# DTS vs. DolbyDigital 5.1

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dts-vs-dolbydigital-5-1/165454>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 31, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dts-vs-dolbydigital-5-1/165454 "2003-03-31T15:29:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dts-vs-dolbydigital-5-1/165454/1 "2003-03-31T15:29:23Z")

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Which one is preferred? I have a setup that plays both and always assumed that DTS was the way to go after comparing both with the Terminator 2 Special Ed. disc.

However, I listened to portions of LOTR 4-disc with both and DolbyDigital sounded a lot better (more bass).

Is there a preferred setting or is it up to debate and depends on the source material.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dts-vs-dolbydigital-5-1/165454/2 "2003-03-31T16:29:06Z")

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I always wondered that too. My DVD player can output both, and my receiver can accept either. I always use DD.

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**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dts-vs-dolbydigital-5-1/165454/3 "2003-03-31T16:46:41Z")

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From [this site](http://www.dvdreview.com/html/lingo.shtml):

> [@](#):
>
> DTS, like Dolby Digital, is a multichannel surround format that uses compressed information for its 5.1 discrete channels, however it uses much less compression to achieve its goal and as result uses up substantially more space on the disc, while at the same time offering a better representation of the original material. Whether you can truly hear this difference is subject to a vast number of heated debates. DTS soundtrack require DTS capable equipment for playback, which currently comes at a substantial premium over more readily available Dolby Digital equipment.

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**Author:** ![KoalaBear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47c2d/32.png) [@KoalaBear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KoalaBear)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dts-vs-dolbydigital-5-1/165454/4 "2003-03-31T16:54:57Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> **DTS vs. DolbyDigital 5.1**  
> Which one is preferred?

_This thread should be moved to IMHO, IMHO: vanilla vs. chocolate isn’t a matter of fact._

That being said, Dolby and DTS are both _lossy_ compression systems meaning that reduction is achieved by discarding portions of the original signal. The tighter the compression the greater the loss – beyond a certain point, so much of the signal has been discarded that it cannot be accurately reproduced.

Marketing propaganda aside, in 5.1 mode, Dolby Digital allows bitrates of 224 - 640 kbps, or 44 - 128 kbps per channel. DTS allows bitrates of 768 - 1536 kbps or 153 - 307 kbps per channel. DTS discards less of the signal to achieve a meaningful level of compression than Dolby Digital, ergo its acoustic fidelity will always be higher.

See **“_[AC3: Flexible Perceptual Coding for Audio Transmission and Storage](http://www.dolby.com/tech/ac3-flex.pdf)_”** (Dolby Laboratories, PDF) and **“_[An Overview of the Coherent Acoustics Coding System](http://www.dtsonline.com/whitepaper.pdf)_”** (Digital Theater Systems, PDF) for information about the mechanics of either compression format.