The Fifth Element & crackling centre channel

Neil Joseph · 01-14-2002, 05:51 PM

There were a few posts way back about the crackling eminating from the centre channel in certain parts of the Fifth Element as a result of compression and problems with the Dolby Digital soundtrack on that DVD. What I want to know is does the same problem exist on the superbit version?

Jeff · 01-14-2002, 06:22 PM

Yes it's on the Superbit as well. I noticed it on a couple scenes but haven't played the whole movie yet so there could be more. The cymbal crescendo when Leloo jumps off the building still has a slight crackling. I heard some distortion in another scene that was in the original, as well.

Jeff

Colin Chisholm · 01-15-2002, 12:05 AM

If the center channel "distortion" in question is present on both DVD versions of "The Fifth Element" it's not likely to be a compression or Dolby Digital issue. It's most likely distortion on production dialogue tracks that was never fixed. Sound effects should not be heard through the center channel. It's supposed to be used for dialogue only.

I'd be more than happy to eat my words if somebody could give the specific times of the distortion in question on the DVD.

Jeremy Anderson · 01-15-2002, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Sound effects should not be heard through the center channel. It's supposed to be used for dialogue only.

Better tell that to all the sound engineers making these 5.1 soundtracks... 'cause I don't have a single DVD in my collection that has only dialogue in the center channel. The center channel gets 50-70% of the sound during a movie!

Colin Chisholm · 01-15-2002, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Better tell that to all the sound engineers making these 5.1 soundtracks... 'cause I don't have a single DVD in my collection that has only dialogue in the center channel. The center channel gets 50-70% of the sound during a movie!

Just because the system was designed that way doesn't mean that everybody follows those rules. :-)

But you'll find that sound effects that are present in the center channel are relatively limited frequency effects. They shouldn't be much more stressful on your system than, say, Al Pacino yelling at somebody (in a movie, of course).
That's why I'm still doubtful that the distortion is in the source material instead of being generated in some people's systems.

Again, give me an example and I'll gladly eat my words.

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DarrenA · 01-16-2002, 10:38 AM

I have both versions of The Fifth Element, and the scene that always sticks out to me that has distortion in the center channel is when Leeloo jumps off the building. The police officer inside the flying cop car says, "she dove off". On both Fifth Element versions, when he says, "she dove off", you can hear the crackling distortion coming from the center channel.

Adam Barratt · 01-16-2002, 01:47 PM

70% or more of the audio content on most soundtracks I've heard comes from the centre channel. This includes dialogue, foley, music and effects, often extending down to 20Hz or below.

The centre channel is full range, and this is usually fully exploited. Listen to films such as Star Wars: Episode One and Saving Private Ryan (or any other major soundtrack) for obvious full-range centre channel content.

Adam

Carlo Medina · 01-16-2002, 01:57 PM

I have to agree with Adam. I don't recall ever reading that the center channel was for dialogue only.

Michael Reuben · 01-18-2002, 10:03 AM

I've been seeing these reports about crackling in The Fifth Element for a long time, so I know it's not an isolated experience. But I'll be damned if I can hear it. When I watched the superbits version just recently, I had this thread in mind and listened carefully. No crackling. Makes me wonder whether there's something in this particular track that isn't evident on all equipment.

M.

PeteD · 01-18-2002, 03:02 PM

If I remember reading correctly, the Dolby Digital 5.1 spec calls for all 5 speakers to be identical, surrounds and centre included.

3 speakers are necessary to anchor the sound stage evenly across the front of the room, regardless of your proximity to a specific speaker. Dialog is usually routed to the centre channel as that's where the person who's speaking usually is, in frame, on screen. But I don't think it says anywhere that only dialog should be routed there. That's not saying anything about Dolby Pro Logic though. Due to bandwidth limitations I read that only dialog and the smallest of effects should/could be decoded there in DPL land.

I personally can't fathom where i'd put a identical speaker.. I think my TV would fall over if I stuck a PSB 800
on it