Can someone explain how Dolby Digital works?

[Shake The Rug]

Ok so I realized that I did not previously set up my dvd player to send the correct info to my receiver. Dolby Digital now works - it must not have before because my receiver now says it on the front display. My question is this. In Dolby Digital, when I play a James Taylor concert I have, his voice can be heard in the front left, center, and front right speaker. Another JT dvd I have his voice is only heard in the center speaker. And I have a Rush concert dvd where the voice is heard in the front left and right but not in the center! I guess there's some logic in this when they set audio up but why is this?

Ah yes.. I am indeed trying to learn :-)

[markw]

the recording engineer is all powerful in this world of audio. He's got anywhere from one all the way up to seven channels to play with, not counting a LFE channel. It's his decision on what channels to place whatever audio tracks he wishes.

So, it all boils down to personal taste ... his.

It's up tp your system to play them back as he recorded them, no more, no less, and it seems like yours is doing exactly what it should.

IOW, not all CD's and DVD's are created to the same tastes or standards.

[bobsticks]

True so true. Good explanation mark.

STR, one of the dangerous things about delving into the multi-channel arena is that you find yourself checking out labels and producers and engineers in addition to the "artists". I'll buy just about anything the Chesky Brothers put out, despite the fact that they don't contribute instrumentaly, because their "sonic vision" matches mine.

Caveat emptor it can expensive and maddening.