Surround

[richj777]

In the owner's manual, it refers to L7 surround on pg. 149. My car, with enhanced premium sound, only shows "surround" not L7 surround. Is there a difference between Logic 7 and what I have? Also, when I turn it on or off I don't think I'm noticing a difference. Does it only work for DVD or DVD audio with more than two channels? What is it really doing for me?

[Technic]

Originally Posted by richj777

In the owner's manual, it refers to L7 surround on pg. 149. My car, with enhanced premium sound, only shows "surround" not L7 surround. Is there a difference between Logic 7 and what I have? Also, when I turn it on or off I don't think I'm noticing a difference. Does it only work for DVD or DVD audio with more than two channels? What is it really doing for me?

There's no L7 in the USA M3.

"Surround" just means that, a simulated surround matrix from a Stereo signal.

[blueman2]

So, there is no option for 5.1 playback in a US M3? My 4 year old Lexus had the ability to play 5.1 DTS CD's and it sounded incredible.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by blueman2

So, there is no option for 5.1 playback in a US M3? My 4 year old Lexus had the ability to play 5.1 DTS CD's and it sounded incredible.

This is what the CIC DVD-ROM supports:

Optical Drive (CD/DVD Player)

The Car Information Computer is equipped with a DVD-ROM player.
The optical drive is used for playing audio and video media.
This drive makes it possible to play the following media file formats:
• Audio CDs (CD Digital Audio)
• Audio CD-ROM with MP3, WMA or AAC files
• DVD Audio (only stereo track if contained on the data medium)
• Audio DVD-ROM with MP3, WMA or AAC files

• Video DVD

[mdernst]

Originally Posted by blueman2

So, there is no option for 5.1 playback in a US M3? My 4 year old Lexus had the ability to play 5.1 DTS CD's and it sounded incredible.

It does support 5.1 Dolby Digital and 5.1 DTS from Video DVDs. I've played many a concert DVD in DTS surround in my 2009 M3. Select the DTS or Dolby Digital from the Audio Options of the DVD Menu.

Mike

[blueman2]

Originally Posted by mdernst

It does support 5.1 Dolby Digital and 5.1 DTS from Video DVDs. I've played many a concert DVD in DTS surround in my 2009 M3. Select the DTS or Dolby Digital from the Audio Options of the DVD Menu.

Mike

Cool! Then there should be some way for me to encode 5.1 music onto a DVD in a way it thinks it is the sound track from a video DVD (?!)

[blueman2]

Well, I have been playing a few DVD's with DTS 5.1 and DD 5.1. Peter Gabriel's Play DVD and Dark Side of the Moon 4.1 remix by Alan Parsons. Both sound fantastic, but I do not really think it is providing 5.1 Audio. I hear no difference between front right and rear right, for example. On my home system, I hear very different sounds.

I think the M3 Enhanced system only does 2 channels. At least, to my not very adept ear it sounds that way.

ps I did try both DD5.1 and DTS5.1 selection from the DVD menu. Both sound pretty much the same and both appear to still be downmixed to 2 channel. Oh, and I turned off the "Surround" option since that just mimics surround from Stereo.

[MrHarris]

You guys think it sounds better with or without the "surround" option enabled?

[blueman2]

Originally Posted by MrHarris

You guys think it sounds better with or without the "surround" option enabled?

Absolutely. Surround simulates 5.1, and just muddies the sound in the process. Stay pure and clean by turning surround off.