DallasAxiom,
Because of competitive pressures, DTS soundtracks are tweaked or equalized to sound different from Dolby Digital, which may be interpreted as "better than" by some listeners. Typically DTS gooses up the LFE level, and EQ may be applied elsewhere, likely in the midrange where our hearing is particularly acute.
DTS is not a standard for DVD or for HD broadcasting. It is optional, at a DVD producer's discretion. For fidelity to the original movie soundtrack, reference everything to the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. In comparisons I've heard in Hollywood mixing theaters, Dolby Digital is an essentially transparent system.
Both Dolby Digital and DTS are "lossy" systems (in that some information is discarded) but are in practical terms essentially transparent. They do run at different data rates, but a faster data rate does not necessarily mean superior sound quality. It depends on how well the perceptual encoding is done in the original algorithm.
Thank heavens that Sony decided not to promote its system (SDDS) for consumer consumption as well. All three systems (DTS, Dolby Digital and SDDS) are used in theatrical exhibition. Each has some practical advantages for exhibitors.
Regards,
