sur AVS, Nalleh a écrit:Not sure if this is the correct thread, but what-a-heck, since DTS:X just got released, why not.
PS: this is a long one!!
First impressions DTS Neural:X upmixer compared to "the other two".
So i sat down yesterday to get to know the new upmixer from DTS. Setup as follows:
Denon AVR 7200W updated with Auro 3D and DTS:X, with 7.1.4 FH+TM.
Audyssey on, DEQ off.
So DSU and Neural:X had 7.1.4, Auromatic 7.1.2(9.1).
I also moved my seat to the center/sweetspot, as the normal arrangement is two recliners beside each other.
I listened to various music in 2.0 PCM, or stereo(CD's), and played the same clips over and over in sequence: stereo, DSU, Neural:X and last Auromatic.
Before i start, i want to say i am no expert, and this may be simplified, but i am just trying to explain what i hear, and the differences.
Stereo.
This is the benchmark i compare the others to. Listening in stereo, what comes to mind is dry. No ambiance, echoes or traces of processing, other than what is in the track. And as i would call it: Front-centric. Regular stereo is something everybody is familiar with, so no need to elaborate.
DSU.
This mode moves a lot of sounds and instrument out in the room, while keeping voices/dialog front and center. Guitars, piono, violins, etc are moved to all the surrounds. I would call DSU Surround-centric. It opens up the room and makes you the centerpiece.
Neural:X.
This behaves a lot like DSU, in that it moves sound out into the room. However there are two noticable diffeences. While DSU puts instrument in the surrounds, Neural:X puts them even further back, towards the surround back. In that regard i would call it Surround-back-centric.
Not only that, but it also bleed the vocals/voices/dialog to the rear! WHEN it works, i puts vocals almost in your head!, but otherwise it makes it kind of echo-ish. Very strange behaviour.
Sidenote. Earlier upmixer often had a seperate setting for music. The two above only have one setting only.
Auromatic.
No surprise, this sounds most like the original stereo sound field, and as such, are also Front-centric. However it manages to sound wider, bigger, more air, more relaxed. Like stereo on stereoids! Easy noticable and very pleasant.
Sidenote: Auromatic was the only one who managed to keep Q-sounds effects! It actually widened the sweet spot for them, as the effects actually came from the surrounds.
Both the others "destroyed" all Q-Sound and placed them smack in the fronts(LR).
I will not declare a winner here, first of all because i simply don't listen that much to music, and secondly because i sit off-axis normally, so that rules out stereo(and Auromatic). You deside.
Movies.
Ok, it order to compare all three, without TOO much work, i change setup a bit.
Audussey off.
Changed amp assign to 7.1.4 with FH+RH+VOG. Adjusted RH and VOG level and distance manually. And switched BD player from bitstream to PCM. This way i could compare all three with the same source, and same settings. And i listened to the same clips over and over in Multi ch 5.1/7.1, DSU, AUROMATIC and Neural:X.
So DSU and Neural:X in 7.1.4, while Auromatic in 10.1.
I watched clips from Interstellar, Into the storm, Clovefield, Lone Survior, TAOE and Maze runner, and som more.
Multi ch 5.1/7.1.
It has been a long time since i watched a movie without upmixers, so this was actually fun! Even though i have ear level surrounds, there were SOME sense of "height". All sound tracks sounded great, but not quite what we are used to these days.
DSU.
5.1/7.1 tracks have more for the upmixers to work with than 2.0, and DSU opens it up and brings height into the picture. VERY noticable difference from just 5.1/7.1, and it really adds to the immersive soundfield.
Auromatic.
Well, i know i am getting flack for this, and i don't know how they do it, but often Auromatic sound better than DSU. It is quite remarkable that it is so much like DSU, but somehow manages to open it up even more, more distance, adds depth, sounds more real. After DSU, my jaw dropped a bit when Auromatic was up.
The drop scene in Lone survivor, wormhole scene in Interstellar, it was like DSU turned up a notch.
Neural:X.
I saved this one for last I expected this to be pretty much like DSU in that they work most similar. They have similarities, but boy did my jaw drop to the floor on this one! The intro scene in Into the storm, so much more pronounced thunder from above! Scary actually. Drop scene from Lone Survivor: the helicopters REALLY was above you. Subway scenes in Cloverfield: Neural:X was the ONLY one who placed the explosions from above.
Auromatic and Neural:X have in common that they sound natural and are more seamless in pannings from ear level to height.
Funny note: in the drop scene in Lone survivor, there is a short 5 second part where all the helicopters fly low on the screen trough a walley. ALL THREE upmixers placed these sounds correct, in the ear level fronts, and NOT in the heights! Quite impressed by that, since the whole scene is helicopters.
Ok, in my humble opinion, on a scale from 1 to 10, i would rank them as follows:
Multi ch 5.1/7.1 = 5 points
DSU = 8.5 points
Auromatic = 9 points
Neural:X = 9.7 points
End note: this is neither a correct test or a blindtest, but the easiest way to compare all three. I was able to use the same source, and one shared setup, and all three had the same conditions. However, as this is a shared setup, it is probably not optimal for none of them. I feel a TF+TR Atmos setup, maybe the same for DTS:X and a proper surround height Auro 3D setup would be best. And also calibrate those setups properly. But that will take more time. I can do that, my setup can handle that, but DTS:X actually put a monkey wrench in my plans, regarding total setup. So i have to rethink an regroup to get the best compromise.
What i can say, is that such a shared setup works!! I was VERY impressed with how good all formats sounded, espesially since DSU and Neural:X only had heights, not tops/ceiling. Neural:X DEFINITELY WORKS with heights only! And it was so much fun to switch instantly between all formats.
Hope this wasn't too much "Norwenglish", and just ask if any questions .
