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Would you buy a DTS-only DVD movie over a DD one? (1 Viewer)

TonyTone

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Just wondering, as it seems that more than a few top-whatever DVD lists contain a few entries that are the DTS-versions (see Home Theater Magazine's top-100 DVDs; one of the entries is "Saving Private Ryan" but it is the DTS version instead of the DD one).

I've been DTS-brainwashed to the point that I bought the DTS-only version of "Saving Private Ryan" and am contemplating buying the DTS-only version of the first two JP movies and "The Patriot" (Superbit version, which has both DD and DTS, plus most of the extra features found on the DD-only version), along with "Predator", which is worth the buy even though it has no extra stuff because at least it has DTS and is anamorphic.

How many of you prefer DTS-soundtrack DVD movies over DD?
 

Rob Gillespie

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It's not as simple a question as 'which do you prefer' - unfortunately.

In the case of Private Ryan and Jurassic Park (the first film) and Gladiator, there are significant differences in the Dolby and DTS soundtracks. They basically came from different source materials (very short version of a very long story).

So in the case of Ryan or Jurassic - yes, I would go for the DTS editions because I know they are better. But, for other titles, the differences are not so clear cut - and may be barely noticeable. Extra material provides little sustained interest for me. That said, I always recommend the Dolby edition of Apollo 13 over it's DTS-only counterpart due to the outstanding supplements.
 

Chris M

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However, compare Twelve Monkeys. The DD version is extremely good and has that fantastic commentary and documentary. The DTS version has been shown to be no better, if not a little worse than the DD version, and it doesn't have the commentary or documentary.

Chris.
 

Scott Simonian

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I find myself enjoying DTS mixes more. I started loving DTS mainly because it had a more coherent soundfield. DD has gotten much better over the last three years and now most movies with both sound the same.

I personally wish studios went back to making seperate DD and DTS discs. They should be full-bitrate if possible too.
 

Andy Olivera

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I'll pick supplements over DTS just about every time, unless there's a substantial improvement(such as Rob mentioned). Aside from Saving Private Ryan, the only supplement-lite disc in my collection is Virus, but I didn't know there were extras on the DD version when I bought it(I ended up with both:))...
 

Jay Sylvester

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For me, the quality of the presentation is always the primary consideration. I rarely watch supplements.

If a DTS-only disc offers a better A/V experience than its extras-laden DD counterpart, I'll take the DTS disc in a heartbeat.

The film itself is the most important part to me.
 

Paul E. Fox II

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Nearly always:)! The DD Version has to have something SIGNIFICANT (..ly missing from the DTS version) to get me to sway!
 

george kaplan

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I am unbrainwashed. DD is fine with me. I've been to two demos (by DTS guys!) and heard no difference, nor did my wife.
 

Chris Rock

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Well, I don't have any movies with ONLY a DTS track on them, but when I have the choice, I always pick DTS at the setup.

I've never bothered to blind-test them, but I know the DTS will sound great. That's all that matters to me.

Having said that, though, some of the BEST audio in my collection is from DD soundtacks. Episode I and LOTR comes to mind immediately.
 

Dave Moritz

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You can count me in as well;)
I would buy DTS only versions of movies on DVD. I have bought two movies in DD only to buy them again in DTS because they where not available in DTS at the time the DVD was entionally released. I dont mind if DD is on the disc because I do not care to utilize it anyway. But if there is a DTS only version I will buy it without hesitation :D
 

Dan Hitchman

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If mastered properly... YES.

I'd hope that the DTS only release would then be full bitrate 24/96 or DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 formats.

Dan
 

Dave H

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I always listen to the DTS track. However, in a few comparisons I have done, I really don't notice much of a difference.
 

Inspector Hammer!

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If every DTS track sounded like The Haunting, then hell yes I would only buy DTS. But sadly, they all don't.
Tony, some advice, never swear complete and uncompromising alegience to one sound format, doing so will only cause you to complain later when a favorite film of yours is released without a DTS track, and it will happen a lot.
This is what it boils down to o.k., a good audio mix is a good audio mix, plain and simple. DTS, DD? If the movie rocks, it rocks. Their are some on this forum who get real pissed off and won't even buy a movie if it doesn't contain a DTS track, i'm not kidding!
That line of reasoning is so far out of whack I can hardly express it in words!
Now, that said, I usually choose to listen in DTS if it's offered, BUT ONLY BECAUSE MY RECIEVER SOMETIMES BEHAVES STRANGLY WITH SOME DD TRACKS. It does this weird thing like it's compressing the signal or something, I tried everything and I can't correct it. However the same DD tracks played on my freinds reciever sound outstanding. Go figure. I'll be getting a new reciever soon anyway.
 

Neil Joseph

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I have bought dts versions in the past like MIB, Jurassic Park 1&2, etc despite often times having a few less extras than their DD counterparts. If there was a 5% improvment in audio (tossing around numbers), I would consider that a betetr choice than a few extras that I would never see again. Of course I also bought Apollo 13 DD5.1 because the extras on that outweighed the dts soundtrack in my opinion.
 

Terrell

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Having said that, though, some of the BEST audio in my collection is from DD soundtacks. Episode I and LOTR comes to mind immediately.
BINGO! That's my sentiment exactly. DTS is most certainly not automatically better. Some have been brainwahsed by DTS's marketing and the letters DTS. In some instances, like The Haunting DTS track that John mentioned, the DTS is better. In other cases, the DD track is better. In most cases, there really isn't much difference. But when it comes to TPM and FOTR Dolby Digital Surround EX tracks, I couldn't care less about the lack of DTS. And if they keep pumping out DD track like those and the one on the Toy Story 2 DVD, I wouldn't care if I ever saw DTS again.

So, I can take it or leave it. As for the question, I'd do some research, and then make my decision based on what the evidence shows me.
 

James D S

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But we will get dts on Lord of the Rings eventually, so that one at least we'll have something to compare against. (Though I realize that it still may be sourced differently)
For me, I get the dts version - The only exception is Apollo 13 for the reason already mentioned. (In fact, I think Rob had something to do with that) It takes IMPRESSIVE extras to sway my opinion that the presentation of the movie comes first, extras second. ...That has only happened once in my 400+ DVD collection.
 

Dave Moritz

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I prefere DTS hands down not because DTS tells me it is better. But because starting with seeing a movie in the theater I prefere DTS. And the more I heard about DD and even SDDS in the theater. The more I enjoyed DTS in the HT realm. IMHO DTS has a criper and more naturall sound that Dolby Digital. DD incoperates a hight compresion ratio and subtracts overlaping frequencies. I have heard some ok DD tracks but Phantom Menace was not one of them. This is not a Dolby hating thing! I would rather listen to some of the DD movies in Dolby ProLogic that DD. There are times when DD sounds alittle muddy or compressed in the center channel or for example 007 Tommorow Never Dies in DD the highs and bass sound boosted to try and make DD sound better. DTS has more data to recreate the waveform and it also has a higher data transfer rate than DD. Anyway for those who really like DD then they will be all set when Attack of the Clones comes out on DVD. For those of us who like DTS well we are just sol. Unless Speilburg or god convince Lucas that he should give us the choice. It aint gonna happen, lmao.
 

Terrell

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I have heard some ok DD tracks but Phantom Menace was not one of them. This is not a Dolby hating thing!
:laugh: David, I'd beg to differ because that statement is completely not true. And I can't help but laugh, because you say "okay DD tracks." TPM DD EX track is one of the best surround tracks on any DVD, period. Or either your system is not calibrated correctly, because practically anyone that owns it will tell you the same thing. It's flat out jawdropping.
Seemingly every statement you make about DD has an anti-DD ring to it. Which is fine. But not necessarily accurate.:)
 

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