THX Re-EQ?
Dear Gary: If a DVD is released in THX, shouldn’t it be played back in THX Re-EQ if the processor has the ability? For example, Fantasia 2000 was reviewed by WSR and it was mentioned that any Re-EQ should be turned off. I’m confused. The disc is THX. Shouldn’t it be Re-EQ’d by THX specs?
PAUL.WILAMOSKI@newline.com
mailto:PAUL.WILAMOSKI@newline.com
Managing Editor and Movie Sound Editor Perry Sun Comments:
When I reviewed the soundtrack for Fantasia 2000, the tonality seemed so well-balanced, when listening at reference level, that applying re-equalization would likely have dulled the top-end a bit too much. I don’t know for sure if this soundtrack was equalized for home theatre playback, though. THX®, within their Digital Mastering program, does allow for applying re-equalization to the original sound mix for home video release, provided that it is approved by the filmmaker(s). The problem, though, is for the end-user, such as yourself, with no way to know if a certain THX Digital Mastering DVD featured a soundtrack with re-equalization. And even if that were known, not all THX controllers offer the capability to defeat Re-EQ™, independent of the other THX post-processes.
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