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Being perhaps the first 6.1 multimedia
system around, another selling point of the Inspire 6700 is
for using it to playback DTS-ES & Dolby Digital Surround
EX titles, which both provide 6.1 output (Using either a
matrixed or discrete rear center channel).
The
system itself comes without a Dolby Digital/DTS decoder so
decoding support will be determined by whatever
hardware/software decoder you may have, e.g. WinDVD. Support
for 6.1 formats is on the rise and is included with many
newer titles, e.g. Blade 2, Fellowship of the Ring Extended
Edition. A more complete listing of Dolby Digital Surround
EX titles can be found at Dolby
Labs, whereas a DTS-ES listing is available at Digital
Theater Systems.
For DVD playback I
used PowerDVD
XP, WinDVD
4 for software decoded playback & the Sigma
Designs Xcard for hardware decoded playback. Audio decoding
wise, I had several solutions available. The Audigy (1)
driver supports AC-3 decoding for up to 5.1, while the
Audigy 2 driver supports AC-3 decoding for up to 6.1
channels. The installed WinDVD 4 was a multi-channel edition
and also supported DTS decoding. Both PowerDVD XP and the
Xcard were limited to 2 channel decoding.
S/PDIF output was
also available though of little consequence as the Inspire
6700 doesn’t feature a S/PDIF input nor was I using an
external decoder to connect to the system either. However
with PowerDVD or WinDVD 4 set to S/PDIF Output this allows
the Audigy (1)/2 driver to decode AC-3 (When enabled
for those Soundcards in their respective Device Controls).
DVDs I then tested
out included
Pearl Harbor, The Fellowship of the Ring (regular
& special editions), Se7en, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down,
24, Sex & the City Season 1, Minority Report & some
others. Audio format wise this covered a nice range as well
- Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Stereo
& DTS.
DVD playback is
perhaps the main area where you’d notice the improvements
the Inspire 6700 offers over the 5300; the Subwoofer and
particularly the front center satellite. Sound reproduction
through the front center channel certainly offers far more
detail than with the other satellites, which is clearly a
good thing as much audio encoded in Dolby Digital/DTS is for
the front center channel, particularly dialog which was
reproduced nicely in all cases; a nice test for that channel
was the chapter of Balin’s Tomb in The Fellowship of the
Ring where the mid-range was clearly a lot better when it
came to hearing all the Goblins clambering down the walls as
the fellowship runs.
The subwoofer offers
some fine bass performance, though again, fine enough to
enjoy watching a DVD on your PC though probably not powerful
enough to use with a larger audience in your living room
without having to set the bass level to a (more distorted)
higher level to be effective, a bass level setting of about
50% seemed to work best for me.
As rear-centre
channel is concerned, I can’t say I found this to add much
to playback. The only 6.1 format I had decoding support for
was Dolby Digital Surround EX which offers only a matrixed
rear center, i.e. a mix of rear left/right channels. DTS-ES
discrete may offer something more interesting as the rear
center is a true discrete channel. For the moment though I
can’t say the additional rear center channel would make me
go with a 6.1 system over a 5.1.
Beyond the global and
subwoofer volume knobs, the Inspire 6700 is reliant on
whatever mixer is included with your decoder, DVD player or
PC for channel management. These would be used to optimize
your listening experience by adjusting the volume level or
other features, perhaps most importantly that of the volume
of the front center channel so as not to overwhelm the other
channels whenever dialog, explosions, etc. are played
through it. This shouldn’t be an issue with the majority
of PC Soundcards at least which nearly all allow adjustments
separately for front, rear & front/rear center channels.
Overall
DVD playback with the system is pleasant enough for single
viewing at your PC though the rear center channel doesn’t
necessarily make the system any better than its 5.1
brethren.
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