RDGAFFORD

I have a Digital reciever with a Bose 5.1 surround system. It sounds great. My question is, would it be worth the expense to buy a new reciever, DVD player, and replace most of my DVDs to switch to DTS? Is the sound quality that much better. Please email me at [email protected] with answers.

Thanks,
Rick

DigIt

IMO, no, DTS is not worth that much of an upgrade.
Moreover, with the system you have, assuming you have the "cubes", it would be more beneficial to upgrade your speaker system to full-range speakers and a subwoofer. DD with bigger speakers would be more of an improvement than DTS with your current speakers.

Iron Chef

I agree. Bose is good at advertising, but their products lack in certain critical areas. You should go to a HT store (not Best Buy or CC) to experience full range speaker systems.

Bose Pro

The DTS may be worth it although most people only hear a slight improvement of sound if any.

As far as the other opinion given, I don't think you need to do that. I assume you have an Acoustimass 15 with 5 cubes and the powered sub. That is a great system and you are enjoying it. That's what matters.

stevevt

I disagree that it is a great system, but I agree that you're enjoyment is all that matters.

Iron Chef

Here's a good Bose vs Any other system debate:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/...ML/035614.html

DigIt

I didn't mean to initiate a 'Bose vs. The World' debate. I only meant to imply that the difference between single-driver speakers and three-way speakers is much larger than the difference between DD and DTS. I only meant to suggest that if you're looking to add more dynamics to your DVD experience, you might want to upgrade your 'cube' speakers to something larger in order to take advantage of the specs of DD, which allows full frequency in all 5 channels (cubes by definition must strip this extra information). This would be cheaper and more rewarding than upgrading your receiver and DVD player.

The quality of Bose products was not the subject of this discussion.

Bose Pro

I agree again. Nor was I trying to create a Bose vs. "something" thread. I was agreeing with everyone and simply stated that if you're happy with it, that's what matters.

It seems too many people can change a thread's implication too quickly.

Kromax

True. I was waiting for the "if it's all highs and no lows. . ." quote.

DigIt

I think it's "no highs, no lows, must be Bose." There, are you happy now?
__________
All your Bose are belong to us.

Bose Pro

I think that is SSSOOOO funny. It just proves people alter the saying to their liking.

Some people say "no high, no lows, must be Bose"

Others change it to "all highs, all lows, must be Bose"

So which is it? You know, if someone wants to "voice his/her opinion" on Bose, the argument can't keep changing...LOL


BTW RDGAFFORD: What receiver are you currently using?

duckdogger

The ONLY way I got anything resembeling bass from my Bose was to place the module about 6" from a patio door panel. The glass reflected and amplified the sound. Too bad every body kept tripping over the Bose as they went through the door.

As I learned long ago, I quit trying to make a Ford fast. I sold it and bought a Chevy. Likewise, I turned the Bose into a door stop and bought a powered sub.

exm

IMO: if you have a proper system (Full Range speakers and a good processor/amp/receiver) DTS is worth it. With Bose-speakers you won't notice a lot (that's because of the nature of Bose-speakers)

ALMC

Right, sorry to bring this back to DTS v. DD, but I have another question: Do DVDs carrying DTS sound commonly also have DD? Any if so, which will a receiver default to?

I played U571 last night on my new system featuring a Denon 2801 and a sony DVD changer. The Disk said it was DTS, my receiver (according to the small indicator lights) didn't recognize it as DTS and played in DD. I tried to manually set it to DTS (from the Auto setting) but got no sound!!

I went through my DVD player set-up; seemed right and my Denon set-up seemed right...

Any thoughts.

Nimbus

Go into the setup menu of the Sony DVD player and make sure DTS is set to "on." I don't have the U-571 disc, but before you play the movie make sure you select the DTS track from the menu (if it has both DD & DTS on it as you say).

That's all I can think of. Good luck.

exm

Maybe you also see somethin like 'RAW' as an audio mode. That also works.

DigIt

Could also be "bistream" -- just cycle through all of the choices and try each one. And yeah, a lot of players can be ornery about this, but make sure you actively select DTS from the DVD menu each time before you select "play movie" -- by nature, everything attempts to default to DD. Likewise for your receiver.

(I know that default is supposed to be idiot proof, but DTS has gotta be pissed about how difficult it is to listen to their soundtracks!)

ALMC

Thanks. My DVD player was set to DTS - On, so that was right. However, I may have made one or two other mistakes, perhaps someone has experience with?

On my Sony DVD Changer (forget the model number, but's the 5 disc one), in the audio set-up it has something called 'Downmix' with two choices 1) Dolby surround 2) normal. The instructions were very unclear here. I had it on Dolby surround, but perhaps it should be on Normal. Anyone with this machine know how to set this?

The other most obvious and perhaps hairbrained possible mistake may have been not setting the DTS in the U-571 DVD setup at the beginning of the show. I rented it from netflix and already returned it, so I can't play around with it now. Does anyone know if I had to manually setup the DVD to output DTS on this disk??

thanks

Centurion

You certainly do.
Part of the requirements of making a DVD movie in DTS is to also include a Dolby soundtrack. So that viewers without DTS capable equipment could still watch the movie.
The default soundtrack has always been (to my knowledge) the Dolby soundtrack, therefore, you have to enter the movie's menu screen and select 'DTS' as your soundtrack.

ALMC

thanks. That darn Denon remote gets me so, so... well you know, that now I can't remember if I actively selected DTS on the DVD's set-up.

I'll assume I didn't and wil get another DTS capable disk to try. So, is it safe to assume that most here suggest DTS when given the option??

Johnny Zhivago

Most... I have seen some folks who post they can't tell the difference at all or that DD is better... Bunk... On a good system (full range like exm pointed out), you can tell... Given the choice, I always choose DTS. (Note: I have not heard the much debated Jurrasic Park DTS track... The only one I'm aware of where the DD track may indeed sound better)

PolarBearWY

I have U-571 [and other DTS movies] and yeah, you MUST go to setup or languages in the DVD movie setup and select DTS. It WILL NOT automatically set it to DTS for you.

U-571 sounds a tad better in DTS. In my opinion, Pitch Black sounds SO MUCH BETTER!!! in DTS. But, many believe they get nothing out of the DTS. All in the ears. I have played trumpet for 20 years, and I can tell when I may be slightly off tune, but that doesn't mean any ol' shmuck off the street can hear the same that I do.

Not saying I hear the best, just saying everyone hears things differently. If you don't have a stereo and are wanting to buy one, definitely get DTS. If you are wanting to "upgrade" and definitely have the money to spend, get it. It's up to you. Some like DTS, some don't. I do.

Centurion

Get the DTS version of the movies you buy.
If you plan on upgrading your equipment in the future, you'll be set.

Razzak

Here's the skinny (IMHO). I am not an audio expert by any means... but i think only the first response actually answered the DTS or not to DTS question.

DTS is really for the high end audio people. I love the sound of DTS in *some* movies.

Look at it this way, how many movies that you own come in DTS? What % is that of your entire collection? And how many of those movies sound significantly better in DTS? Does the lesser sound quality bother you in the least?

Now, calculate how much it would cost to entirely upgrade your home theater system to support DTS and the trouble with finding cheap DTS movies. I think (correct me if i'm wrong on this) some DTS movies don't have all the special features because they include the DTS and DD sound track, taking up too much disc space.

So here's my answer...

If the value of the added sound quality outweighs the cost of replacing your dvds/setup/hunting down high priced DTS movies, then go for it.

It may sound like this is a biased post, but I don't think it is. I don't think it's worth it for *ME* and *MOST* home users, but I don't think the average HT person is the same as the average DVDtalk person. And to a lot of people (for example, my gf's dad who just shelled out 25k on his home theater and puts a few more k into it every year) the sound quality is very worth it.

Flame away people I'm going on spring break now so i wont see it

arikevin

DTS sounds much better than Dolby Digital. Gladiator is one of the good example where DTS RULE

Gladiator's DD5.1 soundtrack sounds muddy

[Edited by arikevin on 03-11-01 at 08:39 AM]