What's new
By:

Dolby Pro Logic II recommendations?

Fluffy

Fluffy

Champion
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
1,036
Reaction score
1,971
Location
Germany
Can anyone recommend an Amplifier/Decoder that supports GameCube/PS2 era Dolby Pro Logic II surround? I am less interested in those "No Brand" Chinese decoders you find if you search on online market places, and more something from a major brand that is obsolete otherwise and cheap to get. Or a new one that is reasonably priced.
 
I would think any modern surround-sound receiver should decode it. I have a Denon unit I use for my home-theater setup, it mostly decodes HDMI based stuff but also does older protocols like Pro Logic. My Marantz receiver before that did as well. Of course these units are way over kill if you're looking for a small dedicated setup.

I think I used to have a set of PC "cube" speaker set from Cambridge Soundworks that did Prologic II decoding. I'd recommend looking around that brand. They've been out of business for years but they're still one of my all time favorite audio brands and I still use their speakers in my home theater and gaming PC
 
Yeah, this will not going to be a home theatre setup. More small scale development/workbench use, so I don't want to go all in with a proper setup.
 
Cambridge Soundworks DTT2500 sounds like it'd be perfect. normally it came with 5 cube speakers and a 4in sub but you can find just the receiver on ebay for $35

https://www.ebay.com/itm/267162745342

if I'm reading correctly it supports ProLogic II and also has a digital in that would be suitable for digital audio from other consoles from the era


the DTT3500 is a slightly upgraded model that would also work, looks like they added gold contacts on the connectors and an optical input.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I'll have to see if I can find a good one locally. They were bought by Creative at some point, and I think I remember their advertising.
Alternatively I found Pioneer VSX-C301 which seem to be reasonably cheap over here.
 
yeah I think they merged in the late 90s but the "creative" branded stuff was only for the PC market, the home theater stuff retained just the Creative Soundworks branding.

I'm a big nerd for their stuff, was really sad when they closed up shop in 2008. they actually had physical dedicated stores where you could hear and sample their equipment (maybe just local to me since I'm near where their HQ was?). I actually went and bought all of their highest end home theater speakers when they went on fire-sale during the closure. Still convinced they're better than most of the new stuff on the market today.
 
Your best bet is used on ebay.
The newer ones decode but they decode it into a modern format.
Unfortunately prologic 2 is eol as a proprietary format.
I wish they wouldn't do that when certain media is specifically encoded for it.
 
It is a type of encoded surround.
Atmos is 100% different than prologic 2 as some one who had prologic 2 for gamecube.
 
Ziggy Cheetos Dust said:
Pro Logic II just turns stereo into surround. It is not something encoded into the source.
Click to expand...
Yes and no - it does take a stereo signal and it produces a 5.1 signal. When you encode your 5.1 audio you use phase shift trickery so a DSP in the decoder can decode those extra channels. Yes, that is not as good as proper separate channels, but since recording media and computer hardware was often limited to stereo that was as good as you could do.
 
Yes, still a stereo source but mixed to better exploit the PLII decoder in the receiver I imagine. I would say any Sony, Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer etc. receiver from the last 25 years will do the trick. There were some nice slimline ones back in the day if you didn’t need too many features or a lot of power.

Stuff like this.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3954640...apEstSXRAm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 
From what I understand Pro Logic II is a superset of Pro Logic I and Dolby Surround (i.e. left, right, center). Yes, old N64 and SNES games that hacked in some form of surround was one thing I want to try.
I put a bid on an old Pioneer decoder, let's see if that works. I think I have enough speakers around.
 
Yes I recall PL was left, centre, right and a single “channel” into two rears while PLII had discreet rears. I’d have to look it up though. Best of luck with auction. It’s great fun setting up a system like that to enjoy all over again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top