DVD-Audio versus DVD Dolby Digital

Posted by: Mike Hanson on 15 June 2001

I picked up Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" on a DVD-Audio disc. I haven't had a chance to try it in my player yet, which is a Sony DVD player from a couple of years ago. It's definitely not DVD-Audio compatible.

The packaging for the disc states:

quote:
This disc will only play on players with a DVD logo. Advanced Resolution audio and related visual content require DVD-Audio capable players.

Elsewhere it says:

quote:
This disc plays 3 ways: Advanced Resolution Surround, Advanced Resolution Stereo, and DVD-Video Compatible Dolby Digital.

So what it's saying is that on my old DVD player, it's going to default to Dolby Digital. That's fine. I have a few questions, though:

Have they actually got three copies of the album on this DVD?
Will the Dolby Digital performance sound as good as the DVD-Audio version?
My Sony player has a built-in DTS decoder, but not Dolby Digital. Does this mean I have to wait until I get my Surround Sound amp with its built-in decoder before I can play this disc? Or can I hook it up to the regular stereo outputs on the DVD player, and listen away.
The packaging also includes an HDCD logo, and I thought that HDCD was only applicable to CDs. Is this an oversight by their cover design people, or are they merely trying to impress us with more logos? (On my CD version they don't include a DVD logo.)
Which will sound better: the Dolby Digital version played by my Sony DVD with the eventual Sony A/V Receiver, and inexpensive speakers; or the CD on my Naim system upstairs. (Don't bother answering this one; I already know what you're going to say )

I purchased the disc mostly because I'm curious about the format, and I'm a Joni Mitchell fan. I don't plan to become a big DVD-Audio purchaser.

BTW, when is Naim going to release their DVD-Audio player.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Posted on: 15 June 2001 by David Dever

quote:
* Have they actually got three copies of the album on this DVD?
* Will the Dolby Digital performance sound as good as the DVD-Audio version?
* My Sony player has a built-in DTS decoder, but not Dolby Digital. Does this mean I have to wait until I get my Surround Sound amp with its built-in decoder before I can play this disc? Or can I hook it up to the regular stereo outputs on the DVD player, and listen away.
* The packaging also includes an HDCD logo, and I thought that HDCD was only applicable to CDs. Is this an oversight by their cover design people, or are they merely trying to impress us with more logos? (On my CD version they don't include a DVD logo.)
* Which will sound better: the Dolby Digital version played by my Sony DVD with the eventual Sony A/V Receiver, and inexpensive speakers; or the CD on my Naim system upstairs. (Don't bother answering this one; I already know what you're going to say )

Yes, they've got three complete asset sets on the DVD; no, the DVD-Audio would sound significantly better than the Dolby Digital that your DVD-Video player will play in "Advanced Resolution Stereo" (if selected via menu--else it may attempt to play just the front two channels of the Dolby Digital tracks). My guess is that the "Advanced Resolution Stereo" is at least 48 KHz/20-bit, perhaps 96 KHz (though I doubt it).

That's a mouthful, though you should check your owners' manual.

FWIW, I should be getting my copy of the SonicStudio HD (DAW software/hardware used for DVD-Audio pre-mastering/editing) owners' manual anyday now, which should elucidate many of my own similar questions as to how this all fits together...

Dave Dever, NANA

P.S. Pacific Microsoft's (pun intended) HDCD™ process is, essentially, more sophisticated digital filter technology, which they are currently re-deploying as a higher-quality pre-mastering process for digital audio (for video). See their website for more details...

[This message was edited by David Dever, NANA on FRIDAY 15 June 2001 at 19:57.]