Comments on: Dolby vs. DTS: Which is Better? The Battle Rages On

By: Chris Boylan

Chris Boylan — Wed, 01 May 2024 18:48:16 +0000

Harris,

Thanks for the feedback. Dolby Atmos isn’t a lossy format per se, but when delivered in music tracks over streaming services such as TIDAL, Apple Music and Amazon Music, it is carried over a lossy transport codec (Dolby Digital+) so it is lossy in those situations. Streaming video with Dolby Atmos is the same, carried over Dolby Digital+ on streaming services like Disney+, Netflix, etc. The only other music-oriented immersive sound format (Sony 360RA) is also lossy when listened to over a music streaming service like TIDAL or Amazon Music.

“DTS:X for streaming,” the latest incarnation of the DTS codec, is lossy only (no lossless version). But it has had about 3 decades of development since the early days of DTS and Dolby Digital, so I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do with a 448 kbps stream with IMAX Enhanced on Disney+ this month when they launch DTS:X soundtracks.

Both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X *can* be delivered in fully lossless formats, using Dolby TrueHD or DTS:HD Master Audio. But the only place you can find these lossless versions is on physical media (Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray) or via a high-end download service like Kaleidescape.

Hope that helps!

By: Harris Fogel

Harris Fogel — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 18:27:33 +0000

Chris, thank you so much for a wonderfully written, and detailed article on this topic. It filled in a lot of gaps in the backstory and history of those changes. I am somewhat ambivalent about the format wars, and have attended media presentations from DTS and Dolby, with each sounding wonderful, and each trumpeting their features.

I have tried both choices when available on disc, with little discernible audio difference. I have found that sometimes one format will be properly decoded while another might not be. I’ve always chalked that up to a programming error but it’s been very rare. Many of the firmware updates for Blu-ray players were to address an issue with specific titles, despite their being standards that are supposed to be followed.

At the last AES conference in NY in the fall of 2023, I was chatting with some well-known engineers in the immersive space, and they all agreed that Dolby Atmos was a reduced bandwidth and therefore lossy format. They described the process chain of recording in high-res audio for immersive audio, then having to essentially lose data for the Atmos mix. I’d love to learn more about that.

Thanks once again for the superb article!

By: IAS

IAS — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 15:07:34 +0000

DTS was always more dynamic vs Dolby surround, it was lesser license fee that had DTS on more movies, competition is good for consumers though. At least pass through should be available on current streaming devices as all AVRs can decode.
Streaming Dolby atmos is not good as on disc, still buying 4k discs for full sound and PQ experience, it has not changed in last 5 years. Some AVR do DTS-X up conversion from DTS-MA track which is excellent.

By: Carl Tatz

Carl Tatz — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:43:18 +0000

Historically, DTS has always outperformed
Dolby DVDs. Be interesting to see what the testing reveals.

By: Chris Boylan

Chris Boylan — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 18:05:55 +0000

LOL. Honestly, any receiver that supports DTS:X should be fine for this, including your Denon. IMAX says you should go “IMAX Enhanced” for the whole playback chain but that’s because they want to “maintain the integrity of the artistic intent” (e.g., sell more IMAX licenses). 🙂

The challenge for most will be finding a streaming source that can deliver DTS:X. It doesn’t necessarily have to *decode* DTS:X but it has to be able to pass it along to something that can. We probably won’t know until May 15th exactly which streaming sources will be able to stream the DTS:X soundtrack but I’m hopeful that the NVIDIA Shield and maybe even an Amazon FireTV Stick 4K Max might be able to handle it. The official word from DTS/IMAX is that you need to use one of the IMAX Enhanced certified TVs, which in the US is just a few Sony and Hisense models.

Also, if you do find a compatible streaming source, but your TV can’t handle DTS or IMAX Enhanced, then you’ll need to plug the streaming box directly into your receiver or sound bar via HDMI *not* into the TV directly. If a streaming box sees a display device (TV/projector) that doesn’t handle DTS:X then the DTS:X option will probably not show up in Disney+.

By: ORT

ORT — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:01:45 +0000

My Denon AVR-X4300H says it supports DTS:X and we have Diznee+ so…Maybe? Right now Dolby fAtmos is more than just fine. It also has Auro 3D which is okie dokie for music.

I have owned the Denon since 2016 and have had no reason to seek an upgrade which suits me fine. I am in a (roughly) 10 X 10 room with a 9.2 setup. Many of the films I enjoy are in stereo or mono. I am kinda-sorta growing wearing of the whole Superhero genre as how many sparkly, glowing hands and diverse new powahs can there be. Apparently a crapload…

The Mandalorian, Andor and other well made Star Wars spinoffs work well with my system and are all in fAtmos. I am not fat but I am dumb and fappy.

ORT