TFAN
said:
Is there any specific scene where I can find out if it is the CDS mix?
Of course I would give you the time codes in question in addition, but unfortunately, I can't check them myself right now since currently in Japan with my LaserDisc-collection growing and growing (and becoming dangerously heavy to carry back home).
When it comes to compare the mix from the first US-DVD (the "allegedly using the CDS source" - one) with the one from newer releases, for me it's most easily distinguishable during the following scenes:
1. The famous scene where the T-800 and the T-1000 meet for the first time in the hallway leading to the carpark: When the T-800 cocking his shotgun while stamping on the roses in slow motion, the reloading sound on the remix has way more echo on the surround channels whereas on the "so-called CDS-mix" the sound rather comes from the front only, which is more typical for the usual front-prioritized mixes in the cinema for me. However, since I never watched it there, it's actually a wild guess.
2. When Sarah is fiddling with the lock trying to escape from the hospital, the score on the old DVD mix sounds more like "double stereo" on the front and backs, with way louder surround channels by comparison, however in a very nice way. Someone else here called it "holographic", which might be a good term to describe it. This, by the way, is true for the entire score during the movie. On the old mix, the surrounds seem to be constantly used for the score as well whereas on the remix, it's quiter on the back channels and quite different.
3. Another good moment is when the T-1000 first enters the hallway of the hospital. The score "key sound" for me sounds WAY better on the old "CDS" mix.
All in all it's a matter of preference - I prefer the old one for sure although I have to say if the old mix is really what was shown in the cinema in the new CDS audio format at that time, I would have expected more bass, especially during explosions which is somewhat a bit disappointing on every release I know so far.
On the other hand, the sound design of T2 is a very nice example of highly skilled and precise mixing (and mastering which nowadays seems to be the last stage to perfectly screw things up) with a mid and high-end frequency range almost "glasscutting" with a wide dynamic range. Movies like Pacific Rim might offer more and deeper bass but with an aweful low dynamic range - everything is just loud from the beginning till the end (which doesn't prevent reviewers from praising exactly those kind of mixes just because the DTS-HD MA LED lit up on their AVR while watching, tsss).
Hope that helps you.