DVDs with a Hot Mix

[mpompey]

I was trying to explain to a co-worker how sometimes DVDs come out with a mix completely different then the theatrical release. I mean, way different! We started talking about hot mixes, where the levels are just too high. I thought of LOTR: Fellowship, and Underworld as two films where the low frequency was insanely high.

I know these can't be the only two, are there others out there that haven't made my collection?

 

[j_garcia]

Fellowship was only the theatrical release; the EE (at least the DTS-ES version) isn't mixed so hot. I didn't think Underworld was mixed hot, because it sounded quite the same in our local theater, and it doesn't seem to have any more bass than any other movie?

The obvious one would be War of the Worlds. Now that has a lot of LFE.

 

[GlocksRock]

War Of The Worlds seemed kinda hot.

 

[mpompey]

Maybe I should have mentioned the Dolby Digital Version of Fellowship and Underworld. When watching Fellowship I have to turn my volume down by 10db from reference (70 db in my theater). Same thing with Underworld.

 

[j_garcia]

I only have the unrated version of Underworld. I believe there is only a DD mix on both the theatrical release and the unrated; DTS is only available on the Superbit, IIRC.

The DD version on the theatrical release of Fellowship is not the same as the one on the EE. It was noted that the DD on the theatrical release was hot on the LFE track. I sold the theatrical versions and only have the EEs now, so I can't compare, but I do remember noticing the difference myself also.

If you can find it, The Haunting dts-ES is pretty darn hot - scared me the first time. Titan:AE also has a ton of low stuff; I had to turn this one down.

 

[BGLeduc]

I don't know if the entire mix is any louder than any other, but I would put "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" up against anything else I have tried for overall bass intensity.

This is the only title that comes close to pegging the level meter of my BFD....and that's a GOOD THING!

Brian

 

[Leprkon]

U-571, anybody ?

 

[doomguardian]

What's LFE, EE, DD? Hot mix?

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

What's LFE, EE, DD? Hot mix?

LFE = Low Frequency Effect. What the subwoofer puts out.

EE = Edge Enhancement or (more likely in this case) Extended Edition. The 4 disk Lord Of The Rings.

DD = Dolby Digital. the standard audio format of DVD.

Hot Mix = Something that is too loud. Movies are supposed to have a uniform volume level (all quiet dialog should be approximately XXDbs), but the "loudness war" has moved from CD to DVD and many DVD producers are making DVDs that are far louder than they should be (some are louder with everything, some just have too much LFE) because most uninformed consumers hear 'louder' and think 'better'.

 

[KeithT]

River Wild 1509kbps dts version

The rapids (ch13) are way hot, very loud in the 40hz range. had to turn the gain down a notch or two

 

[doomguardian]

LFE = Low Frequency Effect. What the subwoofer puts out.

EE = Edge Enhancement or (more likely in this case) Extended Edition. The 4 disk Lord Of The Rings.

DD = Dolby Digital. the standard audio format of DVD.

Hot Mix = Something that is too loud. Movies are supposed to have a uniform volume level (all quiet dialog should be approximately XXDbs), but the "loudness war" has moved from CD to DVD and many DVD producers are making DVDs that are far louder than they should be (some are louder with everything, some just have too much LFE) because most uninformed consumers hear 'louder' and think 'better'.

Thanks.

I hate Dolby Digital.

 

[The Chukker]

The DD version on the theatrical release of Fellowship is not the same as the one on the EE. It was noted that the DD on the theatrical release was hot on the LFE track... Titan:AE also has a ton of low stuff; I had to turn this one down.

Agreed. The FoTR EE version is noticeably better mixed than its theatrical version and certainly better mixed than TT EE and RoTK EE as well...go figure. I really liked the Titan AE mix though. Final Fantasy has a pretty hot mix -- but is tolerable. Shaun of the Dead has a very LFE intensive mix that is also pretty muddy; too bad great movie. Kung Fu Hustle (also see Shaolin Soccer) is a great chop socky with overachieving SFX with a bit of a hot mix prob as well.

 

[jmgillespie]

It doesn't bother me to much if a movie is too hot that is a lot better then when a movie comes out and the surround sound is dissapointing. One of the most recent movies I can think of is Transporter 2 (yes I know it is not a good movie). The one thing that really dissapointed me here and it happens with many sequels is when the first is DTS and they bring out the sequel in just DD, such as Transporter the first is DTS and also resident evil DTS (superbit actually) and the second is only DD and not superbit. I would really like to see all movies that come out in HDDVD to have DTS.

 

[j_garcia]

Transporter 2 was OK; at least the fight scenes anyway The rest of the movie I could do without.

Titan AE doesn't necessarily have a hot mix, just a lot of LFE at times I thought the mix was good too, but had to turn it down a bit at times.