I’m working and you guys always bring in all this intriguing stuff to think about, whereupon if I were to spend the time to look up the basic parameters would kill a workday.

But some questions, What are in the decoders themselves? What kind of detail in control are they capable of? If I assume (magic instant answers), that you try any pre-pro in this test, and get the same results.
Increase in SPL levels for selected channels at one dB settings, with a unity gain (?) of SPL at a higher dB output, something’s going on.

Decoders are propriatorial, and set up to do what they do, per each standard. Are decoders themselves capable of details of effect in the system to an extent that could be, - say a expander type setup in the DD decoder if theoretically the dynamic range possible in DD is a little less. (or is it a theoretically possible but argued not real life higher sample rate of DTS which supposedly gives it greater DR? (can’t remember) regardless, - if I understand expanders correctly at a lower gain level, this would create a reduction in dB at lower input with a more uniform gain level across the board. When lower input levels is received?
With something else going on in how DTS ‘compands’ the signal at given input level. Or since this is off the cuff without understanding some other decoder based: unity/gain (or) compression/expansion (or) saturation of digital bit processing speed (but dB level shouldn’t effect that – I think) control per signal input to output?

Anyway very interesting find, I knew there were SPL differences between channels in DD and DTS, but had never noticed that a higher volume setting would level those discrepancies. One of my arguments for the heck with all arguments surrounding DD/DTS, - was that, - if I like the higher SPL at a given dB setting that DTS starts out. Why am I hearing any differences between the decoders? If theoretically I want to level the playing field I should just be able to increase the volume when playing a DD track to equalize my bose ear pychoacoutical phenomenon of “louder is better” In other words I should be able to just turn up a DD recording louder to like it [/I]better[/I]. Your test results bring a new twist to what’s going on between the two. Nice documentation of your experience it doesn’t take a doublebindlevelmatch to record the SPL but I guess it does for your opinion of what you thought you heard given these SPL level readings at equal dB, (as regards preferences). Jeff your so hardcore as to all that, when it comes to preferences. Jeff how ..did you..ever pick a wife? Its such an unscientific messy uncontrolled Lust blinded, unleveled playing field.

Lossy Vs Lossless now that’s a difference I hope they really keep working towards improving. But then you have all those ‘buts’ to understand like string entropy. I must have more time…to grasp all this stuff!