How To Hear DTS Properly (1 Viewer)

Spottedfeather · Sep 6, 2012

I think I've got 5.1 down, but I have a problem with DTS. As I said, 5.1 is just fine, but with DTS, the effects are way too loud. I really don't want to use the Night Mode, but some of my blu-rays only have DTS.

schan1269 · Sep 6, 2012

Turn on the DRC in the BD player.

Spottedfeather · Sep 6, 2012

My receiver is an Onkyo HT-R391. It doesn't come with a microphone. The levels of 5.1 tracks are just fine. If the effects came through the front speakers, I could just turn them down. But the effects and music come through the center speaker. Turning the front speakers down doesn't change the "effects are louder than voices" problem. I've fiddled with the speaker distances but that doesn't seem to change anything either. What is it supposed to do ? No matter how I set the distance, the sound levels sounds the same. What is the device input volume ? I don't have anything like that. And turning the DRC in the player on doesn't change anything, either. If I use the DRC on the receiver it's self, you completely lose all dynamic range, which kinds of defeats having DTS on in the first place. My center speaker is +12db. The left surround is +9db. The right surround is, I think, 0db. The front speakers are -2db left and -8db right.

schan1269 · Sep 6, 2012

Have you tried turning on CinemaFilter?
And you'll hate to hear this...
It is also possible the speakers...
1. Have problems(since they are the same, try the rear speakers in the front)
2. The speakers are horrible...maybe buy something more articulate.

Spottedfeather · Sep 7, 2012

If the speakers are the same, I don't see how switching them around would do anything. And anyway, it's the DTS mix that's weird. The effects and music come out of the center speaker. That's why the dialogue is far too soft. If the effects and music came out of the front speakers, I could turn them down. And cinemafilter doesn't do anything. I know that it's supposed to soften "bright" sound mixes, but I really don't know what that's supposed to do. I play movies with it on and off and don't notice any difference whatsoever.
What kind of speakers would change my problem ? If the effects and music come out of the center speaker, what would getting another speaker do ?

Jason Charlton · Sep 7, 2012

Matt,

Sam was suggesting that there may be a problem with the current front speakers, and since all the speakers are the same model, you should be able to swap the fronts and rears to check this without any detrimental effect on the overall system.

Let me ask you another question - when you listen to Dolby Digital soundtracks, everything seems right, correct? But when you listen to DTS tracks, everything is focused on the front soundstage, correct? Does ANYTHING come out of the surround speakers when you listen to DTS tracks?

Also, we need to be clear on nomenclature - "5.1" is not a sound format. It simply refers to how many channels of audio are in the stream. 5.1 can be encoded as lossy Dolby Digital, lossy DTS, lossless Dolby HD, lossless DTS-MA, etc. The codec also does not necessarily indicate the number of channels of audio - both Dolby Digital and DTS can be encoded as mono (1.0), stereo (2.0) or higher...

According to page 44 of your receiver's manual, there is a "Fixed Mode" setting for incoming digital audio. It can be set to "OFF", "PCM", or "DTS" - have to tried changing this setting? Also, are you certain that the listening mode when playing DTS tracks is set to "Direct"?

I am inclined to suggest a factory reset of your system and a careful, step-by-step setup of both the Blu-ray player and the receiver - particularly if you are getting absolutely no surround sound speaker signal for DTS soundtracks only.

David Willow · Sep 7, 2012

The speaker distance has nothing to do with volume. Its a setting that adjusts the delay so the sound coming from all the various speakers arrives at your ears at the same time. You should adjust this setting to the actual distance of the speakers from your primary seat.

Spottedfeather · Sep 11, 2012

David Willow said:
The speaker distance has nothing to do with volume. Its a setting that adjusts the delay so the sound coming from all the various speakers arrives at your ears at the same time. You should adjust this setting to the actual distance of the speakers from your primary seat.

Jason Charlton said:
Matt,
Sam was suggesting that there may be a problem with the current front speakers, and since all the speakers are the same model, you should be able to swap the fronts and rears to check this without any detrimental effect on the overall system.
Let me ask you another question - when you listen to Dolby Digital soundtracks, everything seems right, correct? But when you listen to DTS tracks, everything is focused on the front soundstage, correct? Does ANYTHING come out of the surround speakers when you listen to DTS tracks?
Also, we need to be clear on nomenclature - "5.1" is not a sound format. It simply refers to how many channels of audio are in the stream. 5.1 can be encoded as lossy Dolby Digital, lossy DTS, lossless Dolby HD, lossless DTS-MA, etc. The codec also does not necessarily indicate the number of channels of audio - both Dolby Digital and DTS can be encoded as mono (1.0), stereo (2.0) or higher...
According to page 44 of your receiver's manual, there is a "Fixed Mode" setting for incoming digital audio. It can be set to "OFF", "PCM", or "DTS" - have to tried changing this setting? Also, are you certain that the listening mode when playing DTS tracks is set to "Direct"?
I am inclined to suggest a factory reset of your system and a careful, step-by-step setup of both the Blu-ray player and the receiver - particularly if you are getting absolutely no surround sound speaker signal for DTS soundtracks only.

Last question first. I measured the speaker distances with a tape measure. So...that part's right. Now for the first question. When I listen to Dolby Digital, TrueHD, etc., everything sounds fine. But when I listen to DTS-HD Master Audio tracks, the surround speakers are much louder than the front speaker. I don't use direct mode. Would that make a difference ? I've been using the DTS-HD master audio listening mode. But from what I just read in the manual, it says that using fixed DTS mode doesn't pass DTS-HD audio. Just normal DTS. Would using this mode help any ? Isn't it degrading the original audio ?

Spottedfeather · Sep 12, 2012

DTS HD-Master Audio mix on blu-ray is horrible. The audio has the effects/music way just right and the voices way too low or the voices just right and the effects/music way too loud. I would change my speakers, but the effects and music comes out of the center speaker instead of the front speakers like they're supposed to. So, turning down the speaker settings wouldn't make much difference. This is on every DTS-HD Master Audio that I have.

schan1269 · Sep 12, 2012

Does this AVR on the set-up menu have "Listening mode preset"?
If so, The next options are
DVD/BD
CD
Tape
and so on...
Click on DVD/BD(assuming that is the one you are using for BD)...
You'll see an list of all available sound modes. Put all the individual choices on "last valid"...
Have a feeling that got all screwed up.

Spottedfeather · Sep 13, 2012

I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to say. But my receiver does have Listening Modes. DTS-HD Master Audio, All Channel Stereo, Direct, Stereo, Mono, Multichannel (when you're using PCM), DTS. Is that what you mean ? If so, they're chosen automatically when a movie starts, though you can change them with the remote later on if you want. What do you mean "last valid" ? There aren't any words, just little buttons on the remote that say, MOVIE/TV, MUSIC, GAME, STEREO. Though, there may be actual on screen words, but I don't have an HDTV to connect with an HDMI, so I wouldn't know.

schan1269 · Sep 13, 2012

In your on screen menu...for the AVR(you know HDMI set-up, where you change volume levels etc...)
Does this AVR on the set-up menu have "Listening mode preset"?
If so, The next options are
DVD/BD
CD
Tape
and so on...
Click on DVD/BD(assuming that is the one you are using for BD)...
You'll see an list of all available sound modes. Put all the individual choices on "last valid"...
Have a feeling that got all screwed up.

Spottedfeather · Sep 19, 2012

Saying it again won't help anything.

Dave Upton · Sep 19, 2012

If you answered or confirmed this already, I apologize - but did you try manually choosing the Direct listening mode when listening to a DTS mix?

schan1269 · Sep 19, 2012

For him to do that...
He needs to understand what I'm asking about with the Pre-set Listening Modes.
Onkyo owners manuals don't exactly show this setting. You actually have to know you have them(this guy can't confirm this either way) or not.
I have a feeling that his listening presets are screwed up. I haven't seen an Onkyo without them, but then again, I'm not up on the lowest end stuff.
Can anybody else confirm whether or not this receiver has...
Listening Mode Preset. It is in the opening menu of all Onkyo receivers that have it. In the 707/1008 it is selection 5. In my Integra DTR 7.9 it is selection 6.
Is it there or not?

schan1269 · Sep 19, 2012

I know it is the receiver from the 33/34/3500...
The point of "not having" a sub pre-out is irrelevant. The sound pre-set are HOW YOU WISH TO HEAR EACH SOUND MODE...
You "could" have it where DTS is heard mono...
You "could" have it where DTS defaults to THX:music...
You "could" have it where DTS defaults to "DPL: TV Logic"...
Point being...if those "how would you like the default set" pre-sets are screwed up...then that is more than likely the problem.
And no, not even in the Onlyo TX SR707 or NR1008 manuals is it spelled out what "Pre Set Listening Modes" does. It isn't even part of the manual.

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