Dolby versus DTS?

digitalvideo

Which do you prefer to listen to movies in and which one between all the Dolby or DTS versions over the years has been consistantly better for sound?

Knucklehead

Dolby Digital is ok, I prefer DTS.

thuffman03

I really can't tell the difference. If the DVD has DTS then I will play it.

danz1906

I prefer DTS

Paden501

I like DTS. To the point where I've actually paid a few bucks more for DVD's w/ DTS over their non-DTS versions of the same film.

nguyendot

I prefer DTS, and choose it whenever possible.

comfortablycurt

I prefer DTS. It just sounds more natural and dynamic to me. Dolby Digital has more of a feeling of compression, and seems kind of lackluster in comparison IMO.

I can't speak for the Blu-ray formats though, as I've never gotten a chance to compare the two in my own rig. From everything I've heard though, with the Blu-ray formats, the gap has been narrowed between the two formats quite a bit.

wutadumsn23

comfortablycurt wrote: »

I can't speak for the Blu-ray formats though, as I've never gotten a chance to compare the two in my own rig. From everything I've heard though, with the Blu-ray formats, the gap has been narrowed between the two formats quite a bit.

IMHO, you are correct in saying that Curt. I have heard both Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio on Blu-Ray's and maybe it is just my untrained ear or my sub-par equipment but I can't notice a huge difference between the two. I think the new Dolby True HD has come a long way to "catching up" to the DTS formats.

Knucklehead

I think in entry level systems like mine, DTS just makes things sound so much more alive like Curt said, maybe its the surrounds that really wake up with DTS.

cfrizz

DTS all the way.

danger boy

DTS over Dolby digital. but now with the higher resolution formats.. I think the gap has narrowed between the two.. now I can't really tell a difference.. and enjoy both.

dpowell

so far I'm not hearing much of a difference between DTSMA and Dolby TrueHD either. I guess I've just always been a big DTS fan (they've been the underdog and have managed to survive) and will still select that option if it exists.

Ron Temple

DD and DTS can sport significant differences in dynamics and bass, usually favoring DTS. The hi-rez lossless codecs are supposedly identical bit for bit true to the source, just divergent compression algorhythms for decoding to LPCM. I've never seen a BD with both Dolby THD and DTS MA/HD, it's either or.

digitalvideo

Who decides which audio format (Dolby or DTS) goes onto each film to use? Do Hollywood studios film their movies in either Dolby or DTS and that's which one is on the DVD for audio? Does each movie studio have a contract with Dolby or DTS to film their movies in?

For example, does let's say Warner Bros have a contract with Dolby or DTS to film all their movies using one brand or can Warner Bros, Columbia, Universal choose with each movie what to use or is it up to the director and producer?

kawizx9r

DTS did come out after Dolby Digital was released (not sure how much later) and the sound is just not as compressed as opposed to DD. Technically speaking, DTS is supposed to sound better than DTS because DTS provides higher quality sound. As far as the new "TRUE DOLBY HD" etc formats I've been seeing on the back side of my Bluray movies....I've yet to hear a difference as opposed to DTS. Just my 2 cents though

Face

Dolby is so 90's.

kawizx9r

So true, only thing they've added is 9.1 or something like that right? Anyway I'm not one to complain. If the funds allowed I'd probably be sporting 7.1 and that's it. My AVR does 6.1 but too lazy to look for TWO cs400/i's. Currently on the search for one since my current center blew out last week :x

ivansfo

DTS usually but some DVDs I prefer DD because there is less simbalence on my system. Prime example are some of the concert DVDs like the Eagles and Phil Collins.

Conradicles

Can I vote for both of them? I like them both.

Ron Temple

The difference between the lossless hi-rez codecs and standard DD/DTS is pretty noticeable. If you're not hearing it, then there's something not right with your setup or your just getting the lossy core bitstreamed, not all of it.

kawizx9r

+1 Ron Temple

cfrizz

If you are having trouble with sibilance, that's the speakers fault. But there is also the fact that live concerts can tend to exacerbate the fault in the speakers.

ivansfo wrote: »

DTS usually but some DVDs I prefer DD because there is less simbalence on my system. Prime example are some of the concert DVDs like the Eagles and Phil Collins.

mantis

This is a age old question. I will try to give a Industry answer.

Most movies are recorded in Dolby Digital format. Some movies are recorded in both. For a properly calibrated system, you will notice some differences in the overall experience.

Dolby digital seems to be a "correctly" recorded. Everything sounds natural and true. The mix seems more even in all channels with no channel dominating.

DTS seems to be the "colored" recording with the rears and sub channel boosted. Most people like this as they think louder is better. I never noticed any more info or clearer anything from DVD to HD DVD to BLU RAY.

So overall I prefer Dobly over DTS. I have run movies in both. I don't care to hear my sub go nuts and my rears kick my head in. Some movies I liked the DTS version better.But mostly Dobly sounded better.

There is nothing wrong with either format, it's a personal decision.

Dan

LBrize

I have to disagree with the last post. Not about the industry stuff, but about the quality of sound, at low volume. I have found DTS to offer a much more natural sound, with more capable dynamics than what DD has offered.

I was Dolby Digital all the way, until I heard DTS, and at the time I had no preference for one or the other, I just found that DTS sounded better to me. What got me? Piano music.

kawizx9r

+1 LBrize

In regards to "sub volumes" being turned up, I've read online on random forums, magazines and other places when I did some research, that bass levels were generally recorded/reproduced at a higher volume (agreeing to mantis' post) in general as opposed to DD. What do we do about this?.....well for example my AVR's manual actually states that DTS LFE signals will be louder and as a rule of thumb, should be set at -10 db for proper reproduction.

kuntasensei

They're just two different methods of handling the same thing (i.e. compression based on what our ears can discern, much in the same way the MP3 format uses perceptual encoding). The DTS codec is not inherently louder in the surrounds nor does it have boosted LFE. This misconception arose from some DTS versions of DVDs using different mixes for the DTS versions (Saving Private Ryan is a good example).

The primary difference between DTS and Dolby Digital on standard DVD is that DTS doesn't roll off highs as much during the encode, whereas Dolby's compression assumes that those highs aren't necessary. That's why DTS soundtracks often sound slightly brighter. Of course, this has become largely moot with the new lossless versions of both codecs, which shouldn't sound significantly different (unless, as with DVD, a different mix was used before encoding).