***Official TPM Audio thread (Lasderdisc comparison, Volume probs, charts, etc) (1 Viewer)

[JustinT]

I'm shocked that people find this soundtrack a dissapointment. This is the finest 5.1 mix I have ever heard. The pod race scene and Darth Maul fight scene simply blew me away. I did turn the volume up a little (about 2-3db more than normal), but who cares, that's why I bought an amp with lots of power. I have never heard the LD soundtrack, but comparing the dvd to the LD mix seems a little ridiculous. If the LD is THAT much better than the dvd then it must be an amazing, awe inspiring soundtrack. I am perfectly happy with this dvd, and can't wait to watch it in its entirety (midterms this week).
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My DVD's

 

[Gruson]

"If the LD is THAT much better than the dvd then it must be an amazing, awe inspiring soundtrack"
Yes, it is.
What is funny is that the LD's audio was known as THE REFERENCE disc. Now that the DVD has come out, the LD is "overcooked." Right...
My opinion, I still say the LD is reference and the DVD is inferior. I know that some agree and a lot do not.
However, I have heard that the audio on the region 2 DVD is close to the LD. Has anyone heard the region 2 yet??
-JW

 

[Joe6pack99]

Grunson I agree with you 100 percent the LD was the reference disc and now all of a sudden it is incorrect or wrong lol whatever. All i know is I own both and am happy

 

[Phil Iturralde]

I just bought my DVD @ Best Buy during lunch, and, . . . sitting here, . . . in front of my MCAD/ECAD Workstation within my cubicle, . . . just L@@king @ the Unopened "Star Wars" DVD next to my phone, . . . I can, . . . by it's undeniable aura (force), Really "tell", . . ."feel", . . . it's Just gonna Sound Awesome!!!

"May the Force be With You!"
Phil
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http://www.geocities.com/p_iturra
[Edited last by Phil Iturralde on October 16, 2001 at 04:39 PM]

 

[Shane Martin]

I don't think anyone is saying it sounds bad. It just sounds better on the LD. Both are great. I just prefer the LD mix and I'm not talking about the bass either.
To those of you who say turn it up: I've tried that. It doesn't satisfy me at all. It's not the loudness that satisfies me.

 

[Hubert]

I have to respectfully disagree. The LD was so overblown and overcooked that it's not even funny. Even the slightest sound in the LD makes your subs nearly explode. Sound is not like that. It's just too hot of a mix. It's also completely out of balance. The LD made everything seem as if there was deep bass. That's not how it's supposed to be. You may think the DVD is inferior, but I suspect it's because you've been listening to an LD that's obviously overblown, especially in the bas department.

 

[Scott_MacD]

Gruson : I own the Region 2 release, and will have a look at the Region 1 release shortly. Although I seriously don't expect much difference.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX track on the DVD appeared to be quieter than most of my DVDs, so cranking the amp to a few notches higher than my usual provided pleasing sound. And what a track! Perfect phantom wall imaging throughout, every aspect of the discrete 5.1 palette is used with care and precision with the expected demo scenes performing stunningly. (The Planet Core, Invasion of the Battle Droid army, Podracing, Gungans fighting the droid army, and lightsabers screaming against one another whenever they are lit.) Truly, this is the most dynamic and active soundmix I have heard since Saving Private Ryan DTS, and again Ben Burrt and Gary Rydstrom pull off a completely convincing fantasy world of sound.
When I get my grubby mitts on the R1, I'll post an update.

 

[PatrickM]

I've never heard the LD so I can't compare the DVD to it but I did notice that the mix was a little on the low sound for overall volume. I usually watch DVD's at around -5 to -10db below reference and for SWTPM I watched it at +3 to 4db over reference.
Even though, it was an excellent and clear soundtrack.
Patrick
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My DVD Collection
Patrick The 69th most popular name for boys according to the Social Security Administration.

 

[Shad R]

As I said, Lucas personally was involved in the DVD transfer, so it was his intent. Whether you like it or not, the DVD IS the correct one of the two. I just watched it..WOW!!! It sounded better thean Gladiator, as Gladiator was my previous demo disc for guests Star Wars:TPM has now replaced that one! That pod race...was...uh...HOLY CRAP!I thought it would sound good, but I thought all this was just hype about the sound..but no..it really is the best I've ever heard! Surround sound abound, without sounding gimmicky or fake, and the bass was SHAKING,without being overcooked. Mummy Returns, Shmummy Returns, this one kicks it's butt! There's no way DTS could improve this one much, if only subtly. WOW!

 

[Peter Hollandare]

Shad..
I do agree that the podrace was amazing (and probably the only thing worth demoable for friends), but a movie is more than just effects rumbling arround in the room. It contains speech. Speech coming from the center speaker.
when you are forced to gain up the center more than +5db, the soundmix is imo, "crapiola".
Im very dissapointed on this soundmix.
PS! for those who wonders, i have both region1 as region2 of this disc - they are equal bad.
[Edited last by Peter Hollandare on October 16, 2001 at 08:52 PM]

 

[Youssef]

i am dissapointed in the sound of this dvd. to me it feels like its lacking in a big way. Why couldn't Star Wars sound as dynamic and awesome as the superbit version of "fifth element" in dts sound?

 

[AVspec]

I just finished watching the DVD.
M2C:
I thought the sound was rather good. I calibrated my 6.1 system with the THX Optimode on the disc. I ran the sub hot at 78db, the rest at 75db and that is actually how I watched the DVD, at ref.
The bass was awesome through out the movie! If you have SVS subs you will be grinning from ear to bass shaken ear!
The front center was a tad low for my taste but I usually like to crank the center 2 to 3db higher anyway so that is what I did and it was fine.
The center rears did not seem to kick in much at all but then I am running with the make shift EX setup, but the Optimode seemed to work just fine out of the center rear speakers? Will have to watch this again when I get a new pre/pre with real EX/ES built in.
All in all a great sounding sound track on my system: 6-JBL S36’s (2 for center rear) and 1-S-Center, 2-twin SVS SV20-39CS’s subs. 3-QSC EX800 amps to power the 6 JBL S36’s and one QSC EX1250 that is delivering 600 watts to the twin SVS subs and powers the front center. R945 at a pre/pro and an AudioSource SS-SIX to extract the center rear.
Please note that I do not have the LD so I can not compare, sorry.
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-Mark
**** Digital Vortex ****
The Digital Electronic Site
www.digitalvortex.com

 

[greg_t]

Having just played the disc, I am coming away with mixed feelings. I have never seen or heard the laserdisc, but I did have the Widescreen VHS. I always thought the video quality of the VHS was especially bad, even for VHS. I have been reading some negative comments about the video, but I am very pleased with it. There are a few spots were it is grainy, but overall, I think it is excellent.
On the audio side, I also feel that the center channel is way too low. The bass is fine and the surround usage is good. I just seem to notice times when the track seems to come to life and then is barely noticeable. The lightsaber fight at the end also sounds odd. sometimes it sounds great, then the levels get low again. I think it is a good mix, but it won't be replacing my DTS saving private ryan or U-571. Oh well, maybe one day we'll get the dts version we should have gotten now.

 

[Michael Silla]

This movie's audio simply blew me away. Actually my demo scene for this movie will come from the end fight with Darth Maul, not the Pod race scene so many have mentioned.
It still doesn't beat SPR or Gladiator DTS for audio IMHO though it certainly does well on it's own.
The one thing this film does make me wish for is a better TV. My 27 inch Trinitron seems so very inadequate when this puppy is playing......
Michael.

 

[Lane F.]

Frank_C,
As a fellow owner of both the laserdisc and the dvd - I couldn't agree with you more!

 

[Sean Moon]

Okay, first off...this audio kicks major ass. My sub was smoking at the end. (not really) but with all the complaining of the mix being low, which version does everyone have? The one with French 2.0 or Spanish 2.0? There is the very unlikely possibility that one version had a defect before replication.
Just a wild and crazy idea.
FYI, I have the spanish.
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[Rob Gillespie]

Never a single complaint before and now all of the sudden the LD is crapola! Give Me a break!

Nobody is saying the LD is crap.
And the thoughts on the sound mix being a bit hot have been mentioned before.

 

[RonR]

Just wanted to say I thought the audio and video were top notch, no complaints here.

 

[Lewis Besze]

Finally I got around to watch the DVD.
First of all I used to owned the Japanese LD so I'm quiet familiar with it.Also since the last time I played the LD my set up changed a little bit.I've added anther sub a 15" DIY 5.7 cft box with two passive 15" radiators,driven by a Mackie amp[M-1200] bridged,which can pump out 1200W if needed.The other sub is also 15" with 2 15" PR,in a smaller box[basically it's an Infinity HPS-1000 with a different woofer],also driven by another Mackie M-1200 bridged.As you can see I'm quiet ready for any bass challenge here.
I'm also running a full blown EX/ES set up,with 2 center speakers[below,and above the tv]6 surrounds[including the back surrounds],and of course 2 mains,most speakers are Def Techs.Power is by Parasound mono blocks[3] and the receiver[Denon AVR-3801].
Okay!
This DVD is absolutely rocks!
Yes the LD is louder about 7db overall,not dynamically!And NO the LD won't "destroy" it,in any stretch of the imagination!
On the DVD there is at least 20db dynamic range between the dialog and the loudest effects,which would require 100X more power to reproduce it without compression.So those who accuse the DVD being dynamically "challenged" must have a system that can handle alot more then that.

A word on the bass on the DVD.
The real lowend is there for sure,some of the effects were startling,this disc is easyly matches the Titan A.E. and Toy Story 2,and comes very close to the Haunting DTS.
Oh yeah I don't know what's the problem with the center level to some.On my set up it was loud and clear free from clipping,and distorsion,always inteligable[except when that Jar Jar creature was "speaking"].
The mix all around was just great,I also noticed that the EX speakers were not utilized as much as on some of the other EX titles I have.

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"You Hungarians always disagree"
[Edited last by Lewis Besze on October 17, 2001 at 11:09 AM]

 

[Sean Oneil]

I don't know about the LD because I have never heard it on my own system, but to my ears at least, the low end bass frequencies on the Phantom Menace DVD were some of the deepest -tighest and most well implemented bass frequencies that I have heard on any DVD. Many other mixes are impressive dynamically and in a clynical sense ...but this mix is impressive dynamically, and artistically. Very very well done mix.
If you are equipped with a sub that can reproduce the lowest frequencies, (around 14-25Hz) then you WILL feel the room shake literally hundreds of times over the course of viewing this movie.
It is a sweet mix, and nothing to complain about.
That being said, it may be possible that the LD mix is better ...I can not say for sure, but as far as DVD is concerned this mix should easily make anyones top 5.