Neil Wilkes
Gold Member
Registered: 07/06/02
Posts: 514
Loc: London, UK
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SurCode, the encoder arm of Minnetonka Audio, have finally announced the VST Plugin version of their Acclaimed Dolby Pro Logic II type matrix encoder for both Mac & PC systems.
I have been testing this in Nuendo for the last 4 months now, and have yet to find a way to either crash it or make it crash Nuendo.
Sound Quality is superb for a Matrix encoder and in my opinion it is streets ahead of the only other contender in this market, Circle Surround SRS encoder.
It all works in a single screen - no need for separate encoder & decoder versions to be installed, and naturally you get full access to every parameter of the process.
The options available are
Pro Logic
Music
Movie
Matrix
Pro Logic, of course, is the original ProLogic system that this has replaced, Music mode gives you access to the Dimension, Panorama & Width controls, Movie is exactly that, and Matrix is an emulation of the even older LRCS type system (developed from the old Quadraphonic SQ type encoders) that is essentially Pro Logic but without the logic bit.
Confused?
In all honesty, it's not really surprising as the initial response from most people is "Why so many different modes?" but the reality is that you won't be confused for long as the different modes soon become quite easy to remember.
The most complex part is setting the levels correctly so that the Lt/Rt downmix is at a sensible level next to the decoded 5.1 stream. The trick is to get the 2 balanced so you don't get a huge drop in level when decoding from stereo to 5.1, and there are helpers here to prevent this.
Included is also a guide to mixing with DPL II, and once you get to grips with the basic rules, it is quite simple to use and the quality can be outstanding as long as you keep the matrix encoder rules firmly in mind, with "Don't pan sounds in opposite directions at the same time" being one of the biggies, or the whole soundfield collapses.
SurCode have been quite clever here, with the inclusion of both encoder & decoder in one interface and access from one mode (encode) to the other at the click of a mouse for instant comparison.
And at $550, it won't break the bank either.
For those of us in the TV mixing game, or who want to get their music out in 5.1 but cannot justify the expense of a DVD release, or a DTS-CD with it's requirement of playing through a special decoder to hear any sound at all. With DPL II encoded CD, you can have your cake & eat it too.
If played on a straight Bog-Standard CD player, you get stereo sound - but if played through a Dolby Digital or Dolby ProLogic II decoder as found in ALL home theatre systems and DVD players, you get 5.1.
Wonderful.
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