Introduction
The Secrets DVD Benchmark has been remarkably popular, but in an of
itself not all that remarkable or unexpected. What took us off
guard is that it has been equally popular with our readers and
manufacturers of the equipment.
Stacey Spears and Don Munsil were able to, in incontrovertible terms, put down on paper exactly
what should be coming out of the video jack on all our DVD players.
While technically complex, in concept we just want players
that read the data and do what the heck they are supposed to do with it.
It's that simple.
With that in mind, our Editor-in-Chief asked the Editorial Staff to think
about how we could have similar Benchmark Specifications for the other
components of Home Theater. The SSP
Benchmark Specifications are for dedicated SSPs (Processor/Preamps) and
Surround Sound Receivers, which include SSPs.
We came to the
conclusion that at this time at least, a score based system like what we
have for DVD Players would be poorly received. One reason is that we
can't put a number on "sound quality". We can
quantify measured sound, and score on the
accuracy of the representation of the signal in terms of frequency response
and THD, but many still feel the subjective word "Good" is unaccounted for.
Also, we are tired of the esoteric market using "good
sound" as an excuse for shortcomings in usability and functionality.
We've actually witnessed a manufacturer telling their customers that their
multi-thousand dollar SSP does not do such and such because, "We wanted to
focus on the sound quality".
We put our heads together, looked at the catalog of SSPs on the market
today and in the past, and came up with an entirely reasonable and doable
set of functionality criteria. While any SSP at any price should have
the full repertoire of what is out there in terms of surround sound formats
and CODECS, this is not about "features". Those things can affect
price, some greatly so, and not everyone is in the same market price-wise.
Not everyone needs or wants 15 stereo inputs, 5 component video lines,
multiple RS-232 ports, balanced I/O, or a remote control that can make
popcorn. What follows does not really cost money in the
empirical sense. Digital audio manipulation and system control are at
a point where what we want in terms of how the product functions can just as easily be done in a $500 AV Receiver
as in a $10,000 SSP.
So, here are the particulars we feel an SSP should be able to meet,
regardless of price:
Time Alignment
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Global AV Delay (a.k.a. "Lip Sync" Delay)
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While this has always been an issue for people with certain
high end video processors, more and more of the current
progressive scan TVs, and all of the Plasmas, LCDs etc, are
digitally processing the video signal and in most cases delaying
it to one extent or another. As such, an SSP's ability to
delay the audio program by a complimentary amount is becoming a
must-have. We pass a unit here if it offers a global audio
delay for purpose of synching the audio program with a video
program delayed by a video processor. Minimum acceptable range is
0-60ms. 0-100ms or more is preferred. While a minimum acceptable adjustment
increments is 15ms, which corresponds to 1 video field in NTSC, 1ms
is greatly preferred. While we'd like to see this setting be
unique for each input, at this time we will not fault a design for
having only one global setting.
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Speaker Delay
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Speakers Delay, or Time Alignment is critical to getting the
best performance from any multi-channel setup. We have an
article on why that is
so. Setting it
correctly can be daunting, especially for someone new to the Home
Theater hobby. We've seen some of the most expensive (and
undeservedly praised) SSPs get this completely wrong. The preferred method for setting speaker
delay is by inputting the distance from the prime seat to each
speaker. Adjustment increments should be no more than 0.5 feet
(which corresponds to 0.5ms). Each speaker in the 5.1 or 7.1 array,
including the subwoofer,
should be set separately to pass this test. Borderline pass will be given to
units which at least keep the following groups separate: Front
L/R, C, Surr L/R, and Rear L/R (it is unacceptable if Surround and Rear are lumped
together, or if the subwoofer is not time aligned at all). If a unit uses "raw" ms delay for time alignment, it must
automatically and transparently add 15ms to the surrounds for all
matrix decode processes (fail if unit requires user to set total
delay for each surround mode). Units which offer an
"automatic" delay (and level) setup function with a microphone
get a particular nod of approval, but these must offer a way to
override and set it manually. I've had a couple
manufacturers complain to me about this, saying that their mic
system is accurate enough that they don't need a manual option.
They shut up when I asked them what an owner is supposed to do if
they lose or damage their microphone.
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Volume |
Muting
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Some people like "Mute" to be a total silence. Others like
it to be an attenuation. With most SSPs using digitally
controlled analog volume, offering the choice should be a matter
of course. The test unit will pass if it offers a choice of attenuation (range of
choice should be -10 to -50dB with 10dB increments) or
full mute. Mute must be a dedicated button on the
remote.
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Power On-Volume/Max Volume
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These are "safety" items. It's too easy for
the volume to be
ramped up without due regard for where it's at. We pass the
unit if it offers the option of a pre-set power-on volume. In the
case of multi-zone units, power-on volume should be independent for
each zone. The Unit also must offer a max volume setting or other suitable
limiter, preferable if it is password protected (so the kids can't
change it and blow up your speakers).
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Input Level Trim
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The unit must offer separate input level trim for each input.
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Volume Scale and Speaker Calibration Level
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The Volume scale should be industry standard
relative. That is,
"0dB" corresponding to reference level and descending from
there in relative dB, down to (-) infinity. For the volume
scale to be properly calibrated, each
speaker, including front left/right, must have its own calibration
setting.
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Headphone
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Headphones should be able to monitor ant souse independent of the main
zone and have their own volume control. For multi-zone units,
the headphone
jack must be able to monitor any zone.
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Dolby Digital
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DRC (Dynamic Range Control)
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The unit must offer a minimum of two levels of Dynamic
Range Control in addition to none or off. For a full pass, the DRC
setting must be adjustable from the remote control and not be buried
deep within setup menus (if it takes more than three button presses to
get to it, that's too many). We also want to see a small
indicator on the front panel when DRC is set to anything but
"off".
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Dolby Digital EX
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Full pass will be given to THX Surround
EX or Dolby Digital EX licensed products which use two speakers and/or line outputs for the
center surround (in other words "6.1" is not acceptable).
All 7.1 SSPs must respond to the EX flag in the bitstream. If not a
Dolby/THX licensee (ie: "EX Clone") we test the unit
for a Stereo3
matrix decoder and pass the unit only if it uses one (if a clone uses a standard matrix decoder,
any out of phase material in the two surround channels will be
lost).
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Dialog Normalization
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The unit must assert Dialog Normalization and NOT provide any
means for the user to defeat or bypass it. We want SSPs to have
some
means of indicating the current dialnorm value, ideally something
persistent.
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Lock-On Time
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The unit should not impose any noticeable delay in locking on to
a new AC-3 bitstream.
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640kbps AC-3
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The unit must be able to play 640kbps Dolby Digital bit streams
(note: 640kbps AC-3 is not actually in the DVD-Video spec but all
consumer decoders should be capable of decoding it).
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Pro Logic
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Surr Encode Flag Reading
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The unit should read the "Surround Encoded" flag in
two-channel AC-3 bitstreams and set Pro Logic/Stereo playback appropriately, and the user must be able to override.
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Pro Logic II |
Non-mandatory Music Features
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Panorama, Width, and Dimension must be adjustable by the user
to pass this criterion.
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Bass Management
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Crossover Frequency
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The crossover frequency of the units bass
management should be selectable from at least 40 to
120Hz in at least 10Hz increments. We also want to see a choice of (A) 4th order low
pass/2nd high pass (for use with THX and other dedicated satellite
speakers) ,or (B) 4th order low pass/4th order high pass (for use
with "full range" speakers or those not expressly designed to be
high passed).
While its certainly possible and acceptable for
units to offer more complex bass management options, such as a different choice
for each speaker, we don't require it. In our article
Miscellaneous Ramblings on Subwoofer Crossover Frequencies, we make
a pretty good case for setting speakers as "small" (regardless of
actual physical size) and selecting a crossover frequency at or
near 80 Hz. Again, to be clear, it's not that we fault
more extensive flexibility here, it's that we don't require it for
our definition of correct and acceptable bass management.
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LFE Trim
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Units must provide an independent LFE trim adjustment for Dolby
Digital, DTS, and (in the future) MLP.
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DVD-Audio
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Bass Management/Time Alignment
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Test units must provide an option to digitize analog 5.1
inputs so that they inherit the bass management and time alignment
of the SSP. Until a digital link is standardized, this is
the only way to get the most out of 5.1 music.
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THX |
THX Select, Ultra, and Ultra2 Certification
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Don't worry, we would not dare suggest that all
units must be THX Certified to meet Secrets Benchmark. Yet
because certification requires
that a manufacturer design into the product electrical specs which
(from what we've been able to weasel out of people on the inside) meets or exceeds anything we've thought about
putting on paper, we like to see it covered. Such qualities can and most certainly do
exist in non-THX SSPs but but with THX Select now appearing on AV
Receivers as inexpensive as $700 SRP, the argument that the THX
logo ads appreciable cost is no longer holding true.
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Re-Eq
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All THX units must provide the ability to select
THX Re-Equalization independent of THX Home Cinema, THX Surround
EX, and THX Ultra2 Cinema. This choice should not be reset
when changing modes or cycling power.
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Audio Customization
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Parametric Subwoofer Eq
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Units must provide a 1-3 band parametric Eq
for the subwoofer output.
We will accept designs which only allow a cut (and not any boost).
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Surround Mode Pre-Set
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Units must provide a set of surround mode preferences for each
signal type, and these presets must be unique to each input.
Borderline pass if it is a global set.
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Multiple Surround Management
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In the case of 7.1 units, a choice must be provided of where to
route the surrounds of 5.1, i.e., to the Surrounds, Rears, or Both.
This choice must apply to all sources, including the 5.1 analog input(s).
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Academy Mono Filter
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The test unit passes if it offers industry standard Academy filter option on
mono playback. Borderline pass if the unit offers "clone" HF roll-off
for academy mono soundtracks.
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Downmix
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All 5.1 AC-3, DTS, and 5.1 analog inputs must be down-mixed
for headphone, rec path, or stereo zone outputs. The LFE channel
should be discarded from the down-mix.
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Misc |
Front Panel Dim
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Because SSPs and AV Receivers are frequently in the front of
the rooms, often very close to the TV, we feel it is of great
importance that the front panel and corresponding lights be
dimmable so as not to distract from the movie. Units must
provide the option to dim the front panel, including all lights/LEDs,
for a pass here. Preferably two illumination levels should be
available, one high intensity during interaction and one low intensity
during inactivity. The lowest setting available should be
barely visible in a pitch black room.
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Settings Storage
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Units must store (retain) all parameters (speaker level,
distance, volume preferences etc.) in memory during power outage.
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Notes on User Interface
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While we would be delighted to see manufacturers
solicit our input on SSP User Interface, at this time we are not
going to spec a utopian definition of one because quite frankly,
people's opinions differ here. We will however come down
hard on an SSP when something is obviously wrong or universally
difficult to work with.
As a general outline, we'd like to see several
logical menus:
A)
Hardware setup, which would include speaker selection, level
calibration, time alignment, etc.
B)
Preferences, which would include volume control options, surround
mode parameters, front panel dimming, etc.
C) Input
setup, unique to each input, which would set input specific items
such as level trim and surround mode presets.
ANY item which might be toyed with during normal use, such as
the DRC settings, or Pro Logic II music parameters, must be
readily available from the remote, and when changed during
playback, must be changed in that input's setup and be retained as
such. In addition, if at any point we feel we need to hook up a
TV/monitor to get a handle on things, that's no good.
Everything should be "doable" with the front panel
display.
We will publish a separate subset to this document which
defines what we want to see in terms of IR code sets in an SSP.
Like the overall UI, we are not going to dictate one perfect
remote design, because there is no such thing. This is why
products like the Pronto have flourished: You take a blank
touch screen and turn it into YOUR ideal remote. We do
however want to see certain remote control features as mentioned
above. That includes quick, easy access to frequently used
functions, and an overall adherence to good ergonomic design. The
remote should have backlighting
for use in dark home theaters, buttons appropriately positioned,
and above all different in shape and size from one another,
according to their function.
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Conclusions
There you have it: Our definition of good SSP functionality as of
November, 2003. We know of at least one mid-priced SSP that gets just
about 100%
of the above right, and several $1,000 AV Receivers which come close, so we
know we're not out to lunch or unreasonable. At the same time this
document is subject to update and becoming more demanding as DSP and memory
further come down in price. For example, as soon as we are satisfied
it can be done correctly with negligible cost addition, we will want to see
EQ on all channels, most likely parametric EQ for the sub, 1/3 octave full
range EQ for each front channel, and full octave EQ for each surround. To do this right
will require the SSP to have its own on-board 1/12th octave or better RTA,
something which today costs thousands of dollars, but which tomorrow may be
on a $5 DSP chip.
You'll see our reviews of SSP products, both AV Receivers and dedicated
processor/preamps, become more consistent and streamlined as we look at them vis-à-vis
the above criteria, while still retaining the individual writer's personal
likes and dislikes.
We welcome feedback from our readers and also that of manufacturers.
- Staff -
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