Audio issues at Rifftrax Live events

[LoadStar]

I've been meaning to comment on this for a while, but just got around to it now. I've been to most, if not all, of the Fathom broadcasts of Rifftrax Live events so far. I've enjoyed them for the most part... but I come away from every single one very unimpressed with the audio quality.

First, at least in the theaters I've been to, the broadcast is only a stereo mix, and as a result the sound comes from only the front left and right speakers, instead of all of the surrounds throughout the auditorium. Is this just because the local theaters have their systems setup badly/wrong, or is this the way it is at other theaters? Either way, it has made it harder to hear than if either the sound would be mixed as surround, or if they would at least upconvert the stereo mix and patch it into the surround channels.

Second, the audio from the feature has been repeatedly very, very muddy, and a bit echo-ey. If I had to describe it, it's almost as if the feature's audio is only playing through speakers at the Belcourt, and then they have a microphone pointed at the speaker to capture it for the Fathom broadcast. I can't imagine that's how they're doing it, but that's sort of how it sounds. It's not as funny when they're riffing on a line that I couldn't hear in the first place.

I get that this is a live event, and therefore it is very difficult to do the ducking and tweaking and stuff that they'd do for a pre-recorded riff. I still enjoy myself, and still plan to go to 2013's events. Still, it'd be nice if a bit more attention were to be paid to the audio going out to the Fathom audiences across the country.

Anyone else less than thrilled with the audio at these events?

[BiteMe316]

I've personally never had any audio issues at any Rifftrax Live! events I've attended.

[Thrashalla]

I've only ever been at one of the actual LIVE shows (Reefer in San Diego) and have had to see them at various theaters around town...the audio issues really are at the fault of the individual venues. I've had fantastic audio (Jack the Giant Killer) and absolutely atrocious (Birdemic.) It seems like the Fathom events are an afterthought to the staff at these places...they've forgotten to lower the lights, put the feed on late, not taken the audio out of the pre-show, front house only, configuration, etc.

So...yeah - talk to your individual theater and tell them to get on the ball.

[Thrifty]

I've never had a problem, although admittedly I don't have the most discerning ear.  Have all the live events you've attended been at the same theater?  It could just be that one theater.

[RandyMistie]

I wrote about this issue in the past, after seeing "Birdemic" live, which at my theater, was just terrible audio.  Pretty much what you experienced, center channel almost non-existent, so the dialogue was almost inaudible, but the surround speakers were so loud they blew out the eardrums!  The result was whenever music was playing on the sound track you couldn't hear the "actors" speaking or the Riffs.

Manos, however, (both times seeing it) was perfect.   During "Plan 9..." last night, the overall sound was so low that many of the Riffs were drowned out by the raucous audience laughter.  On the bright side though, the auditorium was PACKED!!!

GREAT show, despite having to strain to hear it....

[blahnut]

My theater has a tendency to forget to turn the audio on at all.  The fathom event commercials before the show are often muted.  They usually figure it out by the time the show starts, though last night at Plan 9 it was silent until about a minute into the stewardesses short.  Unfortunate but not terrible.  The audience was riffing Veronica's intro.  The employees were aware and apparently six people were in the little room trying to figure it out.

My favorite theater blunder was at Jack the Giant Killer.  The colors were off and caused the riffer's skin to appear as blue as a smurf for the first ten minutes.  Great unintentional Avatar reference.