DVD-A Dolby Suround vs Analog

[Vancouver]

OK. Although I havnt made my final choice on what DVD player to get I do know it will have the ability to play DVD-A. While I was at HMV I decided to buy a couple DVD-A albums and give it a try on my current DVD player to hear what it sounds like in Dolby Digital. I have to admit I was disapointed.

My DVD concerts I have that are in Dolby Digital sounded much better?! Shouldnt they at least be the same in quality.

The DVD-A i bought and Sampled was Diana Krall, and I assumed it would be one of the better DVD-As as her recordings are usually good.

Is there going to be a major difference when I use the analog connections on my new DVD player? Why would it not sound very good in Dolby Digital?

 

[Mort Corey]

The analog connections will transfer the decoding to your receiver vs using the DAC's in the player using coax/optical. You're not hearing the higher resolution track on a standard DVD player, but if the disk is mastered well, it should sound at least as good as a DVD concert type disk. I've found DVD-A and SACD disks to be a crap shoot as far as recording quality.

Mort

 

[mtrycrafts]

OK. Although I havnt made my final choice on what DVD player to get I do know it will have the ability to play DVD-A. While I was at HMV I decided to buy a couple DVD-A albums and give it a try on my current DVD player to hear what it sounds like in Dolby Digital. I have to admit I was disapointed.

My DVD concerts I have that are in Dolby Digital sounded much better?! Shouldnt they at least be the same in quality.

The DVD-A i bought and Sampled was Diana Krall, and I assumed it would be one of the better DVD-As as her recordings are usually good.

Is there going to be a major difference when I use the analog connections on my new DVD player? Why would it not sound very good in Dolby Digital?

Not sure what you mean by 'analog connection.'
Do you mean the 5/6 analog interconnect for DVD-A, or just 2 analog connection?
Dolby Digital needs to be hooked up via the digital connection and make sure your receiver is reading the DD signal. Levels may be different for the different signals; this will give a false sense of better/worse.