Best Movie/Scene to Test My New Speakers?

[Lensman]

Fellowship of the Ring: Moria to The Bridge of Khazad-dum sequence. From pinpoint localizing to moving 3D audio effects to ambient sounds, whispers and flickers of torches to cataclysmic crashes, low bass to high treble, it all gets a work out.

Imax Super Speedway: Test track sequence. If you don't get a bit just a bit nervous, your speakers need to be moved/recalibrated.

[Defshep]

I believe that LOTR dvd / scene was actually the first one I played on the new setup. One of my absolute favorites.

[Woochifer]

Fellowship of the Ring: Moria to The Bridge of Khazad-dum sequence. From pinpoint localizing to moving 3D audio effects to ambient sounds, whispers and flickers of torches to cataclysmic crashes, low bass to high treble, it all gets a work out.

Imax Super Speedway: Test track sequence. If you don't get a bit just a bit nervous, your speakers need to be moved/recalibrated.

IMAX DVDs are a great suggestion. On Sir Terrence's recommendation, I picked up a few of them and I've been floored with how well the surround mixing was done on those soundtracks. IMAX theaters are built to comparable dimensions so they use point source surround speaker clusters in the corners rather than speaker arrays that run along the side and back walls. This is more similar to how a home theater is arranged, and it seems that the soundtracks are mixed and optimized accordingly.

LOTR:FOTR is a well done soundtrack IF you're talking about the extended edition. The soundtrack on the theatrical cut DVD had the levels set way too high, and audibly distorted in some scenes.