"Hell Freezes Over" sounds like hell

[rlightfoot]

After reading such rave reviews about it, I went out and bought the Eagles DTS DVD release "Hell Freezes Over" at Walmart.

Most of the instrumental is quite nice, comparable to My Diana Krall DTS DVD "Live in Paris" and my recent Steely Dan DTS DVD "Two Against Nature".

However, the LFE on Hell Freezes Over is downright AWFUL! Some reviewers have said how the bass is "smooth" and that the mix of this DTS DVD is "unbelievable". Not to me. All I hear is bass drum wih absolutely no definition to the bass. I started thinking the bassist just wasn't playing and it was kind of an "unplugged" session, but then the camera will pan to him and he's playing and I just don't hear him, other than "THUD! THUD! THUD!.

Do you think I got a bum copy? After all, it's Walmart, and I purchased my other music DTS DVDs at Circuit City and on Ebay. It's definitely not my Denon 1802 , RT55i's or Velodyne CHT100.

Whaddya think?

[rlightfoot]

No better. It turns out there is a special DTS labeled jacket and a non-DTS labeled jacket. The 1st clinker was a special DTS-labeled jacket. The 2nd clinker is a non-DTS labeled jacket - I thought maybe that would make a difference.

As it turns out, neither disk played when 2-channel was selected. On both disks, when 2 channel PCM was selected, my DVD froze up, then turned itself off.

The only thing I can think is that they are some Walmart reject DVDs or something. I'm going to return it and try one from Circuit City or Best Buy.

[shack]

As it turns out, neither disk played when 2-channel was selected. On both disks, when 2 channel PCM was selected, my DVD froze up, then turned itself off.

Are you trying to play this DVD on 2 channel audio?

[rlightfoot]

The crappy sound is in DTS mode. I couldn't get either disk to play in 2-channel mode when selected. It kept freezing up.

It's going back tomorrow.

[Hector Monte]

Mine is awesome! I bought it from Costco.

[rskarvan]

I expected more bass boom from the LFE channel too.
Its a good cd... and, mostly sounds good in 5-channel.
But, the bass is lacking.

[Strong Bad]

Mine sounds fine. I bought it way back when it was first released.

No lacking of LFE over here. 2 channel is fine as well as DTS 5.1.

Maybe a bad batch of them got out recently.


John

[scottvamp]

Does anyone have the Don Henley(Inside Job) concert DVD? I rented it a couple times and was blown away with the 5.1 DTS. It sounded amazing. Definately demo material.

[nascarmann]

Mine sounds great! Don't have many DVD's (about 30 now) and is one of my fav's!

KING COBRA

[Frank Z]

Mine sounds fantastic also. Have you calibrated your system with an SPL meter? Any chance your crossover setting is to low? Are you running your mains as "Large" or "Small"?

[Micah Cohen]

Yeah, I don't understand. This is a superb-sounding disc. Better in PCM stereo (IMO) than in multichannel. Crisp, deep, wide, clear. I love it. I hope you figure this one out, cause it's worth the listen.

MC

[rlightfoot]

I have my crossover on the sub set where it always is, at 80mghz. With all the responses saying how terrific the musicality of the disk is (echoed by numerous online reviews), I think I'll try a disk from CC or BB.

Here's the poop on my system:

I'm running RT55is as mains set to large and the Velodyne CHT10 crossed over at 80mghz. Also have a CS 245 and older (but terrific sounding) monitor rj5's for surrounds, all running through a Denon 1802. My DVD is Toshiba 2705.

I've never had problems with disks freezing or locking up. Both Walmart DVDs (both the "Special DTS" labeled Hell Freezes Over and the regular Hell Freezes OVer disk which is playable in DTS) locked up in the same spot in 2 channel PCM, but I'm wondering if the Toshiba needs to be set up for PCM (come to think of it I think it does), so mabe that's the PCM problem.

As for the poor sound quality compared to other music DTS DVDs I own, maybe it's because I'm a bass player, but the bass is so uneven with the LF being thuddy and boomy and undiscernable at the LF and the "upper" lower frequencies providing next to no fullness or depth at all, even though you can hear the bass line, which sounds like a guitar playing at its lower registers.

I'm a newbie w/ respect to SPL calibration. Can you please elaborate briefly Frank Z or anyone?

I'm going to try one more disk. Thanks God for the liberal return policy at Wallymart.

[Frank Z]

I'll give it a shot but one thing I'm not is brief!

First off let me say that I am by no means an expert on this subject but I'll try to help.

The Sound Pressure Level (SPL) from each of your speakers should be as close to identical as possible when heard from your favorite listening position (The Sweet Spot). Inorder to accomplish this you need an SPL meter, I got my analog meter from Radio Shack for about $20-30. The idea is to use your receivers test tones while the meter takes readings at ear level at the sweet spot. I used my camera tripod and made sure that I did not come between the speakers and the meter as I adjusted each one by increasing or decreasing the db level in the setup mode. I know it sounds complicated but it is actually VERY easy to do.

You might want to pick up a copy of the Sound & Vision Magazine Home Theater Tune-up DVD. My cost at Media Play was $20. It contains some really great info on proper setup.

I know that some people may disagree but I think that you should set your Main speakers to SMALL and let your sub handle the majority of the bass. I am using RT800i's up front and have them setup that way. My PSW350 pounds out bass without sounding boomy or dull. After calibrating my system even my wife noticed the difference....and that is COOL!

Along with calibrating you might want to check your distance(delay) settings if you receiver has the capability, so that all of the sound hits your noggin at the same time.

And Finally....Try moving your sub to a different location(s) and see if it makes a noticable differance in the sound quality.

I hope I answered your questions, and If I screwed any of this up I'm sure that someone will chime in and correct me...I promise that my feelings won't be hurt.

Please keep us informed as to the sound quality after you calibrate your system.

BTW you might want to check out WWW.HOMETHEATERFORUM.COM or WWW.AVSFORUM.COM for more (BETTER) info regarding calibration of your system.

[mantis]

I also think that dvd sounds real good.With a properly calibrated system, it should show it off well.I have no troubles with that dvd in the sub regin.
Try the recalibration, It might help out.

[rlightfoot]

I'm somewhat embarrassed. One of my kids was messing with the sub settings. My Velo sub has a phase switch. It had been switched out of phase. Set that was, most bass sounds crappy, though my Steely Dan music DVD was realtively unaffected by the phase irregularity. In addtion, the crossover was nearly off. This would account for more thud than neccessary. Readjusted to crossover at 80, the bass was much more clean, though still not as full as I like, even for upper register bass lines. But the bass drum and bass guitar were very much more discernable.

Bottom line, I'm keeing the 2nd Wallymart Eagles DVD.

Thanks for all the good commments.

[Frank Z]

Glad you figured out the problem. Keep in mind that calibrating your system will make a big difference in they way your system sounds with music and movies. Don't give up on calibrating your system, you will be missing out on a lot of what the audio engineers intended you to hear.

[rlightfoot]

I still plan on doing that, too. thanks.

[Dr. Spec]

rlightfoot:

Glad you got your bass back where it belongs. I have laser beam alarm trips on my HT stuff to keep the kids away from it (kiddin......).

Actually, I have a passcode on the HDTV that prevents the 12 year old from fussing with it when I am away.

I'm not sure I understand your use of the term "mghz" to describe your sub crossover frequency - what were you getting at here?

Spec

[Handyhaver]

Hey,

I feel your pain about the kids messin with "OUR SYSTEMS". When my teenage girls listen to theirs, they turn it up until it starts to distort, then crank it a few turns more. I gave them guide lines for volume settings and they looked at me like I got 3 heads. God forbid the day I come home and they have passed the limit, but what do I have to worry about they are teens and obey every word I say......:supermad: :supermad: :supermad:


AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

[mantis]

That is one of the biggest reasons I want my Powered towers out of my life.:supermad:
My son when he was younger loved to turn the sub level on the back of the right speaker.I would come home, after dinner and I was done for the day, I wanted to sit down and lay down some tunes only to find the sub is off in the right or blowing my face off.
Now hes older and learned not to touch DADDYS STUFF.
BUT......My daughter has discovered the knob shes 4,and she loves to turn it as well.I have spend countless hours and months/years getting these speakers to sound the way I want them 2,then when someone changes the setup,all is just about lost.I know where they need to be set,but damn I'm tired of resetting it.

[Handyhaver]

Mantis,

cherish the pre-teen years. Out of the five kids here (4 of them teens), the 6yr old is the only one my wife & I still like. My oldest just finished her freshman year at college and we are starting to like her again but don't want to rush things. Everybody gets luggage for their 18th birthday but so far my oldest has found her way back home


Mark

[nascarmann]

Everybody gets luggage for their 18th birthday but so far my oldest has found her way back hom

LOL!

[nooshinjohn]

I love this disc on my big Maggies....

[VR3]

The amount of dust that came out this coffin is ridiculous!

[nooshinjohn]

I know...

It's the oldest thread I have found to date. There are a few familiar names in here to boot, so I thought I would throw this one back out there to make them feel REALLY old!

[VR3]

Nah the oldest one is from Micah - goes back to like early 2001... Ive bumped it a few times myself just for giggles