Matrix button on X-540

Hocky27

I recently just bought a set of Logitech x-540 speakers and I still have no clue as to what the Matrix button actually does. I have read up around the internet as to what it does but i still dont fully understand. Can someone clarify it for me ?

contraband

It baffled me for a while, too. From what I understand, "Matrix On" generally keeps sound to the three front channels, which is good for music and games that do not support surround sound; while "Matrix Off" uses all five speakers, for movies and games that support a 5.1 surround sound system.

At least, that's how I see it.

Hocky27

Ahh that seems to clear it up a fair bit. But how do you know what songs etc support 5.1 ?

Pheezer

Music doesn't. Unless it's a DVD-Audio disc and is labelled as being 5.1 encoded. The only one I've ever heard of is a Flaming Lips album.

Deusfaux

afaik it's just an upmixing button

IE, should something not use all channels, by turning it on, you'll crossover and better use of all the speakers.

Basically, if the source is already being upmixed or uses all 5.1 channels discretely, turn it off.

your audio card/chip should have an upmixing option anyways which you'd use over the hardware one (unless you were using the speakers with something other than a PC that didnt upmix)

stigweard

Deusfaux pretty much nailed it. It takes a stereo signal and produces a type of surround by crossing the signals in a certain way. The effect is everything that is balanced (mono) in the stereo stream is cancelled out and everything that is out of phase is brought back to the rear speakers. You can do it with just about any stereo with a switchbox and a capacitor.

edit: Dolby later took this a step further and processed the information digitally instead of by crossing signals and called it pro logic.