AURO-3D & DTS-X Experiences...Anyone have one?

[DLAW]

I am curious how both these 3D audio codecs sound in a 11.1 set up and what I mean is 7 base channels, 4 height channels and however many subs you want or need...lol. I know that Denon/Marantz are the only economical players for Auro-3D and only the 10.1 was mostly supported.  Only the new 13 channel processor Marantz AV 8805 and 13 channel receiver Denon X8500 will support 13.1  for Auro with a free firmware update. I currently have the Marantz AV7702 MKOne so it only supports Atmos and Auro-3D (with a $200 upgrade fee) and I have the traditional 11.2 set up (7.1 with front and rear heights speakers instead of in-ceiling speakers). I read somewhere that DTS-X does better with height channels vs in-ceiling speakers than Atmos. What are other peoples experience with DTS-X using 11.1 set up or even 9.1? FYI...I know technically I should be saying 7.1.4 or 5.1.4 but I assumed that everyone on here understands but if needed I will use that designation instead...lol. Also anyone have experience with Auro 3-D be it 10.1 or higher? 

[moovtune]

I have the same setup as you, front and rear heights in 11.2 from a Marantz 8802A. It's my opinion that from the sweet spot, having heights as opposed to in-ceiling makes little difference. If in-ceiling are placed where suggested by Dolby, from the sweet spot the sound reaching your ears will basically sound the same as they would from height speakers. Also, the film makers are not utilizing the technology to its maximum capability anyway. The sound guys and mixers are not given the time nor money to build a proper Atmos mix in the majority of mixes.
After utilizing the 8802a for about a year now, I've decided my favorite setting for listening to 2-channel music is Auro 2D Surround (which expands to a subtle 7.2, no heights) and for 5.1 music I use Auro 3D Surround (which expands to 9.2, no back speakers). For Atmos or THD movies I use Atmos or Dolby Surround, for DTSX movies I use DTSX or DTS movies I use DTS + Neural upmix. For mono movies I use Auro 2D surround.

[Gary Cook]

I have only watched a few movies with DTS-X soundtrack, one of the Fast & Furious's (6 I think), Independence Day (the original), Jason Bourne (the one with Julia Styles) and Ex Machina. So not a big sample size but they were really good sounding movies, whether that's just the sound track itself or the fact that it was in DTS-X I can't say. Jason Bourne really benefited from the DTS-X advantage of being able to adjust the dialogue (not the centre speaker).

Auromatic really makes some music, especially multi channel SACD's sound really cool, worthwhile trying it. Especially any of the Pink Floyd SACD's.

The above was mostly listened to in a 5.1.2 set up, standard Atmos layout, just with the 2 ceiling speakers along the room not across it. Each of the ceiling speakers has 2 coaxial drivers, so it's wired up as if it was 5.1.4, but the layout is 5.1.2.

Cheers
Gary

[moovtune]

The newest edition of Widescreen Review magazine has an interesting reply to a reader's question concerning Atmos and DTS-X releases on blu-ray. Here is a bit of contributor Doug Blackburn's reply to the reader. I recommend picking up the issue to read the whole reply, which I personally agree with.

"I wouldn’t worry about it much. If you have been following my reviews of hardware and movies supporting Immersive Sound and Editor Gary Reber’s reviews of movies with Immersive Sound soundtracks, you already know that most of them are pretty pathetic. And Dolby Atmos so far seems to be leading the pack of low-quality Immersive Sound soundtracks. Studios are loathe to spend any money creating a “real” Immersive Sound soundtrack, so movies with Dolby Atmos soundtracks can sound like the original 5.1 or 7.1 mix was run through Dolby Surround, then encoded as Dolby Atmos or spot effects added with ZERO human oversight over what is in the height channels. As a result, the height channels are horrible, literally, on 90 percent or more of the UHD we’ve reviewed that get 3 or 2 or 1 for the IS rating and understand that these are truly terrible examples of Immersive Sound soundtracks that will really annoy you if you have spent a lot of money on a system, including installing height loudspeakers, only to get the pathetic attempts we have been getting so far."

[DLAW]

Thanks Gary and Moovtune for your experiences. Sounds like I am not missing much not having the DTS-X decoder or Auro 3D. Seems like most movies are using Atmos vs DTS-X. I know in the past DTS Master Audio was king in blu ray disc vs Dolby TruHD. Based on the article Moovtune's provided seems like the 3D audio was not implemented as first advertised and sold. It always comes down to cost in the end...not what is best. What are ur favorite Atmos demo titles? Do any of you own Gravity in Atmos? What are some good movies in DTS-X that would make me want to upgrade and get a new processor?

[Gary Cook]

Movies with DTS-X sound tracks already released (may not be complete);

3:10 to Yuma UHD
Adventurers, The
American Made
American Made UHD
American Ultra
Apollo 13 UHD
Atomic Blonde
Atomic Blonde UHD
Battleship UHD
Big Short, The
Bluebeard
Bourne Identity, The UHD
Bourne Legacy, The UHD
Bourne Supremacy, The UHD
Bourne Ultimatum, The UHD
Brotherhood of Blades II
Crimson Peak
Daddy’s Home
Daddy’s Home UHD
Despicable Me UHD
Despicable Me 2 UHD
Despicable Me 3
Despicable Me 3 UHD
Divergent UHD
Dracula Untold UHD
Dreamgirls
E.T. UHD
Ex Machina
Ex Machina UHD
Fast & Furious 6 UHD
Fate of the Furious, The
Fate of the Furious, The UHD
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades Darker UHD
Fifty Shades Freed
Fifty Shades Freed UHD
Fifty Shades of Grey UHD
Furious 7 UHD
Get Out UHD
Girl on the Train, The
Girl on the Train UHD, The
Gladiator UHD
God of War
Gods of Egypt 3D
Gods of Egypt 2D
Gods of Egypt UHD
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone UHD
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets UHD
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban UHD
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire UHD
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix UHD
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince UHD
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 UHD
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 UHD
How the Grinch Stole Christmas UHD
Huntman’s: Winter War, The
Huntman’s: Winter War, The UHD
Incredible Hulk, The UHD
Independence Day UHD
Ip Man 3
Jason Bourne
Jason Bourne UHD
Jurassic Park UHD
Jurassic Park: The Lost World UHD
Jurassic Park III UHD
Jurassic World UHD
King Kong UHD
Kung Fu Yoga
Last Witch Hunter, The
Last Witch Hunter, The UHD
London Has Fallen
Lone Survivor UHD
Mamma Mia! UHD
Mummy Ultimate Trilogy UHD
Nerve
Once Upon a Time
Patriots Day
Patriots Day UHD
Phantom Thread
Phantom Thread UHD
Pitch Perfect UHD
Pitch Perfect 2 UHD
Pitch Perfect 3
Pitch Perfect 3 UHD
Purge, The UHD
Purge, The : Anarchy UHD
Purge, The : Election Year UHD
Reset
Serenity UHD
Snow White & The Huntsman UHD
Straight Outta Compton UHD
Van Helsing UHD
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Wolf Warrior 2
Zoolander 2


Cheers
Gary

[ddog]

Man Gary, that's a nice list you have compiled there. I have darn near most of those and didn't realize they were all DTSX.

To the OP... out of all of those and there's some good one too, my personal favorite regarding sound effects/immersiveness of DTSX it would be Serenity in 4k. The movie is ok but the sound is awesome.

I run an Anthem 60 driving EMO amps utilizing a 7.4.4 setup. I listen to everything in the HT in surround. The Anthem does a great job with Dolby Atmos and DTSX. If those sound fields aren't available it'll pass them through Dolby Surround, DTSX-N or Anthem Logic at 7.4.4 and you won't even notice that it's not Atmos or DTSX.

I say if you can swing it definitely upgrade.

[DLAW]

Well I finally made the jump to DTS-X and Auro 3D. I was able to find a deal online along with a local option and picked up a Denon x4400H and a Marantz AV7702mkii. I do not have much material to try yet since I only own Atmos titles but what I have noticed is on the Denon it can not do Atmos in 5.1 and is downgraded to Dolby TrueHD or Dolby Digital+ with netflix but the Marantz AV7702 and AV 7702 Mkii allow Atmos without selecting height channels. Also DTS-X works without having height channels and does not downgrade to DTS Master Audio. The reason I wanted Atmos in 5.1 because for my living room and I was able to hear a difference between the mixes when I used the Marantz.