When you demo your home theater, what movies/clips do you play?

[Kevin P]

I know this has been discussed in the past, but not recently. When someone new is over and you want to flex your HT's muscles, what discs do you demo?

I usually start with the opening of Toy Story 3, as Pixar movies are always top notch video and sound quality, and TS3 is (so far) my only Pixar I have on BD.

Then I usually throw in U2 Rattle and Hum, I love cranking "When The Streets Have No Name" up to 11 and let the speakers sing.

What do you use? Any newer releases that make good demos? What about some of the old reliables, like The 5th Element? Is the BD version still top notch quality?

[Chris D]

Yeah, I've been wanting to revisit this topic, Kev. I'll put together my list. I didn't know you use Rattle & Hum! That's still my all-time favorite video disc. My favorite parts are "Bad", and the intro to "Streets".

[Ovation]

To show why hi-def on disc is worth it (while most people I know have HDTVs, they almost all watch DVDs rather than BD), I do a comparison of Blade Runner on DVD and BD.

To show why hi-def is worth it on "old movies"--a few scenes from Lawrence of Arabia on BD usually does it.

To show off visual FX and audio, I pop in Star Trek (09) and skip around.

For music with video--Phil Collins: Going Back--Live at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC (after sampling a few songs, a buddy of mine who is not a Phil fan decided to buy the concert BD and spins it regularly in his rig).

Other music demos come from my SACD/DVD-A collection for MCH audio and various CDs for 2CH.

[madmac]

The beginning of the first Ice Age is quite impressive! (With the silly squirrel!). For music, you can't go wrong with the Eagles "Hell freezes over" due to the exceptional DTS sound quality and the killer DTS promo presentation at the beginning (Good subwoofer show off!!). Also on that disc, The DTS audio only bonus of "Seven bridges Road" is fabulous.

[impala454]

I like reaching for Chris Botti's Live In Boston blu-ray



Will love to follow this thread though to find new stuff!

[ShadowZA]

Here are a few new blu-rays that work for me in demo-ing the system (in no particular order):

Movies:

The opening scene of Prometheus
Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers - Wolves of Isengard scene
Avatar - Thanator chase scene

Music: Excerpts from:

Chris Botti - Live in Boston (as per Chuck above)
Santana - Greatest hits - Live in Montreux
Lee Ritenour - Overtime
Eric Clapton - Crossroads Guitar Festival - 2010
Eagles - Farewell I Tour - Live from Melbourne
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms - 20th Anniversary edition - SACD
Andrea Bocelli - Vivere - Live in Tuscany
Patricia Barber - Modern Cool
The 25th anniversary - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert

[Blindamood]

For music only, any DVD-Audio discs by Steely Dan/Donald Fagen are excellent
For music and video (Blu-ray), I love Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds: Live from Radio City Music Hall
For movies, I still love the pod race scene from Star Wars

I also second (third?) Chris Botti and Dire Straits, mentioned above

[aud19]

I haven't actually done one in a while but I used to use the opening canon sequence from Master & Commander and the Tyrannosaurus scene from Jurassic park as a couple of my audio favourites. The training sequence of Inception is also pretty good.

[PewterTA]

Just added Oblivion to my demo material... it's top notch in both video and audio. Movie is decent as well.

[Chris D]

Oh yeah? Thanks for the tip, Pewter! I haven't seen the movie yet.

[BWLover]

I have various things that I like to use. But my favorite movie demo would be various scenes from The Dark Night. I like how some scenes were shot with IMAX cameras. And the switching of aspect ratios. My favorite scenes are 1) When they are playing in that underground white area and shoot that massive gun that's on a track. I crank that up for sure. And 2) the scene where the semi/tractor trailer flips completely over. As for music, I like to play Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dance No. 1 (non allegro). It has a lot of dynamic range with quiet and loud passages. And I find it is the easiest way to show a novice what sonic imaging/soundstaging is.


Sent from my iPhone using the Tapatalk app

[wkhanna]

I don't actually demo my HT sound system.

But just last week when my daughter was visiting with our grandchildren, the Wife & her were just watching a (bad) normal movie (Identity Theft IIRC) with no extraordinary sound effects. But my daughter kept asking whose phone was ringing, or, "is someone at the door", or, "who is in the other room?" during the film. It is not the two HSU subs, or the 380 watts at the two front channels that does it for me. It is when people get the subtle nuances, that low level info that is confused for real sounds from all different directions within the home that gives me a kick.

[aud19]

I don't actually demo my HT sound system.

But just last week when my daughter was visiting with our grandchildren, the Wife & her were just watching a (bad) normal movie (Identity Theft IIRC) with no extraordinary sound effects. But my daughter kept asking whose phone was ringing, or, "is someone at the door", or, "who is in the other room?" during the film. It is not the two HSU subs, or the 380 watts at the two front channels that does it for me. It is when people get the subtle nuances, that low level info that is confused for real sounds from all different directions within the home that gives me a kick.

Yeah I know I'm producing realistic effects when my dog goes to the front door and starts barking because someone knocked on the door in a movie :lol:

[PewterTA]

Or when you play Hugh Masekela - Stimela (The Coal Train) and when he does his whistle, brings a dog straight out of sleep and barks like crazy and shaking thinking an actual train is coming.... I did that to Bill's dog not even thinking about it. lol

[madmac]

That's happened to me many times with my system. I think I hear a phone ring or somebody at the door or behind me.... and.....it's the movie!. I end up pausing the film and then realize that it's the movie making the noises!.