Best music & movies to showcase surround?

GoodVibrations
GoodVibrations Posts: 1
edited December 2008 in Music & Movies
What's the the best of the best? What really puts surround channels through the wringer and wows the listener? Please indicate 6.1, 7.1, etc.

Thanks!
Center - CSi A4
Mains - RTi8
High Surrounds - RM6750
Wide Surrounds - RM6750
Surrounds - FXiA6
Rear Surrounds - RC85i
Subwoofers - PSW505 (x2)

Receiver - Onkyo TX-NR708
Plasma - Samsung PN50C680 (3D)
Blu-Ray - Sony BDP-BX57
Disc Changer - Sony DVP-CX985V
AV Power Conditioner - APC H15
Post edited by GoodVibrations on
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Comments

  • Lowell_M
    Lowell_M Posts: 1,660
    edited December 2008
    Transformers Bluray is great in 5.1 or anything else. Make sure you have a good sub. There was a movie that daboyz brought to a get together that had gunshots that really tested a systems dynamic abilities.... can't remember what it was called.

    The Eagles Farewell Tour I DVD is pretty sweet in DTS. I also just bought Norah Jones Live at Austin City Limits, which is her most recent tour. It is an excellent recording both in 2 channel PCM and in DTS surround.

    We Were Soldiers is pretty good. There are others... I just can't think of them right now.
    HT
    RTi70 mains
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    RTi28 Rears
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    H/K AVR-247
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    Signal Cable Analog II IC's
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  • Fongolio
    Fongolio Posts: 3,516
    edited December 2008
    For music the Blue Man Group surround mixes really show off a good surround system.
    Also Pink Floyd's Dark side of the Moon in surround is breathtaking.
    SDA-1C (full mods)
    Carver TFM-55
    NAD 1130 Pre-amp
    Rega Planar 3 TT/Shelter 501 MkII
    The Clamp
    Revox A77 Mk IV Dolby reel to reel
    Thorens TD160/Mission 774 arm/Stanton 881S Shibata
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    Rotel RCD-855 with modified tube output stage
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    Ben's IC's
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited December 2008
    On the PBS shows, when the rains come back to the African savanna and there is thunder in the distance. For real. Not quite the pizazz of intergalactic battles, but very convincing.
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited December 2008
    For surrounds - a couple of favorites are master and commander (good to test bass as well) and house of flying daggers (echo dance scene)
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited December 2008
    music: Chris Botti, Night Sessions
    Movie: Savings Private Ryan DTS - D'Day scenes
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited December 2008
    As far as music, Pink Floyd is great in surround sound. My personal favorites are DSOTM, Animals and Wish You Were Here. They all have a really airy, spacy sound, and with surround sound it increases that affect a lot. It's like being suspended in the middle of it all...The Grateful Dead's live sets can really test a surround system too. There are so many instruments going on all at one time in some of those recordings, that you need surround sound to really be able to pick all of the details out of it.

    As far as movies go, some of my favorites are Lord of the Rings, which can really push your system during some of the battle scenes. The music throughout the whole movie sounds amazing on a good surround system as well. Jurassic Park is always great for tons of bass. Independence Day has a lot of good surround effects in the aerial battles and whatnot.

    I've never seen it before, but I hear the new Iron Man has an amazing soundtrack.
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
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    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • Fongolio
    Fongolio Posts: 3,516
    edited December 2008
    reported
    SDA-1C (full mods)
    Carver TFM-55
    NAD 1130 Pre-amp
    Rega Planar 3 TT/Shelter 501 MkII
    The Clamp
    Revox A77 Mk IV Dolby reel to reel
    Thorens TD160/Mission 774 arm/Stanton 881S Shibata
    Nakamichi CR7 Cassette Deck
    Rotel RCD-855 with modified tube output stage
    Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus
    ADC Soundshaper 3 EQ
    Ben's IC's
    Nitty Gritty 1.5FI RCM
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  • mjjjhjemj
    mjjjhjemj Posts: 47
    edited December 2008
    I grabbed this list from another post online (http://www.recroomguide.com/home-theaters/best-movies-in-surround-sound/)
    5. Saving Private Ryan - Periods for emphasis. The first 15-20 minutes of the movie where Hanks storms the beaches of Normandy are hard to beat. If someone was visiting and you wanted to show them a quick, solid test of your surround sound’s capability — you should put on Saving Private Ryan.

    4. The Fifth Element - Also on our list of movies with the best HD. Not only is there tons of action, but the soundtrack is amazing as well. A pretty fun movie overall to watch in your home theater.

    3. Perfect Storm - Sound effects from high seas with gusty wind can be heard in about 90% of the movie’s scenes, in addition to several larger moments that highlight your surround sound capability. The moments of jaw-dropping awe are not as numerous as with other films, but it’s outstanding overall.

    2. Titanic - I know, I know. It’s a click flick, it’s 9 hours long, but the surround sound is awesome. You hear everything all the time — the roar of the ship’s engines, the water, dialogue in the background, plus some pretty intense scenes for the last hour of the movie when the ship hits the iceburg, splits, and sinks.

    1. Twister. There are so many movies that can be on this list, particularly at number one — but for the surround sound most likely to get your cops called on you, put Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt in your DVD player. The opening scene of the movie gets you ready for the long line of lightning, hail, tornadoes you’ll hear for the next couple of hours, along with all the destruction they cause. Just perfect.
    GoodVibrations wrote: »
    What's the the best of the best? What really puts surround channels through the wringer and wows the listener? Please indicate 6.1, 7.1, etc.

    Thanks!
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  • mjjjhjemj
    mjjjhjemj Posts: 47
    edited December 2008
    I should add U571 - all the effects are great, but particularly the .1 (subwoofer) channel gets taxed by the depth charges.
    GoodVibrations wrote: »
    What's the the best of the best? What really puts surround channels through the wringer and wows the listener? Please indicate 6.1, 7.1, etc.

    Thanks!
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