Hey All, I feel then when I play DVD's , the sound is like listening to MP3, lossy. DD 5.1 even more so than DTS sound that way. My Denon 3930CI modified is hi resolution. I play music using the analog input and i feel that sounds betetr than movie audio.

At times, I use my DVD to decode the sounds instead of the 1070.

What do all of you think of this, the soound quality of the movies?

Liz

I think a lot of that depends on how well they mixed/mastered the audio of the movie.

Some (like Transformers) are just better than others.

Dolby Digital and DTS are both lossy compression formats - there's no way to entirely get around that. There was a post many, many moons ago in this forum from someone who had a chance to stop by soundhound's studio and listen to both the Dolby Digital track from Superman and the original raw audio files that were used to create the DD track ('hound did the audio work for the DVD that was produced back around 2002 or so) - the poster was positively depressed at the differences that existed between the original multichannel PCM sitting on 'hound's hard drive and the DD track on the DVD. Lossy compression loses stuff. When you put a DD or DTS track up against lossless music formats like CD, DVD-A, or SACD, you're creating a situation where the only way for the lossy format to win is for someone to screw up the mastering of the lossless track somehow (which, with many new CD's these days and the elevated levels they are mixed at, certainly can't be ruled out).

All that having been said, I agree with BloggingITGuy that the mastering plays a big role, and I've gotten some pretty enjoyable audio from movies. It probably helps that audio in movies can work in concert with video - doing a good job (the best possible with the "lossy" tools available) in conjunction with good photography and video mastering can lessen the overall effect of compression on the viewer's experience.

Liz:

You mentioned you've found DTS sounds better than DD. I recall reading an article which stated that, apart from the edge DTS has over DD in terms of bit rate, DTS surround tracks sound better because, as a general rule, they're better mastered than DD. This would echo the point made by BloggingITGuy. It's also the reason when given a choice, I always select the DTS track from the menu.

If gonk's comments about the Superman track are any indication of what awaits us with the new codecs, I'm really looking forward to DTS HD MA and Dolby True HD. I think a lot of people on these boards have systems that are capable of revealing the sonic improvements they hold.

I personally prefer DTS, and make it a rule to only purchase DVD’s with it. I have been listening/watching U2’s “U2: Go Home” (2003) concert from Sloan Castle, which has been masterfully done in DTS. Most concert footage and sound tends to be rather tedious – but this particular DVD draws you into the concert with stunning sound mastering. The Dolby Sound is good, but it does not get close to the DTS.

The poor, lossy SQ from some of these DVds makes me want to with Blu-ray yet the cost of player or Ps3 with a prmap with HDMI and the high price of discs makes me not into doing that.

Music is what matters.

The 1070 sounds great using the analog input. I am thinking the low grade Crystal Dacs and the Op amps along with the lossy signal is what I am not enjoying..

Any one care to comment?

Liz - I don't share your opinion on the bulk of my favorite S-DVD's. I think both my good Dolby-equipped and DTS-equipped DVD's of choice sound great with the 1070. But I did share some interest in improving the warmth and clarity of my CD collection which is what led me to purchase the Denon 1940 this weekend. I've really been enjoying that player hooked up with just the 2 channel analog inputs and running the 1070 in bypass. Prior to this I'd been running my HD-A2 as a transport and I wasn't really feeling the music. It's a whole new "old" world for me. It's been a great time dipping into this.

Hi Reds,

I am finding that the S-DVDs sound lossy yet I use the highest Quality Digital Coax cable to date. Music Cds using the stereo out analog bypass mode sounds great.

I just order a used Anthem AVM-30 Pre/pro which has AKM pro grade dacs so I cna get betetr SQ from movies, my PC, PS2, HD box.

Liz

Are you getting rid of the 1070, LK?

Yes Reds, I will sell it once I have the AVM-30 hooked up and running. If you are interested, send me a PM.

Liz