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REVIEWER’S GUIDE
24
II technology (These tests work with Windows Me/2000/XP, and both Mac OS
9 and X. )
1. Connect the Revolution 7.1 to a surround-sound receiver or powered speak-
ers using the analog audio outputs. Choose the speaker set in the Revolution
Control Panel that most closely matches your speaker setup. Depending on
your operating system, you may also need to go to the “Sound” or “Sound
and Multimedia” Control Panel and choose the “Revolution Analog 7.1
Out” driver if you have previously changed output to digital.
2. In the Surround Sound section of the Revolution Control Panel, turn on Cir-
cle Surround II and enable “Cinema” Mode.
3. Launch any two-channel DVD player application and audition a DVD with
good surround sound mixing, such as one of the scenes suggested in the ap-
pendix.
5. Switch to a competing sound card. You should notice a marked contrast
between the Revolution 7.1 and the other audio hardware’s ability to expand
a stereo signal into surround sound.
6. Switch back to the Revolution 7.1. After listening to Circle Surround II
processed audio for a while, open the Revolution 7.1 control panel and turn
off “SRS Circle Surround II.” Note the added depth that this mode provides.
Some volume overhead is necessary for Circle Surround processing; you
may need to increase the volume slightly with Circle Surround enabled.
7. Turn “SRS TruBass” and “SRS Dialog Clarity” on. Experiment with vari-
ous levels, as well a toggling TruBass or Dialog Clarity on and off. You
should notice a marked difference in bass response and dialog sharpness.
Test 8: Playing Music In Surround Sound
These tests demonstrate the Revolution 7.1’s ability to play music in true sur-
round sound (using Circle Surround II), and the ability to play multichannel
Windows Media Audio 9 Professional (WMA Pro 9) audio files. (The Circle
Surround test works with Windows Me/2000/XP, and both Mac OS 9 and X.
Windows Media 9 does not yet have Macintosh support).
1. Open the Revolution Control Panel and make sure Circle Surround II is off
in the “Surround Sound” pane.
2. Audition a stereo WMA or MP3 music file, such as one of the following:
www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/democenter/9series/
avquality/wmapromp3/default.htm
3. From the same site, audition a multichannel WMA 9 Pro file.
Note the far more “immersive,” or enveloping feeling of the 5.1 or 7.1 WMA 9 Pro
mix. You can hear instruments surrounding you and a multichannel experience that
matches what the artist wanted you to hear.
SRS CIRCLE-
SURROUND II
ENABLES
SURROUND
SOUND FROM
ANY DVD OR
MEDIA
PLAYER, IN-
CLUDING THE
APPLE DVD
PLAYER