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OST audio volume

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Is it just me or are some OST cds mastered at an extremely low volume?
At some point setting my stereo any louder doesn't make the music louder but only adds noise.
Fez: I am so excited about Star Whores.
Hyde: Fezzy, man, it's Star Wars.
Author
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I noticed a stark difference between SW and ESB quite recently. ESB is much quieter.
I am fluent in over six million forms of procrastination.
Author
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I never noticed that. Is that the case for the OOT OST or the SE OST?

I think soundtracks that have a collection of songs from different musicians are mastered at a "normal" volume. But if the music is written by just 1 composer especially for the movie the audio volume is just too low for my taste (like "legends of the fall" or "the last of the mohicans", I really have to crank up the volume).
Fez: I am so excited about Star Whores.
Hyde: Fezzy, man, it's Star Wars.
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You know, some people actually like having a wide dynamic range...

When music is mastered at a "loud" average level, it lacks available headroom for punch, emotion and musical peaks. I suggest you read some articles on the pros and cons of dynamic range compression.

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Yes, a bit of dynamic range is good. But sometimes it's a bit to wide. When I'm watching a movie I set the volume so that I can hear the normal speech ok. But when I do that I get blown out of my seat in some action scenes.
I always feel gunshots are much too low. Like shooting a shotgun inside a home or something, it sounds like "plop" when it should be KABOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I love the scene in Kill Bill vol. 2 when they nail the coffin to burry "kiddo". That's how loud they should make gunshots.
Fez: I am so excited about Star Whores.
Hyde: Fezzy, man, it's Star Wars.