ML Owners: How often do you put it to good use?
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
ML Owners: How often do you put it to good use?
I've had my car for about 6 months now and I've just finally started putting the ML to good use. What I mean is that it's not until now that I listen to DVD audio and boy, what a difference with the ML! All of this time, I've been listening to regular cd's and not even take advantage of the fact that I have the ML system. Now that I have the dvd's with DTS & surround sound, my car is like a concert on wheels.
Any other ML owners have done this also or were you smart enough to take advantage of having ML from day 1?
ps. Can any audiophiles explain to me the difference among DTS, LPCM and Dolby Digital? Some of my dvd's gives me the option among those choices but I don't know what the different setting means.
Any other ML owners have done this also or were you smart enough to take advantage of having ML from day 1?
ps. Can any audiophiles explain to me the difference among DTS, LPCM and Dolby Digital? Some of my dvd's gives me the option among those choices but I don't know what the different setting means.
#3
Lexus Champion
I've only taken advantage of my ML by playing DVD movies. I play movies about 4 days out of the week and I have about a dozen homemade DVDs containing music videos, short movies, and stuff I've created using iMoviesHD or iDVD. I haven't yet used the DVD audio, if you know of the best source for these....if I were to get one or two DVDs for demonstration purposes, what would you recommend?
#5
i've mad ea couple of music video dvds too... where do you get your vid ken? Do you capture to your computer and then burn?
and i've never heard of dvd audio... is it like a cd, only on a dvd? Is sound quality that much better? I've never bought a cd in my life :X
and i've never heard of dvd audio... is it like a cd, only on a dvd? Is sound quality that much better? I've never bought a cd in my life :X
#6
Pole Position
LPCM is an audio format used on regular CDs. On DVDs LCPM audio is used normally used for the sound source in DVD players that can’t decode Dolby Digital or DTS audio or if the stereo outputs of the DVD player is used.
Dolby Digital 5.1 (DD) is a discreet (each channel has its own independent sounds) format that can have up to 6 channels of sound: left front, center, right front, left rear, right rear, and LFE (low frequency effects). Dolby Digital EX format adds an extra rear center channel for 6.1 and 7.1 systems. (The only difference between 6.1 and 7.1 systems is the 7.1 system has two rear speakers. In either system the rear speakers use the same audio channel.)
DTS is also a discreet 5.1 format and is technically better than DD. Most videophiles feel that the DTS sound can has more detail than DD. In turn the DTS soundtrack takes up more space on the DVD and requires different studio mastering equipment. That is the reason some DVDs don’t have a DTS soundtrack available. I personally like DTS better than DD on my home theater system. Like DD EX, DTS ES adds a rear center channel.
In addition DVD-A is similar to Dolby Digital but has more musical detail. This is due to more audio information can be stored on the disk rather than be taken up by the video on a DVD.
DTS also produces audio only disks that are incorrectly labeled as DVD-A sometimes. DTS audio disks uses the same format as used on DTS DVD soundtracks.
I would like someone with ML to confirm that DD and DTS actually play through the ML audio system. Both Dolby and DTS usually require all manufactures that use their formats to place labels on their equipment. So far I have not seen any Dolby or DTS labels in ML equipped 2ISs. Other OEM auto sound manufactures have their own surround sound formats, like Bose and JBL, so they don’t use Dolby or DTS. Mark Levinson is owned by the same company as JBL (Harmon International) so the 2IS could be using JBL's Logic 7 format to do its surround sound.
#7
If you're looking for a decent list of DVD-A and SACD (DTS) try http://www.elusivedisc.com/default.asp and look to the menu bar on the left side, there are complete listings of SACD, DVD-A, etc.
I would like someone with ML to confirm that DD and DTS actually play through the ML audio system. Both Dolby and DTS usually require all manufactures that use their formats to place labels on their equipment. So far I have not seen any Dolby or DTS labels in ML equipped 2ISs. Other OEM auto sound manufactures have their own surround sound formats, like Bose and JBL, so they don’t use Dolby or DTS. Mark Levinson is owned by the same company as JBL (Harmon International) so the 2IS could be using JBL's Logic 7 format to do its surround sound.
Media Compatibility
----------------------
CD, CD-R, DTS 5.1 CD, DVD Video and DVD Audio discs.
Format Compatibility
------------------------
2 channel Stereo (analog and PCM), 2 channel Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, MP3, WMA, and an auxiliary input for mobile audio products. Now you can plug your iPod® or other device directly into the IS audio system.
----------------------
CD, CD-R, DTS 5.1 CD, DVD Video and DVD Audio discs.
Format Compatibility
------------------------
2 channel Stereo (analog and PCM), 2 channel Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, MP3, WMA, and an auxiliary input for mobile audio products. Now you can plug your iPod® or other device directly into the IS audio system.
DTS is also a discreet 5.1 format and is technically better than DD. Most videophiles feel that the DTS sound can has more detail than DD. In turn the DTS soundtrack takes up more space on the DVD and requires different studio mastering equipment. That is the reason some DVDs don’t have a DTS soundtrack available. I personally like DTS better than DD on my home theater system. Like DD EX, DTS ES adds a rear center channel.
Last edited by cpsmith516; 09-22-06 at 08:49 AM.
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#8
DVD-Audio discs sounds better than anything you will ever hear on the ML system.
Here's a good source to buy at a reasonable price:
http://www.dvdempire.com/index.asp?u...ite_media_id=0
Here's a good source to buy at a reasonable price:
http://www.dvdempire.com/index.asp?u...ite_media_id=0
#9
Pole Position
cpsmith516,
Thanks for the update, but I disagree with you on one thing, SACD is not DTS. SACD (Super Audio CD) is a multichannel format developed by Sony. DTS is a format developed by Digital Theater Systems. The Boys-II-Men album you mention is in the DTS format. (I have a DTS sampler disk with a track from the album.)
Again, DTS is commonly confused as DVD-A. DVD-A was developed by Dolby and a few other companies.
You need a SACD player to play them back. I have a Pioneer DVD player that also plays DVD-A and SACD and have several disks of each format. So far Sony has kept tight control on other manufactures that make disk players that can play SACD disks. Sony has not allowed any automotive disk player manufacture to use SACD in a car CD player.
Thanks for the update, but I disagree with you on one thing, SACD is not DTS. SACD (Super Audio CD) is a multichannel format developed by Sony. DTS is a format developed by Digital Theater Systems. The Boys-II-Men album you mention is in the DTS format. (I have a DTS sampler disk with a track from the album.)
Again, DTS is commonly confused as DVD-A. DVD-A was developed by Dolby and a few other companies.
You need a SACD player to play them back. I have a Pioneer DVD player that also plays DVD-A and SACD and have several disks of each format. So far Sony has kept tight control on other manufactures that make disk players that can play SACD disks. Sony has not allowed any automotive disk player manufacture to use SACD in a car CD player.
#10
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (1)
Based on the specs cpsmith posted, it sounds like the Nav/ML system will be able to play mp3 DVDs. Is this right? Has anyone tried? Is there only a specific type of recorded DVD that it would accept with mp3's? (+R, -R... would it accept a DVD-RAM?...)
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
#12
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
Based on the specs cpsmith posted, it sounds like the Nav/ML system will be able to play mp3 DVDs. Is this right? Has anyone tried? Is there only a specific type of recorded DVD that it would accept with mp3's? (+R, -R... would it accept a DVD-RAM?...)
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
#13
#15
Lexus Champion
cmusic/cpsmith, thanks for the info, this sounds like a really interesting aspect of music I've never considered before, may as well make the most use of my equipment; I will use those links.