Holosonic™ Lab
Dear Gary: Not wanting to sound critical (far from it!) but I would dearly like to understand why you only went for one rear Dunlavy Signature Series SC-V in the Holosonic Lab and why you chose a “center” rather than use three SC-V’s for DVD playback. I was under the impression that you should deploy identical speakers all around for accurate soundstaging and panning and given the fact that you intend to “replace” the center with a SC-V for multichannel music, I am curious as to the reasoning. Also, with regard to the rear, I thought that if a sound came from directly behind you the brain struggles to decipher where it’s coming from and can actually confuse itself to believe the sound actually comes from the front, hence why THX® recommends two back suround speakers. I am looking to upgrade my own dedicated room and would like to understand some of your thought processes, particularly given the accessibility to the works of people like Russ Herschelman and of course the apparent unlimited budget. I am truly amazed at what you have installed, it must be hard doing your job with all those toys to play with and watch/listen to DVDs in what is probably the ultimate system anywhere globally! Please do not take this the wrong way, if I can get away with a single rear, it’s one less box to hide!!
Steve Bate
mailto:Steve.Bate@btopenworld.com
Editor-In-Chief Gary Reber Comments:
The guiding principle I use in all my audio systems is for each pair of loudspeakers represented by any two vector points (e.g., front left and right, back left and right, front left and back left, front right and back right, front left and front center, front right and front center, back left and back center, back right and back center, etc.) to image optimally, that is re-create solid phantom imaging between every pair of loudspeakers—particularly a solid phantom center image. In my opinion and experience, there is no compelling reason to use two surround back loudspeakers to reproduce the so-called Surround EX™/ DTS-ES® channel. One loudspeaker identical to the main loudspeakers in the system will optimize phantom imaging. Two loudspeakers used for this purpose will veil and obscure phantom imaging. In commercial theatres, the practice is used to envelop the audience with no regard for imaging. As for the center channel, I prefer listening in the phantom image mode with no active center channel loudspeaker. I chose not to install a perforated screen, which would have required front projection—and thus compromised not only picture quality but audio quality —though would have allowed the use of another Dunlavy Signature Series SC-V. The Dunlavy Signature Series HRCC’s response is identical to the SC-V, except for low frequency extension and dynamic power handling. As all Dunlavy loudspeakers are time- and phase-accurate and measurably accurate in all the critical performance parameters, with the exception of bass extension and dynamic SPL capability, they sound identical. The HRCC, when activated to reproduce a “hard” center channel, is perfectly integrated and matched in performance with the SC-Vs in the system. I use a SC-V for the “hard” center channel in multichannel discrete DVD-Audio, SACD, and DTS CD listening, when I elect to listen without being distracted by video on a screen, which is an option on DVD-Audio discs. Of course, for multichannel SACD and DTS CD listening, a screen is not a consideration. You’ll be able to read about this subject in greater detail in the March 2002 issue of WSR, in an article I am writing to further discuss home theatre and surround music loudspeaker setup.
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