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What is Dolby Surround Sound?
This article is not meant to be critical of Dolby Surround Sound, rather it’s designed to enlighten the reader on how to use Dolby Surround Sound in an audio/ visual system in order to get the most out of your home theater experience. After reading this article you’ll know more about the specifics of Dolby Encoding and decoding, how Dolby has taken its legendary expertise in noise reduction and developed it into a comfortable listening experience for consumers everywhere.
Dolby Surround Sound is a 5.1 channel audio system designed for home theater use. Dolby Surround Sound typically consists of five (5) speakers (Left, Center, Right and 2 Surrounds), one (1) subwoofer, and the digital transmitter/decoder box. The function of the encoding and decoding can be handled either by the Digital Transmitter/Decoder unit itself or by a part of a home theater receiver (the processor).
Before we get into the specifics of Dolby Surround Sound let’s take a look at how it works. The basic concept behind 5.1 channel surround sound is the same concept behind all surround sound systems, including Dolby Surround. That is to provide a “transparent” sound field to the listener while still keeping the main dialog, score, etc., in stereo. Creating a transparent sound field call for using different speaker locations for the various dialog elements in order to place them comfortably in your listening room.
Types of Dolby Surround Sound
Dolby Digital is a 5.1 surround sound format
- Dolby TrueHD is a 7.1 surround sound format
- Dolby Digital Plus is a 5.1 surround sound format
- Dolby’s post-processing technology has gone through many changes in recent years, with the latest being Dolby Atmos.
Features
Dolby Surround Sound is a feature that can be found on practically every sound system. It was developed in the late 1970s and has since become a gold standard for cinemas, music halls, and sound systems all over the world.
Dolby Surround Sound simulates an enveloping experience by providing audio from left to right, front to back, and from the center outward. It creates a three-dimensional audio field that provides clear dialogues with natural-sounding vocals.
Specification
Dolby Atmos is a sound technology that presents sound in objects such as walls and foliage, to give the listener a more immersive experience. Dolby Atmos requires the use of speaker arrays that thus far have been limited to professional installation only. The latest version was made available for home use and can be bought through retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy.
What is DTS Headphone X?
DTS Headphone X is a technology that makes digital audio sound more like analog audio. This is because it reproduces the psychoacoustic properties of the human ear and not just the mathematical curve of numbers associated with an average signal. These technologies were developed by Sony, and they have been in use for many years.
However, there’s a disadvantage to this: different people usually hear different things when using headphones or speakers with DTS Headphone X technology. So, if you were to be listening to music on headphones with DTS Headphone X technology, but your friend was using headphones without it, he or she might hear something different than what you do. If that’s the case, then probably it won’t be of any use having both types of headphones. But for those who like to listen to different types of music, it can be quite an advantage.
Since we live in a world where there’s a lot to do and little time, we always need to be moving and doing things. The use of headphones has increased over the past few years and has become really popular. However, the earbuds and headphones that we’re using these days can’t produce enough sound insulation (or noise cancellation) so that we can block out all those ambient sounds around us.
Types of DTS Headphone X
DTS Headphone X is a type of digital audio encoding that includes a number of enhancements that improve the quality and convenience of playing back sound in high-definition, high-fidelity formats such as Blu-ray and HD and is most commonly used in DTS:X (DTS Express).
Technology
DTS Headphone X employs psychoacoustics to enable the reproduction of any content, including music, with unprecedented realism. The key to this technology is the DTS Headphone X system decoding module, which processes the time-domain signal of a transmitted digital audio signal and generates an output that is converted into audible frequencies. It then channels the original sound to both ears.
Features
- Adds depth and dimension to your music
- Convert stereo sound to surround sound
- Uses an advanced psychoacoustic model for crystal clear audio experience
Headphone X is a revolutionary new headphone that delivers unprecedented listening experiences by providing the same, rich three-dimensional sound as you would hear in real life. It has been designed with two microphones on the front of its headband, which captures acoustics from outside of the headphones and converts them into an ultra-realistic 3D experience.
Specification
- DTS Headphone X is a real-time waveform monitor for headphones.
- It does not sound any sound.
- It can be used with a variety of headphones, including earbuds and over-ear bluetooth headphones.
- The monitor has two headphone jacks to accommodate two sets of headphones at the same time.
The Difference
Though these two surround sound cards are similar in many ways, there are some differences that you should be aware of before buying one for your computer or mobile device. In this article, we explore the similarities and differences between these two surround sound technologies.
Dolby Atmos
In 2016, Dolby introduced a new standard of surround sound technology called Dolby Atmos. Unlike previous surround sound systems that use channel-based audio information, Dolby Atmos uses a channel-free system that allows for a more accurate representation of the sounds you hear in the real world.
DTS Headphone X
In 2013, DTS introduced a new surround sound technology called DTS:X. Like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X also uses a channel-free system to deliver true-to-life surround sound. However, at the time of its release, the company had stated that it would be free for consumers to use the technology.
Conclusion
Dolby Surround Sound is a better technology for virtual surround sound gaming and movie watching. DTS Headphone X, on the other hand, features a more accurate representation of movies and music. Both technologies are great if you want to hear something from all angles, but Dolby Surround Sound has a little more oomph to it.
FAQ’s
Is DTS Headphone x better than Dolby?
DTS for headphones is also known as DTS Headphone X, or simply DTS:X. It’s an object-based audio codec. It delivers a better spatial sound quality than traditional sound systems. DTS software is very similar to Dolby atmos.
Is DTS virtual X better than surround sound?
DTS Virtual:X is a great option for soundbars, as it delivers an acceptable immersive surround sound experience, even though the soundbar may have only two (left, right) or three (left, center, right) channels, and maybe a subwoofer.
Is DTS Headphone x surround sound?
Headphone:X delivers an immersive, cinematic audio experience to your headphones. An experience that you’ve come to expect from a full, 11.1 channel surround sound movie theater. But it doesn’t just put a home theater audio experience in your pocket, it works with music and games too.
Is DTS X for headphones worth it?
DTS Headphone: X provides an immersive audio experience that makes you feel as if you’re inside the movie. … So if you’re a movie fanatic, this software is definitely worth it. As of writing, however, native DTS:X movie format is only currently available on some Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray discs.
FAQ:
Q: Does the DTS headphones headphone X support Dolby Atmos?
A: DTS Headphone X does not support this feature but instead uses a traditional channel for surround sound, wherein the sound is shot upwards to achieve it. Dolby Atmos has this feature, wherein it produces an overhead sound instead of just shooting it upwards for a “true” floating surround sound effect.
Q: What is the difference between Dolby and DTS headphones?
A: DTS headphones x and Dolby are two technologies that reduce this problem when you’re listening to your favorite album, movie, or video on your headphones. Dolby and DTS headphones :X is a pretty good comparison, but which one is better? What are Dolby Atmos Headphones? Dolby Atmos is a spatial sound technology developed by Dolby Laboratories.
Q: Which is better DTS headphones X or DTS Headphone X?
A: Although both dts headphones x and Dolby have their strengths and weaknesses, it can be concluded Dolby digital is better than dts headphone x. DTS headphone x may offer more channels, but Dolby supports audio quality and can be used in other applications such as the new DTS HD Master Audio format.
Q: Is it possible to use DTS/Dolby Surround in games?
A: 3) Both DTS and Dolby Surround are going to be worse than proper in-game downmixing to headphones. That is FALSE. In theory it is possible, but games do not do that while supporting 5.1 or 7.1 sound output (that is used by Logitech sofware to mix and throw the effect into your ears, allowing you to enjoy 3D sound).