Twister DTS: A Bit Overrated? A Review.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Kel,

What do you mean "plus 10dB"? You mean you need to bump your sub's calibration plus 10 decibels when playing this DVD?

Here is what you do, check the setting on your receiver(not the sub). There should be a button that allows you to set you LFE level for each format(Onkyo has this for a fact as I own one) Once you find the button that controls the LFE setting, set it according to the instructions that I gave in the above thread. If you feel the bass is loud enough, but not as deep as The Haunted, then I would say leave the setting as is. You are just not going to find anything much under 30hz on this soundtrack no matter which format you choose. I ran my 1/3 octave analyzer while playing both formats, Dts has more energy closer to 30hz than Dolby digital, while DD has more energy at around 50hz. This is not by much, but definately visible if not audible.

[Lexmark3200]

Here is what you do, check the setting on your receiver(not the sub). There should be a button that allows you to set you LFE level for each format(Onkyo has this for a fact as I own one) Once you find the button that controls the LFE setting, set it according to the instructions that I gave in the above thread. If you feel the bass is loud enough, but not as deep as The Haunted, then I would say leave the setting as is. You are just not going to find anything much under 30hz on this soundtrack no matter which format you choose. I ran my 1/3 octave analyzer while playing both formats, Dts has more energy closer to 30hz than Dolby digital, while DD has more energy at around 50hz. This is not by much, but definately visible if not audible.

Terrence,

I have to respectfully tell you that I do not know where this bass adjustment is for the Onkyo receiver with regard to setting individual format levels; can you identify this feature for me on my TX SR600?

[BrianUDLaw]

Terrence,

I have to respectfully tell you that I do not know where this bass adjustment is for the Onkyo receiver with regard to setting individual format levels; can you identify this feature for me on my TX SR600?

On your remote, you should have a "CH SEL" button, which allows you to adjust the level for each of your speakers. Cycle through that until you get to the LFE or Subwoofer, and use the Level increase/decrease buttons.

If you want to save your settings after you make changes to the speaker level, I think you have to push the "TEST" button and let it cycle through the test tones.

[Lexmark3200]

On your remote, you should have a "CH SEL" button, which allows you to adjust the level for each of your speakers. Cycle through that until you get to the LFE or Subwoofer, and use the Level increase/decrease buttons.

If you want to save your settings after you make changes to the speaker level, I think you have to push the "TEST" button and let it cycle through the test tones.

Brian,

Thanks for the post....here is the problem I have....sure, I can cycle through the CH SEL level adjustments until I reach subwoofer, but that just changes the OVERALL calibration for the sub (0, +1, 2, 3, 4, etc)....TERRENCE mentioned something about being able to change the subwoofer level for INDIVIDUAL FORMATS like DTS and DOLBY DIGITAL....is there a feature to do this? Right now, my sub, fronts and surrounds are all at "+6" on the calibration settings....

[kelsci]

Brian,

Thanks for the post....here is the problem I have....sure, I can cycle through the CH SEL level adjustments until I reach subwoofer, but that just changes the OVERALL calibration for the sub (0, +1, 2, 3, 4, etc)....TERRENCE mentioned something about being able to change the subwoofer level for INDIVIDUAL FORMATS like DTS and DOLBY DIGITAL....is there a feature to do this? Right now, my sub, fronts and surrounds are all at "+6" on the calibration settings....

Hi Lex; Your question like many others you've asked is a real good one. I think there are some receivers out there that allow separate calibrations for D.D. and DTS. I do not remember who has this feature. If your receiver had it, it would have indicated such in the manual. I am pretty sure my brother's Marantz 5400 does not have that feature.

I do not know if I can personally help you here so I will try to give you a possible solution(s). If your sub has to be l0 db higher playing DTS for the bass, than the +6 figure on your receiver for the subwoofer output must be greater by some amount other than +6. I think one solution might be that for those who got a specfic calibration with a RS meter would have to use the RS meter with the same means of testing that arrived at the orginal +6 on that meter which I gather was 75db and increase the output on your receivers sub-out to 85db and note if that reading was +7 or higher. When you play future DVDs with DTS, you will set that output to the increased value. When you are finished with a disc, return the subwoofer section output of the receiver to +6.

The above could become a slight "pain in the ass". A simple solution would be to get to the receivers +6 sub-put setting and increase the bass on a DTS disc till if just satisfies you. Suppose you did this and you hit +8 as the satisfying ouput. Use than in the future when playing DTS and when your finished, go back and reset your sub-out on your receiver to +6.

Perhaps down the road when receivers have these new auto adjusting devices with a mic. this might be a thing of the past. It would also be better if possible that DTS record their movies on the bass end to the Dolby Digital standard, but I do not know if that is possible to do with its codec and if so, would it work properly.

Hopefully, some others might answer your question like Terrence, Brian and I believe on this board there is Doc Greene. I personally do not use any of these calibration methods, RS meters and the such. I play by ear and my sub set-up is more like the SVS passive sub- separate amp set-up which is a story onto itself. Kelsci

[Lexmark3200]

Hi Lex; Your question like many others you've asked is a real good one. I think there are some receivers out there that allow separate calibrations for D.D. and DTS. I do not remember who has this feature. If your receiver had it, it would have indicated such in the manual. I am pretty sure my brother's Marantz 5400 does not have that feature.

I do not know if I can personally help you here so I will try to give you a possible solution(s). If your sub has to be l0 db higher playing DTS for the bass, than the +6 figure on your receiver for the subwoofer output must be greater by some amount other than +6. I think one solution might be that for those who got a specfic calibration with a RS meter would have to use the RS meter with the same means of testing that arrived at the orginal +6 on that meter which I gather was 75db and increase the output on your receivers sub-out to 85db and note if that reading was +7 or higher. When you play future DVDs with DTS, you will set that output to the increased value. When you are finished with a disc, return the subwoofer section output of the receiver to +6.

The above could become a slight "pain in the ass". A simple solution would be to get to the receivers +6 sub-put setting and increase the bass on a DTS disc till if just satisfies you. Suppose you did this and you hit +8 as the satisfying ouput. Use than in the future when playing DTS and when your finished, go back and reset your sub-out on your receiver to +6.

Perhaps down the road when receivers have these new auto adjusting devices with a mic. this might be a thing of the past. It would also be better if possible that DTS record their movies on the bass end to the Dolby Digital standard, but I do not know if that is possible to do with its codec and if so, would it work properly.

Hopefully, some others might answer your question like Terrence, Brian and I believe on this board there is Doc Greene. I personally do not use any of these calibration methods, RS meters and the such. I play by ear and my sub set-up is more like the SVS passive sub- separate amp set-up which is a story onto itself. Kelsci

Kel,

I totally understand what you are suggesting here, that I should pump up the subwoofer dBs every time I play a DVD with lower bass; the thing is, I needed to LOWER the sub's output from "+7" to the current "+6" because on "+7" some extreme soundtracks---like Attack of The Clones and U571---were causing my sub to "pop" and "snap" when loud explosions took place during the films....I needed to cut back on the bass level so when playing DVDs at louder volumes the sub wouldnt snap....hence, I am now at "+6"....do you follow?

Thanks for your continued help.....

[kelsci]

Lex; Yes I follow. Only increase from your receiver on a DTS track and always return the sub out setting on your receiver to +6 after playing a DTS track.

[BrianUDLaw]

Brian,

Thanks for the post....here is the problem I have....sure, I can cycle through the CH SEL level adjustments until I reach subwoofer, but that just changes the OVERALL calibration for the sub (0, +1, 2, 3, 4, etc)....TERRENCE mentioned something about being able to change the subwoofer level for INDIVIDUAL FORMATS like DTS and DOLBY DIGITAL....is there a feature to do this? Right now, my sub, fronts and surrounds are all at "+6" on the calibration settings....

Sorry for my confusion Lex...I misunderstood your question. My Onkyo receiver is about two years older than yours, but I do know that I am not able to set different sub levels for different formats. I have to slightly adjust the sub level when I change formats.

[Lexmark3200]

Sorry for my confusion Lex...I misunderstood your question. My Onkyo receiver is about two years older than yours, but I do know that I am not able to set different sub levels for different formats. I have to slightly adjust the sub level when I change formats.

How do you go about doing this, by changing the sub decibels in the calibration menu? If so, what do you keep the value on, if I may ask? Mine is on "+6" for subwoofer.....

[BrianUDLaw]

How do you go about doing this, by changing the sub decibels in the calibration menu? If so, what do you keep the value on, if I may ask? Mine is on "+6" for subwoofer.....

I just use the method described in my earlier post. If your receiver has an on screen menu, this is not what I use, as mine does not have that featuer. I have my sub set at 0, but I've had it at +2 to -1.