Like many others, I am totally blown away by the clarity of the audio signal on the new DVD-A format discs (especially at higher volumes). I have done a lot of searching all over the place for DVD-A discs and have noticed that there aren't as many titles available in DVD-A as there are in SACD (which is unfortunate). I went to go look at the owner's manual in the '06 TL and noticed that the audio system also supports DTS 5.1 encoded discs.

Can anyone set the record straight about what will play in the '06 TL? Are the dual discs that have recently become prevalent going to sound as good as the DVD-A on the TL audio system (or are they sampled at a lower frequency)? And then I guess the same question goes for DTS encoded discs.

Any help would be appreciated ... thanks!

 

You can check some of the online sites (Circuitcity.com, elusivedisc.com, towerrecords.com) still carry a decent selection of DVD-A titles. As for DualDisc, you'll have to look carefully at the disc to see if it states it is DVD-Audio or DVD-Video (the DVD-Video disc won't play in the TL's 5.1 system). I remember seeing a list a while back identifying DualDisc that will work in the TL - I'll see if I can't dig it up later.

 

One problem I've seen is the selection of DVD-A's gradually dwindling in stores like Best Buy. Half of of all those I've bought as re-makes of albums from the 60's and 70's have crappy re-mixing (6 channel conversion) jobs and were not worth the money. Santana Abraxas was the worst of all where the original 2 channel stereo CD sounds 10x better.
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The ELS will play CD's, DVD-A, DTS and CD-R discs. As far as the DualDisc is concerned, they will play in the TL. The record labels (specifically Sony-BMG) opted for DVD-V on the flipside of the disc while keeping SACD as their hi-rez format. Other labels (UMG) and indies decided to use DVD-A format. When purchasing DualDiscs, note the DVD Logo on the back cover. It will either say Video or Audio and the print is very small. Several members have bought DualDiscs only to come away dissapointed because it will not play in our cars. More info can be found about DVD-A, DualDiscs and SACD formats here. For DTS discs, go to DTS Online and view their music catalog.

You might do a search on the different formats (DualDiscs, DVD-A) and find outwhat members are listening to.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108788
https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/cool-games-121319/

 

Until they add mp3s, it is still missing something. SO MUCH in this format today that we should be able to take to our cars.

 

Don't buy Sony Dual Discs. I wish I had scan of their logo. If you do buy them, you have to convert it using DVD Audio Extractor and DVD Audio Solo.

Also, some products out there have "DVD-AUDIO" Logo but it's not DVD-AUDIO. It is actually DVD-VIDEO with audio tracks mis-labled as DVD-AUDIO.
I bought one and was immediately found to be "WHAT THE HELL?"
It was one of bethoben classical tunes from never-heard-before produce company. So you dont' have to worry about big name lables for mislabeling.

 

Now why would ya go and do a thing like pump mp3s through the ELS system when DVD-As are easily made at home and can hold about 80 to 90 full CD quality stereo songs ? The stock system is good enough that you can easily hear the difference. Seriously anything below 320k is best not played on true high fidelity rigs. Don't tell me that 192k is CD quality because that is an argument based on numbers. mp3 is lossy...plain and simple. I'm considering an iPod video 30G but seriously would consider using lossless codecs for anything I rip.

Now before I get flamed too badly... as a realist, I have to agree that it should have had the ability to play mp3. Big omission. Even though I think mp3s are a poor excuse, and a great step backward, for audio I can't argue with their convenience and popularity. Heck, I even use them for background music. mp3 pretty much represents the second time in the history if recording that audio quality has stepped backward. 8-track was the first.

Fire away...

On topic... it is true that DVD-A in its commercially produced form is harder to find. Dual discs represent a poorly implemented, loosely standardized mess. It is hard to tell exactly what is on them. Furthermore many are not it spec physically with the CD / DVD disc sizes and in rare cases have jammed units. I hold out faith that there will be some multichannel audio format that will emerge as the victor. when done right, a good high resolution, multitrack recording is a feast for the ears.

Also some DTS discs are too painful to listen to in the car. The 06 may be different but my 05 randomly clicks and pops so loudly that I gave up on DTS encoded discs. I think other have this problem too and that it is not just my car.

 

I went out this evening and bought Jessica Simpson 5.1 Dual Disc by SONY BMG.

I used the method I described in other thread and converting Dual Disc -> DVD-A Playable in TL was only few clicks away.

 

XM broadasts at about 40k, and many people don't seem to mind.

 

Just tested Dual Disc -> DVD-A converted Jessica Simpson disc.

It sounds awesome. It is almost identical mix with "Shania Twain - Up".
Voice on front three speakers and chorus and other instruments on rear speakers.
Reverb can be heard from rear speaker, making it feel like you are in recording studio or concert hall.

I recommend doing DD - > DVD-A conversion as there are more selections and fairly easy to do. DD discs are cheaper than DVD-A discs too.


I think once you experience several titles of surround discs, you wouldn't even listen to XM. Now XM is coming with XM HD that does surround which will be awesome.

 

XM works on the "quantity in lieu of (over) quality", "provider controlled" business model. They control the content and since you are able to get so much content for $7 a month most folks, including me, are willing to overlook the quality issues. I often wish, as many other do to, that XM sounded better and am glad I didnt pay "rack rate" for it. It is just like cable TV. All those channels makes you overlook how poor the picture quality typically is.

Look, I'm know I'm definitely playing "hard-ass" here. My point isn't to say never listen to mp3, or listen to XM or watch cable TV. I do all of them frequently. I just get a bit frustrated when all the leaps in technology we have all enjoyed are more frequently used to give us "more and more and more lesser quality stuff" when we could have "more better stuff". Market forces, I get it. More stuff for less always outsells everything.

 

OK I am with you...but this comment seems out of line. Do you know of an A-Z user friendly instruction manual on how to make DVD-As? I certainly don't. Bunch of pieced together things out there for techies but for your average computer user, I'd love to do it but don't know how.

 

I take it you haven't used Adobeman's scripts for making 2 channel DVD-A discs? Click here to view info and download scripts. Works very well and I, for one am very satisfied with the results (14 DVD-A compilation discs with an average of 87-94 songs per disc). Check this thread if you're trying to do 5.1 surround. I haven't tried this yet, because of time.....

 

Your right. My bad. I was just in one of those pissy moods we all can get in and didn't include the links to my stuff out of laziness.

In addition to my stuff there is always DVD Audio Solo at www.cirlinca.com. Not free (34.95) but easier to use and with a generous trial period.

Hawhyen51 - thanks for picking up my slack.

 

I bought a dual disc - Simple Plan - it sounds great! It is definitely 5.1 surround sound. It says DVD-A. I also have a Metallica - Black DVD-A, and the quality is pretty much the same as Simple Plan's dual disc (5.1).

 

I found a Foo Fighters Album on DVD-A that sounds simply AMAZING!

At the same time I bought a Sting DTS DVD, and I get the hissing, crackling, and popping other complain of.

I also bought the ULEAD software recommended by others in this forum, and have used it to rip my own DVD-As off of my extensive .MP3 collection on my PC, and they sound GREAT! I can get 90+ songs on 1 DVD.

I do wish there were more DVD-As out though and that the DTS ones were in some sort of standard format where they would all work correctly.