AC3 sounds "flat"

[dea]

Hey!
I'm testing diffrente programs and methods to get a good sound on my AC3. The audio source is stereo from a capture and since it's music - the sound is critical.

I've tried encoding to Dolby Digital with Soft Encode, and AC3 in Scenarist and also in BeSweet. I get some slight diffrence in the diffrente process, but one thing is common for them all - it sounds flat!

There's no warmth, no functional bass sound or reverb. It just sounds flat and cold.
What can I do to make them sound more like the original mp2 or the wav file wich both comes with a much warmer sound?
I created the wav file when normalizing the mp2 to get the same level on all the files, tried encoding them both though. Think you normalize when encoding to ac3 anyways right?

I've been stucked for almost a month now, and are open for any suggestions!
What options do I have? Should I try the "stereo to surround" thingy, is there a diffrence in the sound there?

Thank you in advance

Regards
Andreas

[Sycho]

try posting a section of each compress the wav with FLAC, with bitrate were you using, did you try a higher one?

[dea]

Don't understand what you wan't me to post.. never heard of FLAC before. Feel free to explain!

I've tried this with diffrente bitrates without any results, can look into it some more if you think this is the key?
Wich program do you recommend for just a pure AC3?

/Andreas

[Sycho]

i encoded mostly music track with besweet 2.0 @ 384kbps sounded great

[dea]

Well.. as mentioned I've tried BeSweet with no satisfaction.
Could you please post your command line for your setup?
I've heard that BeSweet should only be used for "test" only when encoding to AC3 - true or not?

Anyone with more suggestion?

Thanks
/Andreas

[SkyCAM]

I take it you are not trying to upmix. Is the source from CD, recorded from somewhere or preencoded material like mp3?
In any case the AC3 encode shouldn't infect the richness all too much. I have experienced the best results with Soft Encode and some loudness tweaking in advance.

[Sycho]

will dialogue normilzation affect it like that?

[dea]

SkyCam: The source is, as mentioned, from a capture. So I've de-muxed a mpg file to get mp2. From the mp2 I normalize a PCM/wav file for some loudness tweaking, as you call it.
And as mentioned I've also tried to encode the mp2 straight away with the same result though.

I've tried Soft Encode and it does effect the richness. Don't know if you've tested to encode music - can imagine that speech etc. will sound good.

Well.. anyway, my settings (wich I have tried to play a little with) are as following

Bitrate: High, around 448 - 576 | Sample Rate: 48
2/0 LR
Bit stream mode: "Main audio service.." (not sure what this does)
dialog norm.: -6 db (as now) | Audio bandwith: 20.30 kHz
(unchecked "Save frame by Intel..")

Dobly Surround mode: "Not indicated"

As for Compression characteristic under Dynamic range I've tried "None" and "Music: Standard", with same results.


Any idea what I should change?
Can you compress a PCM to obtain a smaller size on the file? If you can - it could be a option.

Thanks
/Andreas