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[Stafford]

So I have a Harman Kardon Citation multibeam 1100 soundbar, with sub s and two rears. For most content nowadays (new content) on Netflix and such Dolby Atmos is used, but there is older stuff that is in 5.1, on Disney too.

Back when I used a separate AVR it used to say Dolby Digital on the display for this content. But now when I watch a movie like 28 weeks Later on Disney which says 5.1 on the TV app itself it says Dolby Surround on the soundbar display. So is this just HK's way of saying it's Dolby Digital or am I getting "fake" surround now?

I have a Sony A95K QD-OLED and most of the audio settings are on auto. When I play Atmos content it does say so on the display of the soundbar.

 

[TheDreadBaron]

I don't know man, can you hear a difference? If you can only tell via a written message, does it really matter?

 

[T8SC]

Dolby Surround often refers to a matrix mode, like Pro Logic, rather than discrete channels. If you're able to receive Atmos then you must have the correct cables & setup. It could be that the amp isn't enabling the correct mode automatically when switching source, have you tried manually selecting DD? (Assuming you can do this).

 

[p_xavier]

I would suggest to check the soundbar's manual, I know for my Sony ones it describes all modes in detail.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

yeah surround is supposed to be the "fake" single channel surround mode, sounds like the TV isn't sending the correct signal.

 

[willothedog]

Stafford just ask AI



The Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100 **does support Dolby Digital**, but what it displays on the front panel might be a bit misleading depending on the source and settings.

### Why It Might Say "Dolby Surround" Instead
- When playing **5.1 Dolby Digital** content, the soundbar may show **"Dolby Surround"** instead of "Dolby Digital." This doesn't necessarily mean it's fake surround — it's just how the soundbar labels its **upmixed or matrixed playback mode**.
- "Dolby Surround" often refers to **Dolby's upmixing technology**, which takes a 5.1 signal and expands it to use all available speakers (including height channels if present).

### What This Means for You
- If you're watching a 5.1 stream (like older Netflix or Disney+ content) and the soundbar says "Dolby Surround," it's likely **receiving Dolby Digital** and then **upmixing it** to make use of the full speaker array.
- When you play **Dolby Atmos** content, the soundbar should explicitly say "Dolby Atmos" — which confirms that passthrough and decoding are working correctly.

### Tips to Confirm Dolby Digital Input
- Check your TV's audio output settings (especially on the Sony A95K) and ensure **HDMI eARC is enabled** and **Digital Audio Out** is set to **Auto 1** for bitstream passthrough.
- If you want to verify the exact format being received, some AVRs and soundbars allow you to dig into an **info or status menu** — worth checking the manual or app (if available).

Let me know what source you're using (streaming app, console, Blu-ray), and I can help you fine-tune the setup.

 

[Stafford]

I don't know man, can you hear a difference? If you can only tell via a written message, does it really matter?

Well, I thought the audio during 28 Years Later on Disney was pretty bad. But maybe that's just Disney, lol, or the movie. I've been watching so much stuff in Atmos lately, on Netflix that watching something in DD is quite easy to notice.

Stafford just ask AI



The Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100 **does support Dolby Digital**, but what it displays on the front panel might be a bit misleading depending on the source and settings.

### Why It Might Say "Dolby Surround" Instead
- When playing **5.1 Dolby Digital** content, the soundbar may show **"Dolby Surround"** instead of "Dolby Digital." This doesn't necessarily mean it's fake surround — it's just how the soundbar labels its **upmixed or matrixed playback mode**.
- "Dolby Surround" often refers to **Dolby's upmixing technology**, which takes a 5.1 signal and expands it to use all available speakers (including height channels if present).

### What This Means for You
- If you're watching a 5.1 stream (like older Netflix or Disney+ content) and the soundbar says "Dolby Surround," it's likely **receiving Dolby Digital** and then **upmixing it** to make use of the full speaker array.
- When you play **Dolby Atmos** content, the soundbar should explicitly say "Dolby Atmos" — which confirms that passthrough and decoding are working correctly.

### Tips to Confirm Dolby Digital Input
- Check your TV's audio output settings (especially on the Sony A95K) and ensure **HDMI eARC is enabled** and **Digital Audio Out** is set to **Auto 1** for bitstream passthrough.
- If you want to verify the exact format being received, some AVRs and soundbars allow you to dig into an **info or status menu** — worth checking the manual or app (if available).

Let me know what source you're using (streaming app, console, Blu-ray), and I can help you fine-tune the setup.

Ah man, you da man! I did do a search on Google, hoping AI to answer me, but I probably didn't have the right search terms.

And yeah, looking back on it I should've checked the manual. But I actually was at the cinema to watch 28 Years Later and I thought I'd just quickly make a thread about this and when I come back I'll have comments.