Best reference-quality sound on DVD

[Teufelhunden]

"THE HAUNTING" DTS-ES 6.1 version - There are alot of scenes in this version that rock, but the one that I always use to show off the home theater is "Creaking Pipes" where Nell wakes to the sound of knocking. By the third round of knocking, I feel like I got punched in the gut, my house expands by inches and the windows rattle and threaten to explode. And then, right when Catherine Zeta-Jones says "Oh my god, what's happening?" there is what has to be the LOWEST deep bass note I have ever heard. Actually, it's FELT more than it's HEARD.

Simply THE BEST sound on DVD I can think of.

Just wondering, though, what else might be out there that I'm missing as far as DVDs that just friggin' rock so hard with killer sound that your neighbors think their house is on a fault line.

And if there is any DVD that puts "THE HAUNTING" to shame (I'm talking sound design, here, not the crappy movie itself)please let me know. Gary Rydstrom and Skywalker Sound of Marin County, CA are gods.

[Dominik Pfleghaar]

Welcome to the forum, Devil-Hound

[Dominik Pfleghaar]

Or should that be "Cerberus"?

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Unca Dom
dvdfile.com Administrator
pfleghaar@dvdfile.com
My HT My dvd collection

[1138]

Welcome to the forum Teufelhunden!

I was really impressed with Episode 1 because of how seemless the imaging sounds. Too many movies have panning effects that just kind of fade out in one speaker while another fades in. TPM on the other hand has pans that really sound like the they're moving across the sound field. It really acentuates the action.

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1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter/Moderator
It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.

[run1]

The Bone Collector was one of the first dvds I bought, and I consider the DTS track on it one of the best I've ever heard. The back channels are used almost constantly and create a great atmosphere.
SW:PM is a newer title that impressed me, and Se7en also deserves to be mentioned.


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"These are the moments I live for.
I put up with all the other crap just to get seconds like this.
The moments when you know the world is a better place than advertised."
-Planetary, Warren Ellis

[Wirehed]

Episode 1 has one of the best DD tracks I have ever heard. I was very happy with it.

The Imax Film Super Speedway has a great track too.

[tomdkat]

I would say Episode I, but I have the LD and I prefer the LD audio to the DVD......

So my DVD choice is Gladiator and U-571. Men In Black dts is VERY impressive as well.

Peace....

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My DVD Profiler List

[This message has been edited by tomdkat (edited 11-06-2001).]

[Bowman]

"Se7en" is, without fail, always the first disc I pop in when friends or family want a demo. Every aspect of the presentation is absolutely incredible.

[DVD-NUTTA]

PLANET OF THE APES 2001 (dts)
TOMB RAIDER (DD)
STARWARS E-1 TPM (DD)

[General Zod]

Well unfortunately I don't have dts, but I think Star Wars Episode I has to have the title for best Dolby Digital track. The U-571 dts track was very impressive on my brother's system.

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This will be of fine service for you, you bag of the scum. I am sure you will not mind that I remove your manhoods and leave them out on the dessert flour for your aunts to eat.

[Josh]

I'd say the best are:
Star Wars:TPM (Best ever!)
Air Force One
5th Element
Saving Private Ryan
Hook (The Music sounds so damn good!)
Gladiator

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My DVD's!

[tomdkat]

I also like the sound on T2UE (dts) and Fight Club...... Unbreakble has a good amount of LFE activity in the beginning....

Of course, people say Titan A.E. (dts) has a tremondous amount of LFE activity as well...

Peace.....

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My DVD Profiler List

[Indyphantom]

Best DTS I've heard.

THE HAUNTING--(no contest)
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN--(very clean and active)
DAYLIGHT--(amazing bass, but watch your speakers!)
BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY--(when the bitrates for DTS were higher! awesome!)
U-571--(Quite impressive indeed)

BEST DOLBY DIGITAL

HEAT--(superb, and better than most DTS tracks!)
DRIVEN--(it rocks!)
RUN LOLA RUN--(surprisingly, I still like to use this as a demo. excellent bass and dynamics)
METALLICA:S&M--(sounds so great)
BLADE--(still one of New Line's most impressive tracks)

[Keith]

1)Saving Pvt. Ryan-best use of the surrounds I've heard yet
2)The Mask of Zorro SE- Just got this one..VERY impressed.
3)Superman-BASS, BASS, and more BASS
4)The Matrix
5)Gladiator

[SeanL]

Originally posted by tomdkat:
Of course, people say Titan A.E. (dts) has a tremondous amount of LFE activity as well...

Peace.....

The DTS track on Titan AE is quite good.



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Sean

My ever increasing DVD collection

I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country-General George S. Patton

[disclover]

Still love my old standbys, Fantasia 2000 and Apocalypse Now. Can't wait for Redux; wonder if the audio will sound any different...better even than the current one?

[Teufelhunden]

Very cool... thanks for all the suggestions.

I had two motivations behind posting this topic:
1. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything cool on DVD that may have been traveling below radar.
2. I'm trying to help out a friend who just got a new job selling and designing home theaters.

He needs about 5 killer clips to use as demo material BUT the catch is that in addition to being great demos of picture and sound, they must be appropriate for any audience. And only run about a minute long (which eliminates the pod race from Phantom Menace, unfortuantely).

His key demo scene right now it the egg's journey at the opening of "Dinosaur" which he says has all the elements that work: great picture (anamorphic widescreen), great sound, good bass, sweeping score, it's less than a minute long and has nothing that is gonna ruffle any feathers.

I am a sucker for any clip that features something big blowing up, but apparently that ain't gonna fly with all the possible customers he meets.

JawaJosh: I will have to check out "Hook" and see what that's all about. Thanks.

Seamonkey: I actually have Super Speedway

1138: I agree with you that Episode 1 has got a TON of good stuff in it. Especially the pod race scene. I just wish it also had a quick minute-or-so scene that showed off the goods.

run1: I'll check out "Bone Collector" for my own personal demo use. Thanks. And "Se7en" is already a favorite of mine.

tomdkat: I'll have to check-out "Men in Black" and "U-571" again... been a while since I've seen either and I think they both may have some good, non-violent demos. Man, I feel like such a wuss hunting for great family-friendly-but-bass-driven demos... can I just say that I am a huge fan of vicious action!

General Zod: Likewise. Thanks for the input. Sir.

Bowman: Ditto. Thanks.

DVD-NUTTA: You know, I was hoping that "Tomb Raider" might have something in it. I'll be checking that out next Tuesday when it hits. I want it for my own stash anyway so even if it doesn't work for my bud, it works for me.

Indyphantom: Sounds like you agree with me on the whole "Haunting" thing. Damn, it rocks. But again... anyway, the only film you listed I've never seen is "Run, Lola, Run" so I will check that out. You're the second person this week to reccommend that movie to me, too.

Keith: Which part in "Superman"? I thought the open credits were nicely suped-up. A friend of mine said I should check out "Batman" for a better opening-as-demo. Any opinion on it?

SeanL: Hell yeah, the DTS "Titan AE" rocks. And I'm thinking that the scene with the ice planets slamming into each other might work cause it's not violent in the sense of car crashes or exploding planes.

disclover: "Fantasia 2000". Good idea. I'll have to check that one out too. I never saw either "Fantasia" movie cause I figured they would knock me out faster than Xanax, but as far as great demo material it might be perfect. Thanks.

and Dominik Pfleghaar: Devil-Hound will do just fine, thanks. Semper Fi.

[Blade]

Try Toy Story 2, the scene where they are crossing the road.

This was posted by someone in another forum:

Toy Story 2: Chapter 16 is the street crossing scene. it does a little bit of everything we like about 5.1, and it can't be more than 3 minutes long, which makes it a great demo.

first a bus pans the front speakers left to right through to rear right. then a car rearends a truck on the left with a nice tight thump you can feel in your chest (you know the kind)...a semi truck passes on the right...two cars swerve around on both sides of you and you can hear them crash together behind you...a monster truck flies overhead...a semi-truck swerves sideways and the wheels on the trailer skid around you and behind you from center to front-left to rear-left to rear-right to front-right...then a big concrete pipe snaps off of the trailer and rolls on the street for some nice rumbly LFE...it eventually rolls offscreen out of the foreground where it breaks a light pole which you can hear as a snap behind you...then the light pole falls into the foreground from behind...

Should be perfect. And it's a pretty nice transfer to boot!

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-David
My DVDs and HT

[The Riddler]

Fight Club
Sounds coming from all over the place on this DVD! Loud & obnoxious, just the way I like it!

Titan A.E.
Fox did a superb job with this DTS soundtrack! When the Earth blows up in the beginning U really think the earth is blowing up!

[Wirehed]

What kind of person is going to lay down the cash for a custom hometheater install and be offended by a movie with something blowing up?

I would tell your friend to stop worring so much about what is PC and just show off the goods. I mean, use your head, but I don't think anyone is going to be offended by anything in most of the movies mentioned.

[Keith]

Teufelhunden,

Several parts in Superman give my subwoofer a kick. The Krypton explosion comes to mind.

Also, after the credits are over and you approach the Krypton sun there is this way cool deep rumble as you pass under the sun.

Another part that works your sub out is when the dome opens when Jorel sends the 3 villians to the phantom zone.

[Indyphantom]

Originally posted by Teufelhunden:
Indyphantom: Sounds like you agree with me on the whole "Haunting" thing. Damn, it rocks. But again... anyway, the only film you listed I've never seen is "Run, Lola, Run" so I will check that out. You're the second person this week to reccommend that movie to me, too.

Teufelhunden, if you get RUN LOLA RUN I think you will be blown away by the audio in the opening credit sequence. I just watched it again, amazing activity in all speakers! Let me know when you see it!

[tomdkat]

I am simply flabbergasted that NO ONE has mentioned the FIRST release of The Terminator.....

Peace.....

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My DVD Profiler List

[TheMan]

Superman has the best Dolby Digital soundtrack ever. The opening credits are amazing also when the missile hits earth the bass goes out of control, now if Superman was given a DTS like its theatrical re-release then it would be the ultimate reference disc.

[Fezzik]

The depth charge scene in "U-571" in DTS...when those pipes start to burst, so do your eardrums.

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Does anybody want a peanut?

[TheBrit]

Don't forget The Fifth Element Superbit.

[Teufelhunden]

Indyphantom:

Finally saw "Run Lola Run"

Thanks for pointing that one out to me, would never have seen it otherwise probably cause it doesn't look like the kind of movie that has a soundtrack that kicks... but it did.

I love it.

Even bought the soundtrack to it.

Considering that I have now bought the "Run Lola Run" DVD and CD, it's bad you don't own stock in Sony Pictures... or do you?

[Indyphantom]

Originally posted by Teufelhunden:
Indyphantom:

Finally saw "Run Lola Run"

Thanks for pointing that one out to me, would never have seen it otherwise probably cause it doesn't look like the kind of movie that has a soundtrack that kicks... but it did.

I love it.

Even bought the soundtrack to it.

Considering that I have now bought the "Run Lola Run" DVD and CD, it's bad you don't own stock in Sony Pictures... or do you?

Haha. No I don't own stock in Sony, Teufelhunden. But I have a heckuva lot of Sony equipment, Tv's, Sony Vaio computer, receiver, VX2000 digital camera. I was said to be the 2nd best customer of my local Sony. Well, my Dad and I both.

Anyway, I'm very glad you liked Lola. I thought from the films you described that you would enjoy it. It's a cool film to own because although it's got a big following, lots of people still haven't seen it. How about that opening sequence! It's great.

[christopher]

i'm rather impressed with the DTS soundtrack on "Hannibal"

later, chris

[Josh]

Tomb Raider has one of the best sound mixes around!

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My DVD's!

[DVD-NUTTA]

The opening sequence in SWORDISH WOW!!!!!!!!!
you can hear every single coffee mug smash in the starbucks coffeeshop crystal clear.The attack in PEARL HARBOR (dts)is awesome.You may want to adjust you bass levels on this one guys