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Idea & Info: a Koyaanisqatsi LD Digital Audio Preservation?

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 (Edited)

While I’ve been enjoying the Blu-Ray a great deal due to the fantastic image quality presented, I’ve found the audio to be very much lacking in several areas. When I compare the tracks to the truncated CD release from the 80’s the score sounds very unbalanced in terms of frequency response, with some cues having very scratchy (or missing) highs, booming bass, and a lot of time or phase issues, with the instruments blending together during the busy passages. This is also a problem on the complete soundtrack release from 2009 as that release was created from a scan of the film print. I’ve tried my best to recut and remaster the soundtrack using the original CD release, but the CD doesn’t cover the full score.

Given that Koyaanisqatsi was a low budget production, it’s my theory that an older release might offer better quality on the audio side of things as the film wouldn’t have become deteriorated as much at the time of scanning. From what I can tell, the two USA laserdiscs were made in the late 80s and offer digital audio tracks (made 5 years after its release vs. 30 years).

If anyone has this LD and would be kind enough to do a bit-perfect rip of the score, I’d be glad to cut it as a stereo flac for syncing to the blu-ray as well as preform any restoration work that may be required. Completion of this would be of significance due to the importance the soundtrack plays in this film, not to mention the lack of stereo sound on the blu-ray.

Let me know!

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Well, I found the two laserdisc releases you metioned and well... the first one I found has surround:

http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/01099/ID5304PA/Koyaanisqatsi:-Life-Out-of-Balance-(1983)

and the other is stereo:

http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/24864/PA-12-539/Koyaanisqatsi:-Life-Out-of-Balance-(1983)

For the LD with stereo, I found this listing on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Koyaanisqatsi-Life-Out-Of-Balance-Laserdisc-LD-Movie-/141169192648?pt=US_Laserdisc&hash=item20de56eec8

For surround:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KOYAANISQATSI-Life-Out-of-Balance-Laserdisc-1983-Godfrey-Reggio-Philip-Glass-/221541595951?pt=US_Laserdisc&hash=item3394e87b2f

Currently enjoying Disney Infinity 3.0

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I'd say the stereo version would be preferred however I honestly cannot say without having a look at the tracks.

I unfortunately do not have LD equipment with which to process the discs. I'm curious if a fellow member has a LD of this film and the tech to rip it, or maybe doesn't own the LD but would be willing to rip.