Post by viktor September 16, 2005 (21 of 42)
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Until then, enjoy the DVD-set "Anthology". It is in surround. Turn the volume up and revel.
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Post by sergiohm September 17, 2005 (22 of 42)
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Peter said:
Hello. How does the RBCD stereo sound compare in quality to the DTS in surround on your system?
The stereo sound is fuller and sounds better but I thought the DTS surround better for the voices (maybe it is the center channel), the voices sounding more natural (and I've heard both Domingo and Stemme live so have a pretty good idea on how they sound unamplified).
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Post by sergiohm September 17, 2005 (23 of 42)
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Post by Castor September 17, 2005 (24 of 42)
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sergiohm said:
Check my blog:
http://tristan-isolde.blogspot.com/
Hi Sergio,
Having had this recording for a month now ,I agree with everything in your review about the performance.
You are right that the DTS DVD is a more involving experience than the RBCDs, which came as somewhat of a surprise to me.
We can only hope, however, that one day EMI will see the light and begin issuing SACDs but I wouldn't count on it.
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Post by csuzor September 18, 2005 (25 of 42)
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Castor said:
You are right that the DTS DVD is a more involving experience than the RBCDs, which came as somewhat of a surprise to me.
We can only hope, however, that one day EMI will see the light and begin issuing SACDs but I wouldn't count on it.
This concerns me, perhaps the future of SACD as a mch format is seriously compromised. If a DTS mch track played on a good DVD player, provides sufficient audio quality, there is little reason for albums to be released on SACD anymore. Is EMI (and others) trying to kill SACD with DVD DTS mch releases? What's the advantage to them? Is the availability of video on DVD really the reason to prefer DVD DTS, or the larger potential market (all those DVD players!).
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Post by mx2005 September 18, 2005 (26 of 42)
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csuzor said:
This concerns me, perhaps the future of SACD as a mch format is seriously compromised. If a DTS mch track played on a good DVD player, provides sufficient audio quality, there is little reason for albums to be released on SACD anymore. Is EMI (and others) trying to kill SACD with DVD DTS mch releases? What's the advantage to them? Is the availability of video on DVD really the reason to prefer DVD DTS, or the larger potential market (all those DVD players!).
I can't comment on the motivation of EMI in issuing this on DTS DVD (although they mention in their booklet the wish to "ensure universal compatability" - perhaps they think there aren't enough SACD players yet?).
A couple of things come to mind here, though.
Firstly, if DTS was going to become the defacto surround music standard, then it's taking its time over it - remember the DTS Music CD? I have a few of these and - impressive as they are (and impressive as the Tristan DVD is) they don't quite come up to SACD.
Secondly, I don't think, even if the intention is there, that DTS will kill off SACD. Remember as well that the Naxos DVD-Audio discs had DVD-Video compatible DTS - and that hardly promoted takeup of DVD-Audio, nor discouraged people from investing in SACD.
The quality of this DVD is indeed impressive, although I do feel the CDs are superior overall. What the DVD does show is that EMI should be making SACDs in quantity. The Tristan could have been the first, great important SACD Opera project.
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Post by mdt September 18, 2005 (27 of 42)
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csuzor said:
If a DTS mch track played on a good DVD player, provides sufficient audio quality, there is little reason for albums to be released on SACD anymore.
SA-CD isn't about "sufficient" audio quality. If all you want is sufficient quality, CD will do. SA-CD attempts the best possible quality at the time.
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Post by csuzor September 19, 2005 (28 of 42)
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mdt said:
SA-CD isn't about "sufficient" audio quality. If all you want is sufficient quality, CD will do. SA-CD attempts the best possible quality at the time.
What I should have said is,
If a DTS mch track played on a good DVD player, provides high mch audio quality, there is little reason for albums to be released on SACD anymore.
On my system stereo sacd is higher quality than cd, but this is not enough for me to prefer stereo sacd over cd, in that case I should buy a better cd player and enjoy the much greater cd library. But I want mch, and "a little less high quality" on mch format is probably better for me than "a little higher quality" on a stereo format. I will have to buy these DTS mch albums, and see if the audio quality is "high enough" on a universal player.
Of course, performance must be good too, and I try to select albums that combine good performance with mch music.
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Post by mx2005 September 20, 2005 (29 of 42)
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csuzor said:
What I should have said is,
If a DTS mch track played on a good DVD player, provides high mch audio quality, there is little reason for albums to be released on SACD anymore.
On my system stereo sacd is higher quality than cd, but this is not enough for me to prefer stereo sacd over cd, in that case I should buy a better cd player and enjoy the much greater cd library. But I want mch, and "a little less high quality" on mch format is probably better for me than "a little higher quality" on a stereo format. I will have to buy these DTS mch albums, and see if the audio quality is "high enough" on a universal player.
Of course, performance must be good too, and I try to select albums that combine good performance with mch music.
Here's my (simplistic) take on the question of DTS versus SACD Surround, based on my experience with both systems.
DTS is indeed very fine when well implemented, but the difference between it and SACD are clear even on modest equipment. [Warning: This is not scientific though - I have not been able to compare the same album in DTS and SACD.] Good SACD has an ease about it, a naturalness that DTS can't match. Other than the EMI Tristan I have the following DTS Music CDs.
VERDI - Aida [Caballé / Domingo / Muti]
HOLST - The Planets [LSO / Previn]
Diana Krall - Love Scenes
The first two are based on EMI Quadraphonic recordings as you may have surmised, but they have been remixed by DTS Entertainment to 5.1 surround, in contrast to the approach taken by PentaTone with their RQR SACDs.
They are all excellent. The Aida has too much going on in the rears for my liking - the odd chorus of Priests over your right shoulder and the like. The Planets is very powerful and would be an excellent candidate for issue by EMI themselves if they ever get their finger out with SACD.
The Diana Krall is magnificent - intimate, warm, vivid and three dimensional - using the fronts mainly with just ambiance from the back so no flying basses. Everything a good surround recording should be IMHO. All these DTS releases play on standard CD or DVD players connected via S/PDIF to a DTS decoder. They will also play via the internal DTS decoders on most DVD players that are so equipped.
Have a look at http://www.dts.com/entertainment/ [Shut your ears a moment Hi-Res stereo purists]....if you are a surround music fan there is much that is worthwhile in their catalogue. As I say though, I don't think it matches what SACD has to offer - it is no substitute.
[Edit: after looking at their site more closely, I've discovered that the EMI sourced classical material seems to have been deleted. Was this done to pave the way for EMI Hi-Res Surround on DVD-A? Maybe they will relent and issue some of their classical quad archive on SACD. Yeah, yeah, I know!.... regards, Malcolm]
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Post by Allan1us October 21, 2005 (30 of 42)
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I've just brought this new Tristan and listened to about an hour from act1 and act 3 all together. To my ears the DTS 5 channel version sets a new standard for clarity and refinement and is significantly preferable to and more involving than the stereo CD version either in stereo or when played in surround via Dolby prologic IIx or DTS NeoPro. It actually made me feel very sad to think that there must be many more surround sound recordings in EMI's vaults of a very high standard that will not yet be released - until the market changes. As far as actually making the surround sound recordings EMI obviously know their stuff. Its really breathtaking sound and of course the whole opera is complete on one disc together with the libretto in vision.
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