DTS:X is an audio format owned by American company DTS, Inc. and a direct competitor to Dolby’s Atmos. Both are multichannel audio systems used in various applications including in movie theaters, home and audio systems, and electronics.
DTS:X is a 2-dimensional audio technology that uses polar coordinates to determine the distance of audio tracks from a determined point to create immersive sound for the listener/viewer.
In home theater applications DTS:X can be found in select media including on Blu-ray Discs such as DreamWorks’ 4k remaster of The Prince of Egypt (1998) and Universal’s 4k upgrade of 8 Mile (2002).
The DTS:X license is free for audio engineers and can be implemented in 5.1 or 7.1 speaker setups without the addition of height speakers. This is one way in which DTS:X differs from Dolby Atmos which requires additional speakers.
How To Get DTS:X
To hear DTS:X you need to have an audio system that supports it. This means your speaker system, soundbar, and/or AV receiver can all deliver DTS:X. The product box and manual for your device should have the DTS:X logo on it. Note: Most TVs do not have speaker systems that support DTS:X audio although a few select do (see models on Amazon).
If setting up a true home theater system with multiple speakers it’s probably a good idea to start with a receiver that supports DTS:X. Examples of receivers that support DTS-X and Dolby Atmos are the Marantz SR5015, Onkyo TX-SR494, and Pioneer VSX-534, all of which also support Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG High Dynamic Range formats.
Then, if you don’t already have speakers decide on how many you will be setting up and what brand fits your style. Home theater systems typically have at least 5 channels, meaning five speakers, which is represented as 5.1 (the .1 is an optional subwoofer). More speakers can be added to create 7-channel, 9-channel, or even 11-channel layouts.
You can purchase a multi-speaker surround system package like the Klipsch Home Theater 5.2 Bundle that includes a Denon receiver. Or, build your system piece-by-piece by adding speakers along the road (see home theater speakers on Amazon).
Soundbars like the Sony HT-A7000 7.1.2 and the Samsung HW-Q990B/ZA 9.1.2 are fairly easy to set up and feature 7.1.2 and 9.1.2 audio channels. More compact systems such as the single-piece Bose Smart Soundbar 900 and 4-piece Vizio M-Series Elevate 5.1.2 support multi-channel audio but don’t have the same immersive effect as distributed speakers (although the Vizio M-Series does provide height speakers).
