Question on Audio Format

rdclark · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 14

On Dec 20, 5:58 pm, cjdaytonjrnos...@cox.net wrote:

> Dolby Digital is the same as 5.1.

Except when it's not, as when the 5.1 is DTS, or the Dolby Digital is
2.0 or some other channel array.

Archived from group: alt>home-theater>misc

rdclark · Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 14

On Dec 20, 5:47 pm, "Bob" wrote:
> I have a 5.1 system. Some DVD's give me a choice of selecting 5.1 audio or
> Dolby Digital. Which on should give me the best audio. I have tried to A/B
> them but so much time is spent to reconfigure the option and the back to a
> scene that I have a hard time determining which is better.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Bob

The 5.1 audio on DVDs is usually encoded with Dolby Digital, although
sometimes it's DTS 5.1. If the latter, and you have a DTS decoder, you
may find the DTS 5.1 track sounds better than the DD 5.1 track, and
you may not. There are too many possible reasons for them to sound
different for there to be a reliable benchmark, and thus this is a
long-standing and never-resolved point of dissention among home
theater fans.

The weak-ass but necessary answer is "listen and decide for
yourself." Me, if there's DTS I usually choose it; it never sounds
worse than DD, to me. Often it sounds no better, although it's usually
louder.

There are sometimes other choices: PCM stereo (uncompressed stereo,
which will only have two channels but usually better sound quality
than either DD or DTS); Dolby Digital 2.0 (stereo, but compressed,
usually offered on movies that don't have a surround mix available);
Dolby Digital x.x (1.0, 4.0, 4.1, 5.0 etc - compressed audio in a
channel configuration determined by the original source material).

Bob · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

I have a 5.1 system. Some DVD's give me a choice of selecting 5.1 audio or
Dolby Digital. Which on should give me the best audio. I have tried to A/B
them but so much time is spent to reconfigure the option and the back to a
scene that I have a hard time determining which is better.

Thanks in advance
Bob

cjdaytonjrnospam · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 36

"Bob" wrote:
> I have a 5.1 system. Some DVD's give me a choice of selecting 5.1 audio
> or Dolby Digital. Which on should give me the best audio. I have tried to
> A/B them but so much time is spent to reconfigure the option and the back
> to a scene that I have a hard time determining which is better.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Bob

Dolby Digital is the same as 5.1.

Chip

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AZ Nomad · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 165

On 20 Dec 2007 22:58:44 GMT, cjdaytonjrnospam@cox.net wrote:
>"Bob" wrote:
>> I have a 5.1 system. Some DVD's give me a choice of selecting 5.1 audio
>> or Dolby Digital. Which on should give me the best audio. I have tried to
>> A/B them but so much time is spent to reconfigure the option and the back
>> to a scene that I have a hard time determining which is better.
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>> Bob

>Dolby Digital is the same as 5.1.

Unless it's 5.1 DTS.