Is it me or does it seem to anyone else like there is oftentimes a large difference in volume between different DVD’s? Why is this? It seems to me like there would be some sort of standardization for most major films when it comes to the volume of the DVD’s, but whenever I rent or buy a new one, it’s anyone’s guess as to how loud to adjust my stereo. For instance, today I rented We Were Soldiers and had to turn the volume up to 7 (out of 10) on my stereo to even hear the dialogue, whereas on most DVD’s that I own, I can hear it easily on 3 or 4. This might have something to do with the battle sequences and the differential in volume between quiet and loud moments in this particular movie, but this problem has been noticeable in other films as well.
I only ask because it seems like most commercially released music cd’s have a nearly standardized volume (meaning that you rarely pick up a cd that is super quiet), so why hasn’t this been done with DVD’s yet?
The “problem” is that DVD audio is capable of reproducing a very large dynamic range. This can be very effective in re-creating the cinematic experience but can also be a real pain in the ass when you’re watching a DVD late at night and a sudden explosion sends you scrambling for the volume button. Compare this to regular TV movie broadcasts where the range has been flattened so that explosions are the same volume as conversations. Similarly, you can probably reduce the range on your own system either on your DVD player or amplifier, check your manuals. I use a DVD-ROM and there are a couple of Directshow filters that allow just this sort of adjustment.
As for audio CDs, most pop music CDs of recent years have been mastered way too far up the dynamic range to make them seem lounder and sharper. Unfortunately, this can often result in clipping of the audio. You can compare this to blaring TV commercials that seem so much louder than the show being broadcast. They’re not really “louder” per se, but rather mastered at the upper end of the dynamic range.