DVDs - what's wrong?

[Colonel Blimp]

Can anyone help ... I don't know if I've got something wrong with my TV set-up (in two or three rooms) ... but why do DVDs sound so awful?



Example: the other day I was watching one of my favourite films, The Fallen Idol, having splashed out for no conceivable reason on the Criterion edition. Having chuckled at the usual dreadful Criterion design and unbearably pompous and utterly superfluous notes, I found that - not only was the print decidedly flawed (often the case in recent Criterions, eg Viridiana) - but the sound was simply unbearable.



Now I've seen The Fallen Idol loads of times but this is the first time I've had to have my finger on the volume control throughout the film ... whacking it up to hear the dialogue and pressing 'down' furiously when the score threatens to blast my eardrums into the next room.



Unfortunately I disposed of my old vhs-from-tv on receiving the dvd (yes I know, I'm silly). So obviously I can't wait to be able to re-record it next time it's on ... but can anyone tell me why the original mono soundtrack should be so utterly distorted and, basically, ruined on DVD? This isn't the first disc that I've found to be like this ... and I am sure it won't be the last ... any ideas? Suggestions?

[Amethyst_Isle]

Maybe you just have a dodgy copy ? I have read a few reviews of the Criterion edition and none of them mention the sound (that's if they watched it in the first place as some reviewers do not even bother ) Have you tried/seen someone elses copy and is there any difference ?

[christoph404]

Im not a techno boffin but buying a high quality scart connecter and making sure it was plugged in properly has improved the sound quality of many of my DVds.

[maturin]

name='Amethyst_Isle']Maybe you just have a dodgy copy ? I have read a few reviews of the Criterion edition and none of them mention the sound (that's if they watched it in the first place as some reviewers do not even bother ) Have you tried/seen someone elses copy and is there any difference ?

You may be right. I have the Criterion Fallen Idol. I just checked and the sound is fine. Nothing special, but I could briefly crank up my speakers into neighbour-annoying mode with no nasty squeals.

Happy to send you a copy Colonel, so you can check.