When I first heard about the new Dolby technology some months ago via the HTguys podcast, I almost literally threw my hands up in the air and yelled "Hallelujah!" We've needed a high-quality (read perceptibly lossless in mix distortion) volume regulator for sooooo long. And it's NOT for just commercials, folks.
Think of it this way...how many times have you changed channels (digital, satellite, cable, OTA, you name it) and the variance in volume level is astounding, right? So this will really change surfing, for one.
And also, my BIG pet peeve: how many "action" or "thrillers" or "horror" or "sci-fi" etc movies have soundtrack mixes where they seem to rely on blasting sound effects as a way to 'surprise' the audience (an ANNOYING cheat, as it should be quality filmmaking that does this, not cheap shots like this)? They have the dialogue volume really low so you crank up the volume to hear what the hell the actors are saying, then WHAM!!! a window shatters or a machine gun suddenly rattles off. It's not shocking or exhilerating in any substantive manner and it really only ends up annoying the crap out of me (and I know I'm not alone). A loud battle scene I can understand, but the filmic equivalent of a fireside sudden "BOO!!" is way, way, way overused.
I said it when I first heard of this Dolby Volume and I'll say it again--the SECOND it shows up in an A/V reciever, I'm buying it. Money well spent and I think it will prove to be about as groundbreaking/transformative to a quality, user-empowering HT experience as the commercial skip button on DVRs and macro-programmable remotes have proven to be.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shane Walker @ Sep 5th 2007 12:50PM
When I first heard about the new Dolby technology some months ago via the HTguys podcast, I almost literally threw my hands up in the air and yelled "Hallelujah!" We've needed a high-quality (read perceptibly lossless in mix distortion) volume regulator for sooooo long. And it's NOT for just commercials, folks.
Think of it this way...how many times have you changed channels (digital, satellite, cable, OTA, you name it) and the variance in volume level is astounding, right? So this will really change surfing, for one.
And also, my BIG pet peeve: how many "action" or "thrillers" or "horror" or "sci-fi" etc movies have soundtrack mixes where they seem to rely on blasting sound effects as a way to 'surprise' the audience (an ANNOYING cheat, as it should be quality filmmaking that does this, not cheap shots like this)? They have the dialogue volume really low so you crank up the volume to hear what the hell the actors are saying, then WHAM!!! a window shatters or a machine gun suddenly rattles off. It's not shocking or exhilerating in any substantive manner and it really only ends up annoying the crap out of me (and I know I'm not alone). A loud battle scene I can understand, but the filmic equivalent of a fireside sudden "BOO!!" is way, way, way overused.
I said it when I first heard of this Dolby Volume and I'll say it again--the SECOND it shows up in an A/V reciever, I'm buying it. Money well spent and I think it will prove to be about as groundbreaking/transformative to a quality, user-empowering HT experience as the commercial skip button on DVRs and macro-programmable remotes have proven to be.
Bring it one, Dolby! Hoorah!