Star Wars Trilogy 'Audio Defects'

S

sid_freeman

Guest
This appeared on Digital Bits.com yesterday:

In all the hype over the DVD release of Star Wars, I'm afraid to say there's a bit of bad news about the discs (or at least one of them) from a quality standpoint. We've discovered what we believe are serious audio defects on Episode IV - A New Hope. We've updated our DVD review of the set accordingly with the details as follows:

[Editor's Note: since we initially wrote this review, a few audio/mixing errors on the DVD version of A New Hope have been detected. They are as follows:

1) The familiar Force theme trumpet fanfare that used to play right after Red Leader says: "This is it!" and just as the X-wings start diving towards the Death Star's surface has been dialed back in volume so that it's almost inaudible - it's almost completely buried in the surround mix.

2) The audio quality varies wildly as Tarkin says the line: "You would prefer another target, a military target? Then name the system." - almost as if the master sound element was damaged.

3) Also, John Williams' score for the film seems to have been flipped in the rear channels, so that what should be the left rear channel seems to be playing from the right rear channel (and vise versa). What this means is that the rear channels don't match the front channels - instruments heard from the front right channel come from the left rear instead of the right rear. It's hard to notice, but we're getting a number of reports from people hearing this.

These problems would seem to be severe enough to merit a repressing/exchange of the disc. We're waiting to hear back from Lucasfilm on this issue and we'll update this review with the details as soon as we do.]


There's now a response from Lucasfilms posted today I believe...go to the site and check it out. I think I'll borrow the set and watch it before I buy.

Sid
 
The only thing I've really noticed is the variation in the quality of dialogue in A New Hope. It does seem to vary wildly. Though I do remember bits of dialogue from Leia as seeming unnatural on the original version 15 or more years ago. Basically, it seemed to me that there was a lot of dialogue re-done, then dubbed back in.
 
LucasFilm statement....
"We are always impressed with how closely fans listen to the many different sound mixes we have made for the Star Wars movies over the years. It is flattering to know that, indeed, the audience is listening. Consequently, each mix comes out differently and any changes that you hear on the all-new Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX tracks on the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set are deliberate creative decisions. We can confirm that there are no technical glitches as reported.".
So there ;)
 
bowenjones said:
LucasFilm statement....
"We are always impressed with how closely fans listen to the many different sound mixes we have made for the Star Wars movies over the years. It is flattering to know that, indeed, the audience is listening. Consequently, each mix comes out differently and any changes that you hear on the all-new Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX tracks on the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set are deliberate creative decisions. We can confirm that there are no technical glitches as reported.".
So there ;)

I hope they're not stringing us along.
 
Rob20 said:
The only thing I've really noticed is the variation in the quality of dialogue in A New Hope. It does seem to vary wildly. Though I do remember bits of dialogue from Leia as seeming unnatural on the original version 15 or more years ago. Basically, it seemed to me that there was a lot of dialogue re-done, then dubbed back in.

Yes, this is the one I've noticed too. Sometimes one line of dialogue will sound a bit muffled, but then the next line straight after will sound very clear. Like point 3 in Sid_freemans post, when Lea is says a couple of lines like 'I recognised your foul stench'.

I've also noticed that sometimes the music score suddenly leaps up in volume causing my to leap to the remote to turn it down - when Luke is at home and he looks out at the twin sunset - the first couple of bars are ok, then all of sudden it the takes a big leap in volume and nearly knock you off your seat.

Also, has anyone been impressed by the massive LFE rumble when the falcon comes out of lightspeed and hits the asteroid field - I think it's pretty awesome - almost to the point of worrying about potential damage to my sub ! Awesome.

Yes, there are sound problems, and I've got a problem with many of the scenes being too dark - but at the end of the day I can forgive it all as it's Star Wars and I'm just chuffed that I've finally got it on DVD.
 
I don't know about anyone else, but so far I have watched the first 2 movies and find that some of the audio is out of sync. I am aware that there is quite a bit of dubbing in the movies, but it can't all be dubbing, can it?
 
mad max 3 said:
I don't know about anyone else, but so far I have watched the first 2 movies and find that some of the audio is out of sync. I am aware that there is quite a bit of dubbing in the movies, but it can't all be dubbing, can it?

according to the commentary for ESB virtually all the dialogue was looped in post production due to on-set noise during filming.
Having said that, I didn't see any lipsynch problems at all in either of the first 2 films.
 
dfield2000 said:
Yes, this is the one I've noticed too. Sometimes one line of dialogue will sound a bit muffled, but then the next line straight after will sound very clear. Like point 3 in Sid_freemans post, when Lea is says a couple of lines like 'I recognised your foul stench'.

I've also noticed that sometimes the music score suddenly leaps up in volume causing my to leap to the remote to turn it down - when Luke is at home and he looks out at the twin sunset - the first couple of bars are ok, then all of sudden it the takes a big leap in volume and nearly knock you off your seat.

Also, has anyone been impressed by the massive LFE rumble when the falcon comes out of lightspeed and hits the asteroid field - I think it's pretty awesome - almost to the point of worrying about potential damage to my sub ! Awesome.

Yes, there are sound problems, and I've got a problem with many of the scenes being too dark - but at the end of the day I can forgive it all as it's Star Wars and I'm just chuffed that I've finally got it on DVD.

I compltely agree with all of the above. On the volume issue, I thought it was deliberate. Funnily enough, the bit where Luke looks out over at the 2 suns, and the score kicks in, was the bit in the film where I suddenly sat up and took notice. Up until then I was thinking, "ok, it's Star Wars. I've seen it dozens of times on tv over the last 20 years. Is it really so great, or have I got caught up in the hype". After that point, (chapter 11, 25 mins in, sad I remember really), I was hooked. As for the .1 aspect, I have over 100 films and I've never noticed the sub anywhere near to the extent as I do in this film. Perhaps I have it set too low. It's fantastic.

People have said it's too dark, sound quality on epIV is poor. However, show me a 25+ year old film that looks and sounds as good. Not many I wouldn't think. :)
 
Rambo John J said:
according to the commentary for ESB virtually all the dialogue was looped in post production due to on-set noise during filming.
Having said that, I didn't see any lipsynch problems at all in either of the first 2 films.

When I watched the extras, the bit where they show clips of the film being recorded, there is a hell of a lot of studio noise. I did wonder how that was removed. Personally, I alwats thought there were slight sync probllems with ep4. Probably due to the film being rushed at the end.
 
I've not noticed lip-synching probs and if there are there's a good chance they were always there. But I have noticed probs in dialogue in "A New Hope". I have noticed the variations in dialogue sound quality. Why they should be so different I don't really understand. Still, Ep4 is the only one I notice it on.
Also, as possibly stated elsewhere, DDEX is not turned on automatically by Ep4, whilst Ep5 and 6 do. Why is that?
And yes! The LF is amazing! I too had to turn my sub down. The "BOOM" of the Falcon coming out of lightspeed nearly burst my eardrums!
As for the pic, brilliant! I have never seena film of this age look so good on DVD.
 
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwocentsa94.html#ep4audio


Well... Lucasfilm has responded to our questions about the audio issue on the DVD of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope with a blanket statement of denial. Here's the exact text:

"We are always impressed with how closely fans listen to the many different sound mixes we have made for the Star Wars movies over the years. It is flattering to know that, indeed, the audience is listening. Consequently, each mix comes out differently and any changes that you hear on the all-new Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX tracks on the Star Wars Trilogy DVD set are deliberate creative decisions. We can confirm that there are no technical glitches as reported."

Now here's my response. I don't buy it. The audio quality of that Tarkin line can't be anything other than a technical issue, probably a problem with the original audio element of the dialogue, and Lucasfilm doesn't want to cop to that on the eve of the big release. When you guys hear it tomorrow, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Tarkin's "Then name the system!" line sounds terrible. As far as dialing down the trumpet fanfare during the Death Star attack (in fact, much of Williams' music during the first part of the attack has been reduced in volume in the mix)... I can see that could be a creative decision. It's a decision I absolutely HATE, but okay, maybe that's a creative decision. You guys will have to see what you think when you get the discs.

As far as the reversed music in the surrounds issue - it's going to be very hard for the average listener to detect. We've heard from a number of sources, however, who claim to hear it. In fact, that's how we originally became aware of the problem ourselves. Still, in light of Lucasfilm's denial, we'd like more of you die hard audiophiles to give this disc a listen yourselves and see if you hear it too.
 
I watched Ep4 last night and thoroughly enjoyed but I have to agree with some of the statements above.

The music score does get louder - but I actually quite like this. Some speech seems solely channled through the centre speaker and sounds naff. I initially thought this was my setup and there was something wrong, but it only does it occasionaly and it certainly doesn't do it on any other films. I can't remember if it is only on Leia's scenes but it does happen when her and Chewy are in the falcon and she hugs him. The picture on mine seems mint, tho I did spend ages the other week setting the TV up with Avia.

Haven't watched the other films, does any of this happen of them?

Having said all that, for a 27 yar old film I think its an amazing job! Just watch the trailer for Ep4 on the bonus disc and you realise how much brilliant work Lucasfilm have done! :smashin:
 
Yep it looks amazing.

I play mine on a 2m projection screen and the quality is wonderful, and not too dark at all (maybe the effect of a bulb projecting the image).

Haven't noticed the sound issues, but will listen next time I power up.

And though "A New Hope" is a wonderful movie on every level, I am always surprised at just how good "TESB" is. Possibly my favourite film ever...
 
I've just bought a new Denon DVD-2200 and I thought A New Hope picture was brilliant and the cgi blended in well. It did show it's age a little but not as much as the sound, which was dull really by todays dynamic standards.

And I saw no layer change with the 2200 as well, which plays CD's surprisingly well, with detail I didn't know existed on my few discs. The best CD playback I've heard from a DVD player so far.

Where does the layer change occur in New Hope?

I hope to watch the others soon.
 
I can't remember where, but I defintiely noticed it. Going to TESB shortly so I'll look out for tha one...
 
i took delivery from play the region 1 dvd box set. also could i thank customs for smacking duty on the set!!!!ive got an extra 10.00 0n the cost. the audio drop on new hope i noticed, but to be honest if the scenes were,nt mentioned on these forums, i would probably have not spotted it. i can definetly say that the soundtracks are excellent, but in my opinion, are not as good as phantom and clones.
 
i found the soundtrack's on all 3 films to be pretty average... some times the dialouge was a bit quiet, and the score to be generally quiter than i remember. :thumbsdow

i even re ran DVE and set up my audio again after star wars, but that made no real difference, yet all my other dvd's sound great. especially the phantom menace and attack of the clones.
 
I'm really glad I read this thread. I took delivery of a Pioneer VSX-AX5i on friday and a DVD-757Ai yesterday. I connected them together with the I-Link cable and chose Star Wars as my first film to experience on my new system.

Ever since I've been pretty concerned that there was something seriously wrong with my set up as I kept noticing massive changes in the dialogue with much of it seeming muffled in comparison to the rest.

Happy to know that DVD is just crap!!
 
Looks like we all have to get compressors for the centre channels to sort out variable dialog volume now, along with our delay units to sort out lip sync.
 
Bear in mind that I've never seen any of the Star Wars films before last night.
I rented the first film of this remastered trilogy and expected the sound to be good, I was very disappointed it sounded very average to me. Put it this way, if they released a new film today with that quality of soundtrack it would be slagged off by everyone.
 

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