Dave's recent post on the eight formats for 70 mm film now available at the Somerville Theater got me thinking.
The 70 mm aspect ratio was standardized. Most of the format options address audio formats.

All of the advanced audio tech in the last few years has made the theater sound experience either really good or really bad depending on the venue. For me, the worst venue is my living room in front of my TV. Who hasn't cranked down the volume during the opening music and immediately cranked it up again when a normal voiced conversation ensues? What's up with that?

People whisper at 30 Db. Freight trains rumble by at 70 Db. (Jets Take off and cause ear damage at 120 db. but let's not go there). Somewhere there is a good range where properly miked dialogue is clearly understood and not overwhelmed by the score or foley artist.





http://vimeo.com/103862254

In the above highly technical but also highly informative tutorial from FilmMakerIQ, the speaker mentions (at 9:30) that audio compression has greatly increased since the 1970s. What's up with that? Maybe Caleb can chime in.