Though I have yet to see/hear adywan's version, I have listened closely to the official 2004 ESB dvd 5.1 mix and usually it does sounds pretty good. The surround channels are consistently too loud, as if they forget to set the levels properly. It's possible the 3 db difference in surround channel calibration between theatrical and home video acoustics is to blame. If I turn my rear speakers down by 3 db, it comes out closer to what the surround effects in the '93 mix are like, and the '93 version sounds just right to me without having to adjust anything.
Even compensating for the level difference, though, there's still something off about it. Many of the original surround effects are there, but a lot of the new ones call too much attention to themselves, distracting even with the level adjustment. Panning sounds don't always move seamlessly, and I'm just left with the impression that they were too focused on changing the mix and making it 'better' without regard to what was good about it to begin with. (Which, of course, is exactly the problem with the special editions as a whole.) I don't rule out the possibility of my setup being imperfect--it's not exactly a pro studio, after all--but I don't hear these kinds of errors in other material. I haven't spent much time with the '97 5.1 but what I have heard was identical to the '04 except for specific new additions on the dvd.
The fronts of the SE are well put together, though--discrete channels are very nice there, since upmixing can divert too much to the center channel at times. Its dynamics are strong, though I still prefer the '93 version for general balance. As an example, when Luke says "Echo Station Five-Seven, we're on our way" and the snowspeeders fly out into battle, there is a power in the sound which the SE does not match; also, shots of the Rebels' white tower guns seem to be missing laser blast sounds for some reason.
Generally they did a very good job with the LFE channel. How much is 70mm authentic and how much is new I can't say, but much of it in my version remains unchanged. My work was for the most part limited to bringing down excessive peaks and strengthening subdued moments, often around 3 db either way. Rare occasions necessitated a 6 or even 10 db reduction, with a couple of synch adjustments so that the low end of ship flybys coincide more directly with what is happening in the mains instead of hanging on afterwards. One sound of a walker footstep crashing down was augmented from the '93 mix, and a few other things were spruced up with bass copied from elsewhere in the movie, since the SE had no bass in these places but should have. A bit of 'creative' editing on my part, but it all works very well. :) The '93 mixes have a general main channel bass sense that the SE's lack, and adding the LFE on top of that pre-existing excellence gives a better effect than either version achieves separately.
There is a very neat LFE effect when Luke is falling down the tubes underneath Cloud City, some kind of pulsating electrical humming sound. No idea if it's a new addition or not, but it sounds really cool.
One thing that bugged me in the SE was when Chewie begins to strangle Lando after being untied, Leia's line "Do you think that after what you did to Han that we're going to trust you?" is partially cut off by the enormous roar Chewie lets out. This was not present in the 35mm or '93 versions, and seems like a case of Ben Burtt failing to realise that his sounds shouldn't be allowed to overpower everything else. On my 5.1 the full line is heard as it should be, though retaining this did make it somewhat difficult to transition into the '97 mix for Fett's departure. The levels and music synch didn't quite match up, but hopefully the edit will go unnoticed.
Jedi's SE audio flaws are pretty much the same kind of thing as with Empire. Still, compared to the abominable rubbish that is the 2004 mix of A New Hope, any shortcomings are very minor indeed, and if I seem fixated on them it's only because I'm a perfectionist about my favourite aural experiences. lol