LPCM and HD audio

[admin_exported]

Hi.

Please correct me if I am wrong. Before the release of hd audio, most blu-rays have pcm in its audio format. Am I right in saying that pcm is inferior to hd audio? Or is pcm considered an hd audio? Please enlighten me. Thanks in advance.

 

[Andrew Everard]

No, totally wrong. Linear PCM is every bit as good as HD audio.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:No, totally wrong. Linear PCM is every bit as good as HD audio.
Thanks Andrew. How would you compare lpcm to DTS Master Audio because I thought the latter is the most superior considering it has 25 mbps? How many bit rates does the pcm have?

 

[Clare Newsome]

LPCM is totally uncompressed - bitrates of up to 35mbps,depending on source.

But don't get too hung up about it- either LPCM or DTS HD or Dolby True HD means you're in for a more dynamic, detailed performance than standard surround sound. HD Audio is the often unsung big benefit of Blu-ray!

 

[Anonymous]

Clare Newsome:LPCM is totally uncompressed - bitrates of up to 35mbps
Thanks Clare. Well if that is the case lpcm (bitrates up to 35mbps) has superior audio quality compared to Dolby True HD (18mbps) and DTS Master Audio (25mbps). Why is it that blu-rays nowadays doesn't have lpcm audio?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Because LPCM, being uncompressed, takes up an enormous amount of space, Dual-layer BD titles may have the room (eg Casino Royale), but single-layer BDs - especially if they have a ton of extras/different language or soundtrack options - may not.

DTS MA HD/Dolby True HD take up less space, as they are 'zipped'. Rather like, say, Apple Lossless compared to a WAV file.

 

[professorhat]

liujol:Well if that is the case lpcm (bitrates up to 35mbps) has superior audio quality compared to Dolby True HD (18mbps) and DTS Master Audio (25mbps). Why is it that blu-rays nowadays doesn't have lpcm audio?

I'd also advise not to get too hung up on the format used. A soundtrack is only as good as the master it is taken from, so just because a film has a DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack, that doesn't mean its soundtrack will be better than a film with a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. Sure the DTS HD and LPCM soundtracks have potential to be better due to the potentially higher bitrates, but it's by no means a guarantee they will be.

 

[Clare Newsome]

professorhat:
I'd also advise not to get too hung up on the format used. A soundtrack is only as good as the master it is taken from, so just because a film has a DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack, that doesn't mean its soundtrack will be better than a film with a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. Sure the DTS HD and LPCM soundtracks have potential to be better due to the potentially higher bitrates, but it's by no means a guarantee they will be.

Agree - as with so many things in AV, don't get too hung up on specs and logos!

 

[Anonymous]

Clare Newsome:professorhat:

I'd also advise not to get too hung up on the format used. A soundtrack is only as good as the master it is taken from, so just because a film has a DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack, that doesn't mean its soundtrack will be better than a film with a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. Sure the DTS HD and LPCM soundtracks have potential to be better due to the potentially higher bitrates, but it's by no means a guarantee they will be.

Agree - as with so many things in AV, don't get too hung up on specs and logos!

Thanks for all the advice Andrew, Clare and Prof. However, I still wish that all blu-rays will be in DTS-Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack. I can really hear the difference.