I'm trying to create a DCP from a blu-ray source with DTS-HD Master Audio. I understand that the loudness peak needs to be below 0dB to prevent clipping. If I don't touch the audio settings, the peak is exactly zero. The graph looks like this:
This does produce the warning "Your audio level is very high (on L, R, C). You should reduce the gain of your audio content." This warning seems to persist until the peak is down to -3.0dB. Is it safe to leave the levels the way they are? Unfortunately I don't think I'll have a chance to do an audio test in the theater, so I want to take the safest route, but it's not a very loud film in general and I don't want the dialogue to get too soft.
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When I make a DCP from a HD or UHD Blu-ray, I can rarely play it back in our theater at the reference Dolby processor level of 7. It's just too loud. Not just in terms of peak levels, but also of average levels. Often enough, the audio levels on a BD is a dynamically compressed version of the theater version, so there will be less dynamic range and peak levels can be higher.
I then usually settle for 5 or 6 on the Dolby processor.
dolby.png
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Kewl wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 8:55 pm
When I make a DCP from a HD or UHD Blu-ray, I can rarely play it back in our theater at the reference Dolby processor level of 7. It's just too loud. Not just in terms of peak levels, but also of average levels. Often enough, the audio levels on a BD is a dynamically compressed version of the theater version, so there will be less dynamic range and peak levels can be higher.
I then usually settle for 5 or 6 on the Dolby processor.
Thanks. If I'm reading this right, that means the safest course is to reduce audio gain by the equivalent of 1-2 Dolby processor levels (i.e. 3.3 - 6.6 dB)?
Peak (true peak) levels are allowed to hit 0dB - if it peaks only for single samples, not mutiple consecutive samples. Peak levels say nothing about loudness - RMS and LUFS/LEQ(m) is more relevant to loudness and sound systems compression/distortion.
I see a lot of commercial trailers being mastered to 0dB sample peak or true peak.
Notice that this is 'just' a warning that should create some awareness about levels.
In my opinion, straight warnings or errors should only come up when RMS, or better, LUFS/LEQ(m) numbers are too high, or if multiple consecutive samples reach 0dB true peak.
