Audio on Blu Ray Discs

[corps-mudgeon]

Did some searching, didn't find a previous thread on this topic. Apologies if it has been discussed previously.

Starting out with the source of my eventual question, I was quite disappointed with the recording level of the shows on the 2009 discs. I was prepared to have my retinas sliced with sharpness of the picture and was hoping for a simultaneous face peeling from the sound, and I didn't experience the latter.

I'd like to think it's operator error, so here's my setup. I'm not 100% up to state of the art, but do have a blu ray player, an HD TV, and a 30 year old nice stereo receiver. The TV is connected to the player with an HDMI cable, and the receiver is connected via RCA jacks from the player audio output to the receiver AUX input. Other blu ray discs play just fine through the stereo, and the intro splash screen on the DCI is nice and loud as well. Is there a possibility that there's a setting I'm missing that is keeping the most appropriate performance audio from reaching my amplifier? Would different equipment make a difference?

FWIW, I like to think of myself as an audiophile (not so much of a technophile anymore), and understand concepts like dynamic range, clipping, and so on. My beef is that while the horn line lows are really low, so are the horn line highs. I suspect the pits may be driving some of the level settings, but from what I have heard, it's very much at the expense of the brass.

I'd be a very happy drum corps fan if someone can make a reasonable case that a configuration change could solve my problem. Thanks in advance.

[luvs me sum mello!]

Did some searching, didn't find a previous thread on this topic. Apologies if it has been discussed previously.

Starting out with the source of my eventual question, I was quite disappointed with the recording level of the shows on the 2009 discs. I was prepared to have my retinas sliced with sharpness of the picture and was hoping for a simultaneous face peeling from the sound, and I didn't experience the latter.

I'd like to think it's operator error, so here's my setup. I'm not 100% up to state of the art, but do have a blu ray player, an HD TV, and a 30 year old nice stereo receiver. The TV is connected to the player with an HDMI cable, and the receiver is connected via RCA jacks from the player audio output to the receiver AUX input. Other blu ray discs play just fine through the stereo, and the intro splash screen on the DCI is nice and loud as well. Is there a possibility that there's a setting I'm missing that is keeping the most appropriate performance audio from reaching my amplifier? Would different equipment make a difference?

FWIW, I like to think of myself as an audiophile (not so much of a technophile anymore), and understand concepts like dynamic range, clipping, and so on. My beef is that while the horn line lows are really low, so are the horn line highs. I suspect the pits may be driving some of the level settings, but from what I have heard, it's very much at the expense of the brass.

I'd be a very happy drum corps fan if someone can make a reasonable case that a configuration change could solve my problem. Thanks in advance.

Honestly I'd upgrade my stereo receiver to something that has HD audio inputs/outputs.

[KCWolfPck]

and the receiver is connected via RCA jacks from the player audio output to the receiver AUX input.

This is your problem. Using the composite audio jacks from the Blu-ray player would only be recommended if your receiver did not have the ability to decode the HD audio formats, but your receiver did using the multichannel analog inputs (which a 30 y/o receiver won't have). The beauty in last years Blu-rays were the DTS-HD studio master recordings. In order to hear that, you need the proper equipment, which you obviously don't have. It seems that you are listening to a down-sampled stereo audio track derived from the Dolby Digital track on the Blu-ray. Not ideal. Receivers now are cheap, you need to upgrade ASAP.

Edited December 7, 2010 by KCWolfPck

[corps-mudgeon]

Honestly I'd upgrade my stereo receiver to something that has HD audio inputs/outputs.

Thanks--that's definitely eventually on the table. I want surround sound and whatever else comes with the technology, but the budget isn't quite there. The stereo receiver has outstanding output, and it will have a life after HD, and the answers in this post will help me decide how soon that might be. If someone with a full setup says that the sound on the blu rays knocks their socks off, then that'll tell me that I'm woefully deficient right now.

[KCWolfPck]

Is there a possibility that there's a setting I'm missing that is keeping the most appropriate performance audio from reaching my amplifier? Would different equipment make a difference?

Just a thought....make sure that in your Blu-ray player, you've gone into the set-up settings. In most players, there is a speaker set-up/bass management sceeen. Ensure that you've set your front speakers to Large, center speaker to off, and rear speakers to off. This way, the player will know to send all audio to the 2 main speakers.

[KCWolfPck]

If someone with a full setup says that the sound on the blu rays knocks their socks off.

The sound on last years Blu-rays totally knocked my socks off. However, as you can see in my profile link...I have a way above average sound system.

[corps-mudgeon]

This is your problem. Using the composite audio jacks from the Blu-ray player would only be recommended if your receiver did not have the ability to decode the HD audio formats, but your receiver did using the multichannel analog inputs (which a 30 y/o receiver won't have). The beauty in last years Blu-rays were the DTS-HD studio master recordings. In order to hear that, you need the proper equipment, which you obviously don't have. It seems that you are listening to a down-sampled stereo audio track devided from the Dolby Digital track on the Blu-ray. Not ideal. Receivers now are cheap, you need to upgrade ASAP.

Thanks, Scott. That's the kind of info I was hoping to get. For clarification purposes, are you super-satisfied with the sound from the 2009 DCI blu ray discs with the full digital setup? Here's the main thing holding me back besides money: other blu ray discs sound quite good through the stereo, and I'd like some reassurance that the DCI discs are mastered in a way that they'll sound substantially different (at least level-wise) through a digital system than my analog system. Again, cinematic blu rays seem to have low lows and high highs, but the performance audio on the DCI discs seem to have low lows and mezzo highs. If the highs are high on a full up system, then that's what will really put the motivation to upgrade in gear.

[corps-mudgeon]

The sound on last years Blu-rays totally knocked my socks off. However, as you can see in my profile link...I have a way above average sound system.

Okey doke--that's REALLY what I wanted to hear.

[KCWolfPck]

Thanks, Scott. That's the kind of info I was hoping to get. For clarification purposes, are you super-satisfied with the sound from the 2009 DCI blu ray discs with the full digital setup? Here's the main thing holding me back besides money: other blu ray discs sound quite good through the stereo, and I'd like some reassurance that the DCI discs are mastered in a way that they'll sound substantially different (at least level-wise) through a digital system than my analog system. Again, cinematic blu rays seem to have low lows and high highs, but the performance audio on the DCI discs seem to have low lows and mezzo highs. If the highs are high on a full up system, then that's what will really put the motivation to upgrade in gear.

Well, I think that you'll find that updating your audio gear will even show a significant improvement in normal movies. What you find satisfying now would likely be WAY better with updated equipment that can play the high-resolution audio codecs and surround sound. Of course, if you have old speakers, you'll need to update those also to get the most out of your upgrade. But as a fellow audiophile, I know that a good speaker can be good for a really long time. However, if you are going to add a center and surround speakers...you'll likely want to change your main speakers also for timbre matching purposes.

To answer your question though, last years Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA) was phenominal and yes...it is very clean and loud.

[KCWolfPck]

Okey doke--that's REALLY what I wanted to hear.

I'll add....if you're in the DC area, you're welcome to come and have a listen.