Laserdisc Dynamics vs Blu Ray

Wow, some interesting responses. I understand the video is slightly worse then DVD. I might add that there are benefits in no mpeg2 compression but the slightly less resolution and the fact that most comb filters have been stripped on flat panel televisions isn't helping.

I have however been told by many people that Laserdisc just simply sounds better. Lossless HD offers better resolution but the theatrical dynamics have been compressed for the sake of poorer audio playback systems (Flat panel, Home Theater in a box).

I remember hearing Apocalypse Now on LD and then buying it on DVD and being incredibly disappointed. At any rate thanks for your thoughts.

And no Elizabeth, my original comparison was more like the virtues of Vinyl as Laser is analog stored in a digital medium. Perhaps I'm hearing a slanted view.

I still use my Laser disc player. I have a few movies that were released "Letterboxed" on Laser disc but only released "Pan & Scan" on DVD. As for picture, it is only better than VHS tape. Sound wise is where I really like it LD. Many DVD's and BR soundtracks are to to boomy, meaning dialog at lower volumes and music and action at much high volumes. I know that it's fashion but it is annoying.

I think its a dead arguement seeing as even if the audio isnt quite as good (I am not sure I beleive this) its the video that more than makes up for any true degradation in sound. I had a LD player like many others and it was great in its day but that day is gone and there is no point watching something that makes me feel like my eyes need to be checked.
Unless I could not get the movie ANYWHERE else.
I think some of the vintage crowd is fixated on the romance of anything past and convinces themselves its still a great format and argues many times its better. But somethings are better left to history no matter how "cool" somebody thinks they are.

Taking into account that audio "sounds" different to different people and having grown through the Laserdisk era and into the DVD era (and yes I still own a laserdisk player) I can categorically state that that the audio on DVDs and Bluerays sounds better......to me. Saying that the audio on a DVD sounds a "bit" better is like saying that a knife is just a bit more deadly than an atomic bomb. No comparison.

I used to get this from the Betamax crowd from time to time. Betamax audio reproduction is the "highhest form of analog recording and playback. Now though I don't still own my Betamax, at the time this argument was going around I tested it. And though it sounded reasonable it in no way could hold water next to a good reel to reel system and certainly not to recorded vinyl.

So, sound quality is certainly in the ears of the beholder but I don't think audiophiles are going to rush out and buy laserdisk players and scrap their blueray players anytime soon....