[.ca] Surround Test CD

Dolby Surround Test CD:
Not in comparative terms, the 5-star rating assigned to this one is subjective, only reflecting my satifaction with it. Perhaps I should give it a 4-star because it certainly could be better. This CD is very well made, and all in English (i.e. the 30-page instruction/explanation booklet and the "Left Channel, Right Channel, ..." spoken in the first track. It obviously has more than what's needed to set up and test a DPL system. The tracks are good for testing and adjusting any speaker systems and revealing the problems with the speakers and the room accoustic conditions (e.g. speaker frequecy response, speaker and/or room resonance, speaker build quality, etc.) It can be a powerful tool for speaker auditioning and speaker specs debunking. The Noise Panning tracks easily reveal how well or poor the speakers are sonically matched and/or placed. The Base-frequency Adjustments tracks reveals the problems with subwoofers (placement and build quality), some of which may be remedied easily. The frequency sequence and sweep clearly show the dips in the frequency response of the woofer and subwoofer. The musical samples themselves are worth part of the cost. They show you how good even DPL can sound, hence what one should expect of DD or DTS CDs and music DVDs. The booklet contains illustrations of speakers vs. effects, and photos of the performing artists and where the sound was recorded (churches, etc.).

Right up there with Kind of Blue and Sgt Pepper:
From "Spoken Channel Identification" through "1 kHz, 0 dB", it doesn't get much better than this! One of the best CDs in my collection. My favorite track is #15 (Cows Moooing) which should have been released as a single (what was WEA thinking?) and possibly given a Puff Daddy or Junior Vasquez remix. If this CD is any indication then "Dolby Surround Test" is going to rule the airwaves with their next release. I can't wait. My only complaint is that the otherwise informative book doesn't have any pictures of the band. What gives? They can't be THAT ugly! By the way, does anyone know when they'll be touring?

Useful.... but you really should get a sound level meter:
..to go along with it. Otherwise you will be making a lot of ad hoc adjustments which won't make a meaningful difference when you listen to real music.

Try something else.:
My friend got this CD (note it's a CD) so if you want to accurately set up a Dolby Digital/DTS system this is not the way to go. If your a beginner or don't really care how your set up sounds then go for it. Everyone else should get Avia Guide To Hometheater or better yet Digital Video Essentials, both sold right here on amazon.com.

Nightmare !!!:
Careful!!! IF you are looking for a pure music and video clips to check your latest dolby HT - this will be a nightmare for you. This CD is simply gives wizzzing sound through which you can check all the channels. It wont be helpful if you are using dolby digital. It is good only for old dolby pro logic systems. If you are having DTS decoded etc... this CD will be an expensive toy. Give another thought beofore you buy... Best suggestion would be DTS / Dolby Digital Demo CDs

• Installation: Spoken Channel Identification
• Installation: Channel Balance Adjustment
• Installation: Channel Balance Adjustment
• Musical Samples: Waterfall
• Musical Samples: Dust Wipers
• Musical Samples: Finnish Folk Music: Jänkä-Joonas' Schottise
• Musical Samples: Finnish Folk Music: Piikki's Polska
• Four Seasons, Winter, Pt. 1
• Musical Samples: Aurora Lucis Rutilat
• Musical Samples: Homenaje
• Frére Jaques (Brother Johann)
• Musical Samples: Toccata
• Sound Effects: Summer Field
• Sound Effects: Tractor Engine
• Sound Effects: Cows Mooing
• Sound Effects: Subway Station
• Sound Effects: Amusement Park
• Sterophonic Image and Sonic Scenery: Center Channel Phase
• Sterophonic Image and Sonic Scenery: Noise Panning \o20 to 20000 Hz\c
• Sterophonic Image and Sonic Scenery: Noise Panning \o125 to 7000 Hz\c
• Sterophonic Image and Sonic Scenery: Stepped Noise Panning \o20 to 2000\c
• Sterophonic Image and Sonic Scenery: Stepped Noise Panning \oL-LC-C-RC-\c
• Sterophonic Image and Sonic Scenery: Stepped Noise Panning \oC-S, 125 t\c
• Sterophonic Image and Sonic Scenery: Uncorrelated Stereo Noise \o20 to\c
• Sterophonic Image and Sonic Scenery: Uncorrelated Stero Noise \o125 to\c
• Channel Balance Adjustments: Left Channel
• Channel Balance Adjustments: Center Channel
• Channel Balance Adjustments: Right Channel
• Channel Balance Adjustments: Surround Channel
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Narrow-Band Noise Sequences
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Narrow-Band Noise, 200 Hz
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Narrow-Band Noise, 160 Hz
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Narrow-Band Noise, 125 Hz
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Narrow-Band Noise, 100 Hz
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Narrow-Band Noise, 80 Hz
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Narrow-Band Noise, 63 Hz
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Narrow-Band Noise, 50 Hz
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: Slow Sweep
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 200 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 190 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 180 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 170 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 160 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 150 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 140 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 130 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 120 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 110 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 100 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 95 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 90 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 85 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 80 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 75 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 70 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 65 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 60 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 55 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 50 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 45 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 40 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 35 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 30 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 25 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 20 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 15 Hz, -12 DB
• Bass-Frequency Adjustments: 10 Hz, -12 DB
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Incremental Signal Level-Left Channel
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Incremental Signal Level-Center Channel
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Incremental Signal Level-Right Channel
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Incremental Signal Level-Surround Channel
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Incremental Signal Level-Frequency Sweep
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Dolby Decoder Overload Test-1khz, -12 DB
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Dolby Decoder Overload Test-1khz, -10 DB
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Dolby Decoder Overload Test-1khz, -8 DB
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Dolby Decoder Overload Test-1khz, -6 DB
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Dolby Decoder Overload Test-1khz, -4 DB
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Dolby Decoder Overload Test-1khz, -2 DB
• Dolby Decoder Assessment: Dolby Decoder Overload Test-1khz, 0 DB