Marty Neudel
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Mar 16, 1999
- Messages
- 223
A little over a year ago, some friends of mine who are actively engaged in the field of audio recording reported some findings that have bothered me. They said they had conducted a series of double-blind tests. In the first series they compared PCM masters to DD copies they had made. They then repeated the test for PCM and DTS. They found just what you'd expect: audiences(testees) were unable to tell the difference between the PCM master and the codec-compressed copies.
However, the findings of the second set of tests were more troublesome to me. When they compared the DTS copies directly to the DD copies, the listeners consistently found the DTS tracks had smoother bass (no real surpise), and the DD tracks (surprisingly) had a smoother high-end. This bothers me. If the DD and the DTS tracks are each indistinguishable from the common PCM master then they should be indistinguishable from each other. I understand that we are dealing with SUBJECTIVE results; and the equalities rule really shouldn't be expected to apply. Nothetheless, I've been uncomfortable with the reported findings.
Until recently ... There are now enough DVD-titles out there for me to conduct my own informal (viz. poorly controlled) single-blind tests. The people I've had listen, reported the same results that my friends had found: DTS = better low-end; DD = better high-end.
I don't ask that anyone here take my word for it. In fact, I'm asking just the opposite: don't take my word for it. Repeat the test for yourself. Feel free to respond that you have done this; but, PLEASE DON'T PUBLISH YOUR RESULTS. In fact, I ask that you disregard any results published, just as I ask that you disregard my results. But, please run this test for yourself and see, for yourself, what you find.
This forum is fairly important to many people, including manufacturers and major licensors. I believe that, as we start to run simple tests for ouselves, we will gain a better understanding of what the field of audio reproduction is all about. Even though, I'm not claiming that this will make us more knowledgable, it is important for us to have a gut-level appreciation of what is going on; and this experiment will help us toward this end.
Thanks,
Marty
However, the findings of the second set of tests were more troublesome to me. When they compared the DTS copies directly to the DD copies, the listeners consistently found the DTS tracks had smoother bass (no real surpise), and the DD tracks (surprisingly) had a smoother high-end. This bothers me. If the DD and the DTS tracks are each indistinguishable from the common PCM master then they should be indistinguishable from each other. I understand that we are dealing with SUBJECTIVE results; and the equalities rule really shouldn't be expected to apply. Nothetheless, I've been uncomfortable with the reported findings.
Until recently ... There are now enough DVD-titles out there for me to conduct my own informal (viz. poorly controlled) single-blind tests. The people I've had listen, reported the same results that my friends had found: DTS = better low-end; DD = better high-end.
I don't ask that anyone here take my word for it. In fact, I'm asking just the opposite: don't take my word for it. Repeat the test for yourself. Feel free to respond that you have done this; but, PLEASE DON'T PUBLISH YOUR RESULTS. In fact, I ask that you disregard any results published, just as I ask that you disregard my results. But, please run this test for yourself and see, for yourself, what you find.
This forum is fairly important to many people, including manufacturers and major licensors. I believe that, as we start to run simple tests for ouselves, we will gain a better understanding of what the field of audio reproduction is all about. Even though, I'm not claiming that this will make us more knowledgable, it is important for us to have a gut-level appreciation of what is going on; and this experiment will help us toward this end.
Thanks,
Marty
