Best Home Theater Sound Demos
Best Home Theater Sound Demos
Whether you just purchased and setup your first home theater or you’ve had one for ages, one of the biggest questions I’m asked is what movies or scenes should you use in order to “test” your theater out? The best home theater sound demos aren’t always about the biggest explosions. I look for material with nuance and subtleties that is also fun to watch. Here are my 10 go-to movies and scenes that I use to test AV equipment and speakers.
Be sure to watch my video on the subject above!
Top 10 Movies and Scenes for Home Theater Sound Demos
Battleship
This film isn’t high art, but it is good fun, and a great workout for your surround sound system -especially your subwoofer. The AC/DC “Thunderstruck” sequence at the end of the second act whereby our heroes prep an old battleship for battle is a terrific test of any system’s dynamic and bass capabilities, which is why I’ve relied on it all these years.
Burlesque
Another dud of a film, but the musical numbers are fantastic. Christina Aguilera’s vocals are mic’d a little hot throughout this film and as a result you can really see just how “revealing” your speakers’ tweeters are. If you hear a bit of top-end graininess throughout, that’s okay as it’s in the mix. If her vocals are as smooth as butter, well, you may have some pretty rolled-off, or easy-going loudspeakers.
Moulin Rouge!
It’s no secret that I like musicals, and think they’re (usually) a great test for any system, but Moulin Rouge! is in a league all its own. Moulin Rouge! is as much a visual demo (for me) as it is a sound one. I think this film from start to finish is a great demo, but my favorite sequence is the “Roxanne Tango” for you have explosive dynamics, rich, taut bass and some good high frequency detail throughout to feast on. There’s a little cue when Kidman removes her gloves that I find particularly informative. Does it sound like cloth ripping off skin, or does it sound like a finger dragging across a sheet of paper? If it’s the latter, perhaps your system isn’t as resolute as you once thought.
Zodiac
David Fincher is a master filmmaker, full stop. Zodiac is among his very best and if you have a surround sound system this film is a tour de force in ambient cues and surround sound subtlety. The whole film is a masterclass in subtle surround sound mixing.
Outbreak
I love this film and the scene between Dustin Hoffman and Morgan Freeman in the Army trailer is among my all-time favorites. Listen for the clipping in Hoffman’s microphone and the metallic echo that follows. If it sounds a little edgy or harsh, don’t fret, it’s supposed to.
Draft Day
This peek behind the scenes of the NFL draft is a great dialog driven movie to test the midrange of any loudspeaker. Plus it’s a good test of your speaker’s dispersion. Do they disappear, leaving nothing but the characters on screen to materialize in your room? If so, then you’re on your way!
Deepwater Horizon
You know why this film is on my list, it’s on my list because of the oil rig explosion scene. If your system doesn’t cry uncle at this scene when played at reference volumes then you’ve built one hell of a home theater!
Driven
Not a great movie, but a good home theater flex for sure. The “coin trick” scene is especially fun and a worthy demo for any home theater all these years later. A great racing movie for car nuts!
Twister
Another oldie but goodie, Twister makes my list because I listen more and more for the organic sounds -specifically the animal sound effects used throughout to create the menacing nature of the tornados themselves. Watch it again and listen for how many animals you can pick out of the chaos.
Parkland
Like Draft Day, Parkland is a great test of your loudspeakers’ natural abilities throughout the midrange. With little pomp and circumstance to distract you, Parkland is among the more natural or true to life films with respect to sound design I’ve seen in a while and because of this it makes my list.
These are some of my favorite TVs for home theater fans.
