4throck is correct - VHS Hi-Fi specs were good; 20-20KHz frequency response along with a SN ratio of 80dB, definitely exceeding what one heard from the SVA tracks in the theater. Analog LD sound topped out at 19KHz and the Discovision disc would have been made before CX noise reduction was used on analog LD audio tracks. I have made lossless captures from both the VHS Hi-Fi tracks and the Discovision disc using very good equipment and setting manual recording levels and later checking the recordings to make sure that I did not clip any peaks. (I even had a fan restoration project in mind) The crackling on my LD is continuous and gets worse at times. Looking at the waveform of the capture, at best I would say there is only 20dB of dynamic range due to the crackling. The VHS Hi-Fi fares much better, although it does not use the entire 80dB that the Hi-Fi format has. Noise from the source recording comes in as the program starts and goes away after it ends with Hi-Fi pilot indicator being lit all the while.

But get this! I just read at the digital bits that Kino Lorber is planning a new blu-ray release of Buck Rogers - including the theatrical cut of the pilot! No audio specs at the moment. I did e-mail Bill Hunt as well as Kino Lorber to ask about this. Maybe if a few more people do the same we can finally have the stereo track on blu-ray. If I get a response I will post the answer(s).