T2 ROTF Audio Poll

[ClaytonMG]

Originally Posted by PoorSignal

I have the IMAX version Sony S360 bitstream to Yamaha RXV-3800
I turn up the volume as high as I need not a big deal here.. selected the opening action and forest scene to test. I think I have a problem with the mix itself, even after turning the volume up. The sound effects seems kind of weak. Especially the forest scene when they were fighting in the background should be much louder, e.g. unconvincing?

The robot footstep bass thumping is there but I am not going to use the presence of LFE alone as a bench mark of the sound quality. Could have sounded better. maybe someone who knows Michael Bay can ask him if it was supposed to sound like that

Now I don't know if it is an IMAX version only or not since I am not desparate enough to buy both.

That does sound more like the mix than an error. However, think of this, if you mixed this movie to the point of the sound effects being as loud and powerful as they'd be in real life (lets pretend it's possible), the audience would never make out a line of dialogue. Or, you'd have to turn it up for the dialogue portions and WAY down for the action sequences.

I don't know if I've said my equipment yet, but I am internally decoding the DTS-HD MA track on my PS3 and sending it to my Yamaha HTR-5990 via HDMI. The only issue was dialogue being low, but it could've been because of the dialnorm (or possible "double dialnorm"). I'll have to test more on Friday.

[cembros]

To anyone that is Bitstreaming the non IMAX version, what is the dialnorm value reported. I am bitstreaming the IMAX version and when i start the movie no dialnorm value is displayed. If someone with the non IMAX version is seeing a value of -4 then we can confirm that there is a difference in volume due to dialnorm.

[BPHusker]

My PS3 is pushing PCM to my Onkyo 607 and the dialog was very low to the point I bumped my center channel from -5 to 0 in the audio settings.

[rsm1996]

Guys,

I bought the Walmart version and played it last night on my system. To me the audio not only was not as loud but it also seemed muffled. I went by Best Buy today and bought the standard version and guess what. It is way better. It is more than just recorded louder, voices sound better, the soundstage is better, and the dynamic range is better. The Walmart Big Screen Edition seems to be compressed somehow. Too bad, the picture is great. My system a Pioneer BDP-51FD ==> Integra DHC 9.9 ==> Outlaw 7x200w ===> Paradigm Reference v5 (Studio 100s, CC-690, ADP-590s) + 18" Servo Velodyne. The Integra is doing the decoding (ie bitstream). The audio soundtrack on the Walmart version is good. However, on the standard version it is outstanding. For those audio enthusiasts, I highly recommend you go and buy the standard version. You won't be disappointed.

Bob

[SumSuperman]

After reading through all these Transformer posts, here and on AVS, I can't help but wonder how much of the difference people think they are hearing is based on a placebo affect. One person begins to write about how one version is louder than the other, which starts a bunch of talk about how audio is better on version than the other. Anyone else think the same?

[Rblu-Dblu]

Originally Posted by SumSuperman

After reading through all these Transformer posts, here and on AVS, I can't help but wonder how much of the difference people think they are hearing is based on a placebo affect. One person begins to write about how one version is louder than the other, which starts a bunch of talk about how audio is better on version than the other. Anyone else think the same?

yep.

[Jeff Kleist]

Please keep those configurations coming in easy to digest pots with just your player and receiver models, how it's hooked up and bitstream or PCM

For the person who says they doubted they'd re-encode the audio, the two versions are seperate lengths, they DEFINATELY did a seperate audio encode. While the video is enough trouble to do right, and there are tools to splice in new versions of scenes in an existing encode, it's far easier with the audio to just load some new WAV files and go

[rsm1996]

I guarantee it is not a placebo effect. Now whether your system is good enough or ears are good enough to hear the difference, that is a different question.

[Yautja]

Bitstreaming for sure

[nycomet]

I am a PCM beotch (I use a PS3).

[JunkBoy]

Wal Mart TF2. PCM from PS3 to Pioneer Elite SC-07 via HDMI. Watched it with the receiver set to Dolby Pro Logic IIx to get 7.1 and THX on top of the DTS lossless track. Started the movie at my normal listening movie volume of -17 but found it lacking. The punch was there but not the DTS HD-MA punch that I'm used to hearing. Took it to -12 and although it sounded better it wasn't satisfactory imo. Finally went down to -8 and that's when I felt satisfied. The punch was there, the dialogue was there, the DTS-HD MA that I'm used to experiencing was finally there! Big difference for me and my system but I did get satisfactory sound with a hefty adjustment. I did switch to direct source on my SC-07 in between volume adjustments just to see if there was a difference between my 7.1 setup and the 5.1 setup but they both sound the same IMO. Regardless, this movie was a fun ride! Just turn up the volume!

Also, that Imax Forrest scene was an absolute jaw dropper! You talk about WOW factor...that's it right there!

[BozQ]

HA! And people thought that DTS-HD was god of audio!
I rest my case.

[cembros]

Originally Posted by rsm1996

Guys,

I bought the Walmart version and played it last night on my system. To me the audio not only was not as loud but it also seemed muffled. I went by Best Buy today and bought the standard version and guess what. It is way better. It is more than just recorded louder, voices sound better, the soundstage is better, and the dynamic range is better. The Walmart Big Screen Edition seems to be compressed somehow. Too bad, the picture is great. My system a Pioneer BDP-51FD ==> Integra DHC 9.9 ==> Outlaw 7x200w ===> Paradigm Reference v5 (Studio 100s, CC-690, ADP-590s) + 18" Servo Velodyne. The Integra is doing the decoding (ie bitstream). The audio soundtrack on the Walmart version is good. However, on the standard version it is outstanding. For those audio enthusiasts, I highly recommend you go and buy the standard version. You won't be disappointed.

Bob

when you play the non imax version what is the dialnom value reported?

[Hi-Def Steve]

Originally Posted by SumSuperman
After reading through all these Transformer posts, here and on AVS, I can't help but wonder how much of the difference people think they are hearing is based on a placebo affect. One person begins to write about how one version is louder than the other, which starts a bunch of talk about how audio is better on version than the other. Anyone else think the same?

Originally Posted by Rblu-Dblu

yep.

Double yep.

[ewsjr]

Just my opinion but I gotta think that there is some kind of mass psychosis going on with this blu-ray. Just finished watching the IMAX version and it was truly amazing. Not one hint of anything wrong both PQ and AQ. I did notice that after watching for awhile and being bombarded with that audio track full of explosions etc., dialogue sounds a bit muffled or soft because my ears were RINGING! Watching on Panansonic TH-65PZ850U plasma and played on Oppo BDP-83 with analog outs into my Outlaw 950 pre/pro set to -07. Outlaw does bass management so my speakers were all set to large. Man, this has got to be one of, if not, the top of the line blu-ray that's ever been produced, as far as I'm concerned. (oh, and by the way, the IMAX scenes were so good that my eyes about popped out of my head).

[tbizzle]

Originally Posted by SumSuperman

After reading through all these Transformer posts, here and on AVS, I can't help but wonder how much of the difference people think they are hearing is based on a placebo affect. One person begins to write about how one version is louder than the other, which starts a bunch of talk about how audio is better on version than the other. Anyone else think the same?

No it's not a placebo effect. I have my system dialed in, and I'm very familiar with how it sounds on action movies, especially the first Transformers.

To me, this movie sounds great. BUT, there are certain parts of the mix where it feels weak. Like, during the Shanghai chase scene, a GIANT robot is involved in the action sequences, yet there's very little bass or even power to those scenes. There are several parts like that during the movie (I noticed this in the IMAX theater in July as well).

So maybe they rushed this movie or something, but the mix is pretty weak in spots. And the dialogue does get more quiet in a few spots, but I didn't really notice it since I had the movie playing loud anyways.

Other than a few scenes, this movie looks and sounds amazing.

[ewsjr]

oh, and this was just posted over at AVS:

It's just dialnorm, there shouldn't be any technical issues with it. Xylon posted scans of both.
Quote:
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4658 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4659 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit / DN -4dB)
The IMAX version has a higher bitrate.

The top is the Constant Height version, bottom is IMAX.
I guess Paramount didn't want to scare the Walmart specific crowd...which is entirely feasible.
__________________

[HumanMedia]

Originally Posted by SumSuperman

After reading through all these Transformer posts, here and on AVS, I can't help but wonder how much of the difference people think they are hearing is based on a placebo affect. One person begins to write about how one version is louder than the other, which starts a bunch of talk about how audio is better on version than the other. Anyone else think the same?

Wouldnt the placebo effect influence people to think the audio was more similar than different?

That is, if there is an actual difference that people are not expecting, then the placebo effect will influenced them not to notice the difference.

So if people are noticing a difference against the placebo of there not being a difference then the difference must be quite large.

[dvdwatcher]

Originally Posted by ewsjr

oh, and this was just posted over at AVS:

It's just dialnorm, there shouldn't be any technical issues with it. Xylon posted scans of both.
Quote:
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4658 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Audio: English / DTS-HD Master Audio / 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4659 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit / DN -4dB)
The IMAX version has a higher bitrate.

The top is the Constant Height version, bottom is IMAX.
I guess Paramount didn't want to scare the Walmart specific crowd...which is entirely feasible.
__________________

so what does this mean the Imax version is superior?

[cembros]

the bitrate is an average bitrate, the imax version is 1 min longer and therefore the average bitrate is slightly higher