VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Philip Banks · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:14 pm Post subject: MP3 at a cinema near you

I was wondering how an mp3 voice recording is going sound on the big screen. The voice track I have supplied will be mixed with music and sound effects to picture and will be used on TV to promote a new season of films but the same promotion will be screened at selected cinemas. With Dolby surround sound et al I wondered if it will stand up to close scrutiny.

mikemckenzie · Guest

Now, I am not an audiofile, nor an engineer. However, having dealt with MP3's A LOT, over the last 4 or 5 years, I think it's safe to say that provided your MP3 was stored at a high enough smaple rate, like 44.1 at 256k, it ought to sound good, especially after it's been run through and mixxed down through your client's studio.

kgenus · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 1:17 pm Post subject:

Here in the states one of the services for in theatre advertising is based on a "radio show" concept, the voiceovers are all done by one person and are mp3 delivery (from what I've been told), also with Dolby. When the movie trailers come on, there's an audible difference which is usually masked by the music pumping through the front mains to the back of the hall and sfx sweeping the seats and isles with widened stereo images. As a consumer, I doubt the average person has enough focus to really listen, there's just so much coming at all your senses at one time.
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Genus

anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

You can encode an mp3 at 320kbps is you want, it won't ever be the same as a straight WAV, AIFF, SDII, or DAT. The problem is that some frequencies HAVE TO BE compromised in order for the compression of size to take place. The good news is that if it's clean, not over compressed (if at all), flat, AND you allow enough headroom - the mixing/mastering engineer can make a damn good final master if he knows what he's doing.

If i remember correctly, you have some lower frequencies than normal in your voice so make sure you encoded it at the highest bitrate possible. Also make sure that your encoder is not rolling off low frequencies either (which is a default in many programs)

-Anthony