Cinema Sound Playback Level and Audience Satisfaction

Metadata

Publisher: SMPTE
Doc Type: Journal Article
Content Type: Original Research
Abbreviated Title: SMPTE Motion Imaging Jour.
Volume: 134, No. 3, pp. 36–43
Abstract: Over 25 years ago, loan Allen presented a paper asking, “Are Movies Too Loud?” He described the then-current situation, highlighting many issues and symptoms, including audience complaints, concerns reported in the press, theater operators playing films below Reference Level, trailer loudness wars, and excessive trailer loudness pushing down feature playback level. These issues remain decades later despite some progress (notably the Trailer Audio Standards Association [TASA] standard). Previous investigations focused on deriving objective loudness metrics (variations on weighted Leq) and associated thresholds. For this paper, we take a different approach; we use a subjective loudness metric and measure audience satisfaction to establish a Comfort Threshold for feature and trailer soundtracks. We present research in real-world and controlled environments to explore the causes and consequences of reduced playback levels and propose changes to current practice.
Publication Date: 2025-05-01
DOI: 10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498
ISSN: Print: 1545-0279 | Electronic: 2160-2492
Link: https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498
Author(s): Charles Q. Robinson
Keyword(s): Cinema Sound, Loudness
Copyright: © 2025 SMPTE

Bibliographic Reference(s)

Are Movies Too Loud? [Active]
ISO 21727:2016 [Active]
ISO.22234.2005 — International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 22234:2005, “Cinematography —Relative and absolute sound pressure levels for motion-picture multi-channel sound systems—Measurement methods and levels applicable to analog photographic film audio, digital photographic film audio, and D-cinema audio,” Nov. 2005. EXTERNAL
I. Allen, “How Loud is a Movie?—A New Measurement Procedure” SMPTE Mot. Imag. J. 125(4): 57–62, May/June 2016. EXTERNAL
I. Allen, “A Primer on the Levels of Features, Trailers, and Commercials as Heard in the Cinema,” Unpublished Technical Paper, Jan. 30, 2009. EXTERNAL
R. Thom, “Are Movies Getting Too Loud?” 1996. [Online]. Available: http://www.filmsound.org/randythom/loud-movies.htm. EXTERNAL
F. Rumsey, “Loudness Revisited,” J. Audio Eng. Soc., Vol. 62, No. 12, Dec. 2014. EXTERNAL
J. Fithian, “Is the Cinema Sound Reference Dead?” Boxoffice, Nov. 2017. EXTERNAL
Film-Tech Forum, (2002). “Volume Levels, is level 7 too high?” [Online]. Available: http://www.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/fl/t003026/p1.html. EXTERNAL
E. Grimm. “Movie Dynamics Evaporated in Recent Years. Can we turn the tide?” AES 134th Convention. May 2013. EXTERNAL
Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). “Theatrical Market Statistics 2016.” [Online]. Available: https://www.motionpictures.org/wp-content/up-loads/2017/03/2016-Theatrical-Market-Statistics-Report-2.pdf. EXTERNAL
G. Soulodre, M Lavoie, and S. Norcross, “The Subjective Loudness of Typical Program Material,” AES 115th Convention, Oct. 2003. EXTERNAL
C. Watson and R. Gengel, “Signal duration and signal frequency in relation to auditory sensitivity,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am., vol. 46, no. 4, pt. 2, pp. 898–997, Oct. 1969. EXTERNAL
S. Fenton, H. Lee, “A Perceptual Model of ‘Punch’ Based on Weighted Transient Loudness,” J. Audio Eng. Soc., 67(6): 450–451 Jun. 2019. EXTERNAL
G. A. Gescheider, “Psychophysics: The Fundamentals,” Taylor & Francis, U.K., 2013. EXTERNAL
SMPTE RP 200:2012 [Active]
SMPTE RP 2054:2010 [Active, Stabilized]

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Charles Q. Robinson; Cinema Sound Playback Level and Audience Satisfaction, MIJ 2025, Volume 134, Number 3 (pp. 36 to 43); SMPTE, 2025. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498

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Charles Q. Robinson; Cinema Sound Playback Level and Audience Satisfaction, MIJ 2025, Volume 134, Number 3 (pp. 36 to 43); SMPTE, 2025. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498

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Charles Q. Robinson; Cinema Sound Playback Level and Audience Satisfaction, MIJ 2025, Volume 134, Number 3 (pp. 36 to 43); SMPTE, 2025. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498

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<span class="citation">Charles Q. Robinson; <cite>Cinema Sound Playback Level and Audience Satisfaction</cite>, MIJ 2025, Volume 134, Number 3 (pp. 36 to 43); SMPTE, 2025. Available at <a href="https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498</a></span>

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Charles Q. Robinson; Cinema Sound Playback Level and Audience Satisfaction, MIJ 2025, Volume 134, Number 3 (pp. 36 to 43); SMPTE, 2025
doi: 10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498
url: https://doi.org/10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498

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<li>
Charles Q. Robinson; <cite id="bib-10-5594-jmi-2025-btrs5498">Cinema Sound Playback Level and Audience Satisfaction</cite>, MIJ 2025, Volume 134, Number 3 (pp. 36 to 43); SMPTE, 2025
<span class="doi">10.5594/JMI.2025/BTRS5498</span>
</li>