Page 1 of Difference between Dolby Surround Pro Logic 2 and DTS

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Difference between Dolby Surround Pro Logic 2 and DTS

Rickws (Mostly Harmless) posted this on Monday, 13th January 2003, 21:19

Will I notice any difference between the two?

Is Pro Logic 2 something to do with making TV and stereo sound like surround sound?

If I get a home cinema package that doesn`t have Pro Logic 2 but does have DTS will I still get the surround sound style from stereo music?

Hope someone out there knows.

RE: Difference between Dolby Surround Pro Logic 2 and DTS

Geo_ (Competent) posted this on Tuesday, 14th January 2003, 08:15

Difference between DTS and DSSPL2 is quite a lot, including the density of sound information on the tracks. Whether you`ll notice the difference depends on your sound system (decoder, amplifier, speakers) as well as your own ears, room size, location of furniture and number and quality of speakers, windows etc, which all change audio quality. Both are "surround sound" systems.

Prologic 2 is the updated Dolby digital prologic. Dolby surround was the predecessor of Prologic. Evolution of "surround" was from stereo at front with mono at rear, to four channels (stereo at each of front and rear), to five channels (three at front, two are rear) to three separate channels at rear and three at front (left, centre, right) plus subwoofer (6.1).

Star wars etc all in DTS-EX and support six channels (plus subwoofer), but you need the decoder/amp. Part of the reason much 5.1 stuff is suddenly cheaper is that 6.1 stuff is coming on line.

Regarding stereo music, there are now more than one CD format - the traditional stereo, and newer surround formats eg DVD-A and SACD, both with technical differences between them. The amplifier or receiver you use will determine how traditional stereo can be heard - often loads of settings.

If you look at the "Which" magazine`s best buy - the Yamaha RX-V630RDS on the Yamaha web site (www.yamaha.co.uk) you will see that this could be as many as 40 different ways!

DVDs all have to have a Dolby sound track and can have any number of others. If there`s a choice between Dolby and DTS, then DTS will normally have more sound information, and DTS-EX even more if your system is compatible. THX and THX-EX certified equipment are sound assured equipment (but expensive).

For more information simply put any of the above into google (www.google.co.uk) and add "review" or "differences" and there are several audio sites that will pop up.

However the first question may perhaps be "what is your budget"

By parallel for example, if you were looking for a car, then if you start by looking for a car with a 0-60 of under 6 seconds, this may not be a good starting point if you`ve only got £15,000 to spend on a family car!!

Thus DTS-EX, DDPRL-2 with THX-EX is well upmarket from a price point of view, much more Mercedes than Ford!

So, in your sound system are you looking for a Mercedes or a Ford?

RE: Difference between Dolby Surround Pro Logic 2 and DTS

Paull (Elite) posted this on Tuesday, 14th January 2003, 09:09

To put it simply, if the demonstration I was given is correct. The back two speakers that are mono in Pro Logic, now have seperate tracks in pro logic two.

RE: Difference between Dolby Surround Pro Logic 2 and DTS

Telboy10 (Competent) posted this on Tuesday, 14th January 2003, 09:10

I have just purchased the Pioneer DCS303 home cinema DVD system which has Dolby Digital, DTS and Prologic II decoders. When playing a DVD that has both DTS and DD sound tracks, my choice would be to select the DTS option. The reason being that the `experts` all say that DTS just has the edge over DD. Again if the only option was DD then this option would be far better than Prologic II.
Prologic II really comes into it`s own when playing back videos (which don`t have DD) or listening to films broadcasted on a Nicam TV which have a Dolby surround sound track, you can get `almost` dolby digital 5.1 effects from basically a stereo sound track. The same effects can also be gained from music CD`s using the Prologic II `music` setting.
The fact that the Pioneer had DPL II was a major factor towards my purchase decision.

RE: Difference between Dolby Surround Pro Logic 2 and DTS

0A1B2C (Elite) posted this on Tuesday, 14th January 2003, 19:26

Dolby Digital sounds as good as DTS when played through very expensive equipment.

RE: Difference between Dolby Surround Pro Logic 2 and DTS

Rickws (Mostly Harmless) posted this on Tuesday, 14th January 2003, 20:42

Just call me Mondeo Man.

Budget is up to £480 as this gets me the AEGO P5 set up with the decoder in it but it doesn`t do DDPRL2.

My worry is my CD`s Videos and Nicam telly would sound better if I bought something that supported DDPRL2.

Thanks for your advise though. I`m off to try google as a search engine.

RE: Difference between Dolby Surround Pro Logic 2 and DTS

RichardH (Elite) posted this on Wednesday, 15th January 2003, 09:27

DLP2 will make stereo stuff sound better than the oiginal DPL, but unless you watch a lot of TV films, how much of an issue is that?

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