I mean, that’s my inclination. The alternative is that the performance is just weak and I don’t see John Williams allowing that. But if you listen to the opening hit followed by the staccato trombones (just the first few seconds) in one of prequel soundtracks compared to the sequel soundtracks, it’s as if someone took all the attack out of the brass instruments on the latter. They sound muffled almost as if the high-end was cut out. And the trombone staccati notes are barely audible.
If you listen to the two soundtracks one after the other, the difference is night and day. The first time I watched TFA on blu ray, I thought there was something wrong with my sound system.
Hell, I noticed in the theater for TFA and almost got up to complain that there was something wrong with the sound.
Was very disappointed to hear that it was the same for TLJ two years later…