DTS vs DD 5.1, which one is better? - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

Raxel · 07-16-2002, 03:20 PM

Ok, I know there are already tons of this topic.

But this time I'm not talking about a specific title. I mean overall, When I was trying to convince my friend DTS is better than DD 5.1 in most cases, he shows me an article which is published by Dolby digital lab, it shows DD 5.1 is better than DTS overall after their tests. Here is the link
http://www.dolby.com/tech/mp.in.0103.DigitalVsDTS.pdf

beside everyone telling me DTS is better than DD5.1 from your experience, is there anything else I can show my friend? Any link to a thorough comparision between these two will be very helpful.

ShaneMcFarland · 07-16-2002, 03:46 PM

Well first off, of course Dolby labs will find their product is better. You need an independant analysis to compare.

I would compare Saving Private Ryan on DD and DTS or maybe Jurassic Park as well. I can definitely tell a difference.

Raxel · 07-16-2002, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ShaneMcFarland
Well first off, of course Dolby labs will find their product is better. You need an independant analysis to compare.

I would compare Saving Private Ryan on DD and DTS or maybe Jurassic Park as well. I can definitely tell a difference.

please don't use a specific title, because he could easily find a title which there's no much difference between these two.

Tyler Durden · 07-16-2002, 04:20 PM

I very much doubt that you will find the answer you are looking for - this argument has raged for years and years and years. There is the argument that Dts uses a higher bitrate and so on and on and on adinfinitum. I have for many, many years been a strong advocate of Dts and have found (in my experience) that I much prefer a Dts track to the Dolby equaivalent - but more so when Dts supervised the transfers themselves - we are going backa few years now...

To be honest, like so much in home cinema and hi-fi it all really boils down to personal preference. Don't forget that the major difference between Dolby and Dts is in the way that the soundtracks are actually mixed - it is a common misconception that the Dolby and Dts tracks on a DVD are the same - just transferred differently. This is not the case - they have been mastered completely differently and are often a different mix altogether - hence the fact that a Dts track is nearly alwyas better defined in the bass region and is more active in the surrounds. It may also sound louder as it has had no Dialog Normalization applied to it as so often happens with Dolby soundtracks and this can lead people to belive that it is more, "dynamic". The only Dts/Dolby tracks that I know of that were exactly the same mixes and simply transferred according to Dolby and Dts own system were the old Warner Bros. titles that included, 'Twister' and 'Interview with a Vampire'.

So, to conclude - in my opinion it is virtually impossble to say which is, "better" as this is not the point. They are two very different techniques that each has its' own strengths and weaknesses and each has differing priorities. It does not mean one is better than the other - in essence it is simply down to what signature or type of sound that you prefer but it is important to remember that this is almost certainly due to the way in which the soundtrack was mixed rather than the technology itself.

ShaneMcFarland · 07-16-2002, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Raxel

please don't use a specific title, because he could easily find a title which there's no much difference between these two.

...which is exactly why I gave a specific title as to avoid him comparing two discs that may sound very similar. I have both versions of each of these titles, and found a large difference, especially in surround and channel separation. That is why I recommended them to him.

Granted, I'm sure there are DTS titles which show little or no difference when compared to the 'same' DD track. But so far I haven't found one DD track that is in any way better than its DTS counterpart.

Tyler Durden · 07-16-2002, 04:32 PM

The only true direct comparison (see my post above) is to compare the Dolby and Dts tracks of the aforementioned discs (Twister and Interview with a Vampire.) As, again, these are the only discs that I am aware of that use exactly the same mix. I doubt it will win you your argument (but then why do you wish to convince your friend that Dts is better in the first place?) as I very much doubt that you will be able to hear a difference at all. I think you're on to a non-starter here. Just console yourself that you prefer Dts over Dolby and enjoy your DVDs - but one cannot say with any authority that one is, "better" than the other.

Raxel · 07-16-2002, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tyler Durden
The only true direct comparison (see my post above) is to compare the Dolby and Dts tracks of the aforementioned discs (Twister and Interview with a Vampire.) As, again, these are the only discs that I am aware of that use exactly the same mix. I doubt it will win you your argument (but then why do you wish to convince your friend that Dts is better in the first place?) as I very much doubt that you will be able to hear a difference at all. I think you're on to a non-starter here. Just console yourself that you prefer Dts over Dolby and enjoy your DVDs - but one cannot say with any authority that one is, "better" than the other.

Yeah, You are right, it more depends on personal preference.

Time to close the thread.

brian · 07-16-2002, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Raxel

Yeah, You are right, it more depends on personal preference.

Time to close the thread.

If you wish

07-16-2002, 03:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Raxel Actor Join Date: Jun 2002	DTS vs DD 5.1, which one is better? Ok, I know there are already tons of this topic. But this time I'm not talking about a specific title. I mean overall, When I was trying to convince my friend DTS is better than DD 5.1 in most cases, he shows me an article which is published by Dolby digital lab, it shows DD 5.1 is better than DTS overall after their tests. Here is the link http://www.dolby.com/tech/mp.in.0103.DigitalVsDTS.pdf beside everyone telling me DTS is better than DD5.1 from your experience, is there anything else I can show my friend? Any link to a thorough comparision between these two will be very helpful.

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07-16-2002, 03:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
ShaneMcFarland Actor Join Date: Oct 2001	Well first off, of course Dolby labs will find their product is better. You need an independant analysis to compare. I would compare Saving Private Ryan on DD and DTS or maybe Jurassic Park as well. I can definitely tell a difference.

07-16-2002, 04:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tyler Durden Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: London	I very much doubt that you will find the answer you are looking for - this argument has raged for years and years and years. There is the argument that Dts uses a higher bitrate and so on and on and on adinfinitum. I have for many, many years been a strong advocate of Dts and have found (in my experience) that I much prefer a Dts track to the Dolby equaivalent - but more so when Dts supervised the transfers themselves - we are going backa few years now... To be honest, like so much in home cinema and hi-fi it all really boils down to personal preference. Don't forget that the major difference between Dolby and Dts is in the way that the soundtracks are actually mixed - it is a common misconception that the Dolby and Dts tracks on a DVD are the same - just transferred differently. This is not the case - they have been mastered completely differently and are often a different mix altogether - hence the fact that a Dts track is nearly alwyas better defined in the bass region and is more active in the surrounds. It may also sound louder as it has had no Dialog Normalization applied to it as so often happens with Dolby soundtracks and this can lead people to belive that it is more, "dynamic". The only Dts/Dolby tracks that I know of that were exactly the same mixes and simply transferred according to Dolby and Dts own system were the old Warner Bros. titles that included, 'Twister' and 'Interview with a Vampire'. So, to conclude - in my opinion it is virtually impossble to say which is, "better" as this is not the point. They are two very different techniques that each has its' own strengths and weaknesses and each has differing priorities. It does not mean one is better than the other - in essence it is simply down to what signature or type of sound that you prefer but it is important to remember that this is almost certainly due to the way in which the soundtrack was mixed rather than the technology itself.

07-16-2002, 04:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tyler Durden Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: London	The only true direct comparison (see my post above) is to compare the Dolby and Dts tracks of the aforementioned discs (Twister and Interview with a Vampire.) As, again, these are the only discs that I am aware of that use exactly the same mix. I doubt it will win you your argument (but then why do you wish to convince your friend that Dts is better in the first place?) as I very much doubt that you will be able to hear a difference at all. I think you're on to a non-starter here. Just console yourself that you prefer Dts over Dolby and enjoy your DVDs - but one cannot say with any authority that one is, "better" than the other.