DVD-A

Nutcase · 27-08-2007, 22:01

Had a brainwave earlier - I've got 3 DVD-A discs, and I'd bought a creative x-fi OEM card a while back from my old work (£6 IIRC, brand new

), which is in my hcpc. So thought it about time to look at if I can now play the DVD-A portion.

Found the driver disc, and yup, there's the player in the software, cool!

Installed, stuck A Night at the Opera in. First things first, play it using the DTS track. Very nice

Tried the DVD-A player. Nothing

Closed AnyDVD, tried again. There we go

Now, I'm not an audiophile, but I can usually tell the difference between a good MP3 and a normal CD on my setup. I wasn't expecting to notice any difference.

I was wrong, there's so much more... depth.... I think that's the right way of putting it

Now I need to setup some more speakers, stereo is SO last century

Can anyone recommend any other titles? I have A Night at the Opera, The Game (Both Queen), and Hotel California (Eagles).

Nutcase · 27-08-2007, 22:11

Oh, and Beatles Love. Also, anyone know of a decent online supplier for them?

Cheers

Zirax · 27-08-2007, 22:28

Funny you should mention this as there is uproar in the music industry due to the effect mp3's are having. Essentially they are removing the dynamic range in the music and having it play at 100% all of the time. There is a heck of a difference between mp3's and even cd's, so I may look this dvd-a format up. I must admit that I never realised there was a higher rate than cd's for audio.

Matblack · 27-08-2007, 22:35

I'm sure DRZ will be able to clear up the MP3/ CD thing, the difference isn't as much as you might think depending on the sample rate.

I do have some DVD-Audio/ SACDs and yes there is a distinct improvement, War of the Worlds is particularly good.

MB

Mark · 27-08-2007, 22:49

A lot also depends on the conversion process from CD to MP3. A lot of the converters (including the likes of CDEX that gets some use around here) do volume level normalisation on a track-by-track basis. If the artist deliberate set volume levels low then that will be undone (a particular problem for classical music I guess). I think this is where the 100% comment comes from.

I don't know much about the differences between SACD and DVD-Audio, but I'm led to believe SACD is the better format (but also the harder to play as unlike DVD-Audio it requires SACD-capable hardware).

Feek · 27-08-2007, 23:06

I think normalisation sucks when ripping. The only time I've _ever_ used it is when I'm ripping audio, ie talking books. Certainly it's not enabled by default on CDEX.

Mark · 27-08-2007, 23:08

Admittedly I can't remember what CDEX default options are as it's been a while since I used it, and it got tweaked a lot when I did (mostly to fine-tune the compression), and I've since wiped that PC clean.

Haly · 27-08-2007, 23:55

It's off by default in CDEX. I've never tweaked CDEX and it's not enabled.

Flibster · 28-08-2007, 00:21

Night at the Opera is a superb DVD-A.
One of the best albums of all time as well which kind of helps.

I just used to buy from www.play.com

Santana - Supernatural - great as well.
R.E.M. - Automatic For The People - just a classic R.E.M. album.
Eric Clapton ; B.B. King - Riding With The King - If blues is your thing...
Sting - Brand New Day - I really liked this album....
Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive - 2 DVD-A set rocks!

Simon/~Flibster

Nutcase · 28-08-2007, 08:13

NIght at the Opera is indeed a FINE album. The DTS surround track on it is good, but finally hearing the proper dvd-a version (albeit missing bits at the moment through lack of speakers

) is great

I agree that MP3's if created carefully can sound great, but often I'll d/l a song off the internet to see if I like it enough to buy the album, and the quality is usually not very good

Rah!

http://www.play.com/Music/DVDAudio/4...s/Product.html

27-08-2007, 22:01	#1
Nutcase Moonshine Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chelmsford, innit! Posts: 3,979	DVD-A Had a brainwave earlier - I've got 3 DVD-A discs, and I'd bought a creative x-fi OEM card a while back from my old work (£6 IIRC, brand new ), which is in my hcpc. So thought it about time to look at if I can now play the DVD-A portion. Found the driver disc, and yup, there's the player in the software, cool! Installed, stuck A Night at the Opera in. First things first, play it using the DTS track. Very nice Tried the DVD-A player. Nothing Closed AnyDVD, tried again. There we go Now, I'm not an audiophile, but I can usually tell the difference between a good MP3 and a normal CD on my setup. I wasn't expecting to notice any difference. I was wrong, there's so much more... depth.... I think that's the right way of putting it Now I need to setup some more speakers, stereo is SO last century Can anyone recommend any other titles? I have A Night at the Opera, The Game (Both Queen), and Hotel California (Eagles).

27-08-2007, 22:35	#4
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	I'm sure DRZ will be able to clear up the MP3/ CD thing, the difference isn't as much as you might think depending on the sample rate. I do have some DVD-Audio/ SACDs and yes there is a distinct improvement, War of the Worlds is particularly good. MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

27-08-2007, 23:06	#6
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	I think normalisation sucks when ripping. The only time I've _ever_ used it is when I'm ripping audio, ie talking books. Certainly it's not enabled by default on CDEX. __________________

27-08-2007, 23:55	#8
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	It's off by default in CDEX. I've never tweaked CDEX and it's not enabled. __________________ Halycopter

28-08-2007, 00:21	#9
Flibster Moonshine Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,388	Night at the Opera is a superb DVD-A. One of the best albums of all time as well which kind of helps. I just used to buy from www.play.com Santana - Supernatural - great as well. R.E.M. - Automatic For The People - just a classic R.E.M. album. Eric Clapton ; B.B. King - Riding With The King - If blues is your thing... Sting - Brand New Day - I really liked this album.... Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive - 2 DVD-A set rocks! Simon/~Flibster __________________

27-08-2007, 22:11	#2
Nutcase Moonshine Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chelmsford, innit! Posts: 3,979	Oh, and Beatles Love. Also, anyone know of a decent online supplier for them? Cheers

27-08-2007, 22:28	#3
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	Funny you should mention this as there is uproar in the music industry due to the effect mp3's are having. Essentially they are removing the dynamic range in the music and having it play at 100% all of the time. There is a heck of a difference between mp3's and even cd's, so I may look this dvd-a format up. I must admit that I never realised there was a higher rate than cd's for audio.

27-08-2007, 22:49	#5
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	A lot also depends on the conversion process from CD to MP3. A lot of the converters (including the likes of CDEX that gets some use around here) do volume level normalisation on a track-by-track basis. If the artist deliberate set volume levels low then that will be undone (a particular problem for classical music I guess). I think this is where the 100% comment comes from. I don't know much about the differences between SACD and DVD-Audio, but I'm led to believe SACD is the better format (but also the harder to play as unlike DVD-Audio it requires SACD-capable hardware).

27-08-2007, 23:08	#7
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Admittedly I can't remember what CDEX default options are as it's been a while since I used it, and it got tweaked a lot when I did (mostly to fine-tune the compression), and I've since wiped that PC clean.

28-08-2007, 08:13	#10
Nutcase Moonshine Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chelmsford, innit! Posts: 3,979	NIght at the Opera is indeed a FINE album. The DTS surround track on it is good, but finally hearing the proper dvd-a version (albeit missing bits at the moment through lack of speakers ) is great I agree that MP3's if created carefully can sound great, but often I'll d/l a song off the internet to see if I like it enough to buy the album, and the quality is usually not very good Rah! http://www.play.com/Music/DVDAudio/4...s/Product.html

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