Good DVDs for surround demo?

[seanno]

I recently did a search which yielded limited results. I am having my brother-in-law over tomorrow to run in-wall cable to my on-wall surround rear speakers. I am pretty sure I know where I want them. I've run some tests myself using U571 as the test disc. Without going into my whole collection of DVDs, what DVDs/scenes would you all recommend for surround testing? Fell free to throw out all your favorites. My movie collection varies from Disney/kids movies to sci-fi to drama, etc. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

BTW, my surrounds are Boston Acoustics VR-MX (diffuse or direct).

[Swerd]

What DVDs would you all recommend for surround testing? Fell free to throw out all your favorites. My movie collection varies from Disney/kids movies to sci-fi to drama, etc. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Two DVDs I've recently seen that impressed me with effective use of the surround channels are Finding Nemo and Chicago.

In Nemo, the general depiction throughout the movie of the sounds of the underwater world involved a lot of 5-channel material. The scene with the sharks and the sunken submarine was one obvious example.

Although I'm not a big Broadway musical fan, I realy enjoyed the music in Chicago. It was very well recorded and mixed into the 5.1-channel format. Be sure to listen to the DTS soundtrack for that movie. Pick any musical number.

[Crunchyriff]

'The Bone Collector'

great DTS stuff there.

[Worf101]

Saving Private Ryan - If you can stand the blood...
The Ring - If you can stand to be scared s**tless...
Gladiator - If you can stand the carnage...
U-471 - If you're subwoofer can take it....

These four and a few other's will definately shake em and break em...

Da Worfster

[Hivihead]

Black Hawk Down, Seven, Lord of the Rings, Monster Inc...give it a try.

[thedace]

The house on haunted hill:- There is a scene in that where Vincent Price is getting filled full of bullets, you should be able to hear the gun fired with a crack in one of the front channels and the bullet hit with a dull thud in the rears. Also in the same scence there is a heartbeat in the background very gradually getting louder until very prominent which i think sounds just great.

Star wars episode one:- Dual of the fates, What a scene! This is an awesome sounding scene with extensive rear effects. The main thing this scene will do is show you if your rears are set too loud. If they are then the sound will just seem too much and it will be uncomfortable listening.

[cam]

Thirteen ghosts.

[Rikki]

The Italian Job. The first 15 minutes or so has some music and sounds that will give your surround sound a good test.

[Lexmark3200]

My suggestions:

Gladiator (DTS ES)
The Haunting (DTS ES)
Episdoe II: Attack of the Clones (DD EX)
The Patriot (DD)
Twister (DTS)
Fast and the Furious (DTS)
Daredevil (DTS)
Finding Nemo is actually good in DD EX

[kelsci]

My suggestions:

Gladiator (DTS ES)
The Haunting (DTS ES)
Episdoe II: Attack of the Clones (DD EX)
The Patriot (DD)
Twister (DTS)
Fast and the Furious (DTS)
Daredevil (DTS)
Finding Nemo is actually good in DD EX

Hi Lex; If you have access to a WALMART, in their bin I found GODZILLA for $5.50 made by the team that made INDEPENDENCE DAY. GODZILLA as a whole movie is worthy of a big can of "cranberry sauce". It would be a better picture if it were not so talky and Tri-Star yanked the musical score. However, there are a few scenes of demo audio material in this film particulaly when the helicopters pursue Godzilla thru the streets of New York in a battle scene. The scene contains aggressive surrounds and plenty of low end bass. At the time that Dolby EX made its debut, I heard that this film though not EX had CENTER BACK SURROUND information. Boy does this film have that info. The helicopters swerve back and forth in the surrounds. The monster actually stomps over your head. Although the video could be better on this film, there are definitely a few scenes for audio demonstration of what I mentioned above. More films should sound like this.

FINDING NEMO surprised me as one of the best overall EX encoded films you can find on DVD. I was surprised how much EX info was in this film whose storyline would not seem worthy of that much EX effects. It is actually superior to TOY STORY 2 IMHO.

[Lexmark3200]

Hi Lex; If you have access to a WALMART, in their bin I found GODZILLA for $5.50 made by the team that made INDEPENDENCE DAY. GODZILLA as a whole movie is worthy of a big can of "cranberry sauce". It would be a better picture if it were not so talky and Tri-Star yanked the musical score. However, there are a few scenes of demo audio material in this film particulaly when the helicopters pursue Godzilla thru the streets of New York in a battle scene. The scene contains aggressive surrounds and plenty of low end bass. At the time that Dolby EX made its debut, I heard that this film though not EX had CENTER BACK SURROUND information. Boy does this film have that info. The helicopters swerve back and forth in the surrounds. The monster actually stomps over your head. Although the video could be better on this film, there are definitely a few scenes for audio demonstration of what I mentioned above. More films should sound like this.

FINDING NEMO surprised me as one of the best overall EX encoded films you can find on DVD. I was surprised how much EX info was in this film whose storyline would not seem worthy of that much EX effects. It is actually superior to TOY STORY 2 IMHO.

Hello My Good Friend,

Hope Easter and Passover treated you and your family well; you are, and always will be, in my opinion, the most genuine hearted human being on this entire site -- thank you for your time to reply and all the help you have always suggested, as a fellow HT nut!

Yes, I have heard awesome things about Godzilla's sound.....I do not own this disc because I believe the film was horrible----an absolute travesty to what Godzilla was all about. The creature in this remake starring Matt Broderick (awful casting) was nothing but a Jurassic Park rip off; he didnt even SOUND like Godzilla, nor did he wear the right spine plates on his back. I will have to rent it to hear the soundtrack; this is DD EX, you say?

[kelsci]

Hi Lex; Thank you so kindly for the compliments. I try! What you say is completely true about this film like the bad casting including the monster him-her self. I take this kind of philosophy with the original monster which of course is the "real Mc coy. Godzilla represented initially the atomic age and the atomic bomb symbolically. As Japan became successful after WW2, particularly during the 60s and 70s, Godzilla became a friend to the Japanese people rather than a destructive force so the monster reflected Japan's economic success after that war.

The film was not recorded in D.D. EX, but its center back surround imaging is rather extroadinary in its use in the film. When you get a chance to rent it, you will hear that for yourself.

Some years back, there was a host of an all night movie show named Dave Dixon. Mr. Dixon passed away a few years ago somewhere in the midwest, I believe. As a DJ, I believe he said something to the extent that you cannot directly "down" a film over the air or in other words, call it a TURKEY. So he would come out with a can of CRANBERRY SAUCE instead representing his opinion of himself and others on a particular film that was to be shown. KELSCI.

[Lexmark3200]

Hi Lex; Thank you so kindly for the compliments. I try! What you say is completely true about this film like the bad casting including the monster him-her self. I take this kind of philosophy with the original monster which of course is the "real Mc coy. Godzilla represented initially the atomic age and the atomic bomb symbolically. As Japan became successful after WW2, particularly during the 60s and 70s, Godzilla became a friend to the Japanese people rather than a destructive force so the monster reflected Japan's economic success after that war.

The film was not recorded in D.D. EX, but its center back surround imaging is rather extroadinary in its use in the film. When you get a chance to rent it, you will hear that for yourself.

Some years back, there was a host of an all night movie show named Dave Dixon. Mr. Dixon passed away a few years ago somewhere in the midwest, I believe. As a DJ, I believe he said something to the extent that you cannot directly "down" a film over the air or in other words, call it a TURKEY. So he would come out with a can of CRANBERRY SAUCE instead representing his opinion of himself and others on a particular film that was to be shown. KELSCI.

Agreed. Very interesting analysis of this.

[agidol]

I also have Godzilla DVD since my 3 year old is a big dino fan. I actually have to say the movie's bass is mediocre at best -- I expected thundorous thomp from Godzilla's steps but they were kinda weak compared to Jurassic Park 3's dino scenes where T-Rex fought Spino (man those were awesome sounds - the rest was kinda so-so though).

Based on what I tested, my two favorites are:

Finding Nemo (this everyone would agree. especially the shark scene and the scene where a little girl taps at the fish tank - man the whole house shook with vibration)

Pearl Harbor - 20 minutes of continuous explosion - it thoroughly tests your surrounds

PS - matrix 2's car chase scene was pretty decent too.

[ray5aes]

http://www.remotecentral.com/features/bestdvd.htm

They have alot listed by other veiwers.

[Lexmark3200]

I also have Godzilla DVD since my 3 year old is a big dino fan. I actually have to say the movie's bass is mediocre at best -- I expected thundorous thomp from Godzilla's steps but they were kinda weak compared to Jurassic Park 3's dino scenes where T-Rex fought Spino (man those were awesome sounds - the rest was kinda so-so though).

Based on what I tested, my two favorites are:

Finding Nemo (this everyone would agree. especially the shark scene and the scene where a little girl taps at the fish tank - man the whole house shook with vibration)

Pearl Harbor - 20 minutes of continuous explosion - it thoroughly tests your surrounds

PS - matrix 2's car chase scene was pretty decent too.

Agidol,

Interesting about Godzilla's weak bass.....I have found the exact same thing with the original Jurassic Park DTS soundtrack --- even this "new" "corrected" version of the DVD didnt quite shake my listening area like promised. Granted, I only have a 10" sub and the calibration level is matching those of my other speakers in the surround array, but still, I was told this film was THE demo disc for bass. Not true. The Haunting in DTS ES blows Jurassic Park away.

[r3Wind]

Master and Commander is probably my new favorite, when those first cannons started going off, I thought I was going to lose my front window, and the dog across the street started barking...

[Lexmark3200]

Master and Commander is probably my new favorite, when those first cannons started going off, I thought I was going to lose my front window, and the dog across the street started barking...

R3,

I missed Master and Commander in the theaters....wanted to see it....looks like a cross between Gladiator and Pirates of the Carribean....was it good?

[r3Wind]

...was it good?

I liked it, it was a little slow in the middle, but the beginning and end more than made up for it. I thought the surround mix was excellent, on the ship you hear all sorts of wood creaking coming out of the surround speakers, and when the ship gets hit by cannon fire it sounded like my house was getting blown apart (of course, this was the first movie I put in after my Hsu VTF-3 MK2 arrived, so that may have had something to do with it as well ).

[Woochifer]

I liked it, it was a little slow in the middle, but the beginning and end more than made up for it. I thought the surround mix was excellent, on the ship you hear all sorts of wood creaking coming out of the surround speakers, and when the ship gets hit by cannon fire it sounded like my house was getting blown apart (of course, this was the first movie I put in after my Hsu VTF-3 MK2 arrived, so that may have had something to do with it as well ).

I agree, Master and Commander has some of the best surround effect I've heard yet. Some scenes below deck where you got people running above sound incredibly realistic. It conveys that closed in claustrophobic feeling very effectively. I was also impressed with how well everything else was recorded. A lot of the frequently mentioned favorites like The Haunting and LOTR I thought had impressive sound effect mixing and bass depth, but the dialog sounded harsh and unrealistic at times.

U571 is also an excellent reference disc. Aside from the submarine scenes, I also thought that the big band scene in the beginning was done very well.

Another not-so-oftmentioned movie that I like to break out is Drumline. That has some of the best marching band mixing that I've heard, and it too will give your subwoofer a decent workout.

For demos with more dialog driven movies, I like Insomnia.

[Lexmark3200]

I liked it, it was a little slow in the middle, but the beginning and end more than made up for it. I thought the surround mix was excellent, on the ship you hear all sorts of wood creaking coming out of the surround speakers, and when the ship gets hit by cannon fire it sounded like my house was getting blown apart (of course, this was the first movie I put in after my Hsu VTF-3 MK2 arrived, so that may have had something to do with it as well ).

Excellent, R3! Thanks so much for the info; I will have to rent it first.

The surround experience you describe sounds much like the Pirates of the Caribbean DTS track, with the cannons blasting and boards creaking in the surround channels. However, I STILL think Disney could have tweaked the Pirates sound a BIT more so they were slightly more aggressive for an adventure film.

[Lexmark3200]

I agree, Master and Commander has some of the best surround effect I've heard yet. Some scenes below deck where you got people running above sound incredibly realistic. It conveys that closed in claustrophobic feeling very effectively. I was also impressed with how well everything else was recorded. A lot of the frequently mentioned favorites like The Haunting and LOTR I thought had impressive sound effect mixing and bass depth, but the dialog sounded harsh and unrealistic at times.

U571 is also an excellent reference disc. Aside from the submarine scenes, I also thought that the big band scene in the beginning was done very well.

Another not-so-oftmentioned movie that I like to break out is Drumline. That has some of the best marching band mixing that I've heard, and it too will give your subwoofer a decent workout.

For demos with more dialog driven movies, I like Insomnia.

Wooch,

I must agree and comment on some things you mention here because you are right on the money.....I have to tell you....The Haunting, in DTS ES flavor, ranks among the BEST sounding DVDs on the market. Once the doors of Hill House begin slamming shut, a subwoofer will bang, growl and shake like mad....Im telling you, and I have a 10" sub. I have found, as you, that dialogue in many of these films with awesome surround effects is a tad harsh....many films come this way, it seems. I agree. Some dialogue is....well..."flat" and "harsh" as you say....I was watching "Crimson Tide" the other night with a friend and had my receiver cranked up to about "49" on the volume control (if you have ever owned an Onkyo product you'll know what Im talking about) and STILL, the dialogue even during hectic action sequences was really flat; like Denzel Washington sounded miles away even in my center channel speaker.

U571 is also one of the best, if not THE best demo of surround material. It is still just about my favorite DVD in my collection, honest. I read an interview with Jonathan Mostow in Home Theater magazine regarding the sound design and he was saying how much work went into the sound mix of U571, and how it took two or three days straight on the Universal Studios sound lot to get the depth charge sequences right so that home theater buffs' speakers could "recover" from each explosion, ready for the next....really cool stuff. And that big band scene is awesome, you are right-----the WHOLE soundstage opens up when that scene comes on and you really get drawn into the scene.

[Worf101]

I liked it, it was a little slow in the middle, but the beginning and end more than made up for it. I thought the surround mix was excellent, on the ship you hear all sorts of wood creaking coming out of the surround speakers, and when the ship gets hit by cannon fire it sounded like my house was getting blown apart (of course, this was the first movie I put in after my Hsu VTF-3 MK2 arrived, so that may have had something to do with it as well ).

I have the VTF-2 upstairs in the bedroom system and an older VTF-3 MK1 downstairs. Amazing subs, particularly with movies and music. Since my last calibration my main system is "dialed in". I merges seamlessly with my mains. How do you like the MK2 so far? I'm really curious about it's improved WAF, what finish did you get it in?

Da Worfster

[r3Wind]

How do you like the MK2 so far? I'm really curious about it's improved WAF, what finish did you get it in?

Absolutely stunning. I mean, I knew it would make a huge difference, but I don't think I was really prepared for the reality of it. The other thing I noticed is that I can listen to movies at a much lower volume, and actually hear everything better than before. I guess since my mains are relieved of "bass duty" it just seemed to clean up my whole sound (it does blend perfectly with my other speakers as well). You're right about them also being great with music, I listened to the DVD-A of Queen's "A Night At The Opera" last night and felt like I was hearing it for the first time all over again. Just *HUGE*.

The sub was sort of a tax refund present to myself, I just went with the matte black finish. The coolest thing was that their website said there was a 3-4 week wait for them, but the sub was sitting in front of me four days after I ordered it...