What is the difference between dolby digital and thx

If you have one of these, you will be able to upmix any DTS soundtrack across your complete speaker system. The aim of DTS Virtual:X is to give you the 3D experience of an object-based soundtrack — but without you having to install any height speakers.

So, 2. Stereo or surround. Dolby prevents this in their licensing agreement. But it can be effective in giving an extra sense of space. Some AV receiver models often the more expensive ones! THX certification means that a product meets certain standards defined by THX , which aims to set the highest standards for home theater video and audio equipment. While we should never assume that a product without THX certification must be of poor quality, we should be confident of a high-quality product where we find this mark of approval.

The three listening modes — Cinema, Games and Music — are similar to Pro Logic in that they can play any type of source material and match it to the speaker setup you have in your room. The difference with the THX listening modes is they also add equalization to the audio to tailor the original soundtrack mix to suit a home environment. The theory is that movie soundtracks are mixed to sound good at high volumes in movie theaters but will sound different at lower volumes in regular rooms.

Therefore, these modes are designed to alter the frequency response of the sound you hear and allow for the differences between an actual movie theater and your room. If you have these listening modes on your equipment, you may find that you can improve the sound in your room by activating these settings. Give it a try and see what you think. The aim is to provide the best image and audio quality currently available through a combination of new content and certified hardware.

While not precisely a surround sound format as such, I thought it would be helpful to mention it here as you may well come across it as an audio format and wonder what it is. Image content is optimized for large 4K HDR displays with a new mastering process so that you get an exceptionally bright and colorful image.

The audio is mixed with a special version of DTS:X, designed for surround sound systems with elevation or height speakers. Having said that, the algorithm will adapt to systems with different speaker layouts than those mentioned.

So you will be able to use it regardless of your speaker layout. While AV receivers and processors are also starting to appear with the technology built-in. As for the content, you should see more appearing as time goes on. Plus, the technology can be streamed, so keep a lookout at a streaming service near you! However, each manufacturer will often provide additional DSP Digital Signal Processing listening modes for you to choose from. These different versions will provide other processing options to alter the sound that you hear through your system.

Follow the link if you want to learn a little more about listening modes in AV receivers. As you can see, the surround sound formats and listening modes that AV receivers have can seem quite complex. However, the idea is to give you the flexibility to tweak the audio you hear to suit your room and hardware setup. There is no way a movie can be made to sound the same in all types of room — and with different speaker configurations.

Fortunately, some options will be selected automatically by your hardware, depending on the type of audio you are playing. But it can help you understand the options you have for changing the settings because it can allow you to get an even better sound in your room.

To understand how these surround sound formats fit into the bigger picture you may want to check my guide to Blu-ray audio formats. Search for: Search Button. Paul started the Home Cinema Guide to help less-experienced users get the most out of today's audio-visual technology.

He has worked as a sound, lighting and audio-visual engineer for around 20 years. At home, he has spent more time than is probably healthy installing, configuring, testing, de-rigging, fixing, tweaking, re-installing again and sometimes using various pieces of hi-fi and home cinema equipment. I link to products I like. Pin Me! About Home Cinema Guide Paul started the Home Cinema Guide to help less-experienced users get the most out of today's audio-visual technology.

Recommended For You. Theoretically DTS should sound better than Dolby Digital because it has a higher bitrate but from some reviews that I've read they said that the differences were minor and not something you should lose sleep over. In the introduction they give a concise and informative overview of THX. Recommended reading the review's good too. Hope this helps :. Back in the day, THX-certified amps, speakers, etc.

Nope Richard, you got that the wrong way around. Movie sountracks are mastered using the X-curve, which actually has a high frequency rolloff. Oops, I suppose you're right. Home THX re-equalization has a high frequency roll off because a movie soundtrack mastered for the theater will sound too bright when played back on a home theater.

Movies are mixed in movie theatres with a controlled high frequency roll off, called the "X-Curve". This curve is an international standard and a part of every mixing and movie theatres' playback system. It's there because we expect a high frequency roll off from sound sources that are far away from us. Sound mixed under the "X-Curve" sounds too bright when played back through flat response speakers at home listening distances. Since the "X-Curve" is designed only for big rooms, THX uses a special Re-Equalization Curve, designed for home environments, to restore the correct tonal balance of a movie soundtrack.

Hmm, what I read from this is that theaters themselves have this curve built-in to the equalizers as do mastering theaters. Dolby Atmos uses speakers placed in the ceiling to create a 'bubble' of sound. Not keen to cut holes in your ceiling? There's a range of simpler options, such as Dolby Atmos soundbars with upfiring drivers that bounce the sound off the ceiling to similar effect, or — better yet — upfiring modules that can sit on top of your traditional speakers.

DTS:X is a bit more flexible. It works with standard surround sound set-ups and doesn't require extra overhead speakers. You can also manually adjust sound objects, meaning you can crank up the volume of voices on a soundtrack making it easier to hear dialogue over loud effects.

Around 90 per cent of the home AV industry supports DTS:X, with many manufacturers either releasing firmware updates for existing receivers, or launching new models. The downside? Based on the specs alone, DTS beats its rival with higher bit-rates that promise a more realistic movie experience.

That said, other factors such as signal to noise ratio and speaker calibration mean that plenty of audiophiles would rate Dolby above DTS. With standards constantly evolving, the best way to upgrade your movie night is to ensure you have good-quality components, set up properly and fed the highest possible source material.

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