New channel question.?

Question

According to my speaker impedance help, I've found an article, "The Search for New Channels," (http://www.smartdev.com/SDDS%20article.htm) it says "You must have two matrix decoder boxes that can be connected to your digital sound decoder. The first matrix is connected to the outputs of the left and center channels of your digital decoder or processor. This will produce a NEW left extra channel when material is present on the soundtrack. The matrix box has two inputs, but multiple outputs." Is there a way to do it passively (without amps.)?

Again, I have a Sony HTIB with 5 speakers carrying 110 watts @ 4-ohms, and two Pioneer bookshelf speakers carrying 120 watts @ 6-ohms. Would that be a problem?

In other words, is there a way to have the three discrete front channels (left, center, right) applied for matrix in order to derive SDDS-ish five loudspeakers without having to burn my only amplifier?

Answer 1

i read that article quickly to try to get an idea of what this is about. i have issue 59 of Widescreen Review, but I could not find that article. It apparently has to do with recovering the extra channels encoded for Sony's SDDS system. Apparently they can be derived from matrixing the center channel with left and right channels. Matrix decoders may be passive, since often they are just adding or subtracting signals. You must do the matrixing before power amplification (i.e. at line-level signals). That means you must have access to these line level signals. Finally, you need to know exactly what the matrix consists of, and I don't know how you find that out. I'm not sure I"m interpreting your question correctly, but I hope this helps.

EDIT: In order to decode the additional SDDS channels, your receiver would have to have preamp outputs for each of the Dolby Digital's channels. The Sony HT- series only has two audio outputs, so I don't believe this can be done. You would have to step up to a higher end A/V receiver which breaks out each decoded signal. In addition, I will repeat, you will have to know the details of the matrix to be able to decode the extra channels, and then you would need to have two additional amplifiers for them.