PCM Vs. True HD audio?

[aqupunk]

Ok what is everyones consensus of which sounds better between PCM or True HD audio?

I was going back and forth with it and I noticed pcm was quieter so I had to turn it up but cleaner. What do you guys think?

[bluseminole]

We should set up a poll on this. I don't think that's been done yet. But there are several threads regarding the debate of TrueHD vs. PCM on this forum already.

If we want to establish a consensus, that's fine. But please, just post your preference instead of starting the debate up again. Otherwise, this thread will get merged with one of the many debate threads already going on this topic.

I'll start:

I don't have a preference. Aside from volume, which is easily fixed, I can hear no difference between the two, and am equally pleased with both sound formats.

[oscar_in_fw]

I haven't A/Bed PCM vs. TrueHD but both sound much better than any lossy soundtrack I've listened to. However, I don't really trust TrueHD, Dialog normalization, and the encoding/decoding process; lot's of opportunities to screw it up either on the encoding end or the decoding end. The Straight master audio PCM feed would seem ideal.

[BluSmoke]

I find that they sound pretty much the same, but the PCM is mixed hotter, which means I'll pick it everytime.

[Footloose301]

I usually prefer the PCM, just because I want to hear it the way it is MEANT to be from the director. However, there are a couple movies I have that actually sound better, and more in depth by using TrueHD. TrueHD seems to have more mid-range, yet I still set it to PCM just because thats the way the director intended it to be.

[DaViD Boulet]

It's important to provide the name of the title you're talking about. Generalizations are fine, but if you're mentioning a specific case, tell us the title. It's possible that in different authoring/mastering situations:

1. TrueHD and PCM sound exactly the same
2. Decoded TrueHD sounds better
3. PCM sounds better.

Think of some of Sony's titles that do 24-bit TrueHD but only 16-bit PCM. Sony doesn't use Dialog Normalization. Warner does. Disney always gives 24-bit PCM instead of Sony's 16-bit.

See where differences can start to come into play?

[Bombthroat]

My preference is for PCM since there is no chance of the "dial norm" being used and effectively changing the audio (thus making it not transparent to the original master).

[dadkins]

No Home Theater, Dolby TrueHD 2.0 is what I use(laptop - headphones).

[MacDaddyOJack]

I used to think PCM was the best in every case, and was for all movies I could compare up until RE: Extinction. That TrueHD track was incredible. The DialNorm light did not come on on my reciever either. Sony did something right with that track! I guess for piece of mind I prefer the PCM track but after hearing that TrueHD track and various other DTS-MA tracks, I don't think it really matters as long as its 24-bit

[upnorthsox]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

It's important to provide the name of the title you're talking about. Generalizations are fine, but if you're mentioning a specific case, tell us the title. It's possible that in different authoring/mastering situations:

1. TrueHD and PCM sound exactly the same
2. Decoded TrueHD sounds better
3. PCM sounds better.

Think of some of Sony's titles that do 24-bit TrueHD but only 16-bit PCM. Sony doesn't use Dialog Normalization. Warner does. Disney always gives 24-bit PCM instead of Sony's 16-bit.

See where differences can start to come into play?

Dialog normalization was in the last ps3 FW update.

[Getus]

What is Dialog normalization?

[cajmoyper]

Yeah, I'm going to second what everyone here has pretty much already said: PCM on average sounds better than any audio track. But there is always room for operator error in terms of the final mix by the filmmakers, so TrueHD can sound better but I personally have never found a TrueHD track to sound better than it's PCM counterpart.

[richard lichtenfelt]

Is there another name for PCM? When reading receiver specs only the Sony's ever seem to mention it.
Is DTS 96/24 the same as PCM? Is there another name for hd-ma or true hd?

[DaViD Boulet]

PCM means uncompressed linear digital audio.

It's what you get once you "unzip" or decompress Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. The question folks are asking is if "raw" PCM sounds better than the PCM that's decoded from these algorithms.

Dialog normalization was in the last ps3 FW update.

What do you mean? DN is part of the Dolby spec and has always been in the PS3. Are you saying something else, like implying that it can now be disabled or manually turned on/off? explain.

[Getus]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

What do you mean? DN is part of the Dolby spec and has always been in the PS3. Are you saying something else, like implying that it can now be disabled or manually turned on/off? explain.

what he said

And what does it do?

[upnorthsox]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

PCM means uncompressed linear digital audio.

It's what you get once you "unzip" or decompress Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. The question folks are asking is if "raw" PCM sounds better than the PCM that's decoded from these algorithms.



What do you mean? DN is part of the Dolby spec and has always been in the PS3. Are you saying something else, like implying that it can now be disabled or manually turned on/off? explain.

I'm at work so I can't verify for you but I believe you can now enable/disable it in your system settings.

[Mastrodisastro]

I usually use PCM but, to be honest, with my system I can't hear any difference

[Sonny]

I like PCM, but DTruHD & DTS-HDMA are really good & very big improvements over the O'l DD5.1 DVD tracks .

[werewuf]

PCM actually stands for "Pulse-code modulation". For more on that go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCM

From Craig V. Eggers
Senior Manager Consumer Electronics Partner Marketing
Dolby Laboratories:

The DTHD soundtrack should be the same as the PCM soundtrack.
Because of its efficiencies, The DTHD soundtrack is able to reproduce
the full resolution of the original PCM master at about half the data
required to put a PCM master track on the disc.
In the case of Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds, for example, one of the
reasons Sony BMG chose DTHD was because DTHD could reproduce the full
dynamics of the original 96/24 capture, on a single sided high
definition music video that was more than 2.4 hours long!

I personally have experienced some True HD soundtracks to have finer detail than the PCM versions.

Pioneer Elite Pro 950HD
Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH
Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD
Pioneer CLD-95 Laserdisc
Sony VCR
B&O Turntable
Triad Gold Satellite Speakers (4)
Triad Gold Center Channel
Triad Silver Subwoofer

[aqupunk]

Originally Posted by werewuf

PCM actually stands for "Pulse-code modulation". For more on that go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCM

From Craig V. Eggers
Senior Manager Consumer Electronics Partner Marketing
Dolby Laboratories:

The DTHD soundtrack should be the same as the PCM soundtrack.
Because of its efficiencies, The DTHD soundtrack is able to reproduce
the full resolution of the original PCM master at about half the data
required to put a PCM master track on the disc.
In the case of Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds, for example, one of the
reasons Sony BMG chose DTHD was because DTHD could reproduce the full
dynamics of the original 96/24 capture, on a single sided high
definition music video that was more than 2.4 hours long!

I personally have experienced some True HD soundtracks to have finer detail than the PCM versions.

Pioneer Elite Pro 950HD
Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH
Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD
Pioneer CLD-95 Laserdisc
Sony VCR
B&O Turntable
Triad Gold Satellite Speakers (4)
Triad Gold Center Channel
Triad Silver Subwoofer

So basically seems majority of people like the pcm, but I guess one should go back and forth to see if either sounds better under certain circumstances. I would say though at least for me there is a difference in the to noticibly to my ears.