DVD Soundtracks
Dear Gary:
You have repeatedly advocated for DVD soundtracks to be mixed specifically for the home theatre. I recently bought a receiver with THX® Cinema decoding. After I started using that mode to watch movies, I wondered how would I know when to use it? Well, I finally watched a DVD that told me the soundtrack was mixed for home use. Do all DVDs that follow your recommendation let us know to turn off the re-equalization? I really don’t want to stop my movies and change settings, after I start watching the movie and get caught up in it
William Fouste, Beaverton Oregon
Editor-In-Chief and Publisher Gary Reber Comments:
Originally, when LaserDiscs were first introduced, namely Jim Fosgate, followed by the creators of the Home THX recommendation, recognized the need for a “re-equalization” filter to compensate for the heightened high-frequency emphasis heard on movie soundtracks mixed and equalized on the theatrical dubbing stage and played back in the small room, near field environment of the home. Since and throughout the DVD format’s history, so-called “re-eq” was desirable to more accurately recreate the timbre of a movie soundtrack played back in the home. During recent years several of the A films have had their sound element stems remixed in a near-field playback home theatre setup with identical direct radiator “full-range” loudspeakers. These soundtracks are created with the proper high-frequency equalization and do not require engaging “re-eq” in home playback. Unfortunately, the studios have done a terrible job of informing the consumer when such soundtracks do not require “re-eq.” New Line has been the strongest advocate for re-mixing the soundtracks on their “A” titles, and the re-mixing work performed by Mi Casa Multimedia for New Line has consistently merited our top sound quality scores. But until every studio credits such on their packaged art, I’m afraid that consumers have no choice but to determine for themselves if the soundtrack sounds better with “re-eq” on or off.
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