Why use DRC in Azid???

[dhv]

In all Doom9 guides, and on other sites too, there is suggestion of using parameter "-c normal" in Azid. This is absolutely wrong, this way you ruin dynamic range permanently. This sounds incredibly bad, even on PC speakers, not to mention audio amplifier or AV receiver. If anybody wants to hear compressed dynamics, there is plenty directshow filters that can do that in playback. But don't ruin your audio forever. There is no way to hear original dynamic range, once compressed.

I hope this will be corrected in audio guides, don't use parameter -c in Azid.

[DJ Bobo]

It's not about worse or better, it's about volume. AFAIK, all DVD players (soft or hard) do a normal DRC by default. You can then disable it if you want full DR, say very soft dialogues and very loud explosions, and you can increase it if you want to have a higher more equilibrated volume, which can be very useful for night sessions, or if you have very quite source.

In any cases, I don't see where this should decrease audio quality, it's all about volume.

Normal DRC is a trade between the two, which most people prefer.

[dTb]

Are these directshow filters you mention any good? I'm interested in what they're like because afaik the drc on ac3 audio is done according to flags set by the engineer who mastered the track. This wouldn't be possible afaik on a transcoded mp3/ogg etc.

[dhv]

I know exactly how DRC works. I know that compression is applied by the flags in ac3 stream. But it still sounds awfull. And most hardware DVD players dont use DRC by default, only software players use it .
And yes, there are wery good filters that can do dynamic compression like ReClock. I never use DRC anyway, but I tryed ReClock's compression, and it works fine for listening on small speakers, or at low volume. The point is that if you decode ac3 with DRC, there is no way to hear original dynamics afterwards.
But if anyone wants to use it anyway, that is their choise.

[DJ Bobo]

@ dhv
"normal: Normal dynamic compression. Normal in-store decoders use
this as an hardcoded default"

From the readme of azid ;)

[dhv]

I have read the Azid documentation. It is true that there are some models receivers and players with DRC on (normal) by default, but not all of them. And this function is just an option, it is intended for late night viewing, or on small spekers, that can't handle great dynamic range of movie soundtracks.

Where is the point to argue about DRC? Use it, if you want. This is absolutely of your own choise. I'm just warning people who don't know what it does, that they ruin the sound.

[DSPguru]

Originally posted by dhv
Where is the point to argue about DRC? Use it, if you want. This is absolutely of your own choise. I'm just warning people who don't know what it does, that they ruin the sound. very well :D.