After watching Chris Ickler's talk on psychoacoustics at the suggestion of Xavier at BOSE I got thinking about why I do not go to movies anymore. Even with earplugs its painful. Why do they have to have it so LOUD???. There is some great music I missing. Couldn't BOSE come to the rescue?Ken?

I certainly agree about the movies. Even when watching a DVD at home, when the volume is loud enough to understand the dialog, the music and sound effects are way too loud. I have often wondered if there was something besides volume (or is that gain?) going on in the EQ of movies.

Respect,
Col. Andy

Hi Brian,

I don't go to movies in theatres any more. Well there is an exception: I might be dragged to one by a visiting relative as we have a long standing family tradition around this activity. But I will do so reluctantly, and I will bring a pocket full of ear plugs for everyone.

As I read this - I cannot help but wonder how many people feel the same way about live music performances. How many people simply do not come out to our events unless some social obligation compels them to do?

How would we know?

quote:

Originally posted by BrianBeveridge:
After watching Chris Ickler's talk on psychoacoustics at the suggestion of Xavier at BOSE I got thinking about why I do not go to movies anymore. Even with earplugs its painful. Why do they have to have it so LOUD???. There is some great music I missing. Couldn't BOSE come to the rescue?Ken?

Hi Brian,

At least with respect to live music, Bose has offered the world a solution. I think that there are many people here who have chosen to avail themselves to that solution and to share that with our audiences.

I don't want to derail this discussion.

Back with a link to a new one.

Thanks for the inspiration Brian. To all, here is a new discussion.


How do we tell them it's safe to come out now?


edit: New link location

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ST,

I use a compressor at home on my DVD player to compress the music & sound effects down to the dialog level. It's ridiculous how some folks mix sound now.

This 'problem' of mixing can even occur from one CD by the same group.

For instance, the self-titled first CD by the group 33Miles demonstrates what I think is a great balance between the vocals and the instruments.

Their 2nd CD (One Life) has a tendency to bury the vocals in the instruments; not real bad, but when compared to the first album I find I have to "work harder" to listen to the words.

My friends who own recording studios have been complaining about this for years. They say that recorded popular music has lost its dynamic range. Everything is at one level and that is loud.

quote:

Originally posted by BrianBeveridge:
... Even with earplugs its painful. Why do they have to have it so LOUD???...

Two things I've done:

1) Never sit up front (I prefer ~2/3 the way back). Theaters generally have conventional speakers (not line arrays).

2) Complain (nicely) to the theater management. I find that the volume level can vary from one complex to another (but usually rather little within one movie complex) -- if there are complaints often enough (and it doesn't usually take too many), things may change.

(hmmm... maybe take your SPL meter in the theater to collect 'hard evidence'???)

quote:

This 'problem' of mixing can even occur from one CD by the same group.

I mean the way movies are mixed. In order to make the five-speaker surround impressive the music & effects are WAY louder than they need to be on my two-speaker TV.