Dolby Digital Vs DTS Which Is Better

Surround sound technology is available in a variety of standards. There are two well-known and most widely used technologies in audio systems, namely Dolby Digital and DTS ( Digital Theater Systems ). Both certainly have good sound quality. Platforms like Netflix  and Disney+ offer Dolby Digital and DTS audio for a home cinema-like viewing experience.

Now here we will discuss which is better, and what is the difference, Dolby Digital vs DTS.

What is Dolby Digital?

Dolby Digital is an audio compression technology developed by Dolby Labs in 1986. It was the first to provide a surround sound codec, and has become part of the industry standard. Their audio technology offers a rich, surround sound experience , making sound sound exactly as it was recorded, with  minimal loss of quality .

Initially the company provided digital sound for films across US theaters. At that time, the first film to be encoded using Dolby Digital’s audio compression algorithm technology was Batman (1992).

To this day, Dolby Digital isn’t just limited to movie theaters; it is also available for online streaming services, Blu-ray players, streaming, and more.

Some types of Dolby Digital Sound include:

Here’s the Dolby Audio technology that is often seen.

• Dolby Digital Plus , offers a “lossy” output meaning the sound is compressed so it’s smaller but results in some audio damage.
• Dolby TrueHD , ensures lossless output, it delivers true-to-life audio quality (without any degradation).
• Dolby Atmos , surround sound technology used to produce or enhance sound output for the better.

What is DTS?

Coming as a direct competitor to Dolby Digital is DTS. Founded in 1993, Digital Theater Systems technology aims to provide a rich sound experience for listening. DTS technology was first seen in 1993’s Jurassic Park. Just like Dolby Digital, DTS can be found in home shows, Blu-ray players, game consoles, and more.

DTS is also constantly evolving, there are a number of enhanced audio codecs available. Among them are High Resolution DTS-HD (lossless version of DTS), then DTS:X (this is a competitor to Dolby Atmos technology).

Dolby Digital vs DTS: What’s the Difference

Both Dolby Digital and DTS use audio compression technology to reduce unnecessary audio data while providing high audio output. Both also offer surround sound codecs for 5.1, 6.1 (rare) and 7.1 channels.

5.1 setup on relatively inexpensive speakers with integrated Blu-ray player. It may not be compatible with high bitrate Dolby and DTS standards.

Each audio standard has its own level and quality, which you can find in various forms of media. Each medium is as follows:

Dolby Audio

• Dolby Digital  : 5.1 channel sound maxed out at 640 kilobits per second (this is common with DVD and streaming services).
• Dolby Digital Plus  : 7.1 channel sound max at 1.7 megabits per second (supported by some services like Netflix, some also use Dolby Atmos).
• Dolby TrueHD  : 7.1 channel sound max at 18 megabits per second (“lossless” quality available on Blu-ray discs).

DTS Audio

• DTS Digital Surround  : 5.1 channel sound max at 1.5 megabits per second.
• DTS-HD High Resolution  : 7.1 channel sound max at 6 megabits per second.
• DTS-HD Master Audio:  7.1 channel sound max at 24.5 megabits per second (“lossless”).

Which one is better

From the looks of it, DTS seems to be winning with the bigger bitrates (DTS Digital Surround vs Dolby Digital). That’s not necessarily the case either. Other capabilities such as signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range also need to be taken into account.

One of the advantages of Dolby technology that DTS is hard to beat is more efficient audio compression . Thus, Dolby can offer better audio quality even at lower bit rates.

This may be the reason why online streaming services choose the Dolby service , because it can save bandwidth/data quota and save costs for online companies.

Dolby Atmos vs DTS:X

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are useful for offering exceptional sound clarity, isolated vocals and instrumentals, and 3D sound effects. In cinema Dolby Atmos is used to create object-based surround sound with ceiling-mounted speakers. In making it required equipment and sound system compatible with Atmos

For home entertainment , there are many soundbars and Dolby Atmos speakers at affordable prices. The way it works is quite simple, directing sound audio to the top or roof and then bouncing it back from the ceiling. This method is useful for creating Surround sound.

There are also smartphone devices that have adopted Dolby Atmos , which means that the phone has speakers that are compatible with Atmos.

Advantages of Dolby Atmos

The great thing about Dolby Atmos is that it can deliver sound quality that is close to the original quality at a lower bitrate. For example, the streaming service Netflix, streams shows and movies with Dolby Atmos support at the highest bitrate of 768kbps. It’s not like the good 24-bit/48 kHz, but the audio quality is indistinguishable from the original audio version.

Then, DTS:X , this is also a surround sound technology that creates an object-based sound environment. However, DTS does not need to use speakers that are on the roof.

In order to produce good sound, a special audio system is needed that is equipped with DTS:X support. Affordable soundbars and speakers now use the new Virtual:X technology to simulate multi-dimensional sound.

As for online streaming services, Netflix or Prime Video or Disney+ don’t support DTS:X we don’t know in the future. Overall, Dolby Atmos is superior to DTS:X, as it is widely available to general users through movie theaters and online streaming services.

Questions (FAQs)