[gkinberg]

I don’t know if this is the right forum for this question but is it customary (or a good idea) to use a DVD audio to aid one in positioning ones speakers?  I am trying to do some fine tuning on my system such as acoustical treatments and speaker placement. I am thinking of getting an audio DVD, such as a nora jones acoustical live performance to verify that what I am hearing in my listening space corresponds to what I am seeing in the performance. For example: the bassist is stage middle left, vocalist is front and center, drummer is back center, etc…

Is this a worthwhile pursuit? Will an audio DVD give me clear and resolved enough sound information to be able to compare the audio soundstage to the video sound stage? If so, could you recommend to me a good DVD to use for this purpose.

Thanks, Garth

[AB]

Stereophile has a series of Cds that might work for you.

http://www.stereophile.com//reference/176/

http://www.stereophile.com//features/338/

http://www.stereophile.com/features/424/index.html

[Hipper]

As AB says, a test disc is the way to go.

The best I've found is Chesky Records Gold - Stereo and Surrround sound set up disc.

It has amongst other things a 'Stepped Stero Pan Test' which has five sounds starting with the left speaker, then between the left speaker and centre, centre, between the centre and right, and right speaker.

There is also (track 22) a 'General Imaging and Resolution test' where you hear a percussion group walking around the stage.

http://www.chesky.com/core/details.cfm?productcode=CHE151&productcategoryid=1

It's what I use to centre things.

However, when listening to most studio CDs I still find ridiculous anomalies - a solo pianist singing; the voice is centred but the piano is from the left speaker, meaning she has arms eight feet long!

[cheap-Jack]

Hi.

Is this a worthwhile pursuit? Will an audio DVD give me clear and resolved enough sound information to be able to compare the audio soundstage to the video sound stage?

Yes, DVD-audio stereo (sampling rate -24bit 192KHz, dynamic range up to 144dB, frequency response - 0Hz-96KHz) is far better than redbook CD-audio (16bit 48KHz, dynamic range 96dB, 5Hz-20KHz). Sonically DVD-audio is so much better than CD-audio.

I have been listening to DVD-audio for many years now with quite a few DVD-audio stereo recordings from Europe, including fire-crackers, like Beethoven Choral Symphony, Mozart Requiem, etc etc. They come with a free stereo disc of the same master recordings which sound so much less good than its DVD-audio counterpart.

c-J