S&V Home Theater Tuneup - DD versus DTS calibration (1 Viewer)

[JoeyB]

When calibrating with the Sound and Vision Home Theater Tune-up DVD, I get consistently different calibration settings when using the DD EX tones and the DTS ES tones. My receiver, Onkyo 797, only stores one set of calibration factors.

Which calibration should I use? Does this mean I should be using different adjustments when playing DTS and DD soundtracks? This seems a bit inconvenient.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Not considering the 6.1 EX/ES DVD's - Based on DVD Entertainment Group Records;
Dolby Digital 5.1 DVD's = 2,581
DTS 5.1 DVD's = 326
I'd set the default using DD, and if the difference is really great w/ DTS ES, then write that down, and when you pop that DTS ES DVD into your player, just change the values for the DTS REF Calibration Marks. Once the movie is over, return to your default DD EX REF Calibration marks.
I don't have DTS ES, but my DTS 5.1 REF Calibration marks is 1 dB different (actually 1/2 db+ or so for Center & Surrounds) from my DD 5.1 (using S&V Calibration DVD), so I just use the DD 5.1 Calibration marks for my DTS DVD's.
Phil

 

[JoeyB]

I like your thinking; I'll do it that way.

On my system, my rear center and surrounds calibrate to 2dB difference between the DTS ES and DD EX tracks. I still wonder why this would be so.

 

[Mike_A]

i'm guessing that for DD EX you have to turn up the rear center/surrounds higher? if so, that's probably because those 3 rear channels are matrix encoded (ie derived from 2 discrete surround channels, much like the front part of a pro logic setup). if you've ever noticed, pro logic tracks always seem quieter than DD tracks - same reasoning here since some information is removed from the surround channels to generate the center surround channel.

 

[JoeyB]

That's correct, the DD EX surrounds/rear calibrate at 2dB higher.

I think I'll calibrate to DD EX and then manually adjust for DTS ES soundtracks.

Hmmm, wonder if I need a separate calibration for DD 5.1. This could get complicated.