Here's a story I related awhile back about Dolby Digital.....

"One interesting story you might be interested in regarding Dolby digital. When I am on the dubbing stage after all the final mixing is done on a feature film, and am doing my final paperwork, they are usually making the Dolby Digital master of the final film soundtrack. As I am working, I have more than a few times snaped my head up suddenly and said "what is _that_ shit!" The mixing engineers always respond: "Oh, we're playing back the Dolby Digital master to check it" I say "oh" and go on with my work........ "

In my experience, DTS is better, but not hugely so, as it still throws away data; just not as much. I don't know how many people know this, but on most DTS movie soundtracks on DVD, the bit rate is _one half_ as high as it is in regualar DTS, as on DTS CDs and in a movie theater. They do this so as not to hog the available total bit pool, and sacrifice video quality in the process.

By the way, almost all movie soundtracks are originally produced and mixed as 24 bit, 48kHZ (actually 47,952 hZ) these days. All-digital mixing consoles are becoming the norm also. On films I work on, after recording the orchestra, usually mixed directly to digital workstation, the sound never sees an analog stage until it is played back in the theatre, or on DVD at home.

[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited October 10, 2002).]