Tact digital amplifiers and preamplifiers

Ambiophonics by Tact
Now a revolutionary way to playback your existing library of LPs/CDs/DVDs/SACDs/BDs

Tact-Ambiophonics is the latest addition to our family of room correction processors. This four channel processor is capable of simultaneously processing four digital or analog input channels. It provides four digital or analog outputs that can be configured as full range or subwoofer outputs. One of the unique features of this product is Ambiophonics cross-talk cancellation on four channels.

Recover the spaciousness and depth that old-fashioned stereophonic and surround loudspeaker arrangements and processors leave on the disc.

Tact Ambiophonics is so named because it is destined to succeed the 80-year old stereophonic and similar surround loudspeaker arrangements in the domestic sound reproduction of music, video or games.

This new generation Tact-Ambiophonics digital processor includes real-time processing logic (RACE/XTC) that allows for the recovery of all the localization cues consistently and fortunately inherent in most standard CDs, LPs, and surround media but discarded and never utilized in conventional two-speaker stereo systems. The result is a flat stage whose width is restricted to the angle between the speakers, and a sense that the sound is canned. Ambiophonics also eliminates other inherent stereo psychoacoustic distortions related to head shadow and pinna functions that make localization vague, non-linear, and cramp the sweet spot.

The Tact Ambiophonic XTC feature (Recursive Ambio Crosstalk Cancellation) easily provides orchestral, operatic, movie, rock, etc. stages of up to 180-degrees from 2.0 media using two speakers (Ambiophonics) or a full 360-degrees of direct sound from DVD/BD/SACD surround media using four speakers (Panorambiophonics or Panambio). Note that front- or rear-center speakers are never needed and are even detrimental. No longer must the performers seem constrained to the narrow 60-degree angle of the stereo or LCR 5.1 loudspeaker geometry. You will be astonished at the sense of depth, realism, and effortless localization even at the extreme sides that can be achieved using Ambiophonic/Tact XTC especially when combined with the included, and proven Tact room/speaker correction features.

Compared with conventional stereo or surround 5.1, an Ambiophonic reproduction system delivers a much wider, deeper sound stage with better clarity, spaciousness, and imaging for instruments and voices. It also delivers startling side and rear movie sound effects.
Finally the Domestic Concert Hall/Video Theater is a practical reality.

Features

Two independent crosstalk cancellation processors allow optional stereo CD/LP playback via both two front and two rear speakers, which has been found to enhance width, depth and ease of localization. When playing surround media, the second built-in XTC processor provides a second Ambiophonic signal to the rear speakers to create the rear direct sound stage or hall ambience, depending on the source.
When engaged, this feature produces an amazing 360-degree sound field.

The RACE/XTC processor provides two adjustments and ten presets that allow the program to be remote control adjusted for speaker placements or recordings with unusual properties, such as pianos forty feet wide.

No center front or rear speakers are ever required and indeed are counterproductive. In Ambiophonics, offside listeners always hear a full mono signal with normal dialog or a full mix of left and right music signals. (Not as in stereo or 5.1, where one localizes to the nearest speaker and thus hears mostly only one channel.)

Ambiophonics includes Tact's full range of RCS (Room Correction System) speaker/room correction software - (New Tact-V1.0 software platform). In Ambiophonics it is important that the speakers be truly identical in level, delay and response. The use of RCS in conjunction with XTC insures that all the data from a disc is properly reproduced and that the widest, deepest, highest fidelity stage materializes. XTC works with any speaker type.

Ambiophonics allows any four input signals (digital or analog, left or right) to be matrix-switched to any of the two digital pairs or four analog outputs. The analog and digital pairs output in parallel. Signals may also be added in any combination or reversed right to left.

The level, polarity and delay of each channel may be individually adjusted. Each signal may also be room corrected, parametrically equalized, and XTC'd.

The included subwoofer crossover filters may be invoked to eliminate low bass, or to connect two subwoofers to one pair of outputs, if rear speakers are not used, or even four subwoofers, if no main speakers are connected.

Inputs/Outputs

Four stereo analog inputs
Five digital inputs - four SPDIF (RCA) and one optical
Two sets of digital outputs. Each set has one SPDIF (RCA) and one optical output
Two stereo analog outputs
Microphone input
RS232 input and pass-through

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Understanding and Installing an Ambiophonic System

Ambiophonics web site: http://www.ambiophonics.org

Les Leventhal1 Ralph Glasgal2
University of Manitoba Ambiophonics Institute

October 5, 2009

Abstract: Recordings of music and film soundtracks contain cues used by the ear/brain to localize sound. Home or studio reproduction using conventional stereo, 5.1, 7.1, or 10.2 distorts these cues and creates false ones. The result is localization distortion, which degrades horizontal and depth imaging of direct and ambient sound, degrades clarity of instruments, colors the sound, and greatly reduces size and depth of the sonic stage. Localization distortion can be reduced to very low levels by a technology called Ambiophonics. Ambiophonics, at its simplest, consists of crosstalk-cancelled playback by two closely-spaced, front speakers. The result is that one can now hear at home what the recording microphones hear—and what the microphones hear is greatly improved horizontal and depth localization; solid, clear, three-dimensional imaging; less colored sound; improved clarity and tonality; improved transient response; and a sonic stage that is very deep and very wide—150-180 degrees—compared to the 60-degree wide stage of the stereo equilateral triangle. Ambiophonics does not artificially increase the width and depth of the stage. Instead, it reduces localization distortion to such low levels that one can hear the width and depth that was actually recorded on the disc. Details are discussed for setting up an Ambiophonic system with 2, 4, or 6 speakers.

First there was mono and then there was stereo. Using just one speaker, monophonic reproduction sounds like all instruments are located at the speaker. Using two widely-space speakers, stereophonic reproduction sounds like different instruments have different locations—with the locations stretching from one speaker to the other. Having different locations for different instruments is so highly valued that stereophonic reproduction—now almost 80 years old—and offshoots such as 5.1 and 7.1 have become standard in the home reproduction of music and movies. But stereo and its offshoots do far from a perfect job of localizing sound and their imperfections limit the quality, the believability, and the realism of the reproduction. A new technology—called Ambiophonics—fixes most of the problems with stereophonic reproduction. Ambiophonics is based on almost a century of psychoacoustics research on how the ear/brain localizes sound. This historical research, combined with current research, tells us how...

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