OMG! blown away by DTS! (1 Viewer)

[Adam_S]

I recently got my system really started by finally getting my mains and surrounds (both JBL N24s) and plan to finish it off with a pb12 and Ncenter in teh next six to eight weeks. I'd demoed my set up for my family, but demoed it for the first time for a friend last night. I started off with The Phantom Menace chapter 37 (retaking the palace) which has soem nice explosions and has tons of surround action. After that I switched over to Gladiator which I had demoed bits and pieces of but not in DTS. I switched it over to DTS and we were both blown away. The Intensity, clarity and sound envelopement were all worlds beyond what Star Wars had been, and I that was still at a lower level of sound. I'd played Star Wars at five increments below the highest level (my Pioneer calls them decibels, though I'm not sure that each increment is a decibel differnt, with zero as the highest and negative numbers below it, so I was at negative five) I dialed it down to about negatvie twenty between movies so the menus wouldn't be overbearing, and would slowly dial it up once at the proper scene I got to negative 10 on gladiator in the opening battle and it already sounded twice as loud as Phantom Menace had, and the clarity and fidelity of sound was so far superior. My friend who knows next to nothing about HT or sound, said it best, 'damn you could hear 100 different little things going on perfectly clear, it sounded so terribly grusome and realistic too'
So consider me a DTS convert, what are some other really great DTS titles (I think Gladiator is one of the best) that are also great movies (Haunting may be great sound but I can live without it). Do I have any in my collection? Also what are some really steller DD tracks?
My DVD collection
thanks,
Adam

 

[Ryan L B]

T2 Ultimate Edition, all 3 Jurassic Park movies, Moulin Rouge, and Preditor

 

[Greg Black]

Well, there will probably be a lot of replies to this thread due to the fact that it will probably start a DTS vs. DD war
I am not here to say that DTS is better than DD or vice versa, but I believe that the DTS track on Gladiator, much like the one on Saving Private Ryan DTS version, is a "cooked" track. DTS themselves personally mixed the DTS track from the masters to bring out more sonic details, increase the surround effect's intensity, tighten the bass, etc.
So what it really boils down to is that the majority of the time there is a difference between a DTS and DD track, then it's usually because the masters were prepared in a different way.
To answer your question about great soundtracks, here are some off the top of my head:
Se7en - DTS (extremely enveloping atmospheric effects; the best use of subtle surrounds I've ever heard)
Jurassic Park - corrected DTS (pounding bass and intense effects)
Eagles: Hell Freezes over - DTS best concert DVD I have ever heard; absolutely amazing resolution of the individual instruments on the DTS track)
X-Files: Fight The Future - DTS (great surround action; atmospheric effects)
As for Dolby Digital, The Phantom Menace is probably the best you will ever hear. A couple of other good ones are:
Fight Club (the best example of dynamic range on DVD; the scene where Norton imagines the plane crash is EXTREMELY intense)
Independence Day (nice surrounds, bass)
...I would list more but I have to go back to work
Cheers,
Greg

 

[Steven L]

Saving Private Ryan - one of the all time bests.

 

[Andrew_Sch]

I'm surprising no one ever mentions the LA Confidential motel shootout. Great directional effects on the shots, and those feet running around behind you are maybe a little TOO realistic. Creepy

 

[KevinJ]

try these DTS music dvd's...eric clapton at hyde park,nin and all that could've been,the who at the royal albert hall,roy orbison a black and white night.

 

[Rob Lutter]

DTS discs to get:
Jurassic Park DTS (corrected version)
The Lost World DTS
Se7en: Platinum Series
Terminator 2
The Rock: Criterion Collection
Moulin Rouge
...and I hear Saving Private Ryan is good too (although I have yet to hear it)
Dolby Digital Discs to get:
Fight Club
The Blues Brothers (one of the best)
Independence Day
Rushmore: Criterion Collection
The Matrix
I would make a comment about how half-bitrate DTS makes no difference... but I don't want to start a battle I can't fight

 

[Brian Crowe]

Not enough can be said about the sound of Saving Private Ryan. This is still one of my all time favorite disks to really show off my system. If you like to hear 100 things whizzing by your head in glorious digital sound then definitely pick this one up. It's all I can do sometimes to not duck behind the sofa when the shooting starts.
I also find myself spinning Titan AE quite a bit. It's got a great rock soundtrack and deep bass. Might want to wait for the sub to try this one.
One thing I haven't heard mentioned here- am I correct in stating that DTS tracks don't downconvert like Dolby tracks do? Which is to say if you're playing DTS with no Center or sub that you're actually losing those channels? I've always heard this to be the case. If so, you might want to stick to DD until you get the rest of the speakers hooked up. If I'm wrong then I'm sure someone will swat me with the dummy stick.
~Crowe~

 

[EricK]

One thing I haven't heard mentioned here- am I correct in stating that DTS tracks don't downconvert like Dolby tracks do? Which is to say if you're playing DTS with no Center or sub that you're actually losing those channels? I've always heard this to be the case.

You can playback a dts soundtrack in 2 channel stereo. dts can be folded down by the processor from 5.1 to 2.1...

 

[EricHaas]

In order to evaluate DD v . DTS, you do not do it by comparing 2 different movies. You must compare the same movie in both modes.

Yeah, Titan A.E. is very underrated as a surround experience. It is a great subwoofer demo.

 

[Jeff]

In order to evaluate DD v . DTS, you do not do it by comparing 2 different movies. You must compare the same movie in both modes.

Also be sure you match the levels as well. Some DTS tracks on DVD's are recorded higher. Particularly older DTS DVD's.

Jeff

 

[Sean Oneil]

If you have a good system with a /really/ capable subwoofer, then you must hear Titan A.E. DTS. I am sure that everyone is sick of hearing me mention this title by now
I am supprised that no one has mentioned that the mixes were different for the DD and the DTS tracks on Gladiator... at least that is what I understand from reading some other posts on this forum. That may be the big reason why you are hearing such a huge difference between DD/DTS on that DVD.
Still, aside from that, I tend to almost always prefer a DTS track if the mixes are the same (yes I have listened to many examples with DD and DTS that contain the same mix). There always seems to be a bit more life or fullness in the midrange.
Who knows... some people will say that it is all just psychological, but if you enjoy a DTS track more and believe that it sounds better, then it does.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

DTS themselves personally mixed the DTS track from the masters to bring out more sonic details, increase the surround effect's intensity, tighten the bass, etc.

That's not the way I heard it (from someone who should know). I believe the different tracks were prepared by the studio. Dreamworks is part of Spielberg's empire, and since Mr.S has a big stake in DTS, well, work it out for yourself.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Thanks Eric.

Take about 5 movies that have both soundtracks, A/B the DD and DTS tracks, and get back to us. Comparing two different movies is irrelevant.

 

[Jeff Bamberger]

Not a huge fan of the movie, but The Haunting DTS is defintely a subwoofer killer. You may want to check this DVD out too....

 

[Greg_C_T]

The DTS track on U-571 is something to behold. Of course the depth charge scenes will knock the pictures off your wall, but the scenes when they're diving beyond the limits the sub was built to withstand are just incredible. The straining, creaking metal pans from the rear left all the way around to the right left speakers building tension until....
Well, just see the movie. It's good stuff.

 

[Richard Kim]

Also be sure you match the levels as well. Some DTS tracks on DVD's are recorded higher. Particularly older DTS DVD's.

Exactly. Adam, the reason why Gladitor seem better than TPM is because TPM's volume level is lower than alot of other DD titles. Also I beleive that Gladiator's DTS track is alot louder than normal. If you incresed the volume level about 7dBs on TPM, you'll enjoy it much more, IMHO, it's the best DD track ever.

 

[Bill Crosthwait]

I recommend "Fast and the Furious"...Excellent DTS track.

 

[Leif Wall]

Adam mentioned he doesn't have a sub yet.

I found that before I had a sub almost all DD tracks sounded very weak, yet DTS tracks sounded amazing. I'd guess because DTS will send a full range signal to every speaker or when the speaker is set to Large and DD won't? It was a night and day difference without a sub.

After getting a sub (pb12 and then a 20-39cs) DD and DTS sound pretty much equal. And I stress pretty much as I usually give the edge to DTS on my system.

 

[MikeEckman]

If you are going with an all JBL system, I highly recommend getting the S-center instead of the N-center. It is a 4 way speaker instead of the N which is a 3 way and it sounds alot better. Considering the center channel does the most work of any speaker in your system, you should spend a little more on the center channel and get the S, you dont be disappointed. You can find it online for around $150.