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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joe Seph @ Nov 18th 2008 11:18PM
I fail to see the consumer appeal of this product that appears to be many years behind in technology. This is evident in the lack of digital inputs, Dolby Digital or DTS encoders.
ZVOX must not have performed a market survey prior to the initial concept phase of this product launch. Doing so would have provided them with a clear view of what features have been implemented and adopted buy consumers with product offerings from Yamaha and even Sony with their HT-CT100 and RHT-S10 that offer HDMI switching, Dolby Digital and DTS Encoders, and even accept up 7.1 PCM decoded audio via Blu-ray players.
ZVOX Tom @ Nov 19th 2008 1:50PM
Hi – this is a reply from Tom, at ZVOX. Thanks for your comments.
We use an analog, phase-manipulation design (we call it PhaseCue) for virtual surround sound because we prefer it to the digital alternatives. It provides a wide, deep, three-dimensional sound field without sacrificing musical accuracy or vocal clarity. In our experience, creating virtual surround in the digital domain almost always generates some less-than-natural results – for example, rain that sounds like white noise or female vocalists that take on a twangy sound.
We also find our customers prefer using the analog output of a TV because in many cases it allows them to use the TV remote to control the volume of the ZVOX. And we find that there is no audible difference between using an analog input vs. a digital input.
As for switching, we’ve found that most people would much rather use their TV to do switching, rather than using the sound system. It’s simpler, more intuitive and requires the use of fewer remote controls. And we’d rather spend dollars on quality speaker drivers and wood cabinets than on switching systems most people won’t use.