Blu-ray quality better than stereo

[Andrewjvt]

Dolby hd 5.1 or Atmos offers a better listening experience than most stereo recordings.

Is it because when you watch a movie we tend to analyze the sound less?

Or is the dynamic range much better in movies?

Is the mastering process much better in movies?

What do you guys think?

 

[insider9]

Are you referring to movies or music mixed in 5.1?

 

[Native_bon]

Dolby hd 5.1 or Atmos offers a better listening experience than most stereo recordings.

Is it because when you watch a movie we tend to analyze the sound less?

Or is the dynamic range much better in movies?

Is the mastering process much better in movies?

What do you guys think?

IMO I think Dolby 5.1 sounds better with sound tracks. I don't have Atoms so can't comment on that. I don't think there is any competition really. 5.1 wins hands down for me. It may well have to done with the mastering process or may be the format.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Are you referring to movies or music mixed in 5.1?

Movies
I watched blade runner 2049 today and was really taken in by the sound quality.
Could be the emotion/mood of the movie but it inspired me to compare.

A lot of music is recorded with earphines/ car radios in mind and not quality hifi

I don't think the same applies to movies

 

[insider9]

Ok, that explains it new Blade Runner just like the original has an amazing soundtrack. And I'm not talking about Suspicious Minds by Elvis but as an example Sea Wall. I think dynamic range is one of the reasons it sounds so good.

 

[nopiano]

I gave up on my 5.1 system about five years ago, and don’t regularly go to cinemas. With that proviso, I think it’s because the audio is incidental. I know what you mean about seeming spectacular but I think that’s because it complements the visuals.

Try listening with the screen off and you’ll soon know!

 

[jimmy1]

my blu ray player is set to pmc stereo (i think) and it still sounds better than most music, the start of watchmen blu ray with bob dylan playing sounds better than all the versions ive got

 

[Andrewjvt]

I gave up on my 5.1 system about five years ago, and don’t regularly go to cinemas.  With that proviso, I think it’s because the audio is incidental. I know what you mean about seeming spectacular but I think that’s because it complements the visuals.  

Try listening with the screen off and you’ll soon know!

You may have a point but I really think the movies are mastered better nowdays.
Not all mind you but most main movies are done so well.
Take the new Disney jungle book for example.
I watched that using the Yamaha Rx 3050 HT bypassed into the Hegel with the ATC scm11s using Dolby hd but only using the fronts with no surrounds
There is a part when bagheera stops shere khan. Totally awesome (and shows you what ATC are capable of)
I'd recommend the new Kong also
Great sounds.

I wonder what dynamic range for movies are?
I suspect a lot more range involved

 

[Strictly Stereo]

Dolby hd 5.1 or Atmos offers a better listening experience than most stereo recordings.

Is it because when you watch a movie we tend to analyze the sound less?

Not better. Just different.

Or is the dynamic range much better in movies?

I expect that on average movies use more of the available dynamic range. Nothing to do with the format though, just the content.

Is the mastering process much better in movies?

The budgets are MUCH bigger, at least when we are talking about big budget movies like Blade Runner 2049. Have you heard the Blade Runner 2049 soundtrack in stereo? It sounds amazing.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Dolby hd 5.1 or Atmos offers a better listening experience than most stereo recordings.

Is it because when you watch a movie we tend to analyze the sound less?

Not better. Just different.

Or is the dynamic range much better in movies?

I expect that on average movies use more of the available dynamic range. Nothing to do with the format though, just the content.

Is the mastering process much better in movies?

The budgets are MUCH bigger, at least when we are talking about big budget movies like Blade Runner 2049. Have you heard the Blade Runner 2049 soundtrack in stereo? It sounds amazing.

In your opinion

So the loudness wars has nothing to do with it?

Regards budget: how much money did they spend on an artist like Cat Stevens?
How come his stuff sounds awesome in stereo?

 

[davidf]

my blu ray player is set to pmc stereo (i think) and it still sounds better than most music, the start of watchmen blu ray with bob dylan playing sounds better than all the versions ive got

Music in movies is usually EQ’d and made to sound how they want it to sound - usually more exciting, fuller, more immediately impressive.

 

[Strictly Stereo]

So the loudness wars has nothing to do with it?

I wouldn't say that, but this does not affect every stereo recording and I suspect that this also happens with multi-channel recordings too. I suspect that you could find good and bad examples in pretty much any format.

Regards budget: how much money did they spend on an artist like Cat Stevens? How come his stuff sounds awesome in stereo?

How come Cat Stevens sounds awesome in stereo? Probably because he writes finely crafted songs, which are then skilfully played, carefully recorded and mixed. I have no idea how much is spent making those records.

 

[Andrewjvt]

So the loudness wars has nothing to do with it?

I wouldn't say that, but this does not affect every stereo recording and I suspect that this also happens with multi-channel recordings too. I suspect that you could find good and bad examples in pretty much any format.

Regards budget: how much money did they spend on an artist like Cat Stevens? How come his stuff sounds awesome in stereo?

How come Cat Stevens sounds awesome in stereo? Probably because he writes finely crafted songs, which are then skilfully played, carefully recorded and mixed. I have no idea how much is spent making those records.

Was you don't need a mega budget to produce fine sounding recording
And of course not all stereo is all of a sudden, all bad.

But I've had more enjoyable experience with movies than music lately and I still think it's down to how it's produced

Or for every bad movie soundtrack there is many more badly recorded music

 

[Strictly Stereo]

Was you don't need a mega budget to produce fine sounding recording And of course not all stereo is all of a sudden, all bad.

I am sure that is true for stereo music. Multi-channel requires a lot more kit and time. Movie soundtracks have a few extra wrinkles like effects and dialogue to complicate things further.

But I've had more enjoyable experience with movies than music lately and I still think it's down to how it's produced

Or for every bad movie soundtrack there is many more badly recorded music

Fair enough. It probably depends on what you have been watching and listening to. Hans Zimmer sets the bar pretty high. If you looked at every movie and every record, you would probably find a similar spread of good and bad.

 

[JamesMellor]

A couple of thoughts - music has been mixed with a compressed dynamic range for radio play back in cars, I can remember EP's with the "Radio Eit/Mix included. Movie soundtracks do not have to worry about background noise.

Music was then compressed further and recorded louder so it would sound better on the radio than the previous song. Movies, like complete albums do not have to compete with the film playing on the next screen.

With Dolby pro logic Dolby Digital and whatever else movies sound tracks are mixed to a standard and being played back on systems installed and calibrated to a known standard. A domestic version of the same is done by software and mic included with most AVR's.

James

 

[Strictly Stereo]

A couple of thoughts - music has been mixed with a compressed dynamic range for radio play back in cars, I can remember EP's with the "Radio Eit/Mix included. Movie soundtracks do not have to worry about background noise.

Music was then compressed further and recorded louder so it would sound better on the radio than the previous song. Movies, like complete albums do not have to compete with the film playing on the next screen.

With Dolby pro logic Dolby Digital and whatever else movies sound tracks are mixed to a standard and being played back on systems installed and calibrated to a known standard. A domestic version of the same is done by software and mic included with most AVR's.

James

I am sure you're right. However, I am not sure that the mix which is distributed on the Blu-Ray disc, DVD or Netflix stream is always identical to the one that you get to hear at the cinema. I would not be surprised if mixes intended for playback at home were actually fettled to sound subjectively better on typical home systems. "Typical" here is more likely to mean TV speakers, a soundbar or a smaller sub/sat system, rather than a large scale full range surround system.

 

[JamesMellor]

Well yeah, I've owned a couple of THX amps that later would have been called THX Ultra as apposed to THX select and these are not outragious pcs of kit. My thinking is that the soundtrack is mixed to a standard and then the playback equipment plays it as it can.

So when you play that soundtrack through a decent stereo PCM you get the full monty.

I could mention the heartbeat at the start of DSOTM when you have a sub and when you dont. They just recorded it as they wanted it. In the movies they know you have a sub.

 

[Strictly Stereo]

Well yeah, I've owned a couple of THX amps that later would have been called THX Ultra as apposed to THX select and these are not outragious pcs of kit. My thinking is that the soundtrack is mixed to a standard and then the playback equipment plays it as it can.

So when you play that soundtrack through a decent stereo PCM you get the full monty.

I could mention the heartbeat at the start of DSOTM when you have a sub and when you dont. They just recorded it as they wanted it. In the movies they know you have a sub.

Is THX still relevant now that we are moving away from physical media? Genuine question. I really have no idea what the answer might be. We used to get THX certified DVD and Blu-Ray discs, but I do not see similar badges in (for example) the Movies app on Apple TV.