POLL: What matters more in a film? Good video or good audio?

[Mr. Afternoon]

This is something that's been weighing on my mind after talking about it to people and receiving some surprising responses. Sure, maybe asking this question in this forum will result in some skewed results but I don't mind.

I'm personally in the audio camp myself. Immersion suffers greatly without it, and my brain can fill in the details for poor video.

 

[4-earredwonder]

This is something that's been weighing on my mind after talking about it to people and receiving some surprising responses. Sure, maybe asking this question in this forum will result in some skewed results but I don't mind.

I'm personally in the audio camp myself. Immersion suffers greatly without it, and my brain can fill in the details for poor video.

Whether the film is good or bad is my first priority ........ and hopefully the rest will follow!

Like going to a Broadway show that's SO BAD ... everyone comes out of the theater HUMMING THE SCENERY!

 

[OldAsMono]

This is an open question as 4-ear alluded. Good audio can also be weighed in the actual musical score, big effects, etc. This is a question I think about with storing movies digitally in my collection. Lossless Audio takes up a LOT of space compared to Lossy (quite a lot!). I'll do a quick answer now but I want to reserve my "final answer" after more thinking time. IF you must CHOOSE between Good Video or Good Audio I would have to pick the good Video. I can enjoy crappy audio with a good picture but it's much harder the other way around. (PS - I try to store my movies with 4K & TrueHD Atmos. Then use Handbrake to condense.)

 

[JohnN]

Good Video with low quality quad.

 

[ar surround]

I actually prefer to watch movies with just the TV stereo speakers providing the sound. I find surround sound distracting while watching a video as it often makes the dialog unintelligible. (Subtitles to the rescue.) Yet I want all of my music in glorious surround. So the quality of the video is more important to me.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I actually prefer to watch movies with just the TV stereo speakers providing the sound. I find surround sound distracting while watching a video as it often makes the dialog unintelligible. (Subtitles to the rescue.) Yet I want all of my music in glorious surround. So the quality of the video is more important to me.

Thankfully, when my new system was professionally installed, I omitted the center channel and the left and right fronts, perfectly aligned, provide a stunning center channel experience. I usually employ subtitles or closed captioning when the dialogue is cockney English or the like. Otherwise, I'm enjoying what I consider pretty state of the art sonics from my 7.1 self powered Meridian speakers and the OPPO 205 does a stunning job of enhancing the image when projected on my 120" screen from my SONY laser projector.

Most 4K films I do buy have been transferred from the original camera negative and are representative of the original way it was projected in theaters. Even 1080p Blu ray discs which are upsampled to 4K by the OPPO look stunning. I try to avoid DVDs whenever possible as in this day and age 480p is pretty outdated.

I waited a lifetime [literally] for my new audio/video system and am one happy camper .... even though I hate camping! ⛺

 

[GOS]

I don't think I can vote! When I watch any sort of movie, I want it both ways. Superb audio and superb video. But, OK. If I'm watching a movie in my bedroom (which I wouldn't do, lol).....there isn't going to be good audio. But, in that case, I'd demand good video.

So there you have it. I guess. Good video.

 

[par4ken]

I have to agree with

 

[timothyemerson]

I vote audio. It's rarely done as good as it could be so when done right (e.g., Roma), it's really noticeably awesome.

Image is so good these days, it only really stands out to me when there's something wrong with it. A 4K scan on BD can look better than some native 4K releases (e.g., Matewan).

Until screens start outputting more colours, 4K with HDR is pretty tip-top. I wish Dolby would go away.

 

[4-earredwonder]

What I really appreciate is the way the studios try to present all their 1080p and 4K BDs in the best remastered audio possible .... declicking and dehissing even older films without any audible artifacts [like pumping, et alia].

They even go so far as remixing older films for Dolby ATMOS, DTS~HD MA 5.1 when they have access to the original multi tracks and believe me that is a true work of love. They also provide the original MONO soundtrack for film purists who want to hear it in the original audio format as heard in theaters.

While it's doubtful we'll ever have 8K home video in the US, relish those 4K and even 1080p upgrades whenever possible. Luckily, film restoration is alive and well WORLDWIDE and we are seeing a true renaissance of older films which otherwise would've been lost to the ages.

And as I've surmised many times....I consider 1080p and 4K films a bargain compared to music only discs and those excessive music box sets which cost a bundle...and during Black Friday and Cyber Monday many retail outlets blow them out for as low as $10 for a 4K film which also contains a blu ray disc with copious bonus features!

And as good as some streaming services are, take my word that the physical 4K disc surpasses in both picture and lossless audio quality anything those streaming services have to offer because of obvious compression artifacts!