Pulp Fiction (1994) DTS Laserdisc [12154 AS] synced to 4K UHD

Movie: Pulp Fiction (1994)
Format: Laserdisc [12154 AS]
Input Soundtrack: 20-bit, 44.1khz, 5.1 DTS Surround (bit perfect)
Output Soundtrack: 24-bit, 44.1khz, 5.1 FLAC Surround
Ripped/Synced by: emunateD
Synced to: 4K UHD



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I've since compared the DTS LD 5.1 to the BD 5.1(identical to the UHD 5.1) and the LD 2.0 mix. Here are my findings.

The DTS LD is indeed a true 5.1 mix, but only slightly. There's very little LFE usage, and the surrounds are largely mono save for a skosh of added reverb, or echo, or some other thing, and one or two moments of left/right discrete usage. (Without those couple moments of discrete usage, I'd probably just refer to it as a 4.0 track ported to 5.1)

🔍https://slow.pics/c/LAesb35D

Here's a visual comparison of the stereo separation in the surrounds between the DTS LD and the BD. Note the vectorscope, showing significantly more stereo separation on the BD, appearing nearly mono on the DTS LD. I've also included a mono-sum version of the DTS LD surrounds, to illustrate what it would look like if it was purely 100% mono.

🔍https://slow.pics/c/Fk55puHE

I still prefer the LD 2.0, for what it's worth, as the music and effects (the gunshots in particular) sound less muffled compared to the DTS LD. I would certainly consider the DTS LD an improvement over the BD as the dynamic range has been significantly neutered on the BD. While I do prefer the brighter sound of the 2.0 gunshots, they still have significant impact on the DTS LD that is all but gone on the BD. The foot massage discussion on the BD has also been subjected to quite a bit of noise reduction. The following talk of big kahuna burgers has also been altered, with overbearing room noise that makes the dialogue sound hollow. (there might also be some noise reduction) The BD has also been subjected to some sort of strange filtering, as evidenced by the bountiful lines running through the spectrogram, but I'm not sure what to make of it. If there weren't a handful of minutes with information above 20.4khz I'd be comfortable calling it a straight up lossy transcode.

I'm still curious what the Criterion LD AC3 sounds like, but as it notes "The AC-3 track was remastered from the original mixing stems", I'd almost wonder if it was the origin for the current 5.1 mix. I assume the DTS LD is theatrical.

(2024-01-29, 04:40 AM)wright96d Wrote:  I'd almost wonder if it was the origin for the current 5.1 mix. I assume the DTS LD is theatrical.

Do we know for sure it had a 5.1 mix theatrically? All the posters just say Dolby Stereo, and the credits only list it as well.

(2024-01-29, 03:50 PM)stwd4nder2 Wrote:

(2024-01-29, 04:40 AM)wright96d Wrote:  I'd almost wonder if it was the origin for the current 5.1 mix. I assume the DTS LD is theatrical.

Do we know for sure it had a 5.1 mix theatrically? All the posters just say Dolby Stereo, and the credits only list it as well.

I could never find anything but Dolby Stereo for its original theatrical run either.  

I would think this 5.1 DTS would sound similar if not identical to the LD 5.1 AC3 mix that was done for the criterion release, since the DTS track came out about a year later, but have not heard/been able to compare.

(2024-01-29, 03:50 PM)stwd4nder2 Wrote:

(2024-01-29, 04:40 AM)wright96d Wrote:  I'd almost wonder if it was the origin for the current 5.1 mix. I assume the DTS LD is theatrical.

Do we know for sure it had a 5.1 mix theatrically? All the posters just say Dolby Stereo, and the credits only list it as well.

The posters and credits list "Dolby Stereo Digital" which means Dolby Digital 5.1, which I would agree is confusing. There's also this:

http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f3/t001567.html

"Prints were struck in triple format. You will get a Dolby A print, a Dolby SR print, or a Dolby Digital print (depending on how smart the depot was in selecting which prints to save)."

i dont see any dd track on the film cells

(2024-01-29, 06:04 PM)dillon Wrote: i dont see any dd track on the film cells

The vast majority of the prints wouldn’t have had one since it was “struck in triple format”.

from the additional info box on LDDB

About the Transfer:

Pulp Fiction is presented in it's original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and was digitally transferred under the supervision of director Quentin Tarantino from a super 35mm interpositive. The digital tracks were mastered from a Dolby SR print master. The AC-3 track was remastered from the original mixing stems.

I'm assuming that the theatrical prints were just Dolby SR and the 5.1 mix came later for the Laserdisc release

A selection of films of the era were mixed in 5.1 and only released theatrically as a 2.0 surround mix. Offhand Dracula was one of them.

Are we assuming the film-tech guy is wrong, then?