The Kids Are Alright??? (1 Viewer)

[Aaron Reynolds]

Lots of questions answered there: some footage not used because it was awful, some because it's going to be released separately, no discrete Keith feed because there was too much bleed-through (which makes total sense).

A good read.

 

[Jeffrey]

Aaron,
I conducted that interview and I thank you for your kind comment..
For those interested in my accompanying review:
http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/sho...w.php3?ID=5213
Long live rock,
Jeffrey

 

[Steven_M Grimes]

Well, for the record "A Quick One" cropped vertically on the new disc. It doesn't ruin it for me, but it's going to be noticable for the next couple of viewings.

Not to second-guess anyone, but might not a better solution have been to window-box the performance? That is, zoom in to eliminate the flashing lights, but only until the frame was filled vertically. There would have been black bars on the sides, but there would be no cropping and I'm guessing the graininess would have been lessened.

Aside from that quibble, the rest of the disc rocks.

Steve

 

[TonyD]

colin ask john to post himself here. he hasn't done that since january.

 

[Eric_AP]

I did an on-the-fly comparison of both DD 5.1 and DTS on several parts of The Kids Are Alright (I can just press "audio sel" on my DVD remote and fly through all the possible soundtracks on the DVD while it is playing). The parts I tested were "A Quick One" and "Baba O'Reilly". (Didn't have time for more testing,as my wife and I sat down to watch the whole thing).

In general, the DTS track on DVDs is usually the best (in the opinion of most people). However, with TKAA I'm not so sure.

They both sound fantastic mind you, but I may have heard slightly better surround imaging and better bottom-end with the DD 5.1 track. However, it may have been an illusion due to an apparent difference in recording levels of the two tracks.

What was odd was that the DD 5.1 track seemed to be louder at the same volume level on my receiver than DTS. Usually the DTS track is louder. In fact, DTS generally is by definition, 4 db louder than DD 5.1 on most DVDs, when a DVD has both tracks.

In the case of TKAA, I think (but I'm not sure) that the DTS soundtrack was attenuated by 2 or 4 db when placed on the DVD to try to equate it with the DD 5.1 soundtrack. However, my receiver automatically attenuates DTS soundtracks by 4 db (which a lot of THX Select/Ultra receivers do automatically -- in light of the usual difference between DTS and DD 5.1
recording levels).

So perhaps there was an additonal 4 db of attenuation (due to my receiver) on top of the attenuation in the creation of the soundtrack? This would account for the DD 5.1 track being louder than the DTS track.

Or, perhaps it was my imagination and the DD 5.1 track is just more expansive and better imaging, which made it sound louder than the DTS track?

I also noticed however, that the DD 5.1 track read as "dialog normalization + 4" on my receiver. The "+ 4" indicates that this was recorded 4 db higher
than the standard DD 5.1 track -- however this is compensated for internally by the DD 5.1 decoder when the "dialog norm" function is engaged (and it
can't be disengaged on my receiver).

So it could be a combination of the Dialog normalization level of the DD 5.1 track and some attenuation on the DTS track by the sound engineers.

Does anyone know? Was there any attenuation on the DTS track below a normal DTS level?

Does anyone have an opinion on which track (DD 5.1 or DTS) sounds better to their ears on TKAA as far as overall sound quality? Or do they sound the same to most people?

I like both -- but I'm leaning towards DD 5.1 on TKAA.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I also preferred the DD track. From my review:

"Though the pair didn’t seem radically different, I thought the DD version came across as airier and more direct. The DTS edition was a little muddy and lacked the same level of delineation. In addition, the DD track presented somewhat stronger bass response. Midrange dominated the DTS mix a little too heavily, and it lacked the same level of punch. The DTS version didn’t sound bad, but I felt the Dolby track presented the more satisfying track."

 

[Eric_AP]

Colin:

Did you notice the level difference between the DTS and Dolby 5.1 tracks too?

I found it odd that the DTS seemed to be recorded at a lower level than the DD 5.1 track. Usually the DTS track is louder on any DVD.

 

[Brian Gaddis]

This disc sounds great, but why was all that great full frame footage chopped down to 1.85 (or 1.78)? :frowning:

 

[Eric_AP]

That's the way it was shown theatrically -- so it is the original aspect ratio of the film as done in the theaters.

A Quick One was blown up to get rid of the flashing lights. The rest of the stuff you don't lose anything you didnt' already lose when the film was done originally.

You also gained stuff on the left and right, and lost a little vertically on some of the old footage.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Previous video releases actually panned and scanned the television clips that were reformatted for the theatrical release, so there was even more cropping on the existing 4:3 masters. I would have loved windowboxed clips from original sources if they were available, but oh well.

Regards,

 

[Derek Miner]

Having seen the full version of this now, I can't fathom ever cutting the majority of "A Quick One While He's Away" and the story from Townshend that leads into it. Knowing how that one piece developed, I have to imagine that sent Townshend in the direction of "Tommy."