Why does every Star Wars movie or series have such compressed volume??? (1 Viewer)

[KevinW]

It doesn’t matter if it’s dvd, Blu-ray, or streaming from Disney Plus, it seems so compressed. I always have to check and make sure Audyssey Dynamic volume isn’t on, which it usually isn’t.
Come on Disney, get this right!!!
Other movies from different studios will BLOW it away!!!

 

[John Sparks]

That’s my one complaint in my mini Disney 3D reviews.

 

[John Dirk]

Well, to get technical, I don't think the problem is compression but rather mastering volume. I've never understood why certain titles are created this way either and find it equally annoying.

 

[JohnRice]

Well, to get technical, I don't think the problem is compression but rather mastering volume. I've never understood why certain titles are created this way either and find it equally annoying.

Do you mean the problem is just that the volume is low?

 

[John Dirk]

Do you mean the problem is just that the volume is low?

I'll let the OP answer but that's the way I interpreted it.

 

[JohnRice]

I'm kind of at a loss, because I constantly see people complaining about movies being too dynamic, and then complaints about them being compressed. Both can't be true. If a lower mastering level is interpreted as being compressed, that might explain some of it.

I do find people get a little obsessed over the playback level needed for different movies and sources. The idea that the same volume setting should equal the same "loudness" with everythying from every source just isn't reality. I just adjust the volume until it's as loud as I want it, and it varies.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I'm kind of at a loss, because I constantly see people complaining about movies being too dynamic, and then complaints about them being compressed. Both can't be true. If a lower mastering level is interpreted as being compressed, that might explain some of it.

I do find people get a little obsessed over the playback level needed for different movies and sources. The idea that the same volume setting should equal the same "loudness" with everythying from every source just isn't reality. I just adjust the volume until it's as loud as I want it, and it varies.

It appears to me that the OP is trying to apply a Steve Hoffman Forum-style Loudness War argument to Star Wars and home video in general. This doesn't make sense though as technically the Disney+ streams are LESS compressed than your average dvd presentation (although obviously the DTS-HD MA tracks on the old blu rays and the more recent 4k truehds have the highest bitrate).

 

[Patrick Hannon]

I have noticed that all of the recent Disney movies with Dolby Atmos have been employing Dialog Normalization. The overall volume is down by 4dB, thus sounding less robust than nearly all other Atmos movies that have long since dropped that "option". When TrueHD first started up Dialog Normalization was used for many releases........Paramount kept it up longer than most.......then everybody seemed to drop it. I believe most Dolby Digital on old DVD and Blu ray releases had Dialog Normalization enabled and were 4dB softer than the DTS soundtracks. If there happens to be any dynamic range compression done as well, this will make it even more lackluster..... As far as I know, only Disney uses Dialog Normalization on new releases with only a couple exceptions. I believe The Incredibles 2 may not have it enabled...... The recent release of Free Guy from CBS/FOX through Disney also shows Dialog Normalization enabled so needs the 4 dB boost to have the same volume level as "normal" soundtrack......

Just a thought, but those are my observations of the Disney releases...not sure if that answers the original question.

Cheers,
phannon