DVD/DTS Poll Bowie, David - Young Americans [DTS/DD DVD]

[neil wilkes]

How is the bit rate determined?

By the Encoder.
DTS Core payload stream is always going to be at 24/48.
This core can be at either 1509Kb/sec or 754Kb/sec - you decide when you encode the file.
Where DTS get really clever is in the use of this core plus extensions. The extensions are either additional channels or extended frequency response in so-called "Legacy" mode. Extended frequency response up to 24/96 removes the 754Kb/sec option completely - you can *only* encode these streams at 1509Kb/sec (unless we are talking about DTS-HD files which is another subject altogether).
Additional channels is the so-called "ES" mode, and can be either 5.1 with matrix derived Cs, or 6.1 where the Cs is discrete. This can be at either 1509 or 754Kb/sec bitrate.
To encode at 24/96 or 6.1 requires either the DTS-PSE encoder or one of the new DTS-HD encoders.

What does it all mean for the end user? Quite simply the DTS decoders that are in the player or amplifier will *always* decode the core stream, regardless of what the encoded file has in it's extensions. If the decoder can decode the extended frequency response, or the additional channels, it will do so automatically. DTS' system ensures that the end user always gets the highest quality audio his system is capable of decoding without the need for anything to be set up.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ge Someone]

How is the bit rate determined?

If you mean at playback .. It's up to the player to show or not show something like that. If I really want to know, I use PowerDVD on the computer with the option to show info on screen.

 

[splinter7]

...and back to the polling. I give the release a 9. A very nice subtle surround mix with the expecption of Fame which seems a bit more adventurous. The sound was crisp and clean which for some reason surprised me. I was expecting less for some reason.

My only point deduction is for the music. The album (aside from Young Americans & Fame) is new to me. By the fourth song I thought David Sandborn is just playing the same thing over and over again. The style started to grate on me.

I agree with Zabble that a "fame" is missing from Fame. Very odd.

 

[stormchaser]

Hmm....I just popped this one in while I was grading a batch of exams and was pleasantly surprised. I have never heard this album in its entireity before so I had few expectations. Moreover, I've been hit and miss with Bowie over the years. But wow, this is a wonderful surround mix. There is nice use of surrounds (I particularly noticed auxiliary percussion) with Fame being more adventurous (as someone above noted). Frankly, this almost sounds like a DVD-A. I'll vote after a few more listens, but first impressions say 8-9 for me. If I vote 8, it will be because this album has a few songs that sound very much the same to me.

This one really is testimony to what DTS can do if done well.

 

[Kazaam]

Just got this. Too soon to vote, but wanted to chime in.

Not sure if this is yet common knowledge or not, but... There is, indeed, an NTSC with All Region version of this album out there. My copy says manufactured in Argentina. Personally, I wasn't sure what I was gonna get since there appear to be a few different versions out there that have descriptions that sometimes mention PAL, or sometimes mention NTSC but with an incompatible region coding number. So, I'm happy.

Does anyone know if Canada/US will eventually get this 5.1 version?

 

[rusinurbe]

Listened to it a number of times now. very much a disc of discovery for me, i did not think that I liked the old 'plastic soul' Bowie, But i do like 'Glam' Bowie and 'Spaceboy' Bowie.

Given that theer is so little new surround arround i took the plunge and what a surprise a lot of great music, and very much better sounding that i was expecting.
The suround mix is one of Tony Visconties ( I was dissappointed with Electric Warrior) better surround mixes, and suits the music very well.

very much a Tumbs up for the music and mix and a thumbs down for not including a MLP track. But the DTS really belts out and would be difficult to beat.

:banana:

 

[TRAINMAN92]

i have a denon 2910 so it wasn't hard to go to PAL it was more like 3.1 on most tracks then 5.1 but great sonic's i gave it an 8/trainman92

 

[Manmc]

Great listen !
Dropped it to an 8 tho for no mlp ! Bloody execs !

~M~

 

[neil wilkes]

I love this stuff, but again - this one loses 2 marks for me for the following:
1 - No Lossless stream. This is really starting to become annoying, and I suspect it is the way that it is all going unless we start something NOW.
DVD Album = Fobbed off with lossy streams.
2 - Missing track from the Dick Cavett show (footstompin')

Otherwise, superb.

 

[breakingglass]

 

[cupboy]

yes

 

[ClarkNovak]

I just got a copy and listened last night. The DTS mix is pretty good, I thought; I like how the background singers occupy the rear channels. You can really hear the mix open up in 5.1; it feels much airier than the compressed stereo mix we've heard all these years.

I did think that the low end was a little thin, though; I kept fiddling with my sub to fill out the bottom to my liking. I especially noticed this on "Fame", where the low brass punches in near the end. I'm used to hearing that big "whoomp" of the Sousaphone.

I rated it a "7", mostly because of the lack of bottom end I perceived.

 

[PossumPete]

I'm glad to hear other talk about the thin low end. I thought it was my new system at first but I do think it it the mix on this disc. Still, I like the music and it is in MC, so it's a winner in my book.

 

[chuckflhp]

I don't know what you guys mean about a thin bottom end. It absolutely slams on my system. And thats with the sub off. I gave it a 9. Great, lively mix. Worth it for "Fame" alone.

 

[timbre4]

Very pleasant 5.1 experience; better than averate DTS job they should be proud of. In these brain-dead record label days I am happy I can have it in this form if commercial DVD-A is on hiatus for the time being.

More Bowie 5.1 please, Aladdin Sane! Diamond Dogs!

 

[Manmc]

This and the ( surprisingly ! ) good Paul Mc Cartney set along with the 'Crossroads' concert are occupying my system for Christmas ! I turn off the screen on Mc Cartney , some real poor videos on there .


~M~

 

[Eggplant]

It's August 1975.

I'm 13 and off to school on Sept 7.

Depressing thought, so I lift the dust cover of my Dual turntable, put on my newly-released RCA CD-4 of Young Americans. Drop the arm -- gently -- on Fame.
The #1 song played every ten minutes on B-100 FM is now coming out of my quad system in perfect discrete sound, as good as I could ever imagined.

But something's wrong.

Something's right. So right, it's wrong.
I don't hear my Harmon Kardon demodulator "bump" into CD-4 mode. The red light doesn't come on. There's no crackle, no distortion. No hiss! Even at 13, I know this can't be. My room starts swirling, following the circling synth stabs.

I wake up in 2007. Yes, it was all a dream.
Yet somehow -- improbably -- all true.

If there is a God, he must love quad.

 

[surroundophile]

Listened to this after Christmas. Nice mix of songs, although I'm only familiar with his hits here and covers. Used DTS (my processer says DTS-ES Discreet, but nothing comes out of the back surround). Most of the mixes are great, kinda 70's quad style!
Music:8
Mix : 9.5

 

[kvsawilson]

I like this one a lot. Can't say I'm a huge Bowie fan but have enjoyed both this one and the Ziggy sacd. Wish it were hi-res, but we have to get surround sound where we can and the DTS track does sound pretty good. Not every track is solid, but enough of it is that I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a new surround experience.

K

 

[filper]

This disc is what surround is all about.

I've probably played most of these tunes close to a thousand times since the LP was released.

I'm hearing sounds that I've never heard before on any kind of gear.

The bottom end is full and perfect for the dts mix.

I'm giving it a 10+. This presentation is exemplary and a lucky find for me.

I tip my hat to Tony Visconti for his brilliant work (back then) and now for the surround mix.

I love this disc.