Lankhoss Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 When I first heard DTS, I thought it totally blew Dolby Digital away. Of course, I was watching an action scene from a movie when I checked it out for the first time. Just recently, I purchased another movie I've had for some time, that was redone in DTS. I am now noticing a few things when playing the entire movie in DTS, that I originally did not. Basically, it seems like DTS takes the loudest or "front" sounds in the scene, and makes them louder, and much more defined and crisp than Dolby ever sounds. This sounds freakin' awesome, but it seems like all the other sounds suffer behind it. There are times where the music is way too loud in a certain scene, and you miss out on a lot of other sounds. Dolby, on the other hand...never has that super crisp clean sound, nor the "boom" for big explosions and things that DTS gets. But it seems that everything that is going on in the movie is heard. In my opinion, the sound is a bit more realistic...although not as flashy. I am just curious as to what other people's opinions are on this, or if you should change certain settings with your receiver to specifically listen to DTS movies. In summary: DTS Pros: Incredibly crisp colorful and powerful sound. Good separation for surround sound Cons: "Main" sounds seem to be the only ones enhanced, everything else seems to suffer Dolby Pros: More details are actually picked up, sound is more realistic, seems easier to hear all of the sounds in a movie Cons: Sound is rather dull compared to DTS, doesn't even come close to as lively and powerful as DTS is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyler Cavers Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 I never knew what DTS was until a couple weeks ago, I watched "Gladiator" and it was freakin awesome. When you hear those swords clang together you get the true definition of a "horn loaded tweeter" aka "Klipsch" last night though I was dissapointed. I rented "Black Hawk Down" and it only had "English" as an audio option, quite hurting, it just didn't put you in the movie like "DTS" does. Im sorry but from now on I am going to refrain from watching a dvd unless it has "DTS" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMcGoo Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 Different sound engineers master the two formats. DTS is usually mastered a little hotter, so many folks prefer it. Quality varies from one movie to the next. Neither Dolby or DTS is inherently better. Differences are all in the mastering. Pirates of the Caribean has both Dolby and DTS sound tracks. I prefer the Dolby sound track; it has less dropouts and other problems. Some studios do their own Dolby sound tracks and send out the DTS work on tapes. I suspect that a major varaible is the quality of the material that the DTS sound engineers have to work from. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackBurner Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 ---------------- On 3/6/2004 7:29:21 PM MrMcGoo wrote: Pirates of the Caribean has both Dolby and DTS sound tracks. I prefer the Dolby sound track; it has less dropouts and other problems. Bill ---------------- I'll have to agree with this statement from Bill , this was one movie that i thought sounded better in the dolby mode than the DTS mode . In a properly set up speaker array ( mine is all heritage for HT ) i find that DTS brings the rear channels to life more than dolby. Other than that i find a big volume swing in DTS , from dialog to sound effects can be huge. At times i find myself turning up the volume to hear the people talking but as soon as a sound effect comes along it throws you right out your seat . Dolby seems more uniform, but all in all i prefure DTS . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lankhoss Posted March 6, 2004 Author Share Posted March 6, 2004 Kyler, Gladiator was the first movie I listened to in DTS as well. I was in the same boat as you. I actually owned the movie for over a year before knowing what it was. Gladiator DOES sound awesome, and it totally sold me on DTS like it has you. I am not sure if it is because it is DTS-ES, or for some other reason. But I got The Professional redone in DTS 5.1, and I think it sounds better in Dolby (although, like I mentioned...the gun shots and explosions sound better in DTS). My friend has X2 at his house, and in DTS you miss a LOT of the background dialogue and small noises in the movie. Again, this movie is in DTS5.1, and I don't know if it's just that DTS-ES is so much better or not. My suggestion to you, Kyler...is to listen to the battle scene in Gladiator again. It does sound better in DTS, but listen to it again in Dolby and tell me if you hear more small sounds (such as the buckles clanging together, and leather stretching in the uniforms when Russel Crowe is forming his calvary). I have noticed LESS of a "loss of sounds" difference with Gladiator than other DTS movies, so that one is difficult to gauge. I realize you can't really say which one is better or not, I am just curious if anyone has noticed the same differences in the two that I have. Or, if the REASON I'm not hearing as much small detail is because of receiver settings....meaning, are there other settings I should adjust to get the full performance out of DTS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodj101 Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 DTS is techincally superior to to Dolby Digital. it uses lower compression, which is why it sounds more clear and detailed. If both a DTS and Dolby Digital version of a movie were made to their limits it would be impossible for the Dolby Digital versoin to compete.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 "DTS is techincally superior to to Dolby Digital. it uses lower compression," Right on,lower compression = better resolution = increased realism If used properly DTS at its best bests dolby Digital at its best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMcGoo Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 There is a sound engineer that posts on another forum that has compared Dolby and DTS. He did consulting on Terminator 2. The sound mastering was done at Skywalker Ranch for T2. Dolby and DTS employees made masters from the original movie sound track of T2. The system was level matched, since louder always sounds better. The director and other people that were responsible for the sound could not tell the difference between Dolby and DTS in "blind" listening tests on T2. They wanted to use the better codec for the release of the movie and concluded that they are equal. Everyone assumes that DTS has the better codec since it uses less compression. The better codec is the codec that has the better sound engineers. It is all in the mastering. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 These sound pros have damaged hearing after mastering movies at THX levels all day Go DTS go placebo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m00n Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 You know I was perfectly fine, blindly feeling that DTS was superior to dolby digital. Now you guys had to come and ruin that for me. It seems logical to me that a lot of the quality would be in the hands of the sound engineers. I bet that would be a fun job by the way. Imagine having the power in your hands to alter what the rest of the world hears. You all know what software easter eggs are right? I wonder how many little audio easter eggs they put in.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 "Imagine having the power in your hands to alter what the rest of the world hears. " Isn't that partly the fault of the good dr. b*se and his endless marketing campaigns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ygmn Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 ---------------- On 3/7/2004 1:03:13 PM michael hurd wrote: "Imagine having the power in your hands to alter what the rest of the world hears. " Isn't that partly the fault of the good dr. b*se and his endless marketing campaigns? ---------------- now thats funny....no matter who you are.....hehehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euell Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 I personally like DTS, even in music recordings. I have never experienced such realism - it sounds like you are sitting between band members with the the studio monitors dispersed around the room. It's incredible! And yes - the opening scene of Gladiator is a great example of DTS vs Dolby. Also - The battle scenes in Pearl Harbor are another great way to compare. When the zeros are flying by the stationary camera - it's phenomenal! Euell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lankhoss Posted March 8, 2004 Author Share Posted March 8, 2004 I totally agree that DTS is phenomenal for action scenes. I'm curious if everyone thinks DTS is better in general for an entire movie? It's like once the explosions and action is over, I have a hard time picking up the "normal" sounds in a movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 ---------------- On 3/6/2004 7:29:21 PM MrMcGoo wrote: Different sound engineers master the two formats. DTS is usually mastered a little hotter, so many folks prefer it. Quality varies from one movie to the next. Neither Dolby or DTS is inherently better. Differences are all in the mastering. Pirates of the Caribean has both Dolby and DTS sound tracks. I prefer the Dolby sound track; it has less dropouts and other problems. Some studios do their own Dolby sound tracks and send out the DTS work on tapes. I suspect that a major varaible is the quality of the material that the DTS sound engineers have to work from. Bill ---------------- Not correct. I know a shop in Nashville (JamSync studios, one of the foremost surround shops on the East Coast) that does DTS, DD, DVD-A, and SACD. It's a husband-and-wife operation, and they both do all the formats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 Something like this.... Paraphrased.. IYDLWGIYNGLWCO If You Don't Like What Goes In, Your Not Gonna Like What Comes Out. What the world needs on K horns, is a good 5 watt amp too. Paul Klipsch said both of these many times. Those of us lucky to have Heritage theaters or you newbies with the newer Ref series feel it too. Great Klipsch speakers will deliver in a HT environment just unbelievable dynamics for you to experience the movies unlike never before. Sometimes earshattering too..LOL. And yes, sometimes even better than your local theater. The only thinkg I think I miss is the kid talking on his cell phone to his friends, the girl telling the guy nest to her loudly no, like shut up...sticky floors..burnt, tasteless day old popcorn..flat soda...people getting up and down... Wait..This is why I built my own HT at home. I do not miss any of that. And trust me, the drinks and popcorn are always better at my house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Scratch Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 I've found DTS to be more lively and vibrant than standard Dobly. To no surprise, the peaks and valleys are higher and lower w/ DTS so I find myself making a few quick adjustments on the receiver re: bass peak level, etc., but nothing too major. All in all, I think that DTS offers a slightly enchanced audio experience, but not night and day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
om13934 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 --------------- You all know what software easter eggs are right? I wonder how many little audio easter eggs they put in.... --------------- Don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but listen to the fight scene in the Matrix reloaded(the room with all the weapons) there are some strange popping noises with punches. Don't sound real natural. I don't know if you could really call it an easter egg though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornEd Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 My vote also goes for DTS... although Dolby seems to be creeping up. IMHO, the key to great HT is having a front array that has a center equal to the left and right mains. I have run tests on the Gladiator battle with Dolby and DTS... and with the factory recommended center and the HornEd "horizontalized" main for a center... and the superiority of DTS becomes far clearer when you have your best speaker in the center! =HornEd PS: The second key is 121.5 dB @ 20 Hz... and that takes quite a subwoofer array! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.