Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Lets plan a theater space

That's not the first time someone called me crazy. I've really lost track at this stage in life.

This situation is where the term "quality" must be clearly defined and it is hard to do so since the sound mix of one format vs. another can vary even with the same material on the same disc. However, try to remain objective when you evaluate the sound not for what you prefer, but for what you can hear (technical vs. subjective).
Are the vocals sibilant on one mix but not another?
Is bass heavier on one mix vs the other?
Can you hear the raspy strum on guitar strings in both mixes?
etc.
AND, most importantly, are these artifacts reproduced consistently with other material on other discs in exactly the same way?
i.e does a DVD-audio mix always sound more bassy than its DD 5.1 counterpart on 10, 20, 30 different discs?
I think you will find that these types of 'quality' differences do not reproduce consistently for one format such that it could be labeled as 'lesser quality'.

Reproduce the sound quality differences then decide if one can be deemed a better quality than another, but don't assume that a 6.1 True HD DD mix somehow is higher quality than a DD 5.1 mix. The technical quality at which these mixes are produced already go beyond that which the human ear can detect from a mechanistic, engineering perspective.
We are not dogs or bats. Human hearing capability is much more limited.

All that being said, yes, i absolutely agree that a DD 5.1 mix will sound 'different' from a DVD-audio track on the exact same disc. I've tested this in the past with an A/B switch method and demonstrated this very difference with people who came to audition the Axioms. I have tried 3 different DVD-audio discs with their DD 5.1 tracks on the same discs and reproduced what i perceive as differences in the formats, but both are of equal (and very high) quality.

I preferred the sound of the dvd-audio mix but not because i thought it sounded more clear, or accurate, etc. I chose it because i found the soundstage was more up at the front vs. the DD 5.1 mix of the same material which moved the soundstage more overhead, a bit more immersive (the more "surround sound" type of sound).
To me, i described the differences in the mixes as follows:
DVD-A sounded like i was sitting in the first couple of rows of a concert.
DD 5.1 sounded like i was onstage somewhere in the middle of the band/orchestra.

I've also tested (long ago), DD 5.1 vs DTS on the same disc. This was not an instantaneous A/B test though and offhand i recall thinking that DTS really reduced the SPL for some reason so i ignored using it ever again.

Different does not equate to higher quality.
Some people may prefer one mix over another, sure, but that does not define it as a technical quality difference vs.a personal preference likely related to the variation during the sound mix process.