Which one is better? Dolby Digital or DTS?

[boyRacer]

I can't tell... but then again... it's not like i sat down and dedicated my whole day on listening for differences between the two. Some people claim that DTS has less compression? DD on the other hand is more sophisticated? I'm lost...

 

[esso]

I think the most common misconception people have is that the sound quality of a DVD is usually limited by the format (DD vs DTS).

That is incorrect. Sound quality most often limited by the studio. Some studios consistently produce astounding DD tracks (LucasArts), that sound better than some studios DTS tracks.

Format vs. format, DTS is better because it does have less compression.

 

[vi edit]

DTS takes up an amazing amount more space. A movie with a DTS track could take up an entire disk, whereas a DD track would leave room for hours of extras.

I'm not enough of an audiophile, nor have decent enough of equipment to discern a difference.

 

[Deeko]

DTS is much better.

 

[Heisenberg]

DTS does use much less compression so people claim that it sounds better. However, most of that is just people hearing what they want to hear. The vast majority of people would not be able to tell the difference if they were listening blind, so to speak.

 

[glen]

DTS sends more bass information to the non-main speakers.

This is actually not as good as keeping them on the sub out put as you get more destructive interference from multiple bass sources

Destructive interference = a drop out of bass as compared to the original source, due to waves canceling each other.

So, viewed in the light of physics and practical applications DD>DTS, at least untill I hear a better explaination.
Even so, the difference is very little.
Both can sound wonderful or terrible.

 

[pulse8]

Isn't DTS also 24/96 while DD is still 16/48?

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: pulse8
Isn't DTS also 24/96 while DD is still 16/48?

yes. dts is superior.

 

[GoSharks]

Originally posted by: pulse8
Isn't DTS also 24/96 while DD is still 16/48?

they both support 24bit..

DTS vs DD

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: GOSHARKS

Originally posted by: pulse8
Isn't DTS also 24/96 while DD is still 16/48?

they both support 24bit..

DTS vs DD

but don't they ussually settle for lower with dd?

 

[glen]

Originally posted by: CptObvious
Glen, where did you get that batch of BS from...care to link it?

Are you questioning the physics or the standard?
I could be wrong about the DTS standard.

 

[ThreeLeggedGnome]

Some of the DD can sound really fearsome if done right like the 2 disc set of LoTR. However, DTS in general sounds better to their DD equivalence, like in the case where both formats are available on the same DVD. The best DTS discs so far have to be Gladiator, Shrek, mask of Zorro, and especially The fast and the furious. The racing parts of that movie just shake my entire apt and Im living upstairs so can only watch it on the weekend nights so my neighbors wont get pissed off. Almost forget, T2 special edition also has a kickass DTS track, the part where they show that future war at the beginning is where I like to show off my sound system to my friends.

 

[glen]

Just sent an IM to Tom Nousaine:

RDawkin994: Tom, are you there?
TN: 'sup?
RDawkin994: about to head off to work. Are there any decent articles on DTS vs DD?
RDawkin994: I eman on the web that you know the link to off hand?
RDawkin994: eman=mean
TN: I'm sure there are but who has time to worry about them
RDawkin994: plenty of folks. I figure it is not much difference
RDawkin994: DTS has potential for more destructive interferance in the bass regoin, right?
TN: Don't think so. It is (perhaps was) just a less effective codec that required more bandwidth to sound the same.
RDawkin994: thank you

 

[BDawg]

Originally posted by: glen
Just sent an IM to Tom Nousaine:

RDawkin994: Tom, are you there?
TN: 'sup?
RDawkin994: about to head off to work. Are there any decent articles on DTS vs DD?
RDawkin994: I eman on the web that you know the link to off hand?
RDawkin994: eman=mean
TN: I'm sure there are but who has time to worry about them
RDawkin994: plenty of folks. I figure it is not much difference
RDawkin994: DTS has potential for more destructive interferance in the bass regoin, right?
TN: Don't think so. It is (perhaps was) just a less effective codec that required more bandwidth to sound the same.
RDawkin994: thank you

IMHO, TN is god and his word is audio gospel.

 

[Scarpozzi]

The human ear isn't sensitive enough to tell the difference when the sampling rate of sound gets to a certain degree. After a while, you'll start to realize that your speakers are going to have to be more and more precise before you'll be able to tell even the slightest difference in sound. As stated before, DTS uses less compression, but that doesn't make it any better or any worse. Comparing DTS to DD is like comparing Apples to.....well, apples. One day, they may develop a standard in DD/DTS speakers and further improve receiver controllers that will just rock anything we've heard yet, but until they do I doubt I'll be able to tell much difference.

 

[esso]

I was waiting for someone to say it, but I guess I will:

8-channel SDDS ownz j00!

 

[boyRacer]

Hmmm... so basically DTS has less compression because it isn't as efficient as DD... but both more or less sound the same to the casual ear.

 

[yellowperil]

I think DTS is also encoded a few dB hotter than DD, so it's louder at the same amp settings. Louder could = better to some people.

 

[Mrburns2007]

With the newer blue laser DVD we could fnally do away with DTS vs DD and just have 6 or 7 channels of 24/96.

BTW: To really hear any difference between DD and DTS you need a really good sound system otherwise it doesn't matter.

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: yellowperil
I think DTS is also encoded a few dB hotter than DD, so it's louder at the same amp settings. Louder could = better to some people.

I read that somewhere too... perhaps that's the reason its perceived as better "out of the box"...

 

[silverpig]

I know the DTS track on Gladiator sounds much better than the DD one... That may be because of format, but it may also be that they put in more time on the DTS track.

If you're an audio guy doing recording and are making your own DVDs, then I can't help, but if you're buying DVDs, the DTS tracks usually sound better for some reason.

 

[AndrewR]

I am hardly aware of the technical differences between the two, but my subjective opinion (redundant, eh?) is that DTS is superior. I always like to find movies that have a DTS track, and any comparisons I've done have shown, to my ears, that it's the better of the two.

I still get giddy like a schoolboy when I listen to an awesome, loud movie on my home theater system (Infinity HTS-20). One of the BEST purchases I've ever made. Now, I need to pair it with a nice flat digital TV, like the ones I regularly drool over here in Japan.

 

[arod]

one thing DTS has over DD is that some studios mix a different soundtrack fot the DTS side making it actually better but thats not the fault of the standard just the studios using a different soundtrack for DTS. Unless you have a super expensive audio system your never gonna hear a difference.

If given a choice I always choose DTS over DD.....