Films/DVD Asylum

• Re: "the loudness of the soundtrack ..." Digital Movie Sound... - Rich H 20:43:55 10/20/01 (1)
  In Reply to: "the loudness of the soundtrack ..." posted by clarkjohnsen on October 18, 2001 at 14:30:43:

  "I respectfully suggest that it's not the loudness, but the digitalness."
  --clark

  Clark,

  I partially agree. Partially because sound levels at movie theaters have unquestionably increased. The decibel levels are absurd these days (and I say this as someone who edits film sound fx for a living).

  However, when the jump was made to digital playback in movie theaters (circa Jurassic Park), I'll never forget how taken aback I was by the harshness of the sound. The sound became colder, harder, more mechanical, and the top end took on a razor blade edge. It just plain hurt (or at least offended) my ears as no movie sound had ever before.

  It was so bad that for quite a while I could barely relate the steely sounding, "hissing" voices coming from the sound system with the human looking people on screen (I'm not kidding, it sometimes to effort to integrate the sound with picture for me).

  I've since experienced fine sounding, smooth, rich digital playback in some movie theaters. But it sure was a sickening switch to begin with.

  Rich H.
  
  

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  • The sound SPL level has probably been raised to make up for the lack of ushers! - Audiophilander 09:03:43 10/21/01 (0)
    In Reply to: Re: "the loudness of the soundtrack ..." Digital Movie Sound... posted by Rich H on October 20, 2001 at 20:43:55:

    Ushers are almost obsolete these days. Understaffed multiplex theaters can't oversee audience behavior in umpteen small cinemas as in days when a theater was just one BIG venue. IMHO, volume has been raised to "overshout" noisey talkers, rowdy kids and crying babies whose parents are too inconsiderate to remove them to the lobby; this reduces the need for overworked theater employees to deal with customer complaints about other customers.

    Otherwise, why would volume also be raised on intimate dramas and comedies as is so frequently done with FX-heavy action films?

    Food for thought.

    AuPh

    
    
    

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• not a chance - late 16:55:17 10/18/01 (0)
  In Reply to: "the loudness of the soundtrack ..." posted by clarkjohnsen on October 18, 2001 at 14:30:43:

  Hi,
  loud is LOUD, and too many times when i got to theater it is LOOUUDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, after they turned it down, it is still not good sound; but digitalwhatsis is not what was causing my pain.
  
  

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• Re: "digitalness" - Bruce from DC 16:26:39 10/18/01 (0)
  In Reply to: "the loudness of the soundtrack ..." posted by clarkjohnsen on October 18, 2001 at 14:30:43:

  Now, if I really wanted to "yell 'fire' in a crowded theatre" I would say, "not the 'digitalness' but the 'horniness'!"

  Someday, I'm going to take my SPL meter into the movies and settle this.

  Undoubtedly, the digitalness has something to do with it.
  
  

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