DTS vs AC3

[purplepeople]

I just saw a DVD with AC3 and DTS encoding and did a quick comparison on one scene with voice over and low volume background orchestral.

And the winner is...

By an nose, DTS. It was noticeably smoother - less sibilant and the orchestra was clearer in the background. I'm guessing this is a function of the lower compression used by DTS.

Anyone else find this? Or something that points the other way?

:)ensen.

PS: The DVD was Minority Report and the scene was very last scene which starts just before the credits. Beautiful film. Worth renting, BTW.

[pinkmouse]

I have had variable results with comparisons, I suspect the differences are more down to the skill of the mastering engineer than the encoding format, though DTS is theoreticaly better, (or so wiser people tell me ).

[purplepeople]

Since this is a mega-money Steven Spielberg film with Tom Cruise starring and a John Williams score, I'm going to assume (probably to my everlasting grief) that the sound engineers are the best in the business.

Even so, the conversion to AC3 and DTS is done after the mix so theoretically, they get the same uncompressed material before encoding.

I was most surprised that the difference was not subtle. I expected them to be fairly close, yet the DTS was obviously much smoother.

:)ensen.

[Schaef]

The results of the comparison depend very much on the movie and what not. But I do tend to agree that I usually go for the DTS track when available, as it seems to make the speakers disappear more than DD. However, on movies like Shrek, I prefer the DD version to the DTS version, don't know why, it just doesn't sound as good.

I do agree that the DTS track was better on Minority report, deeper bass, and smoother sound. (Especially noticable in the "revalation" scene at the celebration party, where the bass note really kicks in on the DTS track and just kind of exists on the DD track)

[avguy]

I read others opinions about AC3 & DTS my experience is that when movies are played except for a few best recorded discs or scenes movies both the formats same equal. Sometimes the DTS sound little dull during the impact scenes.

But playing the auido recordings or any live programs and stuff like that the dolby digital AC3 format beats hands down DTS format. This we have observed lot many times carefully played the tracks again and again and felt that for listening music DTS never scores against AC3.


avguy

[avguy]

Hi,

If anybody has any comments on THX demo Disc and DTS demo Discs and anbody knowing the source of THX demo disc please reply.

In anticipation

Regards,

Anand

[purplepeople]

Some DVDs with THX have set-up procedures on them. Noise gen for speaker set-up and a few video adjustments. I know Star Wars Ep1 has it - used it to set-up the Toshiba FST.

I've never heard of any DTS set-up. I have seen the DTS logo. Of them all, I prefer the new THX logo with the thunder and lightning - much more fun than the original with the big chord crescendo.

:)ensen.