Creative Labs Creative DDTS-100 Decoder

I've been watching this system since Gear.IGN.com's review, where it "performed like a champ". I got one in a TD7700 system and in truth, there are some caveats.

The DDTS-100 is a fairly nice bit of kit, supporting all the key audio formats for 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 surround sound systems. DTS Neo:6 is superb for Dolby PL:2 GameCube and PS2 games, for example. It's got more than enough inputs and outputs for a pile of kit (removing the need for an optical switcher) and the sound quality is, to my ears and on my speakers, very nice.

The only drawbacks are:

1) The balance controls only let you change the volume of groups of speakers: centre, front, side, and back. Obviously no good if you've got to adjust the left to right balance.

2) It defaults to a "quiet mode" which must be switched off with the remote when coming out of standby (although truth be told, it's not too restrictive on the sound)

3) It doesn't do bass redirection. This is where the system takes some of the bass bound for the satellite speakers (which generally don't do bass very well) and send it to the subwoofer (which obviously handles bass nicely). This is essential if you're trying media which doesn't use the .1 channel on a 5.1 system. Otherwise, the subwoofer will be silent for everything but explosions. Not great for music listening.

There's a reason for (3): conveniently all Creative's surround sound speaker systems do bass redirection in the amplifier, so if you pair this with one of those packages, it actually works out okay. Cunning, eh? If that floats your boat, Creative do such packages (available on Amazon). Or you might already have Creative speakers. If not, you may want to steer clear.

This unit is a little gem!! Straight out of the box today and everything hooks up without a glich. I already had a rather cheap set of pc speakers but wanted to hook up the TV, DVD and PS2 without having to wire it all through the PC. The box includes an optical cable (there's the PS2 sorted) and a digital coaxial cable for the DVD. I already have plenty of red/white analogue cables so the tv went straight in on those.

The sound quality is VERY good considering the price you pay. You have the ablilty to change the volume balances of the rear, subwoofer and centre speakers to fit in with your speaker/sitting position. It will generally auto-select the best sound setting based on the feed it is receiving so you don't spend all of your time wondering what's going to sound best. Since my TV is in the analogue (bog standard 2 channel stereo) input the DDTS-100 upmixes the sound to fill all speakers and does a cracking job.

OK, this is what I had to hunt quite hard for before I bought....

IN THE BOX:
DDTS-100, Remote Control, Batteries, Power Supply, Switch box to upmix to 7.1 (on compatible Speakers), Optical Cable & Digital Coaxial Cable.

ON THE BACK OF THE UNIT:
INPUT: 3x Optical, 1x Digital Coaxial, 3x Analogue Stereo
OUTPUT: The same as a 5.1 PC Soundcard (3x Stereo MiniJacks)

Firstly, installation couldn't be easier. You simply plug in all your gear and then use the selector buttons to toggle among them. It is powerful enough to handle everything it's supposed to but designed simply enough to make it easy to use. After my components were installed I was ready to rock. Sound quality was excellent with every source and it ran without a hitch.

The rub is that you need a nice speaker system to really enjoy the DDTS-100. It's not quite lost on cheap speakers, but you won't appreciate the advanced features on an old bum 5.1 rig. In other words, think about the rest of your gear before throwing down for it. Another problem, though "problem" is a little harsh, is that the Logitech Z-680s will still be a preferable choice for many gamers, especially those on limited budgets. The Logitechs, of course, offer only a fraction of what the DDTS-100 does. However, that fraction covers the sweet spot that many gamers need covered: 5.1 sound plus speakers in one affordable package. If you can't live without cutting edge toys and think 5.1 is pass?, then go for the DDTS-100, but for many of us the Logitechs will do the trick.

Conclusion

I love the DDTS-100. It does everything a gaming/home entertainment component should do and it does it very well. It feels a bit cheap, but I will forgive that (to some extent) due to the price, which dropped almost as soon as the thing was released. The DDTS-100 will now be a part of my permanent home collection, but those of you who actually pay for your stuff might want to consider your options, and consider what you really need as opposed to just lusting after the latest surround formats, before investing.

Highly recommended, but with a little reservation