are there any difference in terms of sound between these two formats, DD+ 1.5 Mb/s and DTS 1.5 Mb/s?

trent

I would perfer DTS 1.5 on all HD DVD's but......

Given that both have quite low compression, any differences should be minimal. DD+ is a much more recent codec, so at the same bit-rate should have an advantage.

In DTS's favor is the fact that you can use your existing external decoder over S/PDIF, while DD+ relies on internal decoding within the player and needs an analog or HDMI connection for best results. This may or may not be a realisable benefit, depending on your equipment.

Many of the reviews I have read have suggested that 1536kbps Dolby Digital Plus is audibly better than DTS at 1509kbps. Here (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/sahara.html), for example, and here (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/816/yes_liveatmontreux.html). I do prefer the DD+ soundtracks on the titles I have with both, but the differences are minor at best.

Given that both have quite low compression, any differences should be minimal. DD+ is a much more recent codec, so at the same bit-rate should have an advantage.

In DTS's favor is the fact that you can use your existing external decoder over S/PDIF, while DD+ relies on internal decoding within the player and needs an analog or HDMI connection for best results. This may or may not be a realisable benefit, depending on your equipment.

Many of the reviews I have read have suggested that 1536kbps Dolby Digital Plus is audibly better than DTS at 1509kbps. Here (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/sahara.html), for example, and here (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/816/yes_liveatmontreux.html). I do prefer the DD+ soundtracks on the titles I have with both, but the differences are minor at best.

The Sahara DTS track is a standard DTS track at 768 Mbps so I can see the reviewer noticing the difference and indeed my listening to both tracks bears his review out. Haven't listened to the Yes video yet though. But listening to DTS-HD MA tracks (core at 1.5 Mbps) either on blu or imports I'd say DD+ and the core from DTS are relatively indistinguishable. Very nice expansive listening field and depth for both.

Given that both have quite low compression, any differences should be minimal. DD+ is a much more recent codec, so at the same bit-rate should have an advantage.

In DTS's favor is the fact that you can use your existing external decoder over S/PDIF, while DD+ relies on internal decoding within the player and needs an analog or HDMI connection for best results. This may or may not be a realisable benefit, depending on your equipment.

Many of the reviews I have read have suggested that 1536kbps Dolby Digital Plus is audibly better than DTS at 1509kbps. Here (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/sahara.html), for example, and here (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/816/yes_liveatmontreux.html). I do prefer the DD+ soundtracks on the titles I have with both, but the differences are minor at best.

This is a big deal to those of us with HDMI receivers that cannot apply processing to PCM tracks (which DD+ is after being decoded). DTS on the other hand can be sent to the receiver as is and processed for 7.1, etc..

my question is about this, I have the Add-on and have that latest firmware with the advanced audio options for HD DVDs. I have it set to output everything as DTS. When I'm watching a HD DVD thats encoded in DD+ it's being sent to the reciever as DTS, Isn't that basically the same thing then? Does the xbox 360 decode DD+ and just send it as DTS? My reciever does DD EX and DTS ES if that matters any.

my question is about this, I have the Add-on and have that latest firmware with the advanced audio options for HD DVDs. I have it set to output everything as DTS. When I'm watching a HD DVD thats encoded in DD+ it's being sent to the reciever as DTS, Isn't that basically the same thing then? Does the xbox 360 decode DD+ and just send it as DTS? My reciever does DD EX and DTS ES if that matters any.

In the case of an optical connection, the player turns the DD+ to full bitrate DTS and sends it to the receiver as such. The 2nd gen players (A2, XA2, A20), though, output DD at 640 kbps since all receivers are DD capable and not all are DTS capable.

are there any difference in terms of sound between these two formats, DD+ 1.5 Mb/s and DTS 1.5 Mb/s?

trent

To pass on some info that AMIRM and FILM MIXER gave me.

Depends on your set up.

If you use an external processor with a DTS decoder -- as I do -- you will end up double encoding/decoding DD PLUS which MIGHT add some artifacting.

I didn't realise that.

IE the HD-DVD player DE-codes DD PLUS [ a lossy codec ] -- RE encodes it to DTS [another lossy codec] and then the processor DE codes the DTS [ another lossy step]

SO theoretically, in this scenario, native DTS at 1.5 Mbs CAN sound
better. . . especailly if the DD PLUS is less than 1.5 Mbs.

If you use the HD-DVD player's analog ouputs it CAN be a toss up between
DD PLUS and DTS core. . . . as each gets decoded only ONCE, assuming that the DD PLUS is encoded at 1.5 Mbs
not 640 Kbs.

HOWEVER, DOLBY TRUE HD played thru the external processor DTS chain sounds better -- to my ears -- than native DTS @ 1.5 Mbs [ the REGULAR core DTS ]

It sounded counter-intuitive at first to me.

IE TRUE HD is losslessly decoded by the player and then re-encoded
to lossy core DTS @ 1.5 Mbs and it USUALLY sounds better than "native"
DTS @ !.5 Mbps.

. . . . and yes, TRUE HD sounds WAY better still from the analog outputs.

I have no experience with the lossless DTS codecs ie DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO.

I love all the info we get on this forum cuz it shows what the OPTIONS are . . . . and I reamin amazed and confused by how all this digital processing
and reprocessing can still sound good . . . .

. . . . explore the options and let the ears make the call.

In the case of an optical connection, the player turns the DD+ to full bitrate DTS and sends it to the receiver as such. The 2nd gen players (A2, XA2, A20), though, output DD at 640 kbps since all receivers are DD capable and not all are DTS capable.

That is incorrect. I have a A2/D2, and it outputs transcoded DTS via SPDIF. According to the manual, so does the A20. It is only on the XA2 that the lower bitrate DD (IMHO, inferior sounding) is used for DD+ and TrueHD via SPDIF.

I have actually had the chance to compare both DD+ via analogs and DTS via coaxial. I hands down prefer the DD+ at 1.5mbps.

1.5Mbit DD+ sounds better to me, too.

1.5Mbps DD+ via analog ought to sound better IF the original track was DD+ or TrueHD. That's because the stream is only lossy compressed once versus twice if it was output via DTS on the SPDIF.

The question really is whether a natively encoded soundtrack at 1.5Mbps DD+ soundtrack sounds better than one natively encoded at 1.5Mbps DTS. Here, I suspect that they would be both be about equal--the quality of the listener's equipment and hearing being the major limitations.