How many of U have an DD 5.1 Audio System ? Please Vote Now

What kind of Dolby Digital Surround HT System u Have ?


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I don't understand what a comment about channel availability in HD has to do with this thread. Am I missing something?
 
xccell said:
I just rewatched Pearl Harbor. You know it is Digitally Mastered in THREE formats, yes three! I didn't notice that untill I started digging through all my dvd's and came across it. The audio is: DD5.1, DTS5.1 and THX

I must say I couldn't believe my ears! Watching it in DTS was like watching a whole new movie!

DVD companies are actually now printing/advertising on the cases that THX is a recording technology format like SDDS, DD or DTS? WOW, unbelievable. Paying "extra or more" for a specially licenced THX A/V unit is overkill in 99% of home theaters. If you can find them at or near the same cost as a top quality non-certified unit; then that is great, but it's not a "must-have" feature you should seek out on its own; it doesn't really add much extra value making it worth paying a much higher price.

As you can see below from the factual info regarding THX, if you have a THX approved head unit, DVD and maybe THX approved speakers all around at every channel; you're still are not meeting the "requirements" to be hearing that THX approved sound. And remember ONLY THX Ultra (and up) incorporates the original specifications. THX and THX Select do not. Hell, for a time (maybe still do) they even did THX licencing for VHS (WTF?) Trust me; my Yamaha RX-Z9 is THX certified, but I in no way bought this top rated award winner because of that; if THX wasn't on it, I still would have bought it and maybe saved a few hundered in the process. Another award winner that is a great example of non-THX is the Denon AVR-2807; a unit I would recommend to folks looking to stay under$1200.

For the HOME user THX seems to come off as more of a marketing tool/name as opposed to the real in-theater version it attempts to recreate. Bottom line; THX approved may be nice, and get it if it falls inside your budget, but just don't pay much more just to get that approved sticker for home use. Your wallet will thank you and you will not have weakened or compromised any sound quality at all. as long as you don't totally "cheap out". Spend the money you saved by not paying extra for a THX approved head unit, DVD player, cables, etc, and by better speakers, the area where most home theaters owners skimp on, that make the most difference.


From the info on THX:

The THX is not a recording technology, and it does not specify a sound recording format; all digital (Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS) and all analog sound formats (Dolby SR, Ultra-Stereo) can be "shown in THX." THX is mainly a quality assurance system. If a producer has their film mixed in THX, it merely means that when the film is shown in theaters, the soundtrack will sound exactly as it did when it was mixed, provided that the theaters in question are THX-certified theaters. THX also provides certified theaters with special equipment (a special crossover) required for compliance with the standard. Theaters become certified by meeting certain acoustic and technical requirements. Some of the room requirements include a floating floor, baffled and acoustically treated walls, no parallel walls (to reduce standing waves), a perforated screen, and NC30 rating for background noise.
 
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Yamaha RX-V795 DD and DTS..........more of a music buff but the Eagles, Hell Freezes Over DVD in DTS is amazing!! Especially the audio only Seven Bridges Road which puts one of the Eagles in each of the channels.

That said, for music I prefer properly set up 2 channel and use my rears for "ambience" (difference between left and right).
 
Anthem D1 processor

Sherbourn amplifier 5 monoblock channel biwired fronts

Adcom amplifier 5 channel feeding the surround stage (7.2)

Hsu Research VTF3 subs x2

Paradigm Reference Studio 100v2 and Studio CC, Athena dipole surrounds, Athena bookshelves for rears.

Velodyne SMS-1 subwoofer management system

Belden 14AWG silver soldered to gold plated spades on speakers ( me did that)

Everything second hand off ebay and audiogon, of course im no millionnaire :)
 
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I have a 6.1 setup. My reciever does DD EX and DTS-ES. I much prefer DTS also. I can do 7.1 but it splits my rear center channel so it gets 50 watts to each instead of the 100 it gets to the 1 now. I don't really see the need for 7.1 either as most movies arn't even in 6.1. I am thinking of adding a second sub though when I get my new projector setup I'm thinking of adding a sub up front and putting my current sub behind me to get bass from all around. I don't know how it will work out.
 
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