3DsoundSurge Reviews: MidiLand Audio Digital Station

Important Info:

Speakers By : MidiLand
Price : $99.99

Minimum/Recommended System Requirements

Sound card or other audio device with optical or COAX SPDIF output for Dolby Digital support. Device with analog output for Dolby Pro Logic support

Specifications:

Multifunction Audio Digital Control Station
Remote Control
LCD Display/Graphic Equalizer
Supports optical interface
Volume balance adjustment
Pro Logic Auto-on switchable
AC-3/PCM Input Auto-detection
Built-in speakers placement test mode
Dolby Digital (AC-3)/5.1 Channels Decoder
Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Pro Logic, Stereo Mode
Compatible with game consoles, DVD players or PC systems
Individual channel volume control

Reviewer PC:

Mark
- Win98
- Celeron 333a o/c 416
- 128 MB PC100 ram
- Creative TNT
- Creative Voodoo Blaster 12 M
- 6.1 and 13 GIG EIDE HD
- Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! (EMU 10K1), Hoontech Digtal XG, Crystal Sound Fusion, Aureal SQ2500, Xitel Storm Platinum, Guillemot Maxisound Fortissimo

Specifications: (continued)

Input: Audio Source:	Analog: Stereo Digital: S/PDIF out (COAXIAL) Optical: Optical Fiber
Output:	G9: L, R, SL, SR, C, Subwoofer channels Phone Jack: Line (Front L, R Channels)-Surround (Rear SL, SR Channels)-Subwoofer Channel
Power Supply:	AC adapter
Function Controls:	Station function controls: Power on/off button Mode and Enter buttons Up/Test and Down/Mute buttons LCD Display LCD Display: Pro Logic Auto-ON indicator Volume, balance, delay, mute, bass enhancement and test indicators Separate channel indicators Input audio source, digital input format and surround mode display windows Separate channel volume indicators Subwoofer Controls: Power, volume, bass Full-Functional remote control
Dimensions (WxHxD):	7.10" x 2.40" x 5.30" station 3.40" x 0.30" x 1.60" remote

DVD sales are still gathering momentum with many new releases hitting the shelves ahead of the VHS versions. PC DVD Drive sales are also strong and the wide selection of 4 speaker systems now on the market, thanks to the wealth of four channel sound cards on the market has made the PC DVD experience a good one and an accessible one. There are also a number of good speaker systems on the market with integrated Dolby Digital decoding capabilities in both 4.1 and 5.1 configurations, as well as a couple of 5.1 ready systems (one of which happens to be from MidiLand). I expect that the majority of people delving into DVD on their PC have a four speaker system and are at best using on of the excellent software DVD players that they either purchased at a retail level or got as part of their sound card bundle to get four speaker downmixing of the Dolby Digital signal or at worst are using a software player that came bundled with the video card or DVD-Drive that does not support 4 speaker downmixing so they are stuck with stereo or stereo x2. Many people who have a hardware MPEG decoder, if not using it with an integrated Dolby Digital system like the MidiLand S4-8200 or Creative Labs DTT2500 are also settling for stereo (or stereo x2). The exception is the Dxr3 decoder which will give four speaker downmixing when paired with Creative’s line of Sound Blaster Live cards, but that still leaves a lot of people with quality 4 speaker systems which they bought with gaming in mind looking for more. Unfortunately, stand alone hardware Dolby Digital decoders have typically been too expensive to rationalize their purchase for use with speaker systems costing around the same or less. Now, thanks to MidiLand, that has changed and anyone can have access to a hardware Dolby Digital decoder for just $100 and it even includes a remote! The decoder is called the Audio Digital Station ADS-2000. In this review we will compare it to the decoder in the DTT2500, as well as compare it to the software AC3 decoding to a 4-speaker down-mix on several sound cards as well as the 5.1 analog software support offered by Best Data’s Theatrix and Skywell’s Magic Sound Live when they are used with a supporting software MPEG decoder.