SRS Circle Surround - Matrix Surround Troubles

[mrdale]

Ok, So, I'm new to Matrix Surround. I used to use discrete surround with Smart Code Pro, back in the days of OS9, and I had much success with it, but thus far SRS Circle Surround has been worthless for me. Mono dialog shifts around oddly into other channels, pre existing stereo music is unusable because so much ends up in the center channel, and so forth. So, am I missing something here? or is Matrix surround as worthless as it seems to be? Any new discrete software avaliable and affordable?

thanks for any possitive/helpful responses

[EarHole]

It's my understanding that the Matrix software is used when a discrete mix isn't obtainable, ie: stereo analog broadcast transmission.

If the end user has a surround set up then the stereo (Lt/Rt) signal will be decoded into all the speakers anyway, but using the matrix encode & decode plug ins will give you an idea as to how that will be decoded by a consumer PL2 reciever and let you manipulate the mix to get it as "best you can" for that format.

I've only used it a few times so I could be way off but that was my understanding of it's purpose.