Audio Video News

In mid-June, DTS announced a new version of its DTS-ES Extended Surround Format for home theater. Designated DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, the system is a "new, proprietary technology for the playback of discrete, 6.1-channel content from DVDs and CDs," according to a company press release. The innovation is said to "elevate the performance standard for playback of the DTS 6.1-channel Extended Surround format introduced in motion picture theaters last year."

The new DTS-ES program also introduces the DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 surround decoding format, for "backward compatibility with existing ES matrix-encoded content, and DTS Neo:6, which is a matrix technology that derives up to 6.1-channel playback from conventional stereo program material," the announcement explained.

Movies and CDs in the new format will appear later this summer, company officials stated. "It has been a pleasure to work with companies and artists who are willing to innovate new performance standards for a format that was introduced just last year," said Ross Hering, VP of marketing for DTS Professional Audio. "We anticipate positive consumer response to this enhanced entertainment experience."

Denon has incorporated decoding circuitry for the format in its new AVR-5800 A/V surround receiver, as reported here last week. Powered by two Analog Devices SHARC 32-bit floating-point DSP processors, the AVR-5800 is the world's first audio component to feature DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 decoding. It also includes 16 of Analog Devices' reference-quality AD-1853 24-bit/192kHz DACs. Analog Devices general manager Mike Haidar says the system "delivers to the living room the sound quality of the recording studio combined with the listening experience of the movie theater."

The hardware and software launches are being well-coordinated: Denon's AVR-5800 will begin shipping in August, at approximately the same time as titles encoded with DTS-ES Discrete 6.1.