Moody Blues - In Search Of The Lost Chord (50th Anniversary set with 5.1 "manipulation" by Jakko Jakszyk).

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Ok, I found my lost chord today and I just got through giving it a few listens. 1st listen was the DTS 96/24 version and as has been stated sounds dull and stuck in a hole, raising the volume helps a little, but not much a disappointment to be sure . I then went to the LPCM 96/24 stereo and it sounded better and not half bad through Dolby PLIIx, brighter and much fuller and a little more dynamic than the DTS, and then I gave the original mix a go and it sounded really good, all the dynamics are there no wet blanket covering the drums and vocals and sounds even better via Dolby PLIIx than the new stereo mix did.
So, now to the controversial part to my observations...I haven't noticed if anyone has given the DD AC-3 a listen, well I started the DTS again and just for shits 'n giggles midway through "Ride My Seesaw" I decided to switch to Dolby and and lo and behold it sounded like a whole different animal, the blanket for the most part disappeared (bass is still a little boomy), it is a little louder and brighter, the surround field seems to open up a little sounding fuller as the surrounds sounded a little more active or at least I noticed more coming out of them, the vocals came out of their box a little and sound a little more natural it still lacks the dynamics of the original stereo version but to my ears it was almost enjoyable, at least in comparison the the DTS (that just ain't right?!?).
I will of course have to give it a few more listens before before I decide how it ranks, but I think I will be able to live with this, I mean content wise I love this album, and what I am hearing from the dreaded Dolby 5.1 vs the DTS 5.1...well it may not be great but I am feeling it may at least qualify as good YMMV of course...having said that, it would be very interesting to see what Mr. Wilson could have done with it after what he accomplished with Tull's "This Was" hmmmmmm (...yeah I know not gonna happen...You may say I'm a dreamer, But I'm the only one...)
 
So, now to the controversial part to my observations...I haven't noticed if anyone has given the DD AC-3 a listen, well I started the DTS again and just for shits 'n giggles midway through "Ride My Seesaw" I decided to switch to Dolby and and lo and behold it sounded like a whole different animal, the blanket for the most part disappeared (bass is still a little boomy), it is a little louder and brighter, the surround field seems to open up a little sounding fuller as the surrounds sounded a little more active or at least I noticed more coming out of them, the vocals came out of their box a little and sound a little more natural it still lacks the dynamics of the original stereo version but to my ears it was almost enjoyable, at least in comparison the the DTS (that just ain't right?!?).

I haven't had time to do a serious comparison from the sweet spot, but my quick and dirty initial observation is that you're right. The difference is dramatic enough to sound like the DTS and DD encoders were fed two very different sources. I'm not sure if the DD is louder or just seems like it might be due to the EQ sounding very, very different. Whatever is going on seems like a lot more than perception changing due to a relatively minor volume difference.

I'm working with the DTS and AC-3 bitstreams. Might be worth decoding both to PCM-FLAC to compare the two with ReplayGain.
 
I haven't even opened mine, it's ready to go back to Amazon before the end of next week. Do I need to open it and check out the DD 5.1 track with the revelation above? Is it really that different / better? I've read that the stereo mix is good, is the DD 5.1 on a par with that?
 
Good lord! I have never tried to compare DD vs DTS...maybe I need to start.

I always go for DTS if there is a choice between that and Dobly. I can usually hear the compression on DD 5.1 where as I always find a DTS track is clearer and has more 'punch', particularly in the bottom end. Maybe that's something to do with the decoding on my amp. I generally avoid DD where possible, although I will say the 5.1 mix of Caravans 'In The Land Of Grey And Pink' sounds great and is probably the best DD 5.1 mix I've heard!
 
I haven't even opened mine, it's ready to go back to Amazon before the end of next week. Do I need to open it and check out the DD 5.1 track with the revelation above? Is it really that different / better? I've read that the stereo mix is good, is the DD 5.1 on a par with that?

Simon, the STEREO is KING. Both the DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 are mere shadows of the Stereo. But I will say, on my system, the remastered 96/24 Stereo is better than the Stereo SACD.
 
Sounds like I'd better open it and check it out then, although I only bought it for the surround mix the stereo is going to have to blow me away for £42.99!
 
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