With Rowan Atkinson (aka Mr Bean) starring in the Johnny English Series, expect comical action fused together with quirky secret agent tactics. The roar of a classic American muscle car will waken your front channels, and the sounds and atmosphere of agent-style missions that go comically wrong will surround your listening area, all while crystal clear dialogue gives added expectation towards the unpredictable things Agent Johnny might do next.
The cover of darkness works like a double-edged sword. In this pilot episode – Moonlit Plains, watch how a lioness takes advantage of her prey’s poor vision in the cover of darkness, before being ambushed by a clan of hungry hyenas. In the background, you will hear all the subtle details of a night in the African Savanna, overflowing with the chirps of crickets and animal movements, while in the thick of things, you will feel the intensity driven by deep, loud animal grunts and growls that will put your center channel and subwoofers to the test. Followed by high-pitched hyena laughter from all directions for a thrilling surround sound experience.
Intense and dark, this origin story adaptation of DC’s notorious cold-blooded maniac will most definitely have your heart racing and hand gripping into the couch out. Toying with the idea of imprinting a surreal Gotham City through the channels of your surround system, this movie centers its shuddering experience through the use of everyday sounds that we hear. Not only will you literally experience the noise and voice in Arthur Fleck’s head, but you will also have a taste of his vulnerability. No need for jump scares for a bone-chilling ride. The score that accompanies this film, together with its gritty visual is enough to make you lose your sleep at night. It is definitely anything but a joke.
The use of a highly actively sound mix certainly has resulted in a soundstage that is as highly theatrical as its on-screen visuals. Razzle and dazzle ambient effects are meticulously placed to put you right in the crowd when The Four Horseman takes the stage. Panning motions of the camera are translated with pinpoint accuracy in the sound department to further your immersion into the highly engaging fistfights. Overhead sound of flying banknotes showcases the attention to detail with movement rendered realistically. Bass moments hit hard when they are in the spotlight and enhance the overall sound field's realistic appeal.
With a heavyweight star-studded cast, this Jumanji sequel definitely holds its sound effects weight. The start of every new challenge is marked by a fast resounding drumbeat that creates a tight correlation between the on-screen information to throw you into the action. The sequences unapologetically barge into your living room with a range of lifelike ambient effects that will give your surround speakers a run for their money. Comedic dialogues are keenly and cleanly reproduced to keep you in the “game”. Coupled with the surreal visual effects, this is definitely a movie that is perfect to bask in the glory of your full home theater.
A nod to the classic King Kong of 1933, Kong: Skull Island is definitely demo worthy when you want to showcase the wrath of your subwoofer(s). It builds every tension on-screen with stomps and explosions that fills the ground, no matter how big or small. While aircraft are predictable in a movie with building-sized primate, we are still surprised by how it manages to make us feel like we are in one, especially during the opening sequence when 2 of them are engaging in dogfight mid-air. Lines are never lost in translation even with multiple activities taking place in various audio channels. Every detail is beautifully captured by the surround speakers, even if it is just a spider crawling overhead you.
An absolute treat to listen to and fun for the whole family, this animated movie features excites with general kung-fu mayhem that travels effortlessly from one surround speaker to the next. Exploding fireworks taunts and the impact from each deft martial art (or clumsy) move is substantially delivered through your subwoofers to demand your attention to feel its warmth. Lines are delivered with every nuance of pitch change expertly picked up by quality center speaker drivers.
Making full use of nature’s elements to showcase the level of sound fluidity from your surround system, The Last Airbender is definitely not one to be taken lightly. The seamless flow of atmospheric sounds are well-noted through your surround channels and accurately transforms your room’s life to suit the screen’s activity. Battles are portrayed with a dramatic flair of power and intensity to unlock the might of your subwoofer(s). Amour clashing and unleashing of each supernatural powers are not only outstandingly reproduced but, excellently layered on top of one another to provide an overall 3D soundscape.
A Disney classic that stirred up waves of excitement before its official launch is nothing short of a spectacular display of sounds that matches up with its reference video presentation. It paces each ambient sound intricately to its on-screen motion. The movie slowly increases its intensity and emphasis to draw out the emotional attachment as you watch the cubs move from the different stages of their lives. Directional stomps from the wildebeest’s migration layers as the main base for the other subtleties of ambient sounds to slot themselves in position. Every detail of every aspect is well-looked after and interpreted to create a marvelous realistic sensory experience that redefines what true surround sound is.
One trilogy to rule them all. Lord the Rings is definitely spatial surround reference material. Overhead to down below, there is no space that is left untouched in the array of sound sets that provides so much depth to create a 3D soundstage. Pay close attention to the dynamic changes in dialogue during the scenes with Smeagol and Gollum. Battle sequences are where your subwoofer(s) will shine with bass assaults from the earth-shaking roars and footsteps of the trolls. Fury from the Balrog will cap your surround bubble to ignite the life of the movie right into your living room. We say, giddy-up on your saddle for a journey to Middle-earth.
An excellent scene to test how clean as well as complete your surround sound system can sound. Pay attention to the crystal-clear dialog at the start, followed by a distinct beep coming from the left of you. Then, notice the subtle change in the crew’s voices as soon as they put on their space helmets. Next, there would be a very sudden loud, shocking crash that intensifies everything. Look out for the space debris that whiz past your ears.
Netflix’s first toe-dip in Dolby Atmos features a sonically delightfully immersion with a simple yet compelling storyline. Deliberate separation in sounds creates a lush soundscape environment that springs life to stir emotions in Okja’s fight. Every flicker, steps, and even breaths are programmed to envelop you into its finesse. Clarity in dialogues grips onto you with a desire to engage you. Environmental sounds splashes across with first-class details that intertwine with one another to fully display what Dolby Atmos can do.
Helicopter flying overhead? Check. Fight scene that circles around you? Check. The scenes listed are like your guide to what a good surround sound journey is like. Within the first 10 minutes of the movie, you will experience what it is like to be in a helicopter with a crew that has a deadly objective, with suspenseful music and the sound of helicopter rotors being perfectly translated into your room. Hear and feel the constant rumble and drone of the airplane in the background, as the cast engages in a heated exchange that quickly turns messy through your center channels. You will suddenly find yourself in the center of furious hand-to-hand combat action, with the sound of each blow being replicated to the T by your surround speakers. All this happens while adrenaline-pumping music thumps through your subwoofer(s) to inject the needed dose of excitement into the action.
From the Studio that brought The Old Guard and Extraction, this movie is all about futuristic killer droids and military machines with deadly firepower and accuracy. The sound of heavy arms and metadors in all-out gunfights will excite and pound your house down through your subwoofers, with enough squelch effects and bloody fight scenes happening across all surround channels to make you squirm, as the futuristic droid takes every opportunity to show what it is truly capable of.
This dialog-heavy scene will really put your front speakers to the test, especially your center channel. The scene starts with a group of people having a conversation in a police officer's room, of which their voices sound clean and natural. The scene then progresses into a more aggressive confrontation between a lawyer and her detained client in a cell, where there are more echos. Upon hearing his fate, the detainee starts screaming. His screams progressively get louder and more insane, and at the same time, the soundstage becomes increasingly wide as the screams gradually get outputted by the left and right speakers.
Fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion will either hate or love this movie but, there is no denying that it features some of the best robot surround sounds. The clarity of the mechanical whirring and every creak shines though, regardless if it is merely programmed to be a background mood enhancement or designed to be the leader of your center channels’ show. With building-sized robots, of course, there will be larger-than-life battles that will test your subwoofer(s) ability to reproduce every ground-shaking fall and explosion accurately.
No part of this soundtrack suggests dead. Penetrating depth of sounds can be observed in this installment of Pirates of the Caribbean. Lucid details of every frequency, be it high or low, demands for your attention in the most belligerent way possible, and all done without overshadowing one another. The exceptional separation of each sound detail virtually creates and sets the eeriness of the mood in perfect synchronization when Davy Jones plays his gothic piano during a turbulent storm at sea. Every “aye” is heard with pinpoint definition and echoes are delivered with realistic sound vigor that seamlessly travels from one speaker to the next.
Who said Christmas movies can't have great surround sound? The realistic huff-puff sounds of the coal-powered train would seemingly bring the polar express right to your living room. The movie also makes great use of the surrounding channels to bring a strong sense of directionality in certain scenes, including the scene of kids sliding through the toy factory chutes, and are sure to put a smile across every listener's face.
The Alien vs Predators series is an exciting movie classic that never fails in delivering exhilarating action, and this sequel is no different. Mercenaries of various tough backgrounds suddenly found themselves in an unknown world filled with deadly, cunning monsters, forcing them to work together with the limited firepower they have to survive another day. With our best mercenaries going against the ever-adapting predators, expect the impact of every shot and explosion to be felt through your surround channels. The rustling of leaves in a forest filled with death will come through your surround channels, subtly gearing every listener towards high alert against the deadly predators.
Fiery escapes, intense armed combat, and stunning visual effects are just some of what this Netflix Originals have to offer. Your subwoofer(s) will not shy away and take on the ferocity of the explosive sequence, head-on. Ambient mumbles are carefully layered on top of other effects to bring life out of the visual presentation. Colors are as boldly presented as the engineered sound - which creates a tight immersion relationship to drown you in a myriad of non-stop action. Center channels display a seamless flow of energizing dialogue that is rendered rich and clear. Combat segments will allow marveling at its unhesitating and clean sweep. It is definitely powered loaded, so be sure that your surround system is fully armed to take it on.
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