Speaker damaged/clipping? Or DVD problem?

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Haha this topic has been going on for a looong time.

I've heard crackles on BD, but I'm connected via optical so no HD audio for me.

One thing off topic that I've been noticing is that on certain movies, when a voice is recorded into the scene independantly, I hear this super high pitched sound.

Like in action sequences, when it's a stunt double and the actor dubs the voice in afterwards, I can hear this "eeeeee" sound.

That can't be a system problem for sure, but kind of interesting. I'll see if I can find a scene with that.

You are way too perceptive on the hearing. Nothing gets by you.

When I watch movies, I can hardly remember how anyone sounds. I remember the tremendous bass (like in Pan's Labyrinth) & cool ambient sounds in the surround speakers, but I hardly ever pay attention to the center speaker as long as I can clearly understand what they say.

Yeah, I think if you get to hear the sounds in actual TrueHD, PCM, or DTS-MA, you probably won't hear any of that crackles.

I get the feeling that since my Panasonic player can decode TrueHD, even when I select Dolby Digital, it still uses TrueHD. It's probably thinking, "You damn idiot! I can do TrueHD, so you are going to hear my TrueHD whether you want to or not!"

 

[Bloodstriker]

I guess I just focus too much on what's wrong and not enough on what's right?
I'd love to check out a TrueHD track one day. Must be amazing!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I guess I just focus too much on what's wrong and not enough on what's right?
I'd love to check out a TrueHD track one day. Must be amazing!

Well, I guess the only amazing thing about TrueHD & PCM and all Digital Sound from HD DVD & Blu-ray is that there are no known crackles.

Either I can't tell much of a difference between DD & TrueHD or my Panasonic BD player is just playing TrueHD even when I select DD. I know I can't tell the difference between PCM & TrueHD. Maybe the Panasonic BD player is programmed to play the best possible sound format based on the hook-up, regardless of which format you pick--DD or TrueHD. In my case, TrueHD is the best possible (betweeb TrueHD & DD), so it refuses to play DD.

 

[Bloodstriker]

Hmm.. that sounds interesting.

Are you able to hear the difference from say, a dvd concert recorded in dolby digital vs a cd of the same concert in stereo? I mean in terms of resolution and not number of channels?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Hmm.. that sounds interesting.

Are you able to hear the difference from say, a dvd concert recorded in dolby digital vs a cd of the same concert in stereo? I mean in terms of resolution and not number of channels?

Not really. I don't think the 5.1 sounds clearer or more bass or anything. It's so subjective, though.

I think a great clean soundtrack will sound great in DD, DTS, DD+, TrueHD, DTS-MA, or PCM in a great clean audio system.

One time I was watching Kung Fu Hustle on my PS3 + Harman Kardon 247 + NHT speaker system via HDMI. I switched back-and-forth from PCM to Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital sounded like total crap. It was really bad. Really, really BAD. So I don't know if it's dependant on the hardware or software or both.

I guess I should go back and test Kung Fu Hustle again on my Acurus/Definitive/Panasonic system to see if there is a difference between Dolby Digital & PCM.

I recently compared the different sounds on 300 BD, Superman HD, & Batman Begins HD. My ears can't tell the difference between DD vs TrueHD/PCM. I don't think I'm deaf because I can sure hear my 4 & 5 yr old daughters calling pretty far away.

But the DD vs PCM on KFH was EXTREMELY on my old system. Need to test on new.

 

[Bloodstriker]

I actually find a very big difference between a CD and a DVD in dolby digital, and I can hear the difference right away. I find that CDs are a lot more clear sounding and it sounds more accurate, while DD 5.1 sounds a bit like it's muffled (for lack of a better word). It's the same "muffled" sound when listening to mp3s at lower bitrates.

I would have to say that the only thing that I find that a DD track bests a CD at is positioning and LFE effects.

I've been once told that TrueHD is like having CD sound, but multi-channel. If that's the case... man, sign me up!

But back to the original topic. I tried some of the same discs on my THX logitech z5500 5.1 system via the xbox 360 dvd drive in dolby digital. I didn't hear the crackles.

It's if it is the disc, then it has to be that the logitech system is too crappy to pick up the crackles. (Those speakers are pretty bad for everything except gaming).

If the disc is fine, that means it's something in my HT chain.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I actually find a very big difference between a CD and a DVD in dolby digital, and I can hear the difference right away. I find that CDs are a lot more clear sounding and it sounds more accurate, while DD 5.1 sounds a bit like it's muffled (for lack of a better word). It's the same "muffled" sound when listening to mp3s at lower bitrates.

I would have to say that the only thing that I find that a DD track bests a CD at is positioning and LFE effects.

I've been once told that TrueHD is like having CD sound, but multi-channel. If that's the case... man, sign me up!

But back to the original topic. I tried some of the same discs on my THX logitech z5500 5.1 system via the xbox 360 dvd drive in dolby digital. I didn't hear the crackles.

It's if it is the disc, then it has to be that the logitech system is too crappy to pick up the crackles. (Those speakers are pretty bad for everything except gaming).

If the disc is fine, that means it's something in my HT chain.

Yeah, DD & DTS are compressed sound formats.
CDs (2-Ch), DVD-As (5.1) & SACDs (5.1) are not compressed.

TrueHD (5.1/7.1), DTS-HD MA (5.1/7.1), & PCM (5.1/7.1) are not compressed either.

A good system will not only bring out the BEST in a movie or CD, but will also expose all the BAD (if present).

 

[Bloodstriker]

Haha I'm almost wanting to revert back to TV speakers now.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Haha I'm almost wanting to revert back to TV speakers now.

The ironies in life?

Off topic: My brother decided to upscale his satellite TV with his HK247 receiver (Faroudja Video). The upscale image was so bad, he had to use plain video composite cable (NOT upscale)! So I told him, when you upscale 480 "crooked" lines, you get 1080 "crooked" lines.

So the best Audio system won't make EVERYTHING sound better. It only makes the best sound better and the bad sound worse.

 

[Bloodstriker]

Sad, but I'm slowly realizing this. However, for some reason, I still feel that the crackle isn't from the DVDs. This happens way too much to be a problem with the disc.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

THX Select Home Theater Room CRACKLE

Sad, but I'm slowly realizing this. However, for some reason, I still feel that the crackle isn't from the DVDs. This happens way too much to be a problem with the disc.

I spent two hours at Ultimate Electronics today, mainly in their big THX Select Home Theater Room. It features Monster's THX Select Speaker System, a Denon 4308 receiver, JVC's $6,000 1080p projector, a $1,500 widescreen, and a LG Combo format HD player. The movie was Transformers HD DVD.

Everything was great. Then came the scene were the lead girl says to Optimus Prime, "Why are you here?" Then when Prime replied, there was this loud STATIC crackle sound in the dialogue that lasted about 4 seconds! So I went home to check out my Transformers HD DVD on this exact scene. NOTHING happened. No static. No crackle. Zippo. Is this just another Coincident?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

OK, I am sick and tired of this thread. Give me the scenes where you are hearing the issue and let me test out my system.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

OK, I am sick and tired of this thread. Give me the scenes where you are hearing the issue and let me test out my system.

***hee***hee

I'm sure Bloodstriker can send you a lot of scenes.

But yesterday, I was shocked when I heard this loud & long crackle/static dialogue on Transformers HD DVD where the lead girl asks Prime, "Why are you here", and when Prime answers, I heard this long crackle. I had to replay the scene over and over to confirm, but it was there. And this was a THX SELECT THEATER ROOM.

However, I did not hear anything like this at home. No crackles at home. So could be just some batches are bad?

The only crackle I heard at home was on the Heroes SD DVD. I have not test the HD DVD Heroes yet. Bloodstriker could give more specific scenes.

 

[Bloodstriker]

For sure! I'll look it up in a few days and give you guys a list. Well, I'm convinced that you know what the crackle sound is - and I'm guessing that it's not the sound of a damaged speaker?

One thing is that the speakers on demo - they could have been driven too hard being in a showroom, and maybe the crackle because of that? (No idea, just speculation).

The only scene I know of off the top of my head is in the 300 BD when Leonidas does the "What do you do?" "I'm a potter.."...right when he says "SPARTANS! WHAT DO YOU DO?".. "ARROOOOO!!". The word "spartans" contains a crackle.

I'll also check the transformers HD DVD for the scene that you're talking about. Which scene is that?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

One thing is that the speakers on demo - they could have been driven too hard being in a showroom, and maybe the crackle because of that? (No idea, just speculation).

I'll also check the transformers HD DVD for the scene that you're talking about. Which scene is that?

Demo room: I actually turned the volume way down (must be less than 60 dBA) and it still crackle.

When Sam & his girl met Optimus Prime for the first time. The girl asked, "Why are you here". Then Prime answered. This is where it crackled for about 4 seconds.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

For sure! I'll look it up in a few days and give you guys a list. Well, I'm convinced that you know what the crackle sound is - and I'm guessing that it's not the sound of a damaged speaker?

One thing is that the speakers on demo - they could have been driven too hard being in a showroom, and maybe the crackle because of that? (No idea, just speculation).

The only scene I know of off the top of my head is in the 300 BD when Leonidas does the "What do you do?" "I'm a potter.."...right when he says "SPARTANS! WHAT DO YOU DO?".. "ARROOOOO!!". The word "spartans" contains a crackle.

I'll also check the transformers HD DVD for the scene that you're talking about. Which scene is that?

Send me the chapter and VRS of the BR 300.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I See CRACKLES

I'll also check the transformers HD DVD for the scene that you're talking about. Which scene is that?

Okay, at first I did not "hear" any crackles at home on this scene in Transformers, but I was also sitting about 12 ft away from the center speaker. But then last night, I watched that scene again at close up. I heard crackles. They were not as loud, but I definitely heard crackles.

So my question is, was that STATIC sound intentional as part of Prime's VOICE or was it CRACKLES?

 

[andyg]

Sure, like I stated earlier:

Transformers (regular DVD): Entire movie seemed fine until the Secretary of Defense gives his little monologue at the end. Right around the time they show Shia and Megan laying on the Camaro, the dialog that the Secretary is giving starts to crackle.

Robbit, I realize this is an old thread, but I stumbled upon it after encountering the same problems you have (same movie, same location.... distortion on the vocals). It seems to be a frequent issue, usually a male voice yelling or talking loudly, and slight distortion occurs.

Haven't found a solution yet. Here's my system's specs:

Receiver: Onkyo 605
Center channel: Infinity Beta 360
DVD Player: Playstation 3, optical-out audio (although I've used several different players).

I don't run the system very loud at all, so I'm wondering if I get a more powerful receiver (greater than the 90 watts/chanel the Onkyo supplies) if that will solve the problem.

 

[Bloodstriker]

andyg,

I've come to realize that it is the source material that is making the distortion. I've upgraded to an Anthem MCA30 and it still didn't solve the issue. I've noticed that it doesn't happen with all discs - especially the newer ones. Try running Ratatouille, as I get zero distortion during the entire movie - and I'm playing it very loud.

 

[mtrycrafts]

andyg,
.... I've noticed that it doesn't happen with all discs - especially the newer ones. ...

Classic sign then that it is the discs fault.