Just in time for the holidays DTS, Digital Theater Sound, one of two notable surround sound chip companies, the other being Dolby, annouces the release of DTS Virtual X surround mode. Now available on Marantz NR1608, SR5012 and SR6012 surround sound receivers, Virtual X brings the dynamics of the center rear and high hat front channels found in movie theaters and all home 11.2 channel playback systems to any stereo, 5 channel or 7 channel sound system.
DTS’ research shows that, for a variety of reasons, fewer than 30 percent of consumers who purchase multichannel A/V receivers actually connect the height speakers and fewer than 48 percent of consumers connect the rear surround speakers. DTS Virtual:X technology in an A/V receiver gives consumers an unparalleled sound experience without the need for additional speakers while still
allowing consumers to upgrade to an even better immersive sound experience when they’re able to add additional speakers to their system.
DTS Virtual:X technology supports any input source from stereo to a 7.1.4 layout (11.1 channels) and plays back an immersive experience over speaker layouts from 2.0 stereo up to 5.1 and even 7.1. DTS Virtual:X has been designed to work with all DTS codecs, including the flagship DTS:X. For legacy content, an efficient up-mixer is included to provide a natural, immersive experience. The 2 flexibility of its architecture enables product manufacturers to utilize one or more features concurrently, including Virtual Height and Virtual Surround.
The Marantz NR-1608 and SR-5012 are available immediately at Electronics World beginning at $799.00