Klipsch THX ULTRA2 User Manual

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THX ULTRA2 SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

STAGE ONE

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STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

CAUTION:

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK!

DO NOT OPEN!

CAUTION! To reduce the risk of electric shock and fire, do not remove the cover or back plate of the device enclosure. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to an Aragon authorized service center.

CAUTION! The international symbol of a lightning bolt inside a triangle is intended to alert the user to uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the device enclosure. The international symbol of an exclamation point inside a triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating, maintenance and servicing information in the manual accompanying the device.

WARNING! To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture.

1. Read Instructions – All safety and operating instructions should be read before operating the device.

2. Retain Instructions – The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.

3. Heed Warnings – All warnings on the device and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.

4. Follow Instructions – All operating and safety instructions should be followed.

5. Attachments – Do not use attachments not recommended by the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

6. Water and Moisture – Do not use this product near water (for example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like).

7. Ventilation – Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, and these openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer’s instructions have been adhered to.

8. Heat – This product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products that produce heat.

9. Power Sources – This product should be operated only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply in your home, consult with your product dealer or the local power company. For products intended to operate from battery power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions.

10. Grounding – This product is equipped with a three-wire grounding-type plug, a plug having a third (grounding) pin. This plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug.

11. Power Cord Protection – Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the product.

12. Overloading – Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk of fire or electrical shock.

13. Lightning and Periods of Non-Use – For added protection for this product during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and powerline surges.

14. Cleaning – Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

15. Object and Liquid Entry – Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

16. Damage Requiring Service – Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: a) When the power supply cord or plug is damaged, b) If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the product, c) If the product has been exposed to rain or water, d) If the product does not operate normally by following the operating

instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and often will require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to its normal operation,

e) If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way, and

f) When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance – this indi-

cates a need for service.

17. Replacement Parts – When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or that have the same characteristics as the original parts. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.

18. Safety Check – Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition.

19. Servicing – Do not attempt to service this product yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

If this unit is purchased outside of the U.S., please contact your local dealer or distributor for service center information. If purchased inside the U.S. and dealer service is not available, contact Aragon Customer Service for a return authorization (RA) number before shipping. For further service information, contact:

ARAGON CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-866-781-7284 137 COUNTY RD 278 HOPE, AR USA 71801

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Welcome to the Aragon Stage One.

We designed the Stage One as a high-performance multi-channel preamp/processor that would eliminate the need for separate home theater and two-channel music systems. It integrates an audiophile-quality analog stereo preamplifier (based on the design of the Aragon Aurum), an eight-channel analog preamplifier for connection to a DVD-Audio player, SACD player, or other multi-channel source with analog outputs, and an advanced THX® Ultra2 digital surround sound processor.

Sophisticated design should mean more than just great performance. A central goal in the development of the Stage One was ease of use without the sacrifice of operational flexibility. We believe that in this respect the Stage One breaks new ground. The Stage One combines the ease of use of a good stereo preamplifier with the most advanced surround-sound processing available today plus numerous features that allow precise tailoring to the rest of your audio/video system.

The Stage One itself will lead you through the basics so that you can start enjoying your system almost as soon as you have finished making connections between components. This manual exists to help you take the processor to its limits, to answer your questions, and to guide you through any troubleshooting that might be required. To get the most out of your Stage One, look through the opening sections before installation and read the entire manual at your leisure afterward.

The version number of the owner’s manual is located at the bottom of this page. Updates will be provided on our Web site at

http://www.aragonelectronics.com/

Click on Help Center at the top of that page to download the latest version of the manual in Adobe Acrobat pdf format. Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader is required to view the downloaded manual on your computer, and our Web site provides a link for downloading it as well.

Please send in your warranty card or register online in the Help Center so that we can keep you informed about updates to the Stage One and other important developments.

Mondial Designs Worldwide Headquarters 3502 Woodview Trace Suite 200 Indianapolis, IN 46268 866-781-7284 Email: support@aragonelectronics.com www.aragonelectronics.com

Version Number 1.1

Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby”, “Pro Logic” and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confidential Unpublished Works. ©1992-1999 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.

Manufactured under license from Digital Theater Systems, Inc. U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,942 and other worldwide patents issued and pending. “DTS” and “DTS Digital Surround” are registered trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. ©1996 Digital Theater Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Manufactured under license from Lucasfilm Ltd. U.S. patent numbers 5,043,970; 5,189,703; and/or 5,222,059. European patent number 0323830. Other U.S. and foreign patents pending. Lucasfilm and THX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. Surround EX is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories. Used under authorization.

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STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Stage One Features

Latest Digital Decoding and Post-processing Two-channel Analog Preamplifier Full Auto Format Selection Analog Volume Control In-system Software Upgradable Design 24-Bit A/D and D/A Converters Eight-channel Analog Preamplifier

Combination Digital and Analog Bass Management Analog-Domain Dialog Normalization Adjustable Crossover Point

Separate Level Settings for Each Mode

On-the-Fly Adjustments

Independent Selection of Audio and Video Sources

Built-in AM/FM Tuner Front Panel Controls Front Panel Control Operations

Stage Manager Control and Enter Button

Normal Mode Post-processing Mode Tuning Mode Menu Mode

Speaker Configuration Level Settings Speaker Distance

THX Setup Menu Input Selection Buttons Mute Button and Mute LED

Front Panel Display

Current Mode Two-channel and Eight-channel Analog Passthrough Sampling Rate Volume Level Current Input Post-processing

Rear Panel Inputs Rear Panel Outputs Remote Control

Hard Buttons

Adjust Setup Vol +/CH +/Mute ƒ Up/Down Left/Right OK Mode Device Page Up/Down Backlight

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9

9 10 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

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Power and Input Selection Modes Page

Analog Digital Stereo Direct Pro Logic II DTS Neo:6 Club Mono 5-Channel Stereo Party

Adjustments

Pro Logic II Dolby Digital THX DTS Display On-the-Fly Video

Tuner Pro Logic II Modes Pro Logic II Setup Dolby Digital DTS THX THX ASA/EX Tuner Separate Video Setup On-the-Fly Display

Input Connections

AC Input Digital Inputs Analog Inputs Video Inputs Multi-channel Analog Input Antenna Input

Speaker Placement and Configuration System Setup

Remote Control System Setup Front-panel System Setup Speaker Configuration Level Settings Speaker Distances THX Setup Crossover Setup

General Operation THX AM/FM Tuner Front-panel Display and Lighting Advanced Features Advanced Menus

13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 18 18 18 18 19 20 21 22 22 25 26 26 26 27

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UNPACKING

WE WANT YOUR NEW PREAMPLIFIER TO LOOK AS GOOD AS IT DID LEAVING THE FACTORY. PLEASE CHECK PROMPTLY FOR TRANSIT DAMAGE.

Carefully unpack your new preamplifier. In extreme circumstances, items may have become damaged in transit. If any damage is discovered, notify the delivery service and/or dealer where the system was purchased. Make a request for inspection, and follow the instructions for evaluation. Be sure to keep the product with its original shipping carton and save your packing material to aid in future transportation.

STAGE ONE FEATURES

Latest Digital Decoding and Post-Processing

The Stage One uses advanced digital processing and 7.1-channel output capability to support all the latest surround-sound formats and decoding options, including Dolby Digital, DTS, THX Surround EX, DTS ES Discrete and Matrix, DTS Neo:6, and Dolby Pro Logic II. No matter what the source, the Stage One can select and apply the best decoding method automatically. And with its THX Ultra2 post-processing algorithms, the Stage One makes sure that the final sound is exactly what the director intended. In addition, it can apply its DSP power to multi-channel enhancement of ordinary stereo programs via its Party, Club, and 5-Channel Stereo modes. It even does mono!

Two-Channel Analog Preamplifier

The Stage One also includes an audiophile-quality two-channel analog preamplifier. Each analog input can be configured for Stereo Direct operation, which bypasses the analog-to-digital converters and the DSP module to guarantee uncompromised reproduction of analog sources. Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD-Audio players can be connected via their analog outputs to retain the full fidelity of these new formats.

Full Auto Format Selection

The Stage One will automatically determine the format of an incoming digital bitstream and switch itself to the appropriate processing mode. Separate level settings are available for each mode and are loaded automatically when a new mode is selected. This enables the system to be operated at the push of a button.

Analog Volume Control

The Stage One adjusts channel balance and overall volume in the analog domain to retain the full resolution of all signals.

In-System Software Upgradable Design

As the world changes, the Stage One can change with it. Software upgrades can be delivered in the field via a back-panel RS-232 port. This enables us to make the Stage One compatible with new sources and to enhance its operation without ever having to touch the hardware or even remove it from your system.

24-Bit A/D and D/A Converters

The Stage One uses identical, state-of-the-art, 24-bit Crystal Semiconductor digital-to-analog converters for all eight output channels. The stereo analog inputs, when not in Direct mode, are translated to digital with a 24-bit A/D converter.

Eight-Channel Analog Preamplifier

The Stage One provides an eight-channel analog input to allow direct connection of DVD players with built-in decoders, such as those for DVD-Audio and SACD. A DB-25 connector is used. This input completely bypasses the digital processing module, allowing the Stage One to function as an eight-channel analog preamplifier. (See “Input Connections” for the DB-25 connector’s pin configuration).

Combination Digital and Analog Bass Management

The Stage One incorporates an advanced hybrid bass-management system that allows the preamp to preserve full dynamic range under all conditions. It performs high- and low-pass crossover filtering, as well as bass summing to the subwoofer, in the digital processor. This allows for more precise crossover filters. When there is no subwoofer, it routes low-frequency signals (including the LFE channel in Dolby Digital and DTS) to the system’s "Large" speakers in the analog domain. This method eliminates any need for digital-domain attenuation when these signals are combined. Processors that perform this function digitally (as most others do) must attenuate the signals being combined to avoid overload in the DSP module, resulting in a loss of dynamic range that can significantly impair sound quality.

Analog-Domain Dialog Normalization

Dolby Digital incorporates a function called Dialog Normalization, which was originally developed with HDTV in mind. It enables content providers to maintain a constant average level for dialog at a given volume setting, regardless of the nature of the program. The idea is to enable you to switch from channel to channel on an HDTV set without ever having to lunge for the volume control, all while not compromising dynamic range. Dolby requires that all Dolby Digital processors correctly respond to Dialog Normalization instructions in the bitstream. The Stage One has the ability to make the necessary adjustments in the analog domain. If this function were performed digitally, it could cause a loss of resolution.

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

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FRONT-PANEL CONTROLS

Adjustable Crossover Point

The Stage One enables you to designate each set of speakers in your system (Front, Center, Surround, and Surround Back) as either Large or Small and to adjust the crossover frequency below which bass is redirected away from the channels feeding the Small speakers. There are twenty different crossover frequencies to choose from. Separate crossovers can be selected for Stereo and surround modes.

Separate Level Settings for Each Mode

On-the-Fly Adjustments

You can use the remote control’s On-the-Fly and Balances functions to make temporary channel-level adjustments for a particular soundtrack. In Stereo mode, you can adjust the left-right balance and subwoofer level. In surround modes, you can adjust the front-rear balance as well as the center-channel and subwoofer levels.

Independent Selection of Audio and Video Sources

A page on the remote control enables you to select video independently with the push of a button. This allows you to watch one source while you listen to another, without going through any complicated setup menus.

Built-In AM/FM Tuner

The Stage One has a built-in AM/FM tuner with 20 station presets. The remote control’s Tuner page contains buttons for selecting presets, as well as station-seek buttons.

FRONT-PANEL CONTROLS

1 Power

The Power button switches the Stage One between its Active and Standby modes. In Standby, the analog circuitry remains powered while the DSP module is shut down and the outputs are muted.

2 Mute

Pressing the Mute button will toggle the Stage One’s audio outputs on and off.

3 Mute LED

The Mute LED will illuminate red when the system is muted.

4 Enter Button

The Enter button is used in conjunction with the Stage Manager to operate the Stage One menu system. (See "Front-panel Operation.") When the tuner is selected, the Enter button is used to switch the Stage Manager into tuning mode. (See "Tuner.")

5 Input Selection Buttons

Pressing any of these buttons (TV, DVD, etc.) selects the corresponding rear-panel connection as the current input.

6 Input Indicator LED

The LEDs above the Input Selection buttons indicate the source currently

engaged.

7 Stage Manager Control

The Stage Manager is both a knob and, when pushed, a button. It serves a number of functions, including volume control, AM/FM tuning, and menu operation. (See "Stage Manager.")

8 Display

The Stage One has a two-line by twenty-character vacuum-tube fluorescent display that indicates the current audio mode, input, and volume control setting.

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FRONT-PANEL CONTROL OPERATIONS

Stage Manager Control and Enter Button

The Stage Manager control knob is turned clockwise and counter-clockwise to make adjustments, and it also functions as a pushbutton in certain operations. In combination with the Enter button, it controls many of the Stage One’s functions.

Normal Mode

In the Normal mode, the Stage Manager functions as a volume control. Turning it to the right will increase the volume, and turning it to the left will decrease the volume. The Stage One’s volume-control range is from –62dB to +12dB, with 1dB steps from –62dB to –36dB and 0.5dB steps from –35.5dB to +12dB. Below –62dB, the system is muted.

Post-Processing Mode

In the Normal mode, holding the input selection button for the current source and rotating the Stage Manager will change the post-processing mode. The following selections are available: Stereo, Stereo Direct, Pro Logic II, DTS Neo:6, Club, 5-Channel Stereo, Party, and Mono.

Tuning Mode

When the Tuner is selected, use the Stage Manager to change stations. Press the Stage Manager to enter the tuning mode. The currently selected band will flash. Turn the knob clockwise to tune to FM, and counter clockwise to select AM. Press the knob a second time to allow the tuning frequency to be changed. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the frequenc and turn it counter-clockwise to decrease the frequency. Press the knob a third time, and the current preset will flash. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the selected preset and counter clockwise to decrease. Press the knob a fourth time to exit the Tuning mode. The Stage Manager will automatically revert to Normal mode after 5 seconds of inactivity.

Menu Mode

Press the Enter button once to load the Setup Menu or twice to load the Advanced Menu. Scroll through the menu items by turning the Stage Manager knob and press it when you reach the one you want to adjust. Again, you adjust that item by turning the Stage Manager knob. When a menu item offers a Yes/No choice, turn the knob to the right to select Yes and to the left to select No. Press the Enter button to exit the menu. Menuspecific controls are listed below.

Speaker Configuration

Turn the Stage Manager to adjust the speaker setting. Press the knob to

advance to the next available speaker. Press the Enter button to exit the

Speaker Configuration Menu.

Level Settings

Turn the Stage Manager to increase or decrease the level of a selected

output channel. Press it to advance to the next channel. Press the Enter

button to exit the Level Settings Menu.

Speaker Distance

Turn the Stage Manager knob to increase or decrease the speaker distance setting for an output channel. Press it to advance to the next channel. Press the Enter button to exit the Speaker Distance Menu.

THX Setup Menu

Turn the Stage Manager to change the selected THX Setup menu. Press the knob to select the currently displayed menu item for adjustment. Turn the knob to the left or right to adjust the value of that item. Press the Stage Manager or the Enter button to exit the selected menu.

Crossover Setup

Turn the Stage Manager to increase or decrease the crossover frequency for the speakers selected as Small and for the Subwoofer high-pass filter. Press the Enter button to exit the Crossover Setup Menu.

Input Selection Buttons

Along the bottom of the front panel are eight buttons for source selection. Once you have chosen an input, you can change the post-processing mode by holding its selection button down and turning the Stage Manager knob.

Mute Button and Mute LED

The Mute button toggles the Stage One’s outputs off and on. The Mute LED will illuminate red when Mute is engaged. Turning the volume down past –62dB will also mute the Stage One.

FRONT PANEL DISPLAY

Current Mode

The top left-hand corner of the display indicates the Stage One’s current decoding mode or the post-processing being applied to a two-channel input signal. The following decoding and post-processing modes are available in the Stage One: Dolby Digital, DTS, Stereo, Pro Logic II, 5-Channel Stereo, DTS Neo:6, Club, Party, and Mono.

Dolby Digital and DTS bitstreams can contain anywhere from 1.0 to 6.1 channels of information. (The ".1" indicates the presence or absence of a low-frequency effects, or LFE, channel.) If the bitstream contains between 1.0 and

5.1 channels of information, the number will display to the right of the decoding mode.

1.0

This indicates a mono signal. This signal is reproduced through the center channel if a center speaker is present. Otherwise, it will be reproduced equally through the left and right front output channels. If a center speaker is present, you can force the signal to be routed to the left and right front channels by pressing the Stereo button on the remote control.

2.0

This indicates that a two-channel signal is present. It will be reproduced through the left and right front output channels. Two-channel signals can also be modified by any of the Stage One’s post-processing modes. The post-processing function will be indicated in the bottom left-hand portion of the front-panel display.

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

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3.0

This indicates a three-channel signal, which normally will be reproduced through the left front, center, and right front output channels. If the system contains no center speaker, the center channel signal will be split equally between the left and right front output channels.

4.0

This indicates a four-channel signal, reproduced through the left and right front and surround output channels.

5.0

This indicates a five-channel signal, which normally is reproduced through the left and right front, center, and left and right surround channels.

The ".1" indicates that the bitstream contains a low-frequency effects (LFE) channel, which carries only bass information. In most systems, the LFE channel is reproduced by a subwoofer. If there is no subwoofer, it will be routed to speakers designated as Large.

The number of channels indicated on the front-panel display is based on the number of channels of information present in the digital bitstream. It is not an indication of a signal being present on a particular speaker and does not reflect your system’s speaker configuration. For example, if you have set "Center Speaker" and "Subwoofer" to "None" (not present) in the Speaker Configuration Menu, the display will still show Dolby Digital 5.1 for a 5.1-channel Dolby Digital soundtrack.

When a Dolby Digital soundtrack contains surround back channel information, the front-panel display will indicate THX Surround EX.

THX Surround EX will NOT be displayed if any of the following conditions exist:

1. The Surround Back channels in the Speaker Configuration Menu are set

to None

2. THX Surround EX is turned to OFF in the THX Setup Menu

3. The soundtrack is flagged as not containing stereo surround information

THX Surround EX-encoded discs can be played on a system with any number of speakers connected to it, but to take full advantage of the surround back channel information a full complement of speakers must be connected, including the Surround Back speakers.

When a DTS soundtrack contains surround back channel information, the front-panel display will indicate DTS ES Matrix or DTS ES Discrete.

DTS ES soundtracks containing 6.1 channels of information are encoded in a matrixed or discrete format. In a DTS ES Matrix soundtrack, the surround back channel information is encoded into the primary surround channels, extracted by the DSP module, and then sent to the Surround Back output channels. DTS ES Discrete soundtracks contain a discrete surround back channel signal, which is decoded by the DSP module and fed to the Surround Back outputs.

The Stage One will not decode DTS ES if the Surround Back channels are set to "None" in the Speaker Configuration Menu. DTS ES-encoded discs are backward-compatible with a 5.1 system, so Surround Back channels are not required to play them. However, the system cannot take advantage of the extra surround channel unless, in addition to the primary surround speakers, surround back speakers are connected.

2-Channel and 8-Channel Analog Passthrough

The top line of the display will indicate when the 8-Channel Analog input or the Stereo Direct (2-channel passthrough) mode is selected.

Sampling Rate

For PCM signals (standard uncompressed digital output from a CD, DVD, or laserdisc player or a digital satellite receiver), the display will show the sampling frequency to the right of the post-processing mode.

Volume Level

The bottom right-hand corner of the display indicates the current master volume setting. The master volume ranges from –62dB to + 12dB, with 00dB as the THX reference setting.

Current Input

The bottom left-hand side of the display indicates the currently selected input, as long as there is no post processing information required to be displayed. When the tuner is selected, this location will display the currently tuned radio frequency.

Post-Processing

In some modes, the Stage One may need to display additional information, such as the type of post-processing being applied. The following list presents the Stage One modes and the post-processing or additional information available in each.

Dolby Pro Logic II has five possible decoding modes, selected from the remote control’s Pro Logic II Modes page: Movie, Music, Panorama (indicated as PAN), Matrix and Pro Logic. (See "Modes.")

Dolby Digital has 11 possible decoding modes, either selected from the remote control’s Modes page or loaded as the default based on system settings: PLII, Stereo, Mono, 5-Channel Stereo, Club, Party, DTS Neo:6, THX, THX Surround EX, THX MusicMode, and THX Ultra2 Cine. Certain modes may only be applied to Dolby Digital 2.0 signals that are not flagged as surround encoded (See "Modes.")

DTS has 10 possible decoding modes, selected from the remote control’s Modes page or loaded as the default based on system settings: PLII, Stereo, Mono, 5-Channel Stereo, Club, Party, DTS Neo:6, THX, THX MusicMode, and THX Ultra2 Cine. Certain modes may only be applied to DTS 2.0 signals that are not flagged as surround encoded (See "Modes.")

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REAR-PANEL INPUTS

Be certain that the Stage One preamp/processor, your amplifiers, and all other associated components are powered OFF before making or breaking any connections to the preamplifier. Failure to do so may result in damage to your speakers or other equipment.

1 ANALOG INPUTS

Seven stereo analog inputs are provided on the rear panel. The analog inputs are labeled for convenience only, as any line-level source can be plugged into any analog input. (See "Analog Input Level Control.")

2 DIGITAL INPUTS

Ten digital inputs are provided on the rear panel: seven Coaxial and three Toslink optical. They can accept digital output from any device that delivers a standard S/PDIF signal. On the TV, DVD, and CD/LD inputs, the Toslink input takes precedence over the Coaxial input. Both may be connected simultaneously.

3 COMPOSITE VIDEO INPUTS

Seven composite video inputs are provided on the rear panel. When an A/V source is selected, the corresponding video input is also selected and routed to the Monitor and Record outputs. Video inputs can also be selected independently of the audio inputs. (See "Selecting a Separate Video Source.")

4 S-VIDEO INPUTS

Seven S-video inputs are provided on the rear panel. When an A/V source is selected, the corresponding video input is also selected and routed to the Monitor and Record outputs. Video inputs can also be selected independently from audio inputs. (See “Selecting a Separate Video Source.”)

5 COMPONENT VIDEO INPUTS

Three Component Video inputs are provided on the rear panel. These are assigned to the TV, DVD and Video inputs and are high-definition compatible. When one of these three sources is selected, the corresponding component video input is also selected and routed to the Component Video output. Video inputs can also be selected independently from audio inputs. (See “Selecting a Separate Video Source.”)

6 RS-232 IN/OUT

The RS-232 port enables the Stage One to communicate with external control devices or to connect with expansion boxes for future upgradability. This port also allows for software upgrades to be installed to the Stage One.

7 IR INPUT

The external IR input on the rear panel allows for an electrical connection to an infrared receiver module.

8 MULTI-CHANNEL ANALOG INPUT

A DB-25 connector is provided on the rear panel to allow a six- or eight-channel analog input from a DVD, DVD-Audio, or SACD player. Compatible RCA to DB-25 adapters are readily available from many manufacturers. (See “Input Connections.”) This input bypasses the DSP module.

9 EXPANSION PORT

This port provides for expansion capability for future use should current or future formats require a method of connection not currently supplied on the Stage One.

10 AC INPUT

AC Power is supplied to the Stage One via a standard IEC three-wire power cord.

11 FM ANTENNA INPUT

A 75-ohm F-connector input is provided on the rear panel to attach to an external FM antenna.

12 AM ANTENNA INPUT

Spring clips are provided on the rear panel to connect an external AM loop antenna.

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

REAR-PANEL INPUTS

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REAR-PANEL OUTPUTS

1 COMPONENT VIDEO OUTPUT

One component video output is provided to connect to a monitor with a component video input. This output is active only for routing the three Component Video inputs (TV, DVD and Video) connected to component video sources.

2 S-VIDEO MONITOR/RECORD OUTPUT

Two outputs are provided for S-video signals to route them to your monitor or recording device. The Stage One does not convert composite video input signals to S-video, although both composite and S-video signals can be used simultaneously.

3 COMPOSITE VIDEO MONITOR/RECORD OUTPUT

Two outputs are provided for composite video signals to route them to your monitor or recording device. The Stage One does not convert composite video signals to S-video, although both composite and S-video signals can be used simultaneously.

4 TOSLINK OPTICAL DIGITAL OUTPUT

AToslink optical digital audio output is provided on the rear panel. The signal from the selected digital source is routed to the Toslink digital output for recording purposes.

5 ANALOG RECORD OUTPUTS

Two sets of outputs are provided on the rear panel to connect to recording devices, such as VCRs and tape decks. The analog signal from the selected source is routed to both record outputs. (Be careful when connecting these to a VCR line input if the VCR is the currently selected source and line-in is selected on the VCR. This can cause a feedback loop.)

6 PREAMPLIFIER OUTPUTS

RCA outputs are provided for each channel. Connect these to the inputs of the corresponding power amplifier channels.

7 RS-232 IN/OUT

8 12-VOLT DC OUTPUT

The 12-volt DC output can be used to trigger external devices that are driven by a 12-volt continuous DC output (up to 100mA).

REAR-PANEL OUTPUTS

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REMOTE CONTROL

The supplied Philips ProntoNEO®touchscreen remote control is pre-configured for the Stage One. This programmable learning remote is enormously flexible and can be customized to operate your entire audio/video system. The remote has its own manual, which explains its operation in full detail. Be sure to read the ProntoNEO manual as well as the descriptions below to get the most from the remote control. The functions listed below apply only when the Stage One is selected on the remote control.

HARD BUTTONS

1 ADJUST

The Adjust button switches the remote control touchscreen to the Adjustments page, which has buttons for jumping to the most commonly used mode and system adjustment pages.

2 SETUP

The Setup button switches the remote control to the Setup page, where you can enter the system setup functions.

3 4 UP/DOWN

When in the menu system, the Up and Down buttons move between menu items. In the Speaker Configuration, Level Setting, and Speaker Distances menus, the Up and Down buttons change the channel selected for adjustment. When the Stage One is in Normal mode and decoding surround sound, the Up and Down buttons adjust the front/rear balance.

5 6 LEFT/RIGHT

Once you have selected a menu item, use the Left and Right buttons to adjust the value of its setting. When the Stage One is in Normal mode and playing a stereo signal, press the Left and Right buttons to adjust the left/right balance.

7 8 VOL +/–

The Vol+ and Vol– buttons adjust the Stage One’s overall volume level.

910CH +/–

When the Stage One’s built-in tuner is selected, the CH+ and CH– buttons seek forward and back to the next station with enough signal strength for clean reception.

11 ƒ

Pressing the F button brings the remote back to the input selection page.

12 MUTE

The Mute button toggles the Stage One’s audio output on and off. When you are adjusting the Level Settings in the Setup menu, pressing the Mute button will exit the menu without saving changes.

13 OK

Press the OK button to enter and exit menus.

14 MODE

Holding down the Mode button brings up the remote control’s setup menu, which allows you to program the remote. For detailed instructions on how to use this function, see the ProntoNEO manual.

15 DEVICE

Pressing the Device button brings up the top-level Device page, which is where you select which component you want the remote to address. Select the Stage One by pressing the Stage One button at the bottom of the page.

16 17 PAGE UP/DOWN

On the left hand side of the remote, the Page Up and Down buttons enable you to scroll through the pages that apply to the currently selected device.

18 BACKLIGHT

Pressing the Backlight button lights up the touchscreen and hard buttons so you can see them clearly in the dark. To adjust the touchscreen’s contrast, press the Page Up and Down buttons while holding down the Backlight button.

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

Page 13

POWER AND INPUT SELECTION

There are separate power On and Off buttons for the Stage One. Direct access buttons are available for each of the eight source inputs, including the tuner. The 8 Ch In button selects the 8-channel analog input.

MODES PAGE

The Modes page provides Stage One post-processing adjustments and individual buttons for selection of stereo direct, analog, and digital inputs.

Analog

This button forces the Stage One to process from the analog input. The Stage One will remain locked onto the analog input until you select a new source, press the Digital button, or power it off.

Digital

Choosing Digital forces the Stage One to process from the digital input, regardless of whether or not a digital signal is present for the currently selected source. The Stage One will remain locked onto the digital input until you select a new source, press the Analog button, or power it off.

Stereo

When an analog or PCM digital signal is present for the currently selected source, pressing the Stereo button decodes the signal in two-channel stereo and sets the default for analog and PCM signals on the particular input to stereo. When a Dolby Digital or DTS signal is selected, pressing the Stereo Button will cause the Stage One to downmix multi-channel soundtracks for reproduction by just the front left and right speakers.

Direct

Pressing the Direct button forces the Stage One into Stereo Direct mode and sets Stereo Direct as the default mode for the currently selected source. Stereo Direct bypasses all digital processing, enabling the Stage One to act as a stereo analog preamplifier while still allowing subwoofer operation.

PLII

Pressing the PLII button when the signal for the currently selected source is analog, PCM digital, Dolby Digital 2.0 or DTS 2.0 causes the Stage One to apply Dolby Pro Logic II decoding to the signal. The Stage One will automatically apply Dolby Pro Logic II decoding to Dolby Digital 2.0 signals that are flagged as Dolby Surround encoded. Pressing the PLII button also jumps the remote to the Pro Logic Modes page, where you can adjust the currently selected Dolby Pro Logic II mode.

DTS Neo:6

Pressing the DTS Neo:6 button when the signal for the currently selected source is analog, PCM digital, Dolby Digital 2.0 or DTS 2.0 applies the DTS Neo:6 surround processing algorithm.

Club

Pressing the Club button when the signal for the currently selected source is analog, PCM digital, Dolby Digital 2.0 or DTS 2.0 applies Club-mode processing.

Mono

Pressing the Mono button when the signal for the currently selected source is analog, PCM digital, Dolby Digital, or DTS will downmix all channels to mono and send the resulting signal to the center speaker or, if the system has no center speaker, the left and right front speakers.

5 Ch St

Pressing the 5 Ch St button when the signal for the currently selected source is analog, PCM digital, Dolby Digital 2.0 or DTS 2.0 applies 5-Channel Stereo processing.

Party

Pressing the Party button when the signal for the currently selected source is analog, PCM digital, Dolby Digital 2.0 or DTS 2.0 applies Party-mode processing.

on off

VIDEO

VCR TAPE

AUX TUNER

8 Ch In

DVD

CD/LD

Analog

Stereo Direct

PL II

DTS Neo

Club

Digital

5 Ch St

Party

Mono

Page 14

ADJUSTMENTS

Pro Logic

Pressing the Pro Logic button switches the remote to the Pro Logic II Modes page, where you can adjust the currently selected Dolby Pro Logic II mode.

Dolby Digital

Pressing the Dolby Digital button switches the remote to the Dolby Digital page, where you can adjust the Dolby Digital Night Mode compression level.

THX

Pressing the THX button switches the remote to the THX page, where you can adjust the THX options.

DTS

Pressing the DTS button switches the remote to the DTS page, where you can adjust the DTS options.

Display

Pressing the Display button switches the remote to the Display Options page, where you can turn the front panel display on and off and adjust the front panel lighting.

On-the-Fly

Pressing the On-the-Fly button switches the remote to the On-the-Fly page, where you can temporarily adjust center-channel and subwoofer levels to compensate for variations in soundtracks.

Video

Pressing the Video button jumps the remote to the Separate Video Switching page, where you can select the video input independently of the audio signal.

Tuner

Pressing the Tuner button switches the remote to the Tuner page, where you can select the band, select a preset, or tune stations.

PRO LOGIC II MODES

The Pro Logic II Modes page allows you to select the Dolby Pro Logic II mode. Five Pro Logic II modes are available: Music, Movie, Panorama, Matrix and Pro Logic.

PRO LOGIC II SETUP

The Pro Logic II Setup page enables you to adjust Dolby Pro Logic II parameters. The following adjustments are available: Center Channel Width and Dimension. Changes are stored in memory and load automatically when the Pro Logic Music or Panorama modes are engaged.

DOLBY DIGITAL

The Dolby Digital page allows you to adjust the level of compression in Dolby Digital.

DTS

The DTS page allows you to adjust the DTS Neo:6 mode.

THX

The THX Setup page allows THX processing to be turned On and Off. When THX processing is on, the Re-Equalization circuit can be turned on and off. Once the Stage One is powered off, the ReEqualization circuit returns to the default state of ON.

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

Adjustments

Pro Logic

Display

Video Tuner

THX

Dolby Dig

DTS

On the Fly

Modes

Music

Panorama

Pro Logic

center

dimension

Compression

Low Medium

Night

Pg. 2

Movie

Matrix

Pg. 1

Off

+ +

Neo:6 Mode

Music Movie

Pg. 2

THX On THX Off

Re EQ

Off

Page 15

THX ASA/EX

The THX ASA and EX setup page allows the THX Advanced Speaker Array and THX Surround EX modes to be adjusted. Available options for the Advanced Speaker Array (ASA) mode are Ultra2 Cinema, THX MusicMode, and Off. Ultra2 Cinema mode will be most appropriate for movie soundtracks that are not Surround EX-encoded, while MusicMode will work best for multichannel music sources. The default setting for the ASA Mode menu is Ultra2 Cinema.

Available options for THX Surround EX are AUTO, ON, and OFF. In the AUTO mode, THX Surround EX processing will occur when all Surround EX conditions have been met, and the Dolby Digital bitstream contains the appropriate flag to indicate that the soundtrack is Surround EX encoded. In the ON mode, THX Surround EX processing will take place whenever all Surround EX conditions have been met. In the OFF mode, THX Surround EX processing will not take place even if the appropriate conditions are met. The default setting for the Surround EX Mode menu is AUTO.

ASA and Surround EX adjustments can only be made when accessing 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks. These settings will only take effect when the Stage One is configured with Surround Back speakers in the Speaker Configuration menu.

TUNER

The Tuner page contains all the functions for controlling the built-in AM/FM tuner. AM and FM buttons are provided to select the current band. Tuning Up and Tuning Down buttons at the bottom of the page allow for the frequency to be adjusted up and down. Ten presets are available for each band, selected by the buttons 1 through 10. Pressing and releasing the preset button will tune the radio to the selected preset station. Pressing and holding the preset button for three seconds will store the currently selected station as the preset.

SEPARATE VIDEO

The Separate Video switching page allows the video input to be adjusted independently of the audio source. This allows you to listen to one source, such as the built-in tuner, while watching another.

SETUP

The setup page allows you to enter the Setup and Advanced Setup menus and adjust the analog input gain when necessary. Pressing Setup or Advanced Setup will enter and exit the menus. The Up/Down, Left/Right and OK buttons are used to navigate the front panel menus. When accessing an analog input, the analog input gain can be adjusted up and down with the Input Gain + and – buttons. Pressing the Exit Setup Menu button will change the remote control back to the input selection screen.

ON-THE-FLY

The center channel and subwoofer levels can be temporarily adjusted with the buttons on the On-theFly page. These levels can be adjusted up or down to compensate for differences in particular soundtracks. The next time the mode is accessed, the settings saved in memory will be loaded into the processor. The need to continuously adjust the center channel and subwoofer levels may be an indication that the saved settings in the Level Settings menu are not correct.

DISPLAY

The Display page allows the front panel display to be turned on and off, and the front panel lighting to be turned On, Off, or set to Dim. The display setting will revert back to the default ON setting the next time the processor is turned on. The front panel lighting setting is stored in memory.

Pg. 1

Cinema Music

ASA Mode

Off

EX Off

EX On

EX Auto

Surround EX Mode

Separate Video Switch

CD/LD

Setup

Input Gain

center

subwoofer

DVD

VIDEO

VCR TAPE

AUX

Advanced Setup

Shift

Exit Setup Menu

On the Fly Adjustments

Display Settings

Light Settings

Dim

Off

Page 16

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

INPUT CONNECTIONS

The Stage One allows for analog, digital, and video outputs for seven sources to be connected to the rear panel inputs. You also have the ability to switch the Audio and Video signals independently of each other. For easiest operation, the digital, analog, and video outputs from each source should be attached to the same source input (lined up vertically) on the rear panel of the Stage One. If different types of video outputs are available, one of each type (S-video, Composite, and Component/RGB/HDTV) can be connected to a single source input. This ensures that video output will be available regardless of the input selected on the monitor.

AC INPUT

Using the supplied IEC power cord, plug the Stage One into the wall outlet.

DIGITAL INPUTS

The rear panel of the Stage One provides ten digital inputs (three Toslink, and seven Coaxial). Any S/PDIF digital output can be connected to any, or all ten digital inputs. For inputs with both a Toslink and Coaxial digital connection, Toslink takes precedence. It is possible to connect both a Toslink and a Coaxial digital signal to a single source input, but only one will be operational at a time. There is no need to "assign" the digital inputs, as one is provided for each source connection. For easiest operation, the digital output of the source should be connected to the same source input (lined up vertically) as the analog and video outputs of the source.

ANALOG INPUTS

The rear panel of the Stage One provides seven stereo analog line level inputs. The analog output of any line level source can be connected to any, or all of the stereo analog inputs. The input gain of the analog inputs should be adjusted for each analog source that you have connected. For optimum performance, the gain should be adjusted to the highest point before clipping occurs. (See “Advanced Features.”)

VIDEO INPUTS

The rear panel of the Stage One provides 17 Video inputs (seven composite, seven S-video and three component). The Stage One does not perform any video conversion. For example, if you connect the S-video output of a DVD player to the Stage One, that signal will only be available at the S-video outputs.

MULTI-CHANNEL ANALOG INPUT

The Stage One provides an 8-Channel Analog Input. This DB-25 connector can be used to connect the analog outputs from a DVD player with a built-in decoder. The 8-Channel Analog input is passed directly to the analog preamplifier section. Individual channel level adjustment, as well as overall level adjustment, is available for this input.

ANTENNA INPUT

Spring clips for an AM loop antenna, and a coaxial type terminal for a 75-ohm FM antenna connection are provided on the rear panel to allow the built-in AM/FM tuner to be connected to an antenna.

Unbalanced DB-25 Pin Assignments

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9, 10

11, 12, 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23, 24, 25

ASSIGNMENT Left positive Center positive Right positive Subwoofer positive Surround left positive Surround right positive Surround back left positive Surround back right positive Shield drains No connection Left ground Center ground Right ground Subwoofer ground Surround left ground Surround right ground Surround back left ground Surround back right ground Shield drain No connection

ANALOG OUTPUT

S VIDEO OUTPUT

ANALOG OUTPUT

SATELLITE

DIGITAL OUTPUT

COMPONENT

OUT SAT

S VIDEO OUTPUT

DIGITAL OUTPUT

COMPOSITE

VIDEO OUTPUT

DVD PLAYER

COMPONENT

VIDEO OUT

ANALOG OUTPUT

CD PLAYER

DIGITAL OUTPUT

ANALOG

OUTPUT

COMPOSITE

S VIDEO

VIDEO INPUT

INPUT

COMPOSITE

S VIDEO

VIDEO OUTPUT

OUTPUT

VCR

AM ANTENNA

ANALOG

INPUT

COMPOSITE VISEO INPUT

S VIDEO

INPUT

TELEVISION

FM ANTENNA

COMPONENT

INPUT

Page 17

SPEAKER PLACEMENT AND CONFIGURATION

The number and placement of speakers is a very critical part of the function of the Stage One. While you can certainly use the Stage One in systems with as few as two main left and right speakers, you will not be able to realize the full surround sound potential of the processor without proper set-up of a complete surround speaker package. The following text and diagrams describe how to place your speakers for THX Surround EX playback.

Please consult the owner’s manuals for your speakers and amplifier to ensure correct connections. Make sure the power to your amplifier and the Stage One are off before making or breaking any connections. Failure to do so could result in damage to your equipment.

Front Left and Right Speakers

These are the primary speakers in the system. They function as the left and right speakers in a stereo configuration and as the front left and right speakers in a surround speaker set-up. They should be placed to left of and to the right of your video monitor.

Center Channel Speaker

The center channel speaker functions as the primary sound source for a surround sound system. It should be placed as close to the video monitor as possible – typically on top of the monitor. The center channel localizes all on-screen dialog, action and effects for realistic sonic effect.

Surround Left and Right Speakers

The surround left and right speakers function as the dimensional speakers in a surround speaker set-up. They reproduce the ambience and three-dimensional movement required for realistic playback of surround encoded source material. Ideally, these speakers should be placed to the left side and right side of the primary listening position at a height of 0.5-1 meter above the listener’s ears.

Surround Back Left and Right Speakers

The surround back left and right speakers are necessary for optimal playback of THX Surround EX and DTS ES-encoded material. They add additional ambience and effects to the soundfield, further enhancing the movie theater experience in your home. These speakers should be placed to the rear of the listening position at a height of 0.5-1 meter above the listener’s ears.

Subwoofer

The subwoofer reproduces all of the deep bass that brings home the sonic realism of a movie soundtrack. It can also reproduce bass response that has been redirected from other speakers that are too small to do so. The subwoofer is typically placed along the front wall of the listening room in either the right or left corner. Placement can dramatically affect the performance of this speaker. Consult your subwoofer owner’s manual or the manufacturer for assistance in set-up and placement of this speaker.

L R

SL SR

SBL

SBR

SBL

SBR

Page 18

SYSTEM SETUP

The Stage One Setup Menu is a quick and easy step-by-step guide to configuring your system. You can access and navigate the Setup Menu from the remote control or by using the Stage Manager and Enter button on the front panel. When you complete a setup item, the system will automatically advance to the next selection until setup is complete. It will then revert to the initial menu

Remote Control System Setup

With the ProntoNEO, select the Setup button to enter the Setup Menu. The Up and Down buttons change the currently selected menu or option and the Left and Right buttons change the setting. Use the OK button to enter or exit a particular menu.

Front-Panel System Setup

Although most of the instructions below are primarily for operation from the remote control, you can use the Stage Manager and the Enter button to set up the Stage One completely from the front panel. Press the Enter button to enter and exit the Setup Menu. Turn the Stage Manager knob to the left or right to make choices or adjustments in the selected menu. Press the Stage Manager knob to enter a particular menu. When applicable, each subsequent press of the Stage Manager will advance to the next channel or parameter. Press the Enter button to exit a menu.

SETUP MENU

Press the Setup button on the remote or the Enter button on the front panel to begin the setup procedure.

SPEAKER CONFIGURATION

The Speaker Configuration menu enables you to adjust the bass management of your system. Press the remote OK button or front-panel Stage Manager to enter the Speaker Configuration menu.

Front Speakers

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote control or Stage Manager knob to configure the front left and right front speakers as Large or Small. Select Small (THX) when the front left and right speakers have limited bass response or if you simply want the bass from all channels to go to a subwoofer. Select Large for full low-frequency output to the front left and right speakers. The default THX setting for the front left and right loudspeakers is Small, which reroutes bass below the crossover frequency to the subwoofer output. (The crossover frequency can be adjusted in a subsequent menu.) Once you have selected the correct speaker designation, press the Up button or the Stage Manager to move to Center Speaker configuration.

Center Speaker

The center speaker can be configured as Large, Small (THX), or None. If you select Small, the Stage One will reroute bass below the crossover frequency from the center channel to the subwoofer output if there is a subwoofer in the system; if there is no subwoofer and the front left and right speakers are

configured as Large, bass from the center channel will be split between the front left and right speakers. If you do not have a center speaker, select None, which will split the center-channel output between the front left and right speakers. The default THX setting for the center channel is Small. Use the remote’s Left and Right buttons or the Stage Manager knob to select the desired setting. Then press the Up button on the remote control or the Stage Manager on the front panel to move to Surround Speaker configuration.

Surround Speakers

The Stage One gives you three choices for number of surround speakers—None, One, or Two—and two choices for type—Large or Small (THX). If you select Large, the surround speakers will receive full-range signals. Selecting Small will redirect bass in the surround channels below the crossover frequency to the subwoofer output if there is a subwoofer in the system; if there isn’t a subwoofer, bass will be split between the front left and right speakers if they are configured as Large. The default THX setting for the surround speakers is 2 Small. Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote control or the Stage Manager on the front panel to select the Surround Speakers setting. Once you have chosen the correct speaker designation, press the Up button on the remote control or the Stage Manager knob on the front panel to move to Surround Back Speaker configuration.

Surround Back Speakers

If you select None in surround speaker configuration, the Stage One will automatically set the surround back speaker configuration to None. If you have both surround and surround back speakers, your only choice for this setting will be to choose the quantity–None, One or Two–as the size configuration will be set the same as that of the surround speakers. If your surround speakers are set to Large, you should make sure your surround back speakers can handle a full-range signal as well. If they cannot, you should set the surround speakers size to Small so that the bass for all of these speakers is redirected to the subwoofer. Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to select the correct surround back speaker setting. Then press the up button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to move to Subwoofer configuration.

Subwoofer

There are three options for the subwoofer setting—No, Yes, and Ultra2. If your system does not have a subwoofer, choose No. If it has a THX Ultra2-certified subwoofer or a subwoofer that is capable of reproducing frequencies down to 20Hz, choose Ultra2. If it has a subwoofer that is not THX Ultra2 certified and not capable of reproducing frequencies down to 20Hz, choose Yes. The subwoofer will reproduce the low-frequency effects (LFE) channel of Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks as well as any bass rerouted from speakers designated as Small. A subwoofer signal is also created during Stereo and Pro Logic II playback. Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote control or the Stage Manager knob on the front panel to select the correct subwoofer setting. Then press the OK button on the remote or the front-panel Enter button to exit the Speaker Configuration menu and continue to the Level Settings menu.

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

Page 19

LEVEL SETTINGS

The most accurate method for setting the relative levels of the speakers is to use the Stage One’s calibration signal in conjunction with a sound-pressure level (SPL) meter. The Level Settings menu will begin with the test signal set at a predetermined output level. THX suggests that the output of each channel be set to 75dB, read from the SPL meter at the listening position. (The meter should be set to slow response and C-weighting, with the microphone at seated ear height and pointed toward the ceiling. A camera tripod can be helpful for this purpose.) If you do not use an SPL meter, set the levels by ear so that the calibration signal sounds equally loud through all the speakers except the subwoofer. Because our ears are much less sensitive at low frequencies than at middle ones, setting the subwoofer to an audibly equal level on the test signal will make it too loud on program material. If you must set levels by ear, adjust the subwoofer level for a natural tonal balance on familiar music recordings that contain substantial bass. The test signal will either rotate from speaker to speaker at two-second intervals or stay locked to the selected speaker, depending on the setting of the Scroll Test Tones menu in the Advanced Menus. (See "Advanced Menus.") The test signal and level-setting options will be available only for speakers selected as present in the Speaker Configuration menu.

Press the OK button on the remote control or the front-panel Stage Manager to enter the Level Settings menu.

Front Left

Press the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust the level of the front left speaker to 75dB on the SPL meter. Press the Up button on the remote or the front-panel Stage Manager to proceed to center channel level setting.

Center

Press the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the Stage Manager knob to adjust the level of the center speaker (if present) to 75dB. Press the Up button on the remote or the front-panel Stage Manager to proceed to front right channel level setting.

Front Right

Press the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust the level of the front right speaker to 75dB. Press the Up button on the remote or the front-panel Stage Manager to proceed to surround right channel level setting.

Surround Right

Press the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust the level of the surround right speaker (if present) to 75dB. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager to proceed to surround back right channel level setting.

Surround Back Right

Press the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust the level of the surround back right speaker (if present) to 75dB. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager to proceed to surround back left channel level setting.

Surround Back Left

Press the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust the level of the surround back left speaker (if present) to 75dB. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager to proceed to surround left channel level setting.

Surround Left

Press the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust the level of the surround left speaker (if present) to 75dB. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager to proceed to subwoofer level setting.

Subwoofer

Press the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust the level of the subwoofer (if present) to 75dB. Press the OK button on the remote or the Enter button on the front panel to exit the Level Setting menu and proceed to the Speaker Distances menu.

Page 20

SPEAKER DISTANCES

In the Speaker Distances menu, you will enter the distance from each speaker to the listening position. This enables the Stage One’s DSP engine to set internal delays for time alignment of the speakers in the system to within 1/12th of a millisecond. Only speakers listed as present in the Speaker Configuration menu will appear in this menu.

Press the OK on the remote button or the front-panel Stage Manager knob to enter the Speaker Distances menu.

Front Left

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to set the distance measured from the front left speaker to the listening position. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to advance to distance setting for the center speaker (if present).

Center

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to set the distance measured from the center speaker (if present) to the listening position. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to advance to distance setting for the front right speaker.

Front Right

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to set the distance measured from the front right speaker to the listening position. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to advance to distance setting for the right surround speaker (if present).

Surround Right

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to set the distance measured from the right surround speaker (if present) to the listening position. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to advance distance setting for the surround back right speaker (if present).

Surround Back Right

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to set the distance measured from the surround back right speaker (if present) to the listening position. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to advance to distance setting for the surround back left speaker (if present).

Surround Back Left

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to set the distance measured from the surround back left speaker (if present) to the listening position. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to advance to distance setting for the surround left speaker (if present).

Surround Left

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to set the distance measured from the left surround speaker to the listening position. Press the Up button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to advance to distance setting for the Subwoofer (if present).

Subwoofer

Use the Left and Right buttons on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to set the distance measured from the subwoofer (if present) to the listening position. Press the OK button on the remote or the Stage Manager knob to exit the Speaker Distances menu and proceed to the THX Setup menu.

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

Page 21

THX SETUP

There are a number of options that you can set that will be default options when THX mode is selected. Press the OK button on the remote or the frontpanel Stage Manager knob to enter the THX Setup menu.

Boundary-Gain Compensation

If the Subwoofer is set to Ultra2 in the Speaker Configuration menu, indicating that your subwoofer is THX Ultra2-certified or capable of reproducing frequencies down to 20Hz, the Boundary-Gain Compensation menu will be available. When such a subwoofer is placed close to one or more room boundaries, such as the floor and a wall, very deep bass can be exaggerated by boundary reinforcement. Setting the Boundary Gain Compensation to On applies a filter that will compensate for excessive bass resulting from boundary gain. Press OK on the remote control or the front-panel Stage Manager knob to enter the Boundary Gain Compensation Menu.

Press the Left or Right button on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust to the appropriate setting. Press the OK button on the remote control or the front-panel Enter button or Stage Manager knob to exit the menu.

Advanced Speaker Array

This menu will be available only if you have indicated the presence of surround back speakers in the Speaker Configuration menu. You use the Advanced Speaker Array menu to set the distance between the surround back speakers. Options are LESS THAN 12", 12" TO 48", and GREATER THAN 48". You must set this distance correctly to ensure proper operation of the Ultra2 Cinema and MusicMode post-processing modes. The default setting is LESS THAN 12". Press OK on the remote control or the front-panel Stage Manager knob to enter the Advanced Speaker Array menu.

Press the Left or Right button on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to select the appropriate setting. Press the OK button on the remote control or the front-panel Enter button or Stage Manager knob to exit the menu. See also the ASA description in the THX portion of the Mode section of this manual.

Surround EX Mode

This menu will be available only if you have indicated the presence of surround back speakers in the Speaker Configuration menu. The Surround EX

Mode menu enables you to select the operating mode for THX Surround EX processing. Available options are Auto, On, and Off. In the Auto mode, THX Surround EX processing will engage when your system contains both surround and surround back speakers, the surround channels in the soundtrack are stereo, and the Dolby Digital bitstream contains a flag indicating that the soundtrack is Surround EX-encoded. The On mode differs only in that it forces THX Surround EX processing even when the bitstream does not contain the Surround EX flag. The Off mode turns THX Surround EX processing off. The default setting for the THX Surround EX mode is Auto. Press OK on the remote control or the front-panel Stage Manager knob to enter the Surround EX Mode menu.

ASA Mode

This menu will be available only if the system is set up in the Speaker Configuration menu to utilize Surround Back speakers. It enables you to select the operating mode for the Advanced Speaker Array post-processing. Available options for the Advanced Speaker Array mode are Ultra2 Cinema, THX MusicMode, and Off. Ultra2 Cinema mode is most appropriate for movie soundtracks that are not Surround EX-encoded, while MusicMode is better for multi-channel music sources. The default setting is Ultra2 Cinema. Press OK on the remote control or the front-panel Stage Manager knob to enter the ASA Mode menu.

Re-Equalization

The Re-Equalization circuit adjusts frequency response to make movie soundtracks mixed for a theater environment sound correctly balanced in the smaller space of a typical home theater. The default setting for the ReEqualization circuit is ON. Re-Equalization can be turned off for source material that would not benefit from such processing. If Re-Equalization is turned to OFF, the next time the unit is powered on, it will return to the default ON setting. Press OK on the remote control or the front-panel Stage Manager knob to enter the Re-Equalization Menu.

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THX On/Off

This menu allows you to turn off all of the THX functions on the Stage One. This would prevent any THX post-processing from taking place on any signals. The default setting for the THX circuit is ON. If THX is turned to OFF, the next time the unit is powered on, it will return to the default ON setting. Press OK on the remote control or the front-panel Stage Manager knob to enter the

THX Menu.

Crossover Setup

You can choose from twenty different crossover frequencies, in 5Hz increments from 25Hz to 120Hz. This selects the frequency below which the highpass crossover filter will redirect bass from channels with speakers designated as Small and above which the low-pass filter will remove higher frequencies from the subwoofer output. The default crossover setting is 80Hz (THX). Press OK on the remote control or the front-panel Stage Manager knob to enter the Crossover Setup Menu.

Press the Left or Right button on the remote or turn the front-panel Stage Manager knob to adjust to the desired setting. Press the OK button on the remote control or the front-panel Enter button or Stage Manager knob to exit the menu.

SETUP CONCLUSION

This completes the basic set-up of the Stage One. The display should now again read “SETUP / Speaker Configuration”. Press the Setup button on the remote control or the front-panel Enter button to exit the setup menu, or just wait five seconds for the menu to time out and exit on its own. If you press the front-panel Enter button, you will see a second menu appear called “Advanced Menus.” It is not necessary to enter this section at this time. You can press the front-panel Enter button again to exit the Advanced Menus and return to normal operation. If you want to enter the Advanced Menus, please see the “Advanced Menus” section of this manual. The Advanced Menus contain features not required for daily operation, but items that can be adjusted to further

tailor the Stage One to your particular system and taste.

GENERAL OPERATION

INPUT SELECTION

You can choose the input from the remote control or the front panel. Analog audio, digital audio, and video are normally selected together for the same source. (Video can be switched separately: see "Advanced Features.") The inputs are labeled for convenience only. Any line-level analog output or S/PDIF digital output can be connected to any matching input. (Dolby Digital playback from a laserdisc player requires the use of an external RF demodulator. Playback from a turntable requires the use of an external phono preamplifier.)

AUTOMATIC FORMAT DETECTION

When you select an input, the processor will search for a digital signal, and if it finds one, it will determine the format and switch to the proper mode. If it does not find a digital signal from the source, the processor will default to the analog input. The Stage One will automatically switch to the digital input for the selected source when a digital signal appears, unless you have specifically chosen the analog input. (Pressing the Analog button on the remote control’s Modes page will force the Stage One to use the analog input. Pressing the Digital button on the Modes page will lock the Stage One onto the digital input, even if no digital signal is present.) The Stage One will also automatically select discrete surround formats such as DTS and Dolby Digital when it detects these bitstreams. If the Stage One detects a PCM digital bitstream or only an analog signal, it will use the decoding method last selected for that particular input.

VOLUME ADJUSTMENT BY SOURCE

Individual volume settings are saved for each source input. When you select an input, the Stage One will adjust itself to the corresponding stored volume level. If the previous volume level of the input was set to above the –20dB level, the volume will default to –20dB.

ON-THE-FLY ADJUSTMENTS

In multi-channel modes, you can adjust the center channel level, subwoofer level, and front/rear balance on-the-fly by pressing the appropriate button in the remote control’s On-the-Fly page. In stereo mode, you can adjust left/right balance and subwoofer level on-the-fly. (Use the Up and Down buttons on the remote to adjust front/rear balance and the Left and Right buttons to adjust left/right balance.) These adjustments take effect immediately, but are not saved into memory. The next time the mode is selected, the settings will revert to their stored defaults. Need for continual adjustments of these settings while in a particular mode may indicate that the saved channel balance settings are not optimal.

STEREO DIRECT

Pressing the Direct button on the remote control’s Modes page will put the Stage One into Stereo Direct mode. In Stereo Direct, analog input signals bypass the A/D converter and the DSP module, going instead directly to an audiophile-quality two-channel analog preamplifier section. Analog sources such as tape decks, the built-in tuner, phono preamplifiers, or the analog outputs from an external DAC can be run in the Stereo Direct mode for maximum stereo performance. You can designate any analog input as a Direct analog input. When the Stage One is placed into the Stereo Direct mode, this becomes the default mode for the selected analog input until you choose a different mode. You can assign separate level settings for the Stereo Direct mode by entering Setup (See "Advanced Features.") The subwoofer, if one is

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present, is active in Stereo Direct mode; you can turn it off by lowering its channel volume to below –10dB.

8-CHANNEL ANALOG INPUT

The Stage One provides an 8-channel analog input for use with a DVD player that has a built-in surround decoder or with a DVD-Audio or SACD player. It also allows easy adaptation to any new surround formats that might appear in the future. Pressing the 8 Ch In button on the remote will activate this input for the audio signal for the currently selected source. This works for any external source input. Separate level adjustments are available for the 8-channel analog input, accessible through the Setup Menu. (See “Advanced Features.”)

STAGE ONE MODES

The Stage One has numerous processing modes to accommodate various types of signals and playback requirements.

Stereo

The Stereo mode can be applied to analog and digital PCM signals, passing them along unaltered to the front left and right speakers and creating a subwoofer output as well. Pressing the Stereo button on the remote control’s Modes page will set the Stereo mode as the default for the currently selected source input. (See also the Dolby Digital and “DTS.”)

Pro Logic II

Pressing the PLII button on the remote control’s Modes page will apply Dolby Pro Logic II processing to any two-channel audio input signal. Five Pro Logic II modes can be selected from the Pro Logic II Modes page (shown below). Any time you choose a Pro Logic II mode, it becomes the default Pro Logic II mode for the currently selected source input. (See “Dolby Digital” and “DTS” sections.)

Movie Mode

The Movie mode is for use with stereo television shows and all programs encoded in Dolby Surround. The result is enhanced soundfield directionality that approaches the quality of discrete 5.1-channel sound.

Music Mode

The Music mode is for use with any stereo music recordings, and provides a wide and deep sound space. The Music mode includes controls that allow the sound to be tailored to individual listening tastes.

Center Width

This control allows center-channel sounds to be positioned between the

center speaker and the left/right speakers over a range of eight steps.

Step "3" uses a combination of all three front speakers to give the best

vocal imaging and most seamless soundstage presentation, and is rec-

ommended for most recordings. Step "0" places all center sound in the

center speaker. Step "7" places all center sound equally in the left/right

speakers, just as in conventional stereo.

Dimension

This control allows the user to gradually adjust the soundfield either

towards the front or the rear. This can be useful to help achieve the

desired balance from all of the speakers with certain recordings that may

contain either too much or too little spatial effect. Step "0" is the recom-

mended setting, which has no effect on the sound. Steps 1, 2, and 3

gradually move the sound forward, and steps –1, -2, and –3 move the

sound towards the surrounds.

Panorama Mode

The Panorama mode is the same as Music mode but with additional processing applied to extend the front stereo image to include the surround speakers for a "wraparound" effect with side-wall imaging. It is particularly effective for recordings that have strong left- or right-channel elements in the mix, as these are detected and accentuated by the Panorama process. The Center Width and Dimension controls can be adjusted in the Panorama mode just as in the standard Music mode.

Matrix Mode

The Matrix mode is useful to produce surround for mono soundtracks or television programs. Conventional surround processing may not have a pleasing effect on such soundtracks, or only result in output from the center channel.

Pro Logic Mode

This mode emulates the original Dolby Pro Logic decoding algorithm.

Club

The Club mode simulates a small venue with just a moderate amount of reverb, to ensure that clarity is not lost. This mode is suitable for most types of music. (See “Dolby Digital” and “DTS.”)

Party

The Party mode converts the incoming stereo signal to mono and reproduces it through all five speakers. This mode is suitable for most types of music (See “Dolby Digital” and “DTS.”)

5 Channel Stereo

The 5-Channel Stereo mode converts the incoming stereo signal to a 5-channel signal. It reproduces the stereo signal on both the front and rear speakers (with a slight delay on the rears) and a summed stereo signal for the center channel. This mode is suitable for most types of music. (See “Dolby Digital” and “DTS.”)

DTS Neo:6

DTS Neo:6 provides up to seven full band channels of matrix decoding from stereo matrix material. Neo:6 technology allows various sound elements within a channel or channels to be steered separately, and in a way which follows naturally from the original presentation. Neo:6 also offers a music mode to expand stereo non-matrix recordings into the five or seven channel layout in a way which does not diminish the subtlety and integrity of the original stereo recording.

Mono

The mono mode downmixes the input signal to a single channel and reproduces it through the center speaker. If the system does not have a center speaker, the downmixed signal is reproduced equally through the left and right front speakers.

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Dolby Digital

A Dolby Digital signal can contain anywhere from one to 5.1 channels of perceptually coded audio. (The “.1” indicates a limited-bandwidth, bass-only channel called the low-frequency effects, or LFE, channel.) A single DVD can contain multiple soundtracks having varying numbers of channels. The Stage One can apply numerous forms of post-processing to a Dolby Digital 2.0 signal:

Stereo

Pressing the Stereo button on the remote while playing a Dolby Digital

2.0 signal turns off all post-processing and sends the signal to the front left and right speakers. This sets the default post-processing mode for Dolby Digital 2.0 signals to off.

Dolby Pro Logic II

Because most two-channel Dolby Digital soundtracks are Dolby Surroundencoded, Dolby Pro Logic II is the factory default post-processing mode for Dolby Digital 2.0 signals. Pressing the PLII button on the remote control when playing a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack will turn on Dolby Pro Logic II decoding and make it the default post-processing mode for Dolby Digital

2.0 signals. You can select the particular Pro Logic II sub-mode from the Pro Logic Modes page on the remote; it will then become the default Dolby Pro Logic II decoding mode for the selected input.

5-Channel Stereo

The Stage One can apply its 5-Channel Stereo processing to Dolby Digital

2.0 signals. This processing will only take effect with signals that are not flagged as surround encoded, although the display will still read that 5Channel Stereo processing is taking place.

Party

The Stage One can apply its Party mode processing to Dolby Digital 2.0 signals. This processing will only take effect with signals that are not flagged as surround encoded, although the display will still read that Party mode processing is taking place.

Club

The Stage One can apply its Club processing to Dolby Digital 2.0 signals. This processing will only take effect with signals that are not flagged as surround-encoded, although the display will still read that Club processing is taking place.

DTS Neo:6

The Stage One can apply DTS Neo:6 processing to Dolby Digital

2.0 signals. This processing will only take effect with signals that are not flagged as surround-encoded, although the display will still read that DTS Neo:6 processing is taking place.

Mono

Pressing the Mono button on the remote will cause the Stage One to downmix a Dolby Digital signal to mono and send it to the center speaker if one is present. If the system does not have a center speaker, the mono signal will be reproduced equally by the left and right front speakers.

THX Surround EX

Dolby Digital EX soundtracks contain a surround back channel matrix encoded into the two primary surround channels. The Stage One can extract and reproduce this extra channel when surround back speakers are

present in the system. These soundtracks are backwards-compatible and can be played on a system containing any number of speakers, but to achieve the full effect you must have the full complement of speakers. The Stage One will automatically detect the presence of a Dolby Digital bitstream and will decode the signal appropriately for the speaker configuration in use.

If you go from the Adjustments page on the remote control to the Dolby Digital page, you can select the amount of dynamic range compression that is applied to a Dolby Digital soundtrack in four steps: Off, Low, Medium, and Night Mode. The Off setting disables the compression feature. You can make the Stage One downmix any Dolby Digital soundtrack to stereo or mono by pressing the corresponding button on the remote control’s Modes page.

DTS

A DTS signal can contain anywhere from one to 5.1 channels of perceptually coded audio. (The ".1" indicates a limited-bandwidth, bass-only channel called the low-frequency effects, or LFE, channel.) A single DVD can contain multiple soundtracks having varying numbers of channels.The Stage One can also apply post-processing to DTS 2.0 signals. The following post-processing modes are available:

Stereo

Pressing the Stereo button on the remote while playing a DTS 2.0 soundtrack turns off all post-processing and sends the signal to the front left and right speakers.

Pro Logic II

Pressing the PLII button on the remote control when playing a DTS 2.0 soundtrack will turn on Dolby Pro Logic II decoding. You can select the particular Pro Logic II sub-mode from the Pro Logic Modes page on the remote; it will then become the default Dolby Pro Logic II decoding mode for the currently selected input.

5-Channel Stereo

The Stage One can apply its 5-channel stereo processing to DTS 2.0 signals. This processing will only take effect with signals that are not flagged as surround encoded, although the display will still read that 5-Channel Stereo processing is taking place.

Party

The Stage One can apply its Party Mode processing to DTS 2.0 signals. This processing will only take effect with signals that are not flagged as surround encoded, although the display will still read that Party mode processing is taking place.

Club

The Stage One can apply its Club processing to DTS 2.0 signals. This processing will only take effect with signals that are not flagged as surround encoded, although the display will still read that Club processing is taking place.

DTS Neo:6

The Stage One can apply DTS Neo:6 processing to DTS 2.0 signals. This processing will only take effect with signals that are not flagged as surround-encoded, although the display will still read that DTS Neo:6 processing is taking place.

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Mono

Any DTS signal can be downmixed and reproduced by the center channel of the system by pressing the Mono button. If the center channel is not present, the mono signal will be reproduced by the left and right front speakers. You can make the Stage One downmix any DTS soundtrack to stereo or mono by pressing the corresponding button on the remote control’s Modes page.

DTS ES Matrix soundtracks contain a surround back channel matrix encoded into the two primary surround channels. The Stage One can extract and reproduce this extra channel when surround back speakers are present in the system. These soundtracks are backwards-compatible and can be played on a system containing any number of speakers, but to achieve the full effect you must have the full complement of speakers. The Stage One will automatically detect the presence of a DTS ES Matrix bitstream and will decode the signal appropriately for the speaker configuration in use.

DTS ES Discrete soundtracks contain a discrete surround back channel in addition to the two primary surround channels. The Stage One can decode and reproduce this extra channel when surround back speakers are present in the system. These soundtracks are backwards-compatible and can be played on a system containing any number of speakers, but to achieve the full effect you must have the full complement of speakers. The Stage One will automatically detect the presence of a DTS ES Discrete bitstream and will decode the signal appropriately for the speaker configuration in use.

THX

The Stage One can apply THX post-processing to Dolby Digital, DTS, and Pro Logic II decoding.

THX Cinema Processing

THX is an exclusive set of standards and technologies established by the world-renowned film production company, Lucasfilm Ltd. THX grew from George Lucas’ personal desire to make your experience of the film soundtrack, in both movie theaters and in your home theater, as faithful as possible to what the director intended.

Movie soundtracks are mixed in special movie theaters called dubbing stages and are designed to be played back in movie theaters with similar equipment and conditions. This same soundtrack is then transferred directly onto Laserdisc, VHS tape, DVD, etc., and is not changed for playback in a small home theater environment.

THX engineers developed patented technologies to accurately translate the sound from the movie theater environment into the home, correcting the tonal and spatial errors that occur. On this product, when the THX indicator is on, THX features are automatically added in Cinema modes (e.g. THX Cinema, THX Surround).

Re-Equalization

The tonal balance of a film soundtrack will be excessively bright and harsh when played back over audio equipment in the home because film soundtracks were designed to be played back in large movie theaters using very different professional equipment. Re-Equalization restores the correct tonal balance for watching a movie soundtrack in a small home environment.

Timbre-Matching

The human ear changes our perception of a sound depending on the direction from which the sound is coming. In a movie theater, there is an array of surround speakers so that the surround information is all around you. In a home theater, you use only two speakers located to the side of your head. The Timbre Matching feature filters the information going to the surround speakers so that they more closely match the tonal characteristics of the sound coming from the front speakers. This ensures seamless panning between the front and surround speakers.

Adaptive Decorrelation

In a movie theater, a large number of surround speakers help create an enveloping surround sound experience, but in a home theater there are usually only two speakers. This can make the surround speakers sound like headphones that lack spaciousness and envelopment. The surround sounds will also collapse into the closest speaker as you move away from the middle seating position. Adaptive Decorrelation slightly changes one surround channel’s time and phase relationship with respect to the other surround channel. This expands the listening position and creates–with only two speakers–the same spacious surround experience as in a movie theater.

THX Ultra2

Before any home theater component can be THX Ultra2 certified, it must incorporate all the features above and also pass a rigorous series of quality and performance tests. Only then can a product feature the THX Ultra2 logo, which is your guarantee that the Home Theater products you purchase will give you superb performance for many years to come. THX Ultra2 requirements cover every aspect of the product including pre-amplifier performance and operation, and hundreds of other parameters in both the digital and analog domain.

THX Surround EX

In a movie theater, film soundtracks that have been encoded with Dolby Digital Surround EX technology are able to reproduce an extra channel, which has been added during the mixing of the program. This channel, called Surround Back, places sounds behind the listener in addition to the currently available front left, front center, front right, surround right, surround left and subwoofer channels. This additional channel provides the opportunity for more detailed imaging behind the listener and brings more depth, specious ambience and sound localization than ever before.

Movies that were created using the Dolby Digital Surround EX technology, when released into the home consumer market may exhibit wording to that effect on the packaging. A list of movies created using this technology can be found on the Dolby web site at www.dolby.com. A list of available DVD software titles encoded with this technology can be found at www.thx.com.

Only receiver and controller products bearing the THX Surround EX logo, when in the THX Surround EX mode, faithfully reproduce this new technology in the home.

This product may also engage the "THX Surround EX" mode during the playback of 5.1 channel material that is not Dolby Digital Surround EX encoded. In such case the information delivered to the Surround back channel will be program dependent and may or may not be very pleasing depending on the particular soundtrack and the tastes of the individual listener.

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ASA (Advanced Speaker Array)

ASA is a proprietary THX technology, which processes the sound fed to 2 side and 2 back surround speakers to provide the optimal surround sound experience. When you set up your home theater system using all eight speaker outputs (Left, Center, Right, Surround Right, Surround Back Right, Surround Back Left, Surround Left and Subwoofer) placing the two Surround Back speakers close together facing the front of the room will provide the largest sweet spot. If for practical reasons you have to place the Surround Back speakers apart, you will need to go to the Advanced Speaker Array Setup Menu and choose the setting that most closely corresponds to the speaker spacing, which will re-optimize the surround sound-field.

ASA is used in two new modes–THX Ultra2 Cinema and THX MusicMode.

THX Ultra2 Cinema Mode

THX Ultra2 Cinema mode plays 5.1 movies using all 8 speakers giving you the best possible movie watching experience. In this mode, ASA processing blends the side surround speakers and back surround speakers providing the optimal mix of ambient and directional surround sounds.

DTS-ES (Matrix and 6.1 Discrete) and Dolby Digital Surround EX encoded soundtracks will be automatically detected in Ultra2 Cinema mode if the appropriate flag has been encoded.

Some Dolby Digital Surround EX soundtracks are missing the digital flag that allows automatic switching. If you know that the movie that you are watching is encoded in Surround EX, you can manually select the THX Surround EX playback mode, otherwise THX Ultra2 Cinema mode will apply ASA processing to provide optimum replay.

THX MusicMode

For the replay of multi-channel music, the THX MusicMode should be selected. In this mode THX ASA processing is applied to the surround channels of

5.1 encoded music sources such at DTS, Dolby Digital and DVD-Audio to provide a wide, stable rear soundstage.

BGC (Boundary Gain Compensation)

If your chosen listening room layout (for practical or aesthetic reasons) results in most of the listeners being close to the rear wall, the resulting bass level can be sufficiently reinforced by the boundary that the overall sound quality becomes ‘boomy’. THX Ultra2 receivers and controllers contain the BGC (Boundary Gain Compensation) feature to provide an improved bass balance. BGC can be selected by choosing ‘Yes’ from the ‘Boundary Gain Compensation’ section of the THX setup menu.

AM/FM TUNER

The Stage One has a built-in AM/FM tuner. You can operate it via the remote control’s Tuner page, which you can select from the Adjustments page. It includes AM and FM buttons to select the reception band and, at the bottom of the page, Up and Down tuning buttons for adjusting the station frequency. The CH + and CH – buttons seek up and down to the next cleanly receivable station. Ten presets are available for each band, selected with the buttons 1 through 10. Pressing and releasing a preset button will tune the radio to the selected preset station. Pressing and holding a preset button for three seconds will store the currently tuned station to that preset.

You can also operate the tuner from the Stage One’s front panel. When the Tuner is selected, use the Stage Manager to change stations. Press the Stage Manager to enter the tuning mode. The currently selected band will flash. Turn the knob clockwise to tune to FM, and counter clockwise to select AM. Press the knob a second time to allow the tuning frequency to be changed. Turn the knob clockwise to increase the frequency and turn it counter-clockwise to decrease the frequency. Press the knob a third time to exit the Tuning mode. The Stage Manager will automatically revert to Normal mode after 5 seconds of inactivity.

FRONT-PANEL DISPLAY AND LIGHTING

You can turn the front-panel display and input selection LEDs on and off from the remote control’s Display page, which is accessible from the Adjustments page. You can turn on, turn off, or dim the front-panel lighting from the Display page or from the Advanced Menu. (See "Advanced Menu.")

ADVANCED FEATURES

Level Adjustments by Mode

Separate level adjustments are available for each mode. When you adjust level settings in the Setup Menu, they apply to every mode. However, you can customize the levels for particular modes by means of a separate option in the Setup Menu called Levels. For example, if you are in the Pro Logic II mode, pressing Advanced Setup on the remote, scrolling down, and selecting the Pro Logic II Levels will enable you to make changes specifically to the channel balances in the Pro Logic II mode. The channels used in a particular mode will be the only ones available for adjustment. For example, while in the Stereo mode, you can adjust only the front left, front right, and subwoofer levels. Pressing Advanced Setup again will exit the Levels menu and save the mode-specific settings to memory. Pressing the Mute button while in the level settings menu will exit the menu without saving the changes.

Bass Management

The Stage One enables you to adjust the crossover settings to get the most out of your particular speakers. Separate settings are available for stereo listening versus all other modes. The bass-management system allows you to choose from the following crossover frequencies: 25Hz to 120Hz in 5Hz increments.

To adjust the Bass Management settings, press the Setup button on the remote control to enter the Setup menu, scroll down to the Speaker Configuration menu, and hit the OK button to enter the Bass Management Selections menu. For each speaker, you are given a choice of Large, Small, or in some cases None. Selecting Small tells the Stage One to apply a highpass (low-cut) filter to the output channel feeding that speaker. The bass below the selected crossover frequency will be diverted to the subwoofer or, if there is no subwoofer, to those speakers in the system designated as Large. Once you have specified each set of speakers in your system as Large or Small, pressing the OK or Setup button a second time exits the Speaker Configuration menu. Then scroll down to the Crossover Setup menu to adjust the crossover frequency. The Stage One will use the crossover frequency you select for all speakers designated as Small and for the low-pass (high-cut) crossover filter in the subwoofer output. If your subwoofer has a built-in crossover, turn it off or, if that is not possible, set it to the highest frequency available.

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Separate Bass Management Settings for Stereo

You can set up a separate bass-management scheme for Stereo mode, including a different crossover frequency. While the Stage One is in Stereo mode, enter the Advanced Menu and select the SpkrConfig STEREO menu. Configure the speakers for Stereo mode as Large or Small. Now you can go to the Crossover Setup menu to select a crossover frequency for Stereo mode. This is useful if, for example, you want to run large front speakers fullrange for home theater listening but set a low crossover point for low-frequency fill from the subwoofer in stereo listening.

Analog Input Level

Separate input level adjustments are available for each analog input. You can reach them from the Setup page on the remote control. Pressing the Input Gain +/- will bring up the analog input level adjustment. Choose a dynamic passage from the analog source and turn the analog input gain up until Clipping is indicated in the top left-hand corner of the front-panel display. Turn the gain down again in half-decibel steps until the clipping indicator goes off.

Separate Video Input Switching

The Stage One allows for separate selection of audio and video input sources. A Separate Video Switching page is available from the remote control’s Adjustments page. Selecting any of the available inputs will switch to the video signal for that input while leaving the audio input as previously selected.

System Lock

In certain situations it may be desirable to "lock" the system. Once you have your Stage One set up the way you want it, you can prevent accidental alterations by locking it, which prevents permanent changes to channel balances or the Advanced Menus. When locked, the Stage One will not let anyone into the Setup or Advanced Menus. (On-the-fly level and balance adjustments are still permitted, but these settings are not saved.)

To lock the Stage One (or unlock it if it is already locked), turn the preamp off. Then press the front-panel Enter and Mute buttons simultaneously, and while keeping these buttons depressed, press the Power button. This will toggle the Stage One between Locked (indicated by a capital L in the front-panel display) and Unlocked (indicated by a capital U in the front panel-display) mode. Once you have the processor in the correct mode, you can release all buttons. The mode indication will remain on the front panel display until you turn the Stage One on again.

Front/Rear Balance

You can adjust front-to-rear balance temporarily by pressing the Up and Down buttons on the remote. (This option is available only in modes that use the surround channels.) Shifting the balance toward the surround channels using the Down button will reduce the volume of the front channels. Moving the balance toward the front channels using the Up button will lower the volume of the surround channels. This is a temporary adjustment, so the next time a mode is loaded, the balance will be reset to the center position. If you find that you must continually readjust the front-to-rear balance, it may indicate that your default channel levels are not set properly.

Left/Right Balance

You can temporarily adjust the left/right balance in Stereo mode using the Left and Right buttons on the remote control. Moving the Balance toward the left will lower the volume of the right channel. Moving the Balance toward the right will lower the volume of the left channel. This is a temporary adjustment, so the next time a mode is loaded, the balance will be reset to the center position. If you find that you must constantly adjust the balance, it may indicate that your default channel levels are not set properly.

ADVANCED MENUS

Enter the Advanced Menus by pressing the Advanced Menu button on the remote. Use the Up and Down buttons to scroll through the menu list. Press the OK button to enter the desired menu when it appears on the bottom line of the front-panel display. Use the Left and Right buttons to adjust settings. Once you have edited a particular menu setting, pressing Menu or the OK button again will bring you back to the Advanced Menu selection screen, and pressing Advanced Menu will exit the Advanced Menus. (The Advanced Menus can also be accessed from the front panel by using the Stage Manager and Enter button.)

Levels

The initial setup procedure defines a single channel balance for all modes. Although this setting should be correct for most of the basic surround modes, you can trim the balances individually for each mode from this menu. Once set for a particular mode, customized channel levels will be loaded automatically whenever that mode is selected. It should be noted that changing levels in this menu will only change the settings for that particular mode and will not affect the levels for other modes as they were set in the initial setup procedure.

Scroll Test Tones

The default setting is No, which will cause the calibration signal to stay in a particular channel until you tell it to change. Setting this to Yes will cause the calibration signal to rotate from channel to channel every two seconds when you are in the Level Settings menu.

Test Tone OFF

The default setting is No. If you set this to Yes, there will be no calibration signals when you enter the Setup Mode. This enables you to use test signals from an external source for channel balancing.

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AutoMute On Input

The default setting is Yes. The Stage One’s Auto Format Detection requires that it read a flag from the incoming digital bitstream. This can cause a slight delay in the detection of a standard PCM signal from a CD player. To eliminate the delay, change this setting to No. This may sometimes result in a short burst of noise from the main speakers while the processor is determining the signal format.

Front-Panel Lighting

The default setting is On. This setting controls the front-panel blue cascade lighting. Other available options are Off and Dim.

Reset System

The default setting is No. If you press the Right button on the remote control to change this setting to Yes and then press the OK button and the Stage One will revert to its factory default settings.

Reprogram System

The default setting is No. If an update is available for the Stage One, it can be downloaded into the processor from a computer through the RS-232 port. See the readme file included with the update for instructions on reprogramming the system. If there is any question about the operation, you should have your dealer perform it. Incorrect update procedure can render the processor inoperative.

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WARRANTY

U.S. and Canada

The Warranty below is valid only for sales to consumers in the United States or Canada.

The manufacturer warrants this ARAGON product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship (subject to the terms set forth below) for a period of two (2) years from the date of purchase. During the Warranty period, the manufacturer will repair or replace (at the manufacturer’s option) this product or any defective parts.

To obtain technical support and/or warranty service, you may either: (a) call ARAGON at 1-866-781-7284 (toll free) or (b) contact the ARAGON authorized dealer from which you purchased this product. If you choose to call ARAGON directly we strongly suggest that you choose the technical support option as the majority of customer problems can be solved over the phone. If technical support is unable to solve the problem, they will advise as to whether the preferred route to obtain warranty service is to return the product to the ARAGON authorized dealer from which you purchased the product or to return the product directly to the manufacturer, freight paid, for repair. If returning the product you will need to ship this product in either its original packaging or packaging affording an equal degree of protection. Proof of purchase in the form of a bill of sale or receipted invoice, which is evidence that this product is within the Warranty period, must be presented or included to obtain Warranty service.

This Warranty is invalid if (a) the factory-applied serial number has been altered or removed from this product or (b) this product was not purchased from an ARAGON authorized dealer. You may call 1-866-781-7284 (choose the ARAGON customer service option) to confirm that you have an unaltered serial number and/or you purchased from a ARAGON authorized dealer.

This Warranty is only valid for the original purchaser and will automatically terminate prior to expiration if this product is sold or otherwise transferred to another party.

This Warranty does not cover cosmetic damage or damage due to misuse, abuse, negligence, acts of God, accident, commercial use or modification of, or to any part of, the product. This Warranty does not cover damage due to improper operation, maintenance or installation, or attempted repair by anyone other than the manufacturer or an ARAGON dealer which is authorized to do ARAGON warranty work. Any unauthorized repairs will void this Warranty. This Warranty does not cover product sold AS IS or WITH ALL FAULTS.

REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS AS PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY ARE THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY OF THE CONSUMER. THE MANUFACTURER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES FOR BREACH OF ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY ON THIS PRODUCT. EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT PROHIBITED BY LAW, THIS WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PRACTICAL PURPOSE.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or implied warranties so the above exclusions may not apply to you. This Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights, which vary from state to state.

Outside the U.S. and Canada

The warranty on this product if it is sold to a consumer outside of the United States or Canada shall comply with applicable law and shall be the sole responsibility of the distributor that supplied this product. To obtain any applicable warranty service, please contact the dealer from which you purchased this product, or the distributor that supplied this product.

Page 30

STAGE ONE

THX SURROUND PREAMPLIFIER

Page 31

For multiple purchases, please fill out only one warranty card.

Name:

Street Address:

City/State/Zip:

Home Phone:

Work Phone:

E-mail Address:

Would you like to receive the latest product updates and news via e-mail?

❑ Yes ❑No

Where did you purchase your Stage One THX Surround Preamplifier from?

Store name______________________________________________________State_________________

____

How did you hear about Aragon?

❑ Audio/Home Theater Magazine ❑ Other Magazine ❑ Radio ❑ Newspaper ❑ Television ❑ Trade Show ❑ Friend ❑ Retail Dealer ❑ Direct Mail

Have you purchased Aragon products before?

❑ Ye s ❑ No

If yes, what products?

Product Name(s):

What is your favorite type of music?

❑ Classical ❑ Jazz ❑ Soft Rock/Pop ❑ Hard Rock ❑ Country ❑ R&B/Soul ❑ Alternative ❑ Blues

Please tell us about you!

❑ Married ❑ Single ❑ Male ❑ Female

Age: ❑ Under 15 ❑ 15-17 ❑ 18-24 ❑ 25-35 ❑ 36-45 ❑ 46-55 ❑ 55-64 ❑ 65+

Annual Household Income:

❑ Under $25,000 ❑ $25-35,000 ❑ $35-50,000 ❑ $50-75,000 ❑ $75-100,000 ❑ $100,000+

CUT ALONG DOTTED LINE AND MAIL

Page 32

Make sure to return your warranty

card or register your preamplifier

online at www.aragonelectronics.com

so that we may keep you up-to-date

on new Aragon products and

promotions. As always, if you have

any questions, contact your local

authorized Aragon dealer.

For your records:

Stage One THX Surround Preamplifier

Date Purchased

Serial #

A KLIPSCH AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES BRAND

3502 WOODVIEW TRACE, SUITE 200

INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46268-1104

WWW.ARAGONELECTRONICS.COM

Aragon is a registered trademark of Klipsch Audio Technologies.

ARAGON

P. O . BOX 688

HOPE, AR 71802

Place

FIRST CLASS

Postage

Stamp Here

REV 1

.5M0602

Klipsch THX ULTRA2 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual