ExtroNotes
New Product NEWS OF THE MONTH
SSP 7.1 Surround Sound
Formats & Listening Modes
Dolby® Digital
Dolby Digital EX
Dolby Pro Logic
Dolby Pro Logic II
Dolby Pro Logic IIx
DTS® Digital Surround
DTS-ES® Discrete 6.1
DTS-ES Matrix 6.1
DTS 2-Channel
DTS 96/24®
DTS 96/24 ES Matrix
DTS Neo:6®
Uncompressed PCM
Analog stereo or mono
August 2009 | www.extron.com
A Surround Sound Processor
for Pro A/V Integration
The Extron SSP 7.1 is a new Surround Processor that delivers up to 7.1 channels of
surround sound for pro A/V applications in corporate and commercial environments.
We’ve had many requests over the years
for a product suitable for pro A/V that can
provide surround sound for boardrooms,
conference rooms, and other installations.
While a consumer surround sound receiver
seems to be an easy solution, you won’t
find the essential features you’ll want for
effective pro A/V integration. Many of them
don’t have RS-232 serial control capability,
and the vast majority of receivers do not
offer balanced audio inputs and outputs, or
an executive mode to prevent potential user
tampering. They also require about 3U or
more of rack space, plus additional space
above for adequate ventilation.
outputs for interfacing with other pro A/V
gear, including switchers and amplifiers. The
analog input and outputs are provided on
captive screw connectors, and can be wired
for balanced or unbalanced operation.
Designed for Pro A/V Integration
As a surround sound processor, the SSP 7.1
automatically detects and decodes incoming
audio content in various Dolby® and DTS®
formats from DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and HDTV
The Extron SSP 7.1 was designed with the
needs of pro A/V integrators and users in
mind. It includes 7.1 channels of line level
The SSP 7.1 also offers RS-232 serial
control, and includes user-friendly GUI
software for setup and operation; more on
this later. Compared to consumer surround
sound receivers and preamplifiers, it’s very
compact with a rack-mountable 1U, quarter
rack width housing that’s designed to fit
easily into credenzas where available space
for equipment is often limited.
SSP 7.1
broadcasts. It also offers Dolby Pro Logic II/
IIx and DTS Neo:6® processing to provide
surround sound from two-channel stereo.
See the table for a complete listing of
supported audio formats and processing
modes. Coaxial and optical digital audio
inputs are provided for use with consumergrade equipment such as DVD players.
Simple User Operation
Operation of the SSP 7.1 is very simple
and intuitive, with controls provided on
the front panel for input selection, volume,
and overriding the current listening mode.
There’s no need for a remote control,
on-screen display, or front panel menu
navigation.
LED indicators on the front panel enable
quick, at-a-glance system status, including
source selection, source format detection,
surround sound decoding/processing
mode, and output volume level.
With the touch of a single button, the
user has the ability to select a preferred
listening mode at any time. For example,
if the SSP 7.1 is currently playing Dolby
Digital 5.1 audio from a DVD, the user
can switch to a different listening mode,
such as two-channel downmixed stereo.
Similarly, if playing two-channel stereo
from CD or any other source, the user can
elect to enhance the audio presentation to
7.1 surround sound via Dolby Pro Logic
IIx. There is also the option to send stereo
audio to all left and right speakers without
surround sound processing.
As with many of our other products, you
can also restrict user access to the
SSP 7.1 front panel entirely by engaging
an executive mode.
Setup and Control Software
For optimum performance, any system
with surround sound needs proper
setup and system calibration prior to
deployment. This includes configuring the
speakers in the system, balancing output
levels between all channels, and specifying
preferred surround sound listening modes
for each input. For a consumer surround
sound receiver or preamplifier, these
usually require navigating within the on-
August 2009 | www.extron.com
screen or front panel LCD display, using
the remote or front panel controls. If you’re
not familiar with the product, this may be
somewhat time-consuming.
To simplify all of these tasks as much as
possible for you, we’ve created the SSP
Setup and Control Software for the
SSP 7.1. It offers an intuitive graphical user
interface for setting up the SSP 7.1 as well
as the speakers in the surround sound
system. This software is designed to be
user-friendly, and we have added several
features to make it and the
SSP 7.1 particularly flexible for you to
optimize a surround sound system.
All controls and configuration options for
the SSP 7.1 are organized into a series
of tabs within the software. At all times,
a single panel provides all information
relating to system status of the SSP 7.1.
This includes the currently selected input,
the input source format, the sampling
rate of the incoming signal, and the
number and configuration of channels
encoded within the signal format. For
output parameters, the panel displays the
output speaker configuration, the currently
selected listening mode, and the listening
mode override, if engaged. There is also
the ability to adjust the volume and mute
the audio.
Main Menu
The Main menu allows for real-time control
of the SSP 7.1, including input source
selection, tone control adjustments, and
setting input gain for the analog source. A
“CLIP” indicator is shown when clipping
has been reached.
MODE OVERRIDE
DOWNMIX
PL II/IIx
DTS NEO:6
TO ALL
With the touch of a button, the user can
easily switch to an alternate listening
mode. Specific listening modes can be
programmed using the SSP software.
Enter the distance of each speaker – in
feet, meters, or time in milliseconds –
from the central listening position, or
the location where sound pressure level
measurements are taken. A lip sync offset
setting is also provided, if necessary, to
compensate if the video noticeably lags
behind the audio. The SSP 7.1 then
uses the speaker distances and lip sync
offset to calculate the relative delay for
each speaker to ensure that the sound is
synchronized between all speakers and
with the video.
System Calibration
The SSP 7.1 generates Dolby noise
and pink noise test signals for system
calibration as well as verification of proper
speaker setup. Dolby noise signals are
useful as a test reference to set the
speakers to the same level. Output trim
levels are provided for each channel,
so that adjustments can be made as
necessary to ensure that all speakers
output equal sound pressure levels. The
SSP 7.1 offers the flexibility to send test
signals sequentially to all speakers in either
direction, or to any selected speaker.
Speaker Setup
Setup of speakers in the system is easily
accomplished with just a few mouse
clicks. Simply select “Large” or “Small” for
each speaker, or “None” if not present in
the system. A crossover setting is provided
for bass management, so that frequencies
below the selected crossover point are
directed from all of the main speakers to
the subwoofer.
Full-range pink noise signals can be
useful in calibrating each speaker’s
performance relative to its interaction with
the environment. The SSP 7.1 also allows
for the use of test signals from an external
source. These signals can be directed to
any selected speaker, or all speakers in
sequence.
System Customization
The software is just as intuitive when it
comes to specifying speaker distances.
The SSP software offers considerable
flexibility in setting specific listening modes
Surround Sound ProCeSSor
based on the input and the specific
incoming signal format. For example,
PCM audio for Input 1 can be set for
two-channel output, while the same audio
format for Input 3 can be set to Dolby Pro
Logic IIx for playback through the entire
7.1 system. Specific listening modes can
also be specified for each of the Mode
Override options within each input.
You can also customize parameters
relevant to a particular listening mode,
such as Dimension for Dolby Pro Logic
II/IIx to adjust placement of the sound
field, and Center Image for DTS Neo:6 to
widen the coverage of the center speaker.
Other controls are available to make
tone adjustments, apply dynamic range
compression, lock out the front panel, and
lock out volume adjustments.
At all times, a single panel on the right provides real-time system status of
the SSP 7.1. The SSP software is organized into a series of tabs, each with
buttons, drop-down menus, and clickable sliders.
An Ideal, Compact Integration Solution
with Extron XPA 1002 Amplifiers
The SSP 7.1 can be paired with three of
our compact XPA 1002 Stereo Power
Amplifiers for a 5.1 surround sound
system. Since the SSP 7.1 and XPA 1002
are both housed in 1U, half rack width
enclosures, this combination would fit
neatly into a credenza in a boardroom,
requiring just 2U of rack space. And with
the highly efficient, fanless design of the
XPA 1002, no extra space would be
required above or below for ventilation or
cooling.
With just a few mouse clicks, the software sets up all speakers in the system.
The software is just as intuitive for setting up the relative time delay for the
speakers as well as lip sync compensation.
A Simple-to-Operate Surround
Processor for Integrators
The SSP 7.1 is what many of you have
been asking for – a surround sound
processor designed for commercial and
corporate A/V environments. We’ve
incorporated the flexibility, features, and
performance you need to properly set up
and optimize a surround sound system,
and also have made it as easy as possible
for users to operate.
Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of
Dolby Laboratories. DTS is a registered trademark
& the DTS logos and Symbol are trademarks of
DTS, Inc.
Model
Part Number
SSP 7.1
60-842-01$1,990.00
MSRP
P 7.1
SS
Extron
SSP 7.1
Surround Sound
Processor
5
3
Subwoofer
4
2
1
Center
and
Subwoofer
Extron
SI 26
Surface-mount
Speakers
Laptop
DVD
Left and
Right Front
DBS Receiver
Extron
XPA 1002
Extron
SI 26
Power
Amplifier
Surface-mount
Speaker
Extron
SI 26
Surface-mount
Speakers
Extron
XPA 1002
Power
Amplifier
Left and
Right Surround
Extron
XPA 1002
Power
Amplifier
The SSP 7.1 can be used with three Extron XPA 1002 power amplifiers in a 5.1 surround sound
system. This combination fits into a 2U rack space with no ventilation or cooling necessary.
August 2009 | www.extron.com