Dialog Norm Levels for Music Blu-rays

[jimfisheye]

Does anyone know if the dialnorm value affects the Dolby encoding?

Recap: The encoded renders sound just like the final mixes when I A/B. They still did (at a glance anyway) when I errantly made my first couple test encodes with the dialnorm not set.

Encoded TrueHD+Atmos is in fact lossy it turns out. Even if only slightly. That means we can't even do a quick analytical null test against a mix master. So... no null testing of one dialnorm vs another either.

But the question kind of came up above - or at least this is how I interpret it. The lossy process Dolby uses to phase manipulate the object audio back out of the bed tracks after they mix it into them for the encode... Does using a dialnorm value other than -31 further degrade this?

I think that's a great question!
My guess is no. Based on the couple of test runs where after normalizing the volume between them they sounded the same in an A/B listening test.
It's way too easy a target but there are probably just some rogue hardware disc players with weird behavior and half implemented features.

 

[pat bateman]

You've made this statement before, but after investigating and asking a user with a 2020 Marantz 7015 who has actually tested some of the known problem tracks, this setting has absolutely no effect which is not entirely surprising as this would be huge news. This was also confirmed by another user.

Can you please say exactly which model Denon/Marantz AVR(s) and which known problem atmos tracks have you tested and from which music service(s)?

Note that there has always been a way on Denon/Marantz AVRs to ignore Dolby Dialnorm on a track by track basis which is essentially useless.

Denon X3700H. I use Tidal on an Nvidia Shield. I dont have my Apple TV hooked up right now, otherwise I would try that as well. Lots of people replying to this thread with their successes and failures, and the consensus was that most 2019+ Denon/Marantz AVRs can defeat dial norm. The video attached here should paint the picture in my case. Fantastic Negrito - Have You Lost Your Mind Yet.