PCM: less bass?

[slowtrain1]

On my reciever (Yamaha RX-V663) I have noticed considerably less bass on PCM 5.1 tracks as opposed to Dolby TrueHD & DTS HD-MA tracks. A good example of this is the Spider-Man 3 Blu-Ray. The Dolby track rocks while the PCM has considerably less bass. Are my settings wrong or is this common?

[Driver_King]

What player are you using and how do you have it connected?

[slowtrain1]

I am using a Panasonic BD-30 BD player set to output as bitstream & a monoprice HDMI cable to the reciever.

[franklinpross]

Originally Posted by slowtrain1

I am using a Panasonic BD-30 BD player set to output as bitstream & a monoprice HDMI cable to the reciever.

can you output Pana with PCM instead of bitstream.

I notice more bass that way.

[gearyt]

Did you put the update in the player ???

[BACsader]

Originally Posted by franklinpross

can you output Pana with PCM instead of bitstream.

I notice more bass that way.

There should be absolutely no difference because there is no decoding being done either way. If you are listening to a PCM track and you have it sent via Linear PCM or bitstream, it is the same exact thing.
Funny thing is, most people complain that the other soundtracks don't have as much bass while the PCM usually has more.

[franklinpross]

Originally Posted by BACsader

There should be absolutely no difference because there is no decoding being done either way. If you are listening to a PCM track and you have it sent via Linear PCM or bitstream, it is the same exact thing.
Funny thing is, most people complain that the other soundtracks don't have as much bass while the PCM usually has more.

To me, a PCM track with the 1200 set at PCM sounds fine . . but I have no idea

what the Pana does . . I would think perhaps the poster needs to do SOMETHING. . . it can be very frustrating not getting it all right at the beginning.

[franklinpross]

Originally Posted by slowtrain1

I am using a Panasonic BD-30 BD player set to output as bitstream & a monoprice HDMI cable to the reciever.

just a thought.

see if you get more bass through 5.1 analog connections . . . .

could it be you are missing the sub-woofer somehow via HDMI?

poss?

[Driver_King]

On some receivers, there is an option in the setup menu that allows you to adjust certain codec volumes and settings (such as sub volume). I don't know if Yamaha offers that option though.

[TheZoof]

I wonder if it is because PCM only outputs the sound as expected? I had a similar problem if I use PCM. I ended up buying better front speakers and it fixed the problem. It seemed the sub woofer was not being used as it should be in PCM. It had something to do with how sound doesn't get mixed in my reciever.

Might be off base... but just wanted to add my experience.

[BACsader]

Originally Posted by TheZoof

I wonder if it is because PCM only outputs the sound as expected? I had a similar problem if I use PCM. I ended up buying better front speakers and it fixed the problem. It seemed the sub woofer was not being used as it should be in PCM. It had something to do with how sound doesn't get mixed in my reciever.

Might be off base... but just wanted to add my experience.

On the whole, I have noticed that the subwoofer isn't used as much as people think it is. With PCM, there is absolutely no decoding, which is why it takes up more space on the disc and why studios are starting to not use it as much. In movies, I notice that all explosions and gun shots and bass from anything action is put through the sub, but, with music, especially instrumental music that is acoustic, the bass is sent to the speakers. Maybe you need to set your fronts for full range, unless they are incapable of producing decent bass.

[X400]

its more like the other way around for me.... Dolby TrueHD seems to have a lot less bass than pcm or dtshd-ma (yes i have DRC off) but then again its not a fair comparisson because ive never bothered to listen to a release with both or more codecs on each

[slowtrain1]

I have my players firmware up to date. I really don't understand this problem. I do get bass. Just NOWERE near as much as Dolby TrueHD & DTS HD-MA gives me.

[gearyt]

Originally Posted by slowtrain1

I have my players firmware up to date. I really don't understand this problem. I do get bass. Just NOWERE near as much as Dolby TrueHD & DTS HD-MA gives me.

Last time I had this problem I had the sub plugged into the wrong purple jack on the back of an ONKYO 706

[BACsader]

What equipment are you running?

[slowtrain1]

Sony Bravia LCD 1080p (KDL-40V2500)
Panasonic BD DMP-BD30
Yamaha RX-V663 Reciever
Paradigm Monitor 7 V3 Fronts
Paradigm CC-370 V3 Center
Paradigm PDR 12 Subwoofer
Polk R 30 Rears
Monoprice HDMI cable outputting bitstream from BD player to reciever. From reciever to TV.

[BACsader]

I assume that you ran the calibration for the receiver?

[slowtrain1]

I calibrated at 75db with a Radio Shack SPL meter using the test signals on the Avia dvd.

[BACsader]

Well you definitely have a pretty nice setup. I would first suggest making sure that your speakers are set to Large within your receivers menu. Also make sure that both your fronts and subwoofer are set to receive LFE signals.

[davcole]

I know exactly what you are talking about!!

I have the LG BH 200 in combo with an Onkyo 705 sub. I noticed from Day One that everytime I threw in one of my PCM titles, it had considerably less bass and presence than TRUEHD or DTSMA.

Then I got a brilliant idea!

I have my player set on "bitstream only" so it never passed through the player's mixer. When I played around and set my player to send the signal as " PCM 5.1", that's when I noticed the bass and the presence that everyone else had raved about!

I don't know whether it's the fault of the receiver or the player but for some reason the PCM sounds better going through the player's "mixer" than direct bitstream.

Needless to say that whenever I watch a PCM title, I change it to "pcm 5.1" instead of bitstream.

Hope this helps.