The 1991 VHS version of Fantasia has wild stereo separation effects all through the movie. Was this something added at the time or was it a two-channel mix of the original Fantasound experience?
The anthology DVD and the new Blu-Ray version don't have these effects. I kind of like the sound moving around on my old VHS cassette.
"The power lines are down, that explains why the lights went out."
See this topic http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032455/board/flat/214458755 for more info, but as far as the original LP release goes, it was not that wide in separation. It's possible that Fantasound was more wide, by nature anyways (speakers far apart from each other will give that effect). But there's no true fantasound records anymore. Most of what's in the thread was posted by me, but basically I find the progession like this:
Original 1940 Fantasound - ?? (Probably wide and separated)
First LP Release 1957 - Less separation, but there's more subtleties and less loudness. (Listen to this comparison:
...audio comparison file: http://www.mediafire.com/?704h5fxbrdpbjtj
first you will hear the 1990 version starting right where the female verses start, to the end. then you will hear the 1957 LP version.
Thank you for this detailed and interesting response. I just received the Legacy CD edition of the soundtrack and it doesn't contain much spatial separation. The visual quality of the Blu Ray is superb, but I keep my VHS because I like the audio with the separation effects.
"The power lines are down, that explains why the lights went out."