Why Ads Seem Louder than TV shows.

An explanation of why commercials seem louder than the television shows.
Excerpt from Gavin Baskerville's 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Show "As Seen On TV". I have also posted the loud ad parody separately by request.

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• TV
• television
• commercials
• ads
• loud
• audio
• engineering
• levels
• Australian
• parody
• lecture
• truth
• soap
• opera

[GavinBask]

I used an analogy to explain the 'loudness' of ads. For a good technical explanation of compression (which is what they use to make the ads seem louder) search for The Loudness Wars on YouTube.

[StuartJones3]

bullshit! commericals are way louder even just normal talking

[EmpireLS56KW]

The loudness is an issue with films particularly six-channel. The left and right front might mask the lower discrete frequency level of the centre channel that sounds way different in Dolby digital5.1 over conventional matrix Dolby4.2.4 where left and right front is going to fold onto the centre and mask certain Easter egg surprise sounds!

[EmpireLS56KW]

The loudness is an issue with films particularly six-channel. The left and right front might mask the lower discrete frequency level of the centre channel that sounds way different in Dolby digital5.1 over conventional matrix Dolby4.2.4 where left and right front is going to fold onto the centre and mask certain Easter egg surprise sounds!

[texantom56]

That's a great topic to do a comedy routine about. Great job on the convention centre ad mock-up. Technically it is audio compression which increases softer sounds and causes ads to sound louder even though it is broadcast at the same decibel level, really sneaky it is though the advertisers are pissed off as their market research shows that people either mute the sound or flip channels when ads are on so they will try every tactic possible to make themselves heard.