Whats the best movie to test surround ???

[snappy_snoopy]

,
just as the title suggested i am fairly new to all this stuff and only just started investing a fair bit of money and need something good to test it out with,

what are the movie recommendations from the experts ???

 

[Adam]

There's a lot of good material out there. Do you have movies already that you can check out?

When I first bought my system, I really enjoyed Air Force One - especially the scene when the F-15s first meet up with Air Force One and swoop around the backside. There's also some nice richocet sounds and birds chirping in the rear speakers in Desperado. Granted, those are older movies nowadays, but I enjoyed listening to the effects in the rear speakers because that was all new to me!

 

[snappy_snoopy]

There's a lot of good material out there. Do you have movies already that you can check out?

When I first bought my system, I really enjoyed Air Force One - especially the scene when the F-15s first meet up with Air Force One and swoop around the backside. There's also some nice richocet sounds and birds chirping in the rear speakers in Desperado. Granted, those are older movies nowadays, but I enjoyed listening to the effects in the rear speakers because that was all new to me!

Strangely enough i have got some dvds but none actually support 5.1 lol i better go shopping and have a look around

 

[Haoleb]

A couple that I like...

U571

Pirates of the Carribean "the curse of the black pearl"

Gladiator

A couple other popular ones are Finding nemo and Ice age, and War of the Worlds but I didnt think either the sound or video on that was particularly impressive.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Ratatuille (however you spell it)

HellBoy

Saving private Ryan

 

[newaudiofile]

Try:
Master and Commander-The cannon balls and flying splinters is awesome.
Ratatoullie
U571

Enjoy

 

[3db]

Try:
Master and Commander-The cannon balls and flying splinters is awesome.
Ratatoullie
U571

Enjoy

I agree with Master and Commander and U571.. can't remember Rattaoullier though even though I have it

Others are Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings,,,,must be tons more.

 

[j_garcia]

Check the movies and music area and do a search; there are a lot of threads with this info already.

Ratatoullie is a good one.

 

[tomd51]

Another vote for Master and Commander, not only the battle scenes but also when they beat to quarters, you can hear everyone scurrying around on the top deck from beneath, sounds like they're right above your head in the room.

Any of the Lord Of The Rings movies have great soundtracks, The Haunting, good wrap around effects. Matrix Revolutions has awesome use of the surrounds when Neo is speaking with The Source or mainframe. i, Robot has some good surround effects to it. The second scene in Saving Private Ryan when they're landing at Normandy has incredible effects as well.

Lots of the higher budget animated movies have excellent soundtracks and surround usage also, such as The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Chicken Little, etc... -TD

 

[snappy_snoopy]

Another vote for Master and Commander, not only the battle scenes but also when they beat to quarters, you can hear everyone scurrying around on the top deck from beneath, sounds like they're right above your head in the room.

Any of the Lord Of The Rings movies have great soundtracks, The Haunting, good wrap around effects. Matrix Revolutions has awesome use of the surrounds when Neo is speaking with The Source or mainframe. i, Robot has some good surround effects to it. The second scene in Saving Private Ryan when they're landing at Normandy has incredible effects as well.

Lots of the higher budget animated movies have excellent soundtracks and surround usage also, such as The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Chicken Little, etc... -TD

thanks to all you guys appreciate it

 

[jostenmeat]

LOTR, extended versions, for the DTS-ES. I think Im still most impressed by these soundtracks, and I have a lot of lossless tracks.

X-Men 3 is pretty darn good, IMO. I like these recs for 6.1/7.1 systems.

Pan's Labyrinth is pretty fun too. Just don't use the bluray version, it is DNR'd to all hell, IMO, the worst I've seen.

 

[JerryLove]

I don't think I interprete this question the same as some others.

Of course "testing surround" would involve using all 6-8 speakers (5.1 vs 7.1); but it must also involve "putting them through paces". This, to me, means a high-fidelity master and wide range of sounds more than it means "often puts things behind you".

I do beleive several of the recommendations here intend that (you guys are seriously making me want to watch U571 just for the sound). Fifth Element was used for a longtime as a showcase movie because of the high-quality of the master, both visually and auditorially, and because of the wide range of sounds (the scene with the opera singer and fight comes to mind).

I personally use the firefight in the lobby near the end of "The Matrix" to calibrate my center and sub. "Saving Private Ryan", based on my experience in the thatre, would be a good calibration test as well for the rears.

I do personally also very much enjoy the climax of the last Pirates of the Caribbean, but have not evaluated it for testing surround so much as just enjoying it.

You really have non 5.1 DVDs? Are they just generally older movies?

 

[snappy_snoopy]

I don't think I interprete this question the same as some others.

Of course "testing surround" would involve using all 6-8 speakers (5.1 vs 7.1); but it must also involve "putting them through paces". This, to me, means a high-fidelity master and wide range of sounds more than it means "often puts things behind you".

I do beleive several of the recommendations here intend that (you guys are seriously making me want to watch U571 just for the sound). Fifth Element was used for a longtime as a showcase movie because of the high-quality of the master, both visually and auditorially, and because of the wide range of sounds (the scene with the opera singer and fight comes to mind).

I personally use the firefight in the lobby near the end of "The Matrix" to calibrate my center and sub. "Saving Private Ryan", based on my experience in the thatre, would be a good calibration test as well for the rears.

I do personally also very much enjoy the climax of the last Pirates of the Caribbean, but have not evaluated it for testing surround so much as just enjoying it.

You really have non 5.1 DVDs? Are they just generally older movies?

Yeah i never really bought dvds before, my girl friend has a few of the oldies and i got tones of mountain bike dvds but they not 5.1. i bought a few now, sounds a lot to me like i should be watching u571 again too. Thanks for your input you hit the spot with regards to a more informative answer than the others did. I also believe it is possible to buy surround test surround test soundtracks. Is there any place you can download one from the net ?? i have been looking and am willing to pay for one but dont know from where. As alot of the stuff you guys have access to by mail in the states is very difficult to get in New Zealand that is why i ask if i can get one from the net somewhere.

thanks for your input

 

[croseiv]

I thought The Patriot had some good surround and LFE.

 

[timone]

House of Flying Daggers-Chapter 3
The Polar Express
Live Free or Die Hard
Pan's Labyrinth

 

[croseiv]

Also any of the Star Wars movies.

 

[j_garcia]

You can add The Mummy on BD. I was watching this last night and the updated DTS-HD MA track is quite good, with a lot of surround activity.

 

[JerryLove]

I also believe it is possible to buy surround test surround test soundtracks. Is there any place you can download one from the net ?? i have been looking and am willing to pay for one but dont know from where. As alot of the stuff you guys have access to by mail in the states is very difficult to get in New Zealand that is why i ask if i can get one from the net somewhere.

The short answer is "I just don't know".

Certainly you should be able to level-set using the "test-tone" mode on your reciever. That won't cover any equalizing you want to do, nor crossovers.

Good luck. If I see one I'll let you know.

 

[loserwife]

Independence Day

Red Planet - Chapter entitled "Bye Bye Sweetie"

Seabiscuit - Chapter 22 "The showdown with War Admiral" This sequence has it all - great picture and musical score with good bass, a beginning, a middle, and an uplifting finale.

Transformers

 

[skizzerflake]

In addition to many of those mentioned especially LOTR, I would add Gladiator. The initial battle scene surrounds you with the final chapter of the Marcomannic War. When Maximus gets to the Coliseum in Rome, the crowd sounds are downright 3D.