Audio format loudness differences.

H

Hetfield

Audioholic Samurai
This is gonna sound probably very dumb to the audio engineers our there, Gene I hope is not listening not why are there differences or at least perceived differences in loudness from one format to another.
Let me try to explain. Last night I watched John Wick 3 UHD Blu Ray, at just -30 it was super duper loud and plenty loud for me at least. That was of course lossless sound.
I can watch a Disney+ movie like the avengers or some Netflix show in DD+ and -25 seems to plenty of volume.
Today watching Lethal weapon 2 on HBO Max I have it at -15. DD+ as well.
What causes that? Is it just how I perceive the sound? Shouldn't -30 be the same loudness from any source? Same with -25 or -15?

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 
XEagleDriver

XEagleDriver

Audioholic Chief
Not a silly question at all.
Each format (DVD, BR, stream) and each company (NetFlix, Disney, etc.) have their own recording output settings.

Not unlike when you set your phone or computer up one way and your spouse another way, etc.

A universal standard would be nice from a consumer perspective, but unlikely in the real world.
- Most AVRs allow you to adjust volume offset by input source, but that does not help with company to company variations within a given input source.
Cheers,
XEagleDriver

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
H

Hetfield

Audioholic Samurai
Not a silly question at all.
Each format (DVD, BR, stream) and each company (NetFlix, Disney, etc.) have their own recording output settings.

Not unlike when you set your phone or computer up one way and your spouse another way, etc.

A universal standard would be nice from a consumer perspective, but unlikely in the real world.
- Most AVRs allow you to adjust volume offset by input source, but that does not help with company to comoany variations within a given input source.
Cheers,
XEagleDriver

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Awesome answer, thank you. Now on HBO Max I have on Sherlock Holmes and on -20 it's super loud. The picture quality on HBO Max is pretty awesome I just say. Man this is loud so the lethal weapon example may have been a bad one, old movie I guess, but it still was in DD+ and it's not like it's an ancient movie.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 
ellisr63

ellisr63

Full Audioholic
In the old days...there was a signal in the broadcast which could be used for level adjustments. I wish they would put this in new movies, and then have a setting that you could use that would read it and change uour volume when you selected the movie.

Sent from my SM-G985F using Tapatalk
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I would think you're hearing particular mix/mastering and audio levels involved in the recording rather than it being specific to a given codec (or lossy/lossless). While they're supposed to have somewhat a standard of the THX levels, it varies. There's things like Dolby's dialnorm adjustment.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialnorm
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
The new Blade Runner BD audio is 10 dB too hot compared to many others.
 
H

Hetfield

Audioholic Samurai
The new Blade Runner BD audio is 10 dB too hot compared to many others.
See that's the other variable. it really depends on the actually material or movie and how was mixed or recorded for lack of a better word. Isn't Chris Nolan criticized for his mixes?

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 
D

domicd

Audiophyte
Not a silly question at all.
Each format (DVD, BR, stream) and each company (NetFlix, Disney, etc.) have their own recording output settings.

A universal standard would be nice from a consumer perspective, but unlikely in the real world.
I notice that too. Some dvd movies are slightly lower in volume than others. Even with digital cable movies some of the movies they show are lower in volume than others, for some even lower. For why on earth would they want to preset a volume to lets say only 6 or 8 out of 10? That is ridiculous because it all should be universal at fullest volume possible just before distortion(just before level meter turns red) which should be at 10/10. The volume control should be for each person watching the movie to set it on their own widescreen tv, not preset. Preset volume on a dvd/ movie is not only stupid, its more than stupid. Did they ever wonder for alot of tv sets out there they may have small speakers and a preset level of 6 or 8/ 10 won't be loud enough. WT??
 
Last edited:
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
At the beginning of any movie I set my volume for the DD logo’s presentation to sound right.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
In the old days...there was a signal in the broadcast which could be used for level adjustments. I wish they would put this in new movies, and then have a setting that you could use that would read it and change uour volume when you selected the movie.

Sent from my SM-G985F using Tapatalk
That reference level was for the station's engineers, to make it work with their systems and not sound like peoples' voices weren't being sent through a distortion pedal made for electric guitar, or to make people increase the level and be blown out of the room when the next commercial hit. Now, software is mixed for consumers who will never go near the controls to make sure the levels are correct.

TV shows are still made with this info- I watch one with a chef by the name of Mike Colomeco and at the beginning of most YouTube episodes, the screen shows left/right and Mono levels.
 
H

Hetfield

Audioholic Samurai
Here is an interesting thing in the realm of all this. Youtube, man some YouTube videos are soooooo loud and some you can't hear. Some videos are fine level else when someone is speaking in the video but then the music blows your ears out. I mean it's really crazy what goes on in some of these YouTube videos.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top