Star Wars OT DVDs: Is the audio mix that bad?

[Bluesmobile]

Hello,

Newbie here. The audio mix of the Star Wars old trilogy DVDs seems to be a sore spot with audiophiles. Am I missing something? I thought the mix sounded very good last time I watched them. What is so bad about the mix? My HT system is decent--not top of the line by any means, but it is not a piece of crap either- just good enough for me at the moment. DVDs like the Incredibles and War of the Worlds sound terrific on my system. Perhaps I will have to go back and listen more closely to the Star Wars mix?

Interestingly, Revenge of the Sith DVD is at the top of the list for audiophiles for one of the best audio mixes. When I watch EP.III, I am not impressed with the mix, especially in the opening scene: the audio corresponding to the action is muted and just does not jump out and pound me like I want it to. Yes, we all have subjective tastes, and I can say that I am an average man, but I do not agree with consensus on these two Star Wars DVDs.

 

[j_garcia]

I don't think it's the mix, I think it's the fact that they were just so old and recorded/mastered prior to the current formats that they don't sound quite as good as current movie tracks. When starting with a 30 year old master, what do they expect? I doubt Lucas has plans to re-record the entire film...

 

[Leprkon]

When I watch EP.III, I am not impressed with the mix, especially in the opening scene: the audio corresponding to the action is muted and just does not jump out and pound me like I want it to. Yes, we all have subjective tastes, and I can say that I am an average man, but I do not agree with consensus on these two Star Wars DVDs.

I would have stopped with, "when I watch EP. III, I am not impressed."

 

[j_garcia]

I thought EP2 was OK. I was glad I didn't bother to go see EP3 in the theaters because it was pretty much the worst in the series.

 

[Jack Hammer]

What I find interesting is that before I bought a decent avr and speakers, I considered the original Star Wars movies to have dad one of the best soundtracks I'd heard. When I listened to them through my denon 2805 they sounded awful and somewhat muted. I've noticed similar things with other movies too.

I think some dvd's might be poorly mixed on purpose to sound best with cheap HTIB systems, which is what most people have. I've also noticed that the dvd's that are being released lately (at least what I've bought) have had a much better sound mix than dvd's released in the past.

 

[mpompey]

I think the the original trilogy discs sound pretty darn good considering their age. A New Hope and Empire were pre Dolby Pro Logic if I'm not mistaken. I have to agree that the opening scene in Episode III isn't as impactful as it was in the theatre. However, the final fight scene between Vader and Kenobi rose to the occasion.

I just wish the movie matched the visual and auditory levels. Oh well, there's always lLord of the Rings.

 

[Emusica]

I agree. In the theater, the opening scene was astounding. I figured it would be the same for the DVD. Little did I know. The mix was VERY weak, in my opinion. To me, episode I had better sound (pod race). Lucas needs to get with the DTS program. Imagine Stars Wars in DTS ES........

 

[Naves74]

What I find interesting is that before I bought a decent avr and speakers, I considered the original Star Wars movies to have dad one of the best soundtracks I'd heard. When I listened to them through my denon 2805 they sounded awful and somewhat muted. I've noticed similar things with other movies too.

I think some dvd's might be poorly mixed on purpose to sound best with cheap HTIB systems, which is what most people have. I've also noticed that the dvd's that are being released lately (at least what I've bought) have had a much better sound mix than dvd's released in the past.

I have noticed that too. Usually I used to look on the back of a DVD and a deciding factor in purchasing was if it was in DTS. Now almost every movie that has come out in DD has a great mix and sounds great. However, in my opioion I still get goosebumps when I read DTS on the back of the movie I want to buy.

 

[Bluesmobile]

I would have stopped with, "when I watch EP. III, I am not impressed."

I'll say it too--the more I watch Episode III, the more I dislike it. I find myself rolling my eyes at least once a minute, especially at the stupid little droid quips and the R2-D2 screams (Waaaooooowww!!) at the beginning.

Anyway, for my taste, the OT Star Wars DVDs sound better than Episode III.

 

[j_garcia]

We were laughing so hard and making fun of it, that it was as if we were watching a comedy when we did a DVD night for Ep3. I just couldn't take most of that movie serious. I don't know why, but it was just not involving.

 

[Jack Hammer]

We were laughing so hard and making fun of it, that it was as if we were watching a comedy when we did a DVD night for Ep3. I just couldn't take most of that movie serious. I don't know why, but it was just not involving.

When I first watched it I thought it was pretty good. Everytime I see it now it just keeps getting cheesier and cheesier. When I was a kid, I wanted my own R2 robot because R2D2 was kindof a robot bad@$$ who always knew what was going to happen. In the new movies he seems more like a whiney irritation.

 

[Leprkon]

It was pretty obvious, in both Ep I and EP III, that Lucas didn't want a story getting in the way of his special effects.

Ep II was definitely the most watchable of the new bunch, but it's a good thing even for that one that Fifth Element is very far away in an alphabetized DVD collection, and even then, StarGate always gets a second thought.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

We were laughing so hard and making fun of it, that it was as if we were watching a comedy when we did a DVD night for Ep3.

Anakin: "But you are softer than sand M'Lady."

And why is that robot coughing? Is it hoping to expunge some phlegm through its loudspeaker-mouth?

 

[j_garcia]

Hehehe. Hey, we're going to have to change your name from Anakin to "BOB".

The robot was coughing because he had human organs, but that still didn't make any sense. Ummmm...I can SEE your lungs, no wonder you're coughing....

 

[fergusonv]

Not defending the soundtrack (which was the worst of them all IMHO) or movie but I would like to point this out.
- He did have organs but they were not human. He was caughing because Mace Wendu crushed him (and his organs) with his jedi powers when he was trying to escape with the chancellor at the end of the Clone Wars Vol. 2.(which is why/how Grievous had him at the begining of Ep. III ....). If you had not watched the Clone Wars which took place between Ep. II and III then you wouldnt know this and alot of other details.

 

[Sinsemilla]

I thought the soundtracks of the first trilogy on the DVDs were pretty good considering the source material is 30 yrs old.

About the EPIII soundtrack.. Something I noticed after watching it a few times was that the music totally overpowered the sound effects in the action sequences which definitely contributed to why the effects sounded so muted.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I thought the soundtracks of the first trilogy on the DVDs were pretty good considering the source material is 30 yrs old.

Yeah, but Lucas spent 3 (?) years re-editing the movies and remixing the sound. He spent lots of money to make it not sound 30 years old. They didn't have 5.1 in 1977, most movies were mono or stereo at best.

 

[Jedi2016]

There was some discussion about the OT sound mix right after the DVDs came out. Specifically, with ANH. Apparently, the music track in the rear channels is flipped. What should be on the left is coming out of the right. But it's only the music, the sound effects are where they're supposed to be. I haven't confirmed this myself, and I haven't seen anybody provide any proof aside from "I listened to it". To me, the music sounds fine.

The other gripe that people had (that I do agree with) was the unexplained reduction of the heroic Force-theme music right as the X-wings make their dive approach to the Death Star at the end. The music used to make that a really cool shot, but now it's just a few spaceships turning.

 

[mpompey]

He was coughing because in the cartoon series Clone Wars, his chest was crushed by Mace Windu's force powers. Although kinda tacky, the cartoon series does give a little more insight in the events that lead up to Episode III.