Surround Processor Reviews

• Analog frequency response in Audio
Direct mode: –0.17 dB at 10 Hz; –0.04 dB at 20 Hz; –0.05 dB at 20 kHz; –0.30 dB at 50 kHz

• Analog frequency response with signal processing: 0.75 dB at 10 Hz; –0.20 dB at 20 Hz; +0.28 dB at 20 kHz; –47.14 dB at 50 kHz

This chart shows the frequency response of the left (aqua), center (green), LFE (purple), and left surround (red) channels at the preamp outputs of the Dolby Digital decoder. The left channel measures –0.05 dB at 20 Hz and +0.12 dB at 20 kHz. The center channel measures –0.05 dB at 20 Hz and +0.11 dB at 20 kHz, and the left surround channel measures –0.06 dB at 20 Hz and +0.17 dB at 20 kHz. The LFE channel, normalized to the level at 40 Hz, is +0.52 dB at 20 Hz, reaches the upper –3dB point at 67 Hz, and reaches the upper –6dB point at 82 Hz.

Response from the multichannel input to the main output measures –0.17 dB at 10 Hz, –0.05 dB at 20 Hz, –0.05 dB at 20 kHz, and –0.30 dB at 50 kHz. The analog THD+N is less than 0.013% at 1 kHz with a 100-millivolt input and the volume control set to –1. Crosstalk with a 100-mV input was –93.63 dB left to right and –95.56 dB right to left. The signal-to-noise ratio with a 100-mV input from 10 Hz to 24 kHz with "A" weighting was –131.13 dBrA.—MJP

HT Labs Measures: Cary Audio Cinema 7 Amplifier

• All channels driven into 8-ohm loads: 0.1% distortion at 115.3 watts; 1% distortion at 128.0 watts

• Frequency response: –0.17 dB at 10 Hz; –0.04 dB at 20 Hz; –0.23 dB at 20 kHz; –1.18 dB at 50 kHz.

This graph shows that the Cinema 7's left amplifier channel, with two channels driving 8-ohm loads, reaches 0.1% distortion at 117.9 watts and 1% distortion at 137.6 watts. Into 4 ohms, the amplifier reaches 0.1% distortion at 210.5 watts and 1% distortion at 234.8 watts. An input level of 103.6 millivolts was required to produce an output of 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load, indicating an overall gain of 28.77 decibels.

THD+N from the amplifier was less than 0.031% at 1 kHz when driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load. Crosstalk at 1 kHz driving 2.83 volts into an 8-ohm load was –107.26 dB left to right and –107.25 dB right to left. The signal-to-noise ratio with 2.83 volts driving an 8-ohm load from 10 Hz to 24 kHz with "A" weighting was –114.20 dBrA.—MJP