Pro Logic II on Gamecube: a minifaqUPDATE: This FAQ will now reside on the new forum. Please post your questions here, as all future updates will be posted here until further notice. Thanks. There's been a lot of questions lately regarding receivers, Pro Logic II, etc., and i noticed the same questions being asked repeatedly. i'm in no way an expert on home theater equipment, but i decided to compile some of my finds into a mini FAQ to help those of you who are just getting into this. i'm sure there'll be a lot more of you with Gamecubes now that Christmas has come and gone. Also the new year brings some crazy sales, which is a great time to pick up some gear if you know what you're looking for.
I'm writing the FAQ for someone who a)has a Gamecube, b)wants to play Pro Logic II, c) doesn't have a lot of money to spend (i'd say less than $400). Having said that, i won't focus on many features which won't benefit the GC, like DTS-DD support and 7.1 Dolby Digital sound. These are mainly for DVD, and any system you get for your Cube should work fine with a DVD player, amd most will come with one.
Make sure to check out as much stuff as you can. Read the reviews online, stop by stores and listen to systems, and don't feel bad if you don't go home with a system the first day. If you're going to drop a few hundred on something, make sure it's something that's gonna do what you want it to do.
What is Dolby Pro Logic II?Basically, Pro Logic II is a technology which allows five-channel (left, center, right, left surround, right surround) sound from a stereo source. On regular stereo audio (music, tv shows, etc.) the sound surrounds you. When the source audio is encoded in PLII (like Metroid Prime for Gamecube), you get even better immersion with separate surround channels. Pro Logic (aka Dolby Surround) only has one surround channel, so sounds coming from the rear share the same channel. It also lacks the frequency range of Pro Logic II.
What do I need to hear Pro Logic II on my Gamecube?First, you need a Pro Logic II-capable receiver. Secondly, you need the five speakers for each of the five channels explained above. The subwoofer is optional, but definitely recommended for the full experience. There's one particular area in Metroid Prime where activating something creates this great hum sound that sounds really good coming from my sub. EVerytime you enter the room the normal pristine silence is broken by this nice hum. Experiencing this without my sub is like making hot chocolate with water instead of milk; the taste is there but it's kinda flat.
What are my options?Okay, if you have nothing but a tv and a Gamecube, a home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) is your best bet. These include the six speakers (the sixth is the subwoofer for your bass), a receiver, and usually a DVD player. HTIBs range in price, but start at about $200. Yes, cheaper ones exist but i can't in all honesty recommend them. If you're looking for these ubercheap systems, check Walmart, Kmart, Meiers, or a similar store. It all comes down to you -- what you hear, what you like, and what you can afford.
If you already have a home theater system, but it doesn't have Pro Logic II, check with your manufacturer (their website is the easiest way) and see if you receiver is upgradeable, how it's done, and how much it costs. Chances are that it's not, or that it's simply cheaper and easier to get a new, Pro Logic II-capable receiver.
What am I looking for in a receiver?Aside from Pro Logic II, look for Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS. It's hard to say what to look for in cheaper receivers since they sometimes cut certain features out. Wattage is important, but don't be fooled by numbers. Cheaper systems will post bigger numbers to make it seem like you're getting more for less. If it rates the wattage in PMP or PMPO (peak maximum power [output]), then expect exaggerated claims.
When you're testing out a unit, it's always good to carry a CD with you to test it out with. It's best if you make your own CD out of CD tracks. MP3s will do, CD audio is still better. Make sure to have a good variety of tracks (different genres of music work well) to test out. Live and classical music also work well. Set the bass and treble to default, and use one the Stereo modes. Also set the subwoofer's volume (it should be somewhere on the subwoofer itself) to 50%. When you're listening to each set notice which sounds better, and try and pick out every detail in the music.
Also notice how high you can turn the receiver up before you get distortion out of any of the speakers. Different source require volume levels. You may have to turn your receiver to over halfway up to get it to comfortable listening level. You shouldn't need to turn it up quite as loud at home, where you'll have a smaller and quieter space than in the store.
I have five speakers laying around the house. Can I get a Pro Logic II receiver and use these?You should. If there's an RCA plug you may need to cut it off and strip the wires; it depends on your receiver.
Now, the real question is, do you want to? Granted, your Pro Logic II receiver will properly decode the signal to the right speakers, but different speakers reproduce sound differently, and mixing sets might result in an "off" (for a lack of a better term) sound, no matter how much tweeking you do. If you have the chance to do this without actually buying anything, do so. You might be happy with the result.
I hooked four speakers up to my stereo at home by splitting the left and right channels with a Y cable. Is this surround sound?No, this is quadraphonic sound. You can place the second set of speakers behind you to increase the effect, but you won't be getting surround sound.
Do these PC/game speakers have Pro Logic II? The box says "surround".Probably not. Many of these speakers will say "3.1" or "4.1 surround sound", but without a receiver to break the sound into different channels, you won't get a true surround field. A lot of the higher-end PC speakers sets are also meant to be hooked up to card that can output in 5.1.
The only set i'm aware of with Pro Logic II is the Logitech Z-680 (
http://gear.ign.com/articles/375/375816p1.html). At $400 it's not cheap, but definitely worth consideration. Keep in mind it doesn't have a DVD player.
Should I get this system? It's really cheap and has Pro Logic II.Comes down to you really. Read the reviews, listen to the unit, and make your decision. If you can't find any reviews for the system you're looking at, chances are it's not worth getting. It's one thing for a receiver to have Pro Logic II, it's another to have a receiver that can be powerful enough to make it worthwhile (same for the speakers).
Do I need Monster Cables?Short answer no, long answer yes and no. If you're getting an HTIB for $300, the speakers won't be able to put out much better sound with Monster Cable than with the cable they came with. If you still want a better cable, look for something that offers shielding, in 14 or 16 gauge size. Radio Shack sells something like this. Shy away from really cheap cable (even thick cheap cable), and make sure that the cable is marked for polarity. What you're looking for is a stripe alongside one of the cables. The stripe side must be matched up to the same terminal on both the receiver and the respective speaker. Connecting them backwards shouldn't harm your speakers, but it'll result in poorer sound.
i'd still recommend Monster Cables (or something similar) for your S-video cable, or for cables to connect other systems and equipment to deliver a cleaner video signal than the default cables. Acoustic Research makes a high quality cable that you can find at places like Lowes and Builder's Square, sometimes on clearance.
Hmm... I've got about $100 to spend. What should I do?If you're looking at a Pro Logic II system in that range, forget it. If you can somehow come up with enough to get into the HTIB range, hold off until you can do that.
If you just want something better than your tv for sound, you can always go with one of those game speaker sets. i don't know much about them in terms of quality; i'll try to update this with some links to reviews.
Again, don't be fooled by wattage. Many of these types of systems use PMP or PMPO ratings to make them seem like a better value, especially the sets sold in game stores.
Okay, I've got my Pro Logic II system, but I'm not sure if I'm getting Pro Logic II sound.1. Make sure you're receiver is using a Pro Logic II mode (see your instructions).
2. Make sure you're game is set to Pro Logic II (most default to stereo).
3. Read the troubleshooting portion of your instruction manual.
My mom/dad/girlfriend/neighbor/cat complains about the noise. What should i do?Aside from moving out, try lowering the volume on the sub. Most of the time, especially with better systems, the sub can be heard or even felt in other rooms. Continue to cut the volume down until it's acceptable. It may have to go off completely. But chances are you can keep the volume of your other speakers at the same level, and just sacrifice bass. Many receivers have a "late night listening" mode where the sound is normalized a bit so that you don't have to turn the volume down, but can still hear ambient sounds.
What are some Pro Logic II enhanced games?Here's all the games i know that support Pro Logic II:
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
Super Mario Sunshine
Super Monkey Ball 2
Phantasy Star Online Episodes I & II
Metroid Prime
Eternal Darkness
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
007: Nightfire
Freekstyle
Evolution Skateboarding
Turok
What are some Pro Logic (Dolby Surround) games?Extreme G3
Medal of Honor: Frontline
Note that Pro Logic games will work on a Pro Logic II receiver. However, you will have only one surround channel, due to the Pro Logic encoding.
Cube IGN states in their review of Resident Evil that the sound is encoded in Dolby Surround. i've never seen a Dolby logo in the game, on the box, or in the instructions. i'm not sure if the game uses it or just plain stereo, but in any case, it sounds great over a receiver capable of at least Pro Logic.
What are some additional links to check out?i lost part of my bookmark file a couple weeks back, so this is the shortened list:
http://www.audioreview.comhttp://www.dolby.comhttp://dolby.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/dolby.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.phphttp://www.epinions.com/elec-Audio-Systems-All-Full_SystemsWhile you're on Dolby's site, check the area on setting up your system. Correct speaker placement can make or break the experience. Last week i went to a friend of my uncle's for movie night. First thing i noticed when i walked in was the placement of the surround speakers. The front speakers were sitting on them! This didn't work at all; the surround speakers are supposed to recreate sounds from behind you. Also make sure to read your manual on the setup of your receiver. Setting it up properly can really enhance the surround effect.
Guess that's it. If there's any corrections that need to be made, please let me know. i'm also open to any suggestions and/or comments, especially from people more knowledgable in this area than i am.
Updates1.17.03: Updated PLII games, added PL games.
2.3.03: Moved to new forum, minor additions, edited grammar.
(c) 2003 ricardo scott. No part of this FAQ may be used without permission from me.