Is this the first DVD you were referring to:

I have this one. The picture is more natural compared to the Ultimate Edition which features heavy contrast boosting and Edge Enhancement. I have listened to the mix a few times and compared it in the past and it seems a little quieter than other releases from memory, but not sure of the specifics. The first release Region A blu-ray is also a lot quieter than the later T2 blu-ray releases, and my HD-DVD sounds (to my ears) the same as the latest T2 blu-rays.