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Post #404809

Author
hairy_hen
Parent topic
Star Wars 1977 70mm sound mix recreation [stereo and 5.1 versions now available] (Released)
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/404809/action/topic#404809
Date created
24-Mar-2010, 5:26 PM

I remember reading about his work with interest.  I ended up starting this myself since he hasn't been around lately--I think his project files were deleted?  Moth3r, you had an interesting notion of using the surround effects from the rear channels of the '97 mix in place of the matrixed sounds on the '93.  I considered doing that, but it seemed ultimately it would be more problematic to combine too many things together, and for the most part I think the film's rear channel effects tend to stay within the Prologic 100 hz to 7 khz range anyway, although I haven't tested that for sure.

I'm finding that I have to be very careful where I transition between the '77 and '93 mixes.  Placing a transition just before a loud sound effect or between scenes tends to give the best results.  Short cross-fades of 250 samples or so can give a better blending than a straight cut.  Switching in the middle of a music cue is difficult, because the difference in sound quality between the two sources is then the most noticeable, and for that reason I've occasionally had to let the '77 stereo run on a bit longer than I would have liked in order to find a good place to change back.  Belbecus posted that the stereo image of the music in the 35mm mix is narrower than it is for the '93, and I have also found that to be the case.

Sometimes I almost feel like I'm nitpicking the 1993 version by doing this, because many of the added effects are innocuous or contribute in a positive way to the overall sound.  But at the same time, eliminating the additions brings it more in line with the way I remember it sounding, growing up with the '85 mix on vhs.  And a few of the additions really were unnecessary, so I'm not sorry to see those go.