Ronald Volkman
Agent
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2002
- Messages
- 29
I knew there was a difference in the LFE tracks on the LOTR-EE disk. As listeners have pointed out, the DTS track is at a slightly lower level than the DD track, about 2-3db. But in at least one spot in the caves where there is really deep bass (~18hz), it seemed that the chair-shaking echos were even lower yet. I set up a PC running SpectraPlus and took some readings to see if I could actually measure it. The scene is in chapter 29, about 1hr55min into the film. The bucket has fallen down the well, and shortly after that they hear the distant footsteps of the cave troll along with a series of big bass drum hits. The original DVD looked like this:
Original DVD - Cave Troll Steps
For all these tests, my receiver was set at 12db below reference. The levels on the chart are only relative levels. You can see by the cursor that the footsteps are about 29hz at -7.5db.
In this next picture I've highlighted the reverberation that echos through the caves:
Original DVD - Cave Reverb
You can see that the echo is deep at 18.9hz, and at a level of -9.9db, only a little less than the steps that caused the echo. I can usually feel it in the back of my chair.
Now, here's the same scene from the DD track of the LOTR-EE DVD:
Extended DVD - Cave Troll Steps - EE-DD
You can see that the level of the steps is -7.2 db, just about the same as the original DVD. But the echos are not the same:
Extended DVD - Cave Reverb - EE-DD
Now the 18hz echos are -13.8db, or almost 4 db lower. The rumble of the echos is noticably less in my listening seat. I noticed this because the original LOTR DVD has always had some remarkably deep bass sounds. I also ran this chart several times just to make sure of what I was seeing.
For comparison, here are the DTS pictures:
Extended DVD - Cave Troll Steps - EE-DTS
As most people have noticed, the DTS LFE track is -10.2db, or about 3db lower than the DD. But we can also see the same pattern on the echos:
Extended DVD - Cave Reverb - EE-DTS
The echos are at -17.7db, or about 4db lower than the EE-DD track, and almost 8db(!) lower than the original DVD DD track.
It almost seems like they put the tracks through an additional rumble filter. Too many complaints about overdriven subs, perhaps? Anyway, it's a minor thing, and at the end of it all, just enjoy the film, right?
Ron
Original DVD - Cave Troll Steps
For all these tests, my receiver was set at 12db below reference. The levels on the chart are only relative levels. You can see by the cursor that the footsteps are about 29hz at -7.5db.
In this next picture I've highlighted the reverberation that echos through the caves:
Original DVD - Cave Reverb
You can see that the echo is deep at 18.9hz, and at a level of -9.9db, only a little less than the steps that caused the echo. I can usually feel it in the back of my chair.
Now, here's the same scene from the DD track of the LOTR-EE DVD:
Extended DVD - Cave Troll Steps - EE-DD
You can see that the level of the steps is -7.2 db, just about the same as the original DVD. But the echos are not the same:
Extended DVD - Cave Reverb - EE-DD
Now the 18hz echos are -13.8db, or almost 4 db lower. The rumble of the echos is noticably less in my listening seat. I noticed this because the original LOTR DVD has always had some remarkably deep bass sounds. I also ran this chart several times just to make sure of what I was seeing.
For comparison, here are the DTS pictures:
Extended DVD - Cave Troll Steps - EE-DTS
As most people have noticed, the DTS LFE track is -10.2db, or about 3db lower than the DD. But we can also see the same pattern on the echos:
Extended DVD - Cave Reverb - EE-DTS
The echos are at -17.7db, or about 4db lower than the EE-DD track, and almost 8db(!) lower than the original DVD DD track.
It almost seems like they put the tracks through an additional rumble filter. Too many complaints about overdriven subs, perhaps? Anyway, it's a minor thing, and at the end of it all, just enjoy the film, right?
Ron
