The quality of movie soundtracks has certainly improved!

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Over the last three to four years, I have watched and listened with great pleasure at the improvement of not only the production of soundtracks, but of their reproduction in my hometheater. No longer can the argument be made that movie soundtrack are just a low fidelity digital experience. Unlike the audio only community there are standards in place for both the production and reproduction of movie soundtracks. There are alignment standards in every part of the manufacturing process(cause that what movie soundtracks are, a manufactured process), and just about every studio on this planet adheres to them. The music scores are in most cases are recorded in 24/96khz, using fewer microphones of higher quality, and mixer boards are becoming so quiet that microphone pre-amp noise can often be heard through them.

The overall production of soundtracks has increased in quality to the point where we no longer hear, ADR punch in's, large differences in dialog EQ, over compression, inconsistant compression amoung soundtrack elements, flat uninvolving music scores, overly harsh mixes, and many other prologic and early 5.1 problems.
We are now hearing amazing coherency in the soundfield, for the most part dialog well integrated in the overall mix(this could still stand more work). What has amazed me the most is the quality of the film scores. You are now hearing natural concert hall ambience, imaging so specific that individual instruments placement can be pointed out, overall natural instrument timbre coming out, deep, wide and high imaging, and have the ability(if your system has the resolution) to hear the deep layering of the different sources in the mix. Many film scores are beginning to sound as good as a 5.1 SACD mix, or a high quality 5.1 24/96khz DVD-A mix.

While I am appreciating the quality of the mixes, I am also accutely aware they are being conveyed by lossy coding systems. That is why I am anxiously awaiting bit for bit audio via BluRay and HD-DVD, and being delivered by way of DD and Dts HD.

Have you noticed(beyond the bombs, guns, car crashes, and dino roars) that the quality of soundtracks have improved to your ears? Comments welcome.

[kexodusc]

I think you're right Sir T...I'm no authority on the subject, but in my own humble opinion, I'd swear that even your average run of the mill Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack today is a good step on those from years past. Case in point, the last few Star Wars or LOTR soundtracks...I've heard DTS tracks that weren't as well executed as these. And the DTS track on the Kill Bill DVD's is killer in some parts... I know, not your typical special effects reference DVD, but there's some scenes that sound unbelievably "there" to me.

I'm glad that the industry seems to have moved towards higher standards as we begin taking home theater to the next level (whatever format that may be).

Now if the corporate powers of the world would just follow suit...

[EdwardGein]

I for one would rather watch a movie on DVD at my home on my home theater system then spend $20 plus dollars and the hassle of going to a movie theater. In my opinion the people who say you're missing the experience of seeing it in a theater are full of it. Between having to get off my butt to get to the theater, waiting on line, be charged astromical prices for tickets, oversized popcorn & soda, being barraged by "special concession deals", sitting through commercials & too loud previews, having people go by me when I'm sitting down, babys crying, fights breaking out, cel phones, public rest rooms, etc., no I don't miss the experience. The sound on my Home Theater system sounds just as good as that in the movie theater & the picture on either my 48" or 34" widescreen HDTV players are just as good. And we're talking regular DVD's not HD DVD's. I think most movies with a normal budget today are filmed and recorded so there will be decent quality 5.1 sound The only thing the technology hasn't impressed me though is dialogue, as voices don't seem to be firing on all 5 cylanders especially in non action movies. I'd recommend for anyone who wants to try out a 5.1 system to rent, "Master & Commander" which is spectacular & also is a good movie besides unlike some Crap like Blade 2 which sounds great but is a C movie. One other thing I'd recommend is, if you are having trouble hearing dialogue on an action movie like "Master & Commander" you should either readjust some of your settings or get a more powerful center speaker which is where most of the dialogue seems to come from.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

if you are having trouble hearing dialogue on an action movie like "Master & Commander" you should either readjust some of your settings or get a more powerful center speaker which is where most of the dialogue seems to come from.

Or you could get it off the television set which creates boundary reinforcement effects, and set it on a stand vertically, not horizontally like most centers are oriented. You could reposition you center so it is not exciting a mode, or sitting in a node. You could get an identical center to your left/right mains and never have to worry about intelligibility. So many possiblilities.

I have never experienced the dialog problems that others seem to have. I wonder why? Really......

[kexodusc]

Or you could get it off the television set which creates boundary reinforcement effects, and set it on a stand vertically, not horizontally like most centers are oriented. You could reposition you center so it is not exciting a mode, or sitting in a node. You could get an identical center to your left/right mains and never have to worry about intelligibility. So many possiblilities.

I have never experienced the dialog problems that others seem to have. I wonder why? Really......

You're right about the MTM center channel design suffering from baffle step rise when mounted on the television set. Some manufacturers compensate for this, but if they don't explicitly state they do, safe to assume they don't. If you notice a rise around 400-800 Hz, you know where it's coming from.

Turning an MTM sideways is a good idea, but only, and I stress only, if you can mount it such that the tweeter is close to ear level...give or take a few degrees off axis...beyond that and you're probably no better off.

When I get a projector/screen combo, a vertical MTM is most likely going to be my new center channel.

[EdwardGein]

Or you could get it off the television set which creates boundary reinforcement effects, and set it on a stand vertically, not horizontally like most centers are oriented. You could reposition you center so it is not exciting a mode, or sitting in a node. You could get an identical center to your left/right mains and never have to worry about intelligibility. So many possiblilities. I have never experienced the dialog problems that others seem to have. I wonder why? Really......

That's actually a good idea using the TV sound from the TV speakers, never occurred to me, I don't know why. Do you actually have TV speaker sound on along with 5.1 sound from your receiver when watching all DVD's or just for some of them. I may try this out.

The only time I ever had problems with dialogue sound was due to: 1. Not having at the time a very good DVD player like my Harmon Kardon 31 and/or problems with how I set my receiver & DVD player up that went away after I made adjustments. One thing I don't agree with that some people with Orb Audio speakers do, commenting as an Orb Mod 1 owner myself, is feel the need to double up on the center speaker.

[anamorphic96]

That's actually a good idea using the TV sound from the TV speakers, never occurred to me, I don't know why. Do you actually have TV speaker sound on along with 5.1 sound from your receiver when watching all DVD's or just for some of them. I may try this out.

The only time I ever had problems with dialogue sound was due to: 1. Not having at the time a very good DVD player like my Harmon Kardon 31 and/or problems with how I set my receiver & DVD player up that went away after I made adjustments. One thing I don't agree with that some people with Orb Audio speakers do, commenting as an Orb Mod 1 owner myself, is feel the need to double up on the center speaker.

Ed,

He does not mean that. He means positioning the center channel in a vertical manner and in front of the TV. Horizontal placed center channels have alot of the issues that Sir T mentioned. When watching films in a commercial or studio type theatre the stage speakers are identical and placed in a vertical manner across the screen.

Using your TV for center channel sound would be a serious backwards step in sound quality.