(The AVS600 offers four, in addition to the hardly-ever-correct Auto.) But even this didn't alleviate the problem entirely. I gained some relief when I manually switched the video modes to match the content. The 3:2 pulldown correction gauntlet exposed an unpleasant combing. Working with test discs revealed that the deinterlacing is subpar, with pronounced jaggies besetting the edges of objects in motion, in both test patterns and traditional video content. A well-laid-out universal remote control is included. Otherwise, you won't be able to change the deinterlacing mode or the aspect-ratio settings. Just be sure to hit Stop twice if you were playing a DVD. The DVD player is fairly standard to configure, with a convenient I/P (interlaced/progressive) button on the remote. In essence, the prominently placed knob does nothing, and the miniplug just dangles, even though, at press time, the only way to buy the Cambridge virtual surround speaker/sub combo is bundled with the AVS600. Further investigation reveals that the Mode switch on the main speaker-Mute, Surround, Dialogue, and Stereo options-is moot, as well, since the AVS600 automatically makes all of the necessary adjustments. The supplied cabling also provides a curious miniplug on the RCA end, one that could patch into the Mode Control port on the back of the sub, but Cambridge specifically instructs you not to use it as part of this setup. The cable is somewhat thick and stiff, and its placement at the rear bottom center of the speaker is awkward, as it tends to push the speaker up when it rests on a flat surface. But Cambridge has redesigned the drivers to handle the higher power, while added electrical equalization combats what some considered to be an overly aggressive midrange response in the Binaura center channel.Īfter you secure the D-Sub cable between the AVS600 and the sub, a Christmassy (or quasi-Italian) red/white/green RCA-terminated cable connects to the magnetically shielded main speaker via a proprietary termination. Maintaining Binaura's specs, the circuitry works best with full-range drivers in a predetermined dispersion pattern, as in the main speaker. The BASH amplification Cambridge employs is more sophisticated than Binaura's. The total power of 225 watts RMS (75 watts for the sub plus 50 watts each for the left, right, and center channels) is almost double that of the original, first-party Binaura system, and that extra juice makes an obvious difference. While MegaTheater subs use an 8-inch sealed enclosure with 150 watts of dedicated power for the woofer and 300 watts (60 watts times five) for the mains, this significantly smaller sub incorporates a 6.5-inch active driver with an 8-inch passive radiator instead of a port. The subwoofer bundled with the SurroundWorks 200 package is unique, however. The slim front panel sports tiny but informative readouts and a set of A/V inputs. A D-Sub 15-pin cable connects the AVS600 to the subwoofer, but the AVS600's back panel also offers an RCA-type six-channel direct output, which can work with amplified speakers or a six-channel amp, in addition to a digital optical output. One nice perk of this arrangement is a built-in upgrade path, should you ever decide to switch to full discrete 5.1. The system centers around the AVS600 DVD tuner/preamplifier console, the same unit Cambridge includes in their HTIB MegaTheater systems. Said receiver provides Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Pro Logic II, and DTS decoding, and this signal then goes to the subwoofer, where all of the amplification and Binaura processing take place. They have integrated it into a complete home theater system-three boxes instead of two-with the addition of a progressive-scan DVD player/receiver. Cambridge SoundWorks of Newton, Massachusetts, is the first third-party manufacturer to license Binaura's patented technology for their own products. All manner of technologies have addressed the virtual-surround challenge, but not until I tried the two-piece Binaura Sound Environment B102A (in our November 2005 issue) did I believe that such simplified gear could produce truly respectable audio. But even those need a place to live, and they still require power cables. Wireless surrounds are an option for some. Virtual surround is nothing new: Some people don't have the space, the know-how, or perhaps the ideal room layout for a pair of surround speakers for true 5.1-channel audio. One speaker, a subwoofer, a source component.
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