POLL: DTS vs DD5.1

[Wingznut]

I watched the first two episodes of Band of Brothers last night, and I got to thinking about DTS vs DD5.1.

I watched one in DTS and the other in DD5.1, and then sampled the opposite standard... Personally, I cannot tell the difference.

Is one "technically" or "theoretically" better?

 

[austin316]

DTS is better, although you would need one hell of a setup and a keen ear to hear the difference if you are the average consumer. I'm sure you could find better info @ www.hometheaterforums.com I'm taking my info from basically all of the DVD reviews at IGN, in which everyone puts DTS as being better.

 

[Insane3D]

I think it varies from movie to movie and how it was mastered. In the movies I've seen in in the past, DTS seems to send more information to the surround channels than DD/AC-3 does. It also tends to be a bit "louder". Generally, if the movie offers DTS, I prefer it.

 

[bolsen]

DTS

 

[Wingznut]

I have an incredibly average HT setup, so that could very well be why I don't notice the difference.

 

[Ameesh]

there is a white paper out there somewhere explaining all the differences and it has the results from a very detailed comparison and it ended up being that both codecs when using their best settings are equivalent. i am looking for the paper right now.

 

[richardycc]

DTS, it just sounds way better than DD, I can probably do a blind test of a same soundtrack in DTS and DD, and be able to tell which one is which.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: richardycc
DTS, it just sounds way better than DD, I can probably do a blind test of a same soundtrack in DTS and DD, and be able to tell which one is which.

How studley is your setup?

 

[dolph]

as it's already been said here, dts is supposed to be better (less compression, i believe), but there are a few instances where the dd recording is better than the dts. if you're not using reference-grade equipment, the difference is mostly indiscernable.

 

[Antoneo]

I've read that while DTS uses a less lossy compression scheme, it is really dependent on the quality of the mastering done in the studios. But theoretically, DTS should sound better.

 

[conjur]

DTS, to me, seems a bit more dynamic. Maybe it's because I don't have to turn the receiver's volume up as much but it seems to lack a flatness I sometimes hear in DD 5.1.

It really depends on how well things are mixed and the entire production of the disc. I've heard some darn good DD 5.1 DVDs.

 

[Ameesh]

http://www.dvdfile.com/news/special_report/features/dolby_vs_dts/dolby.html

http://www.hifi-writer.com/he/dolbydts/dolbydts.htm

(here it is) http://www.dolby.com/tech/mp.in.0103.DigitalVsDTS.pdf

 

I usually select DTS if it's available, but I haven't ever been able to tell the difference.

 

[murphy55d]

I agree with Insane3d, I think it depends on the movie.

I do prefer Gladiator in DTS though.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
http://www.dvdfile.com/news/special_report/features/dolby_vs_dts/dolby.html

http://www.hifi-writer.com/he/dolbydts/dolbydts.htm

(here it is) http://www.dolby.com/tech/mp.in.0103.DigitalVsDTS.pdf

that last link is hardly impartial. Maybe you should give us nVidia's comparitive analysis of the 5900 Ultra and ATI's 9800 Pro or vice versa.

I choose DTS whenever it's available because my receiver mixes down the two rear channels to create a virtual 6.1 sound (and also has DTS-ES support). Unfortunately my receiver doesn't have DD-EX support so DTS works better for me when it's there.

 

[BigSmooth]

In practice, I have a very hard time discerning between the two. Like others have said, I choose DTS when I can, but DD sounds great on most DVDs.

 

[K1052]

My understanding was that DTS is slightly better in a technical sense.

I have never been able to tell the difference on DVD.

DTS is preferable in a movie theatre setting becuse the sound is on disc instead of on the actual print itself. Each time the film moves through the projector some wear occurs on the film. This can cause damage to the soundtrack and reduce the quality of the playback.

 

[filmmaker]

DTS is better, but like people have said, there isn't that much of a difference to the ear.

 

[clicknext]

I can't tell a difference, but I always use DTS.

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
I agree with Insane3d, I think it depends on the movie.

I do prefer Gladiator in DTS though.

My friend played both formats of Gladiator on his Klipsch speakers. While he preferred DTS, I actually liked DD better.

 

[bcterps]

Well there are actually 2 questions here. From a technical standpoint, DTS is better -- there is less compression. However, what most people are failing to realize is that the way the sound is mixed has a huge impact on your listening experience.

Just because something has DTS soundtrack doesn't mean that it's going to sound better than the DD soundtrack on the same movie. If both tracks were mixed equally as well, then in theory (if you could hear it and have the right equipment), the DTS soundtrack would be better. However there are some movies in which many people prefer the DD soundtrack to the DTS soundtrack because of the way they are mixed.

 

[spidey07]

Totally depends on the mastering and mix.

But I generally prefer DTS.

 

[Parrotheader]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Totally depends on the mastering and mix.

But I generally prefer DTS.

Me too. If there's a DTS option I'll usually go with it UNLESS it forces the movie to go to two discs instead of one (haven't seen that too much lately though.) That's one of the only drawback of DTS since it takes up a lot more space in some cases.

Aren't most films pretty much mastered 'navtively' in DD anyway? If that's the case, then it would stand to reason that the DTS versions will sound better since they've been given extra attention via their own custom mixing whereas the DD version may have just been the stock audio with possibly no heavy work dedicated to it.

 

[Electric Amish]

I know I couldn't tell the difference and I'm not a vain, elitist A-hole that claims he can.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
I know I couldn't tell the difference and I'm not a vain, elitist A-hole that claims he can.

Subtle