Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

steam_mill · Aug 5, 2004

Years ago, (1993), I spent a small fortune on a receiver and speakers. Yamaha receiver with Pro-Logic. Still sounds unbelievable. I keep hearing about Dolby Digital DTS. I saw a fantastic deal on ebay. Picked up an ONKYO receiver with dolby digital, 5 channels and active sub for $101 US. I received it today and could not believe how good it sounds. It rivals my Yamaha. The purpose of the Onkyo is for the cottage. So I start thinking. Keep the Onkyo for home with old speakers and Yamaha with new speakers for cottage. So I swap the receiver out with the Yamaha, hook up the bitsream co-ax cable and put on U571. Sounded great. Can't say that it sounded better than the old Yamaha (That by the way was $2000 CDN in 1994). So I swaped it all back. So I know my Yamaha is a better quality receiver but is Dolby Digital significantly better than Dolby Pro-Logic. I'm very picky and I did not notice a significant difference. Yes I know rear channels are mono with pro-logic etc. No much more comes out of them in Digital. Comments? Tx. Joe

dogsdad · Aug 5, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

Joe, I have never been a fan of the new-fangled technology in audio, with the exception of the subwoofer concept (I guess that's not so "new-fangled", actually). And that only means I don't want to own this stuff...I'd never say it does not sound good! I'd say the proof is in the pudding. If you like the sound of the Onkyo, then it is good indeed. It's amazing what technology has brought in the last ten years! I could only guess whether the equivalence in sound quality is due to the more advanced technology and cheaper production costs of the Onkyo, or the difference in the two Dolby techniques. It would be interesting to know, though. -dd-

sangerwaker · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

Hi Steam There is a HUGE difference in your two receivers. You are not using the DTS unless you have a DIGITAL signal from your source. Do you have a DVD player? If so, get a fiber optic cable and run to the Onkyo and be prepared to be blown away! Digital receivers only produce digital output from a digital source! You may not notice much of a difference unless you utilize the full capability of the digital inputs on the Onkyo. I went from an older (about the same year as your Yamaha)Sony receiver to a new digital Denon and hooked up my digital cables and WOW!!! If you don't have a DVD player yet, borrow one if you can to truly appreciate the Onkyo. If you do, I'd be willing to bet you own a DVD player soon and the Yamaha goes to the cabin! Doug

steam_mill · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

When you say digital, what do you mean? I have the left and right from the DVD player hooked into the receiver. In addition, I hooked in the co-ax cable from the dvd into the Onkyo. Receiver showed digital dolby? What am I missing? Joe

sangerwaker · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

If you have the coax hooked up,you are getting digital. You do not need the left and right RCA's for audio. The audio comes through the coax. You do need an RCA or super video cord for the video to either the TV or receiver and then to the TV. If the Onkyo showed Dolby Digital on the display, you have it right. DTS will only work when the disc is DTS encoded. Not all movies are. Also, make sure you go into the setup menu on the receiver and set your speaker distances. Makes a huge difference. Sit in the optimun listening place in your romm and literally measure the distance to each of your speakers. There is a place to input that on all digital receivers. Usually someplace in the set up menu. Did you get a manual with the Onkyo? That will tell you how if you have one.

timfromfc · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

Your best bet is to try both with both speakers. A bad set of speakers can make the best receiver sound like garbage. Choose the one that sounds best and don't worry too much about the technology

steam_mill · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

Let me try this again: Original home theatre setup was the Yamaha RX-V670. Speakers are high end canadian speakers still available from the manufacturer by special order. They are two way with titanium tweeters. Centre channel and rears are two way. Power to front is 3 X 90 W. Rear is 2 X 25W. Systems is tied to a DVD player via RCA plugs and to a HI FI VCR (same vintage as Receiver). It is a DOLBY PRO-LOGIC DECODER. I purchased the ONKYO HT-R490 with Dolby digital. Came with sub and 5 small 2 Way speakers from onkyo. Sounds great. Tied receiver with original speakers with the yamaha receiver. Hooked up the co-ax from DVD. Sounded good but I was expecting something spectacular as it is digital. Used U571. Sounded good. U571 has the digital track etc. Could the difference be that the Yammie is an old receiver but a very good receiver whereas the Onkyo is a base receiver even though it has the digital decoder? Why am I so curious? Well, I of course want to upgrade my home receiver. I paid 2 grand for it. I can get a new decent yammie for about $1000. I need to justify this purchase both to wifey and to myself. And then what do I do with the original yammie? Any body want to trade a yammie for a yammie (OK a Yammie Receiver for an 8hp yammie o/b).... Joe

TwoWatt · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

Are you sure you have it hooked up right. ?? You have the speakers all hooked up to receiver. Good. DVD: You need to hook up the coax to the receiver and that's all you need for the sound. You then hook up the video out to to the TV. That's it. Nothing more. On the receiver: You must "turn on" your digital connection. Go to the receivers setup, it SHOULD ask you about your digital-in, make sure you set it to use your DVD. Then to DVD: You need to go to your DVD setup screen. Make sure the audio is set to BITSTREAM not PCM. (if it has the option, make sure DTS is turned on) When you play a movie on your DVD (U571 is an excellent choice), make sure you choose the DTS option in Languages. When you play the movie, the receiver should read "DTS". As far as the VCR goes, just use RCA cables... I guess (haven't used a VCR in ages

) DTS sound should blow your socks off. (and there are two types of surround sound, it's not Dolby Digital DTS, its Dolby Digital 5.1 OR DTS, DTS being the better of the two IMO) While I'm here & bored. Make sure your SUBWOOFER is turned on in your receiver, set ALL speakers to SMALL regardless of which speakers you use. If your receiver has test tones, adjust each speaker to sound about the same (impossible by the human ear...I have a gizmo that does it for me), you don't want one or two speakers that you hear more than the others. Anyways, I'm blabbin' like a schoolgirl. Home theater is hobby & I like talkin' 'bout it

steam_mill · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

I was out on some of the news groups on google. I came across an explanation as to why I don't notice a difference. First off, the yammie for just sound clarity blows the socks off the Onkyo. I'm not surprised. There is something to be said for discreet circuitry. There was a line in a two page post regarding the Dolby Digital or DTS (I missed the or earlier). And the statement was that the Dolby Digital decoder is built into the DVD player (which is). Could this explain why I don't notice a huge difference? I'm getting most of the sound now? Hey Skunked Again, there is nothing wrong blabbing like a shoolgirl. I was into home theatre years ago (can you tell) but then got into boats.....

ndemge · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

I bout my receiver (onkyo) in '97 and still love it. Amazing what that $500 then would buy now! I have that hooked to the bose acustamas7, ... the last one of the acustamas seriers before the powered sub, all passive, and it's great. $1,000 on the bose the same year. There may be new things out, but is rocks my living room, so I expect 20 years out of it for that price!

dogsdad · Aug 6, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

Wow. You guys are blowin' me away with all this stuff. I guess it's a sign of aging. I've basically missed the digital audio revolution---I thought the CD and CD Player was the beginning and the end of it! I've heard Pro-Logic but never was too impressed. My system is an older Carver 150 Watt Receiver, a 100-Watt Subwoofer amp, a Bose Acoustimass 7 speaker system, and an old, but very hearty Phase Linear 2x12 subwoofer. I think it sounds pretty good. I probably had best stay out of the sound shops or I'll be broke and divorced in about no time flat!

-dd-

JasonJ · Aug 7, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

In all honesty, there is little diiference in the sound of relatively modern audio equipment regardless of price. Features, reliability, those are what you pay for. The speakers, that is what you actually hear, so that is where the most money should be spent. It is not surpising that you heard little difference, quality wise, you used the same speakers. Now, the definition difference between pro-logic and dts is quite apparent in a properly set up system. When I went from Pro-logic to DTS, The difference was dramatic. The sound field was much more defined. You may also just need to tweek your setup. Just remember, you are not supposed to hear the rear speakers as sound sources, they are only there to generate the ambience for the front soundstage, except for the occasional sound that is supposed to be behind you. I have listend to some people's setups and they have the rear speakers jacked up so loud that it is more distracting and displeasurable than if it was just mono coming out of the tv. I like to use U571 to test things, especially the Depth Charging section. If your sub can hang with that, it can hang with anything. My system uses Infinity main speakers, JBL 12 inch powered sub, AR surrounds, Onkyo reciever, and a Toshiba DVD player. Its not top 'o the line, but its about a $2700 system (It is horribly loud, I'll never be able to ive in an apartment again). My tv is only a $700 35 incher, but it is getting the job done until I get a high-def rig. I have gone through a lot of stereo equipment, Carver, SAE, Klipsch, Infinity, Yamaha, Soundcraftsman, Adcom, Denon. Spent thousands of dollars on the stuff, sell stuff, buy more stuff. Now I have a much more modest system but I am perfectly fine with it, I spend too much time out on the boat to worry about a huge home stereo. I went through the same thing with car audio, now I just have a basic CD player pushing stock speakers. Its amazing how priorities change...

TwoWatt · Aug 7, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

Ol' Skanky Beast himself..... I love your boat Jason. Great job. Back on topic. I agree 100% with you Jason. I still have a 32 inch TV ($400) but on the audio side I have about $2k invested. Denon receiver(and DVD), and Klipsch Reference series speakers all around. Got to have a big sub so I bought an SVS. I'm not one to upgrade, so this setup should last me forever

If anyone would like to get into HT then I'd recommend taking a look at hometheaterforum.com , a nice place to hang out.

JasonJ · Aug 9, 2004

Re: Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

I'll have to check that site out. Wintertime is when I get the itch to upgrade hometheater the most, as I am doing little else but watching DVDs. I have to watch that, as I am trying to get rid of those damn credit cards....

Home Theater Pro-Logic vs. DTS

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