

This is with my player set to bitstream and my Denon sound mode set to auto, and no upmixer.

I am in the middle of emailing Denon who are not much help at the moment.

Would you mind checking what happens in this scenario with your receiver please?

Ahhh the missus just helped put away our Atmos speakers as we decided to stick with the 3.1 set up for now so I won't be able to check it, but I can confirm that with 3.1, all the surround stuff is being output by the front L & R.

3.1 btw is actually really good and definitely something I could live with IF surround speakers weren't feasible and I've only ever been using a 5.1.2 setup previously.
 
I quite often use 3.1 or 3.1.2, however, when I play a disk that has either DTS-HD MA, DTS:X or Dolby True HD the surround sound gets sent to the atmos speakers instead of the left and right. If I disable the atmos speakers then the surround sound does get played through the left and right channels. If I play dolby atmos content then this works as you would expect, surround sound gets sent to L&R and atmos content through the atmos speakers.

This is with my player set to bitstream and my Denon sound mode set to auto, and no upmixer.

I am in the middle of emailing Denon who are not much help at the moment.

Would you mind checking what happens in this scenario with your receiver please?


The only way that the Atmos speakers would be engaged is if actually receiving Atmos, DTS:X audio or if applying Diolby Surround or Neiural:X upmixing. AV receivers do not engage these speakers without actually detecting object based audio or without you applying upmixing to non object based encoded formats. If the AV receiver is set to AUTO then it will still apply upmixing to the incoming audio if not detected as beon either Atmos or DTS:X in nature. AUTO doesn't negate such up,ixing.

His receiver wouldn't even detect Atmos without actually having Atmos speakers present. His setup will do exactly as I've already outlined.
 
The only way that the Atmos speakers would be engaged is if actually receiving Atmos, DTS:X audio or if applying Diolby Surround or Neiural:X upmixing. AV receivers do not engage these speakers without actually detecting object based audio or without you applying upmixing to non object based encoded formats. If the AV receiver is set to AUTO then it will still apply upmixing to the incoming audio if not detected as beon either Atmos or DTS:X in nature. AUTO doesn't negate such up,ixing.

His receiver wouldn't even detect Atmos without actually having Atmos speakers present. His setup will do exactly as I've already outlined.

So going by the bit I have highlighted, you think the receiver is correct in sending surround channel info to the atmos speakers in Auto setting with no upmixer? Just seems odd it would do that, I thought auto played back as per the original codec. If that is right I can't see a way round it apart from turning the atmos speakers off.
 
I'd suggest the receiver is applying Dolby Surround upmixing to the audio when you say that you are not receiving audio actually inclusive ofd Atmos and still engaging the Atmos speakers. Auto will apply either Dolby Surround or DTS Neural:X to sources depending upon their format if using the AUTO setting. THat setting doesn'te negate the receiver automatically selecting such upmixing options.

The DIRECT or PURE DIRECT modes are what you'd want to use to bypass all upmixing and any processing that isn't essential. AUTO is misleading by the way in which it is accessed and engaged by using the PURE DIRECT button. AUTO is not PURE DIRECT despite using this button to engage it. This is made clear within the owners manual.

by default 2021-03-05 at 16.50.13.png



If you've Atmos speakers present within your setup then 5.1 and 7.1 sources would still be upmixed to use them and 2 Channel Dolby encoded sources too would be upmized to engage all speakers present. If not wanting this behaviour then use the PURE button to engage PURE DIRECT and not AUTO.

Better still, press and hold down the MOVIE button until the mode options appear onscreen. Now simply select the discrete format coming into the AVR from the options given. THis will still allow you to use room EQ correction and bass management, both of which would other wise be bypassed by using the PURE DIRECT mode.

To put it into basic terms, the AUTO mode doesn't do as you think it does and upmixing will automatically be applied relative to the format of the source material.
 
Last edited:
I am in the process of renovation and currently we can use a 3.1 setup (or even a 3.1.2 setup with upfiring speakers), but even after configuring this in the Denon 4700H, what's the best sound setting to watch movies with native 5.1/7.1 DD-THD/ DTS-HD MA, DTS:X, DA tracks?

I am guessing a setting where-in the surround channels are output from the front L&R speakers but I want to ensure the dialogue is coming through the center speaker - would one of either Dolby Surround or DTS Neural mix (or DTS Virtual Mix) work with dialogue still being pushed through the center speaker? (Or is there another setting which won't do too much audio processing except downmix the surrounds to the front L & R).

Thank you for your help
I have the Denon 3700H and would like to occasionally switch from stereo or 5.1 to 3.1...is there any easier way than having to go to the setup screen and change the configuration. My old Onyko NR676 allowed me to change via the remote. Sorry, not exactly to your point above.
 
I have the Denon 3700H and would like to occasionally switch from stereo or 5.1 to 3.1...is there any easier way than having to go to the setup screen and change the configuration. My old Onyko NR676 allowed me to change via the remote. Sorry, not exactly to your point above.
No. It's either all connected speakers, ie, 7.1, 5.1.2 by using the upmixing modes, or scrolling through the sound fields to play without engaging the modes. Then back to stereo for 2.1. Denon only allow you to set a precedence for two channel audio (depending on model).
 
No. It's either all connected speakers, ie, 7.1, 5.1.2 by using the upmixing modes, or scrolling through the sound fields to play without engaging the modes. Then back to stereo for 2.1. Denon only allow you to set a precedence for two channel audio (depending on model).
Thank you!
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom