Any specific EX/ES Scene recommendations? (1 Viewer)

[EricSm]

Hey there, just looking for some quick DD-EX or DTS-ES reference material.

I have Monsters Inc., Seven, LOTR: FOTR extended. Any specific scenes on those titles that will give me a clear impression of what that extra rear channel is doing?

Also-- any other titles worth renting that would be good material?

Thanks guys.

 

[Skippy]

Since getting my EX/ES setup a few weeks ago, (Pioneer 811 and JBL N24IIs all around with N-Center) I've watched Se7en all the way through in DTS-ES. The title sequence and any scene in the rain is amazing. I literally felt like I was in the middle of a rainstorm!!! I've watched the opening of FOTR, and that was pretty cool too.

My suggestion would be to buy or rent Star Wars: Episode I if you don't have it already. The Pod Race sequence is AWESOME in EX!! It's like watching a whole different scene.

Monsters INc is on my list to watch again soon too though. I hear the EX on that is pretty nice as well.

 

[Matt Stone]

Blade 2 has a really good DTS-ES track. I second Episode I.

 

[Jeff Kohn]

LotR EE has an impressive DTS-ES discrete track, as does Gladiator, Pitch Black, and the Haunting.

 

[AaronJB]

The Haunting: Scene 17. Extremely good use of the rear back surround.

Some "non-official" EX titles that decode well w/back surround are "Reign Of Fire", "XXX" and "Godzilla". The first scene of "Bourne Identity" (on the ship w/all the thunder going on outside and creaking of the ship) also is stronger w/back surround.

"Stuart Little 2" and "Minority Report" (which I believe were EX theatrically, but as with most EX titles, aren't flagged as EX) also have a lot of back surround information.

 

[Neil Joseph]

Let me be the first to mention Saving Private Ryan omaha beach landing. Surprised it was not talked about yet.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

SPR was not DTS-ES/DD-EX, it is DTS or DD only. The poster is looking for 6.1 (I know it is matrixed, I know it is not *really* 6.1 - just call it shorthand) material only.

My choices:

Chicken Run - the "Pie Oven" scene
Gladiator - the first arena battle, the spiked ball being swung around over your head

 

[DaveBB]

Let me be the first to mention Saving Private Ryan omaha beach landing. Surprised it was not talked about yet.

DO NOT listen to Saving Private Ryan in 6.1/EX Mode; the whole rear soundstage collapses. I don't know why this occurs. Dreamworks might want to revisit SPR for a 6.1/EX fix.

 

[DonRoeber]

I really enjoy the opening battle of Gladiator. It sounds amazing.

 

[Troy LaMont]

Eric,

You may want to see the additional R1 EX/ES titles here

Episode II when Obi Wan is chasing Jango through the asteroid field!!! Nice!

Also second Blade..

Troy

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

DO NOT listen to Saving Private Ryan in 6.1/EX Mode; the whole rear soundstage collapses. I don't know why this occurs. Dreamworks might want to revisit SPR for a 6.1/EX fix.

I don't know if it's because it uses a different sound mix than the Dolby Digital version, but the DTS version of Saving Private Ryan decodes rather well with DTS-ES engaged. Most notable is the end when the tank-busters fly in.

As far as movies originally in DD-EX, I have six words for you:
FIGHT CLUB FIGHT CLUB FIGHT CLUB!
Not one scene -- the whole movie. My jaw dropped when I heard it in EX.

 

[Chad R]

This was never an official EX or ES mix in theaters as it predates the process by a year. I've heard that it does decode nicely into matrix 6.1, but it's not supposed to.

 

[Declan]

I remember reading an article about this very subject (does Private Ryan go into 6.1 channels) in Sound and Vision magazine.... and thw answer was a most definite NO. The rear soundstage collapsed into the centre rear (as mentioned earlier in the thread) and just made the whole thing sound wrong. Now to my knowlege it was the Dolby digital version this guy was watching, dont know about the DTS. Although my amp is EX/ES capable I have no room to put up a centre rear speaker because of the size of my HT room. I've the LD version of Private Ryan (which I actually watched for the first time in over 6 months or so on Monday night) and it's sounds to scary for words. Whenever i do get EX capable (in another room) I dont think that this would be a title that I would be in a hurry to see with EX engaged. I must track down that copy of Sound and Vision to see exactly what was said about the whole Private Ryan/EX thing.

 

[GregK]

I have listened to SPR in DD EX many times and have not heard any collapsing of the rear sound field. (..And "Yes" I know it's not an official EX encoded title.) Some variables here could be what type of Dolby EX decoder is used, as newer EX decoding can use more refined DPL decoding. Or if the DTS mix is used, some decoders default to DTS's NEO matrix decoder for the rear channel matrix-ES decoding.

 

[EricSm]

Thanks for all of the great responses. I toyed around with LOTR and Monsters Inc. I'm not that aware of the extra rear channel. I caught myself a few times putting my ears up next to it to make sure it was even on. I calibrated it using the Sound and Vision 6.1 tests so I'm sure it's working. Everything sounded awesome, that's for sure. I popped in Seven,but for all the trouble in the world I'm just don't need the extra bit of darkness so that didn't last too long.

This of course brings up the important question:

How bad of a movie is the Haunting? I actually haven't seen it so that might be fun. I heard it wasn't any good, but what do they know. There was a time in my life when I could suffer through any movie provided the audio sufficently made up for any glaring deficits... this all officially ended with XxX.

While we are on the subject-- do most of you find that you leave the surround rears off unless a title is specifically encoded or do you have some system for determining which ones you will use it for?

Again, thanks for the great suggestions.

 

[Lewis Besze]

DO NOT listen to Saving Private Ryan in 6.1/EX Mode; the whole rear soundstage collapses. I don't know why this occurs. Dreamworks might want to revisit SPR for a 6.1/EX fix

I second that! I have the DTS version.Godzilla benfits much more from "forced" EX "decoding"
My vote is for the Haunting[ES Discrete] as well.
It's filled with great ES "moments", to many to list.
It will also challenge any commercial sub[or it's limiter] out there.

 

[Skippy]

Eric-
You'll find that some movies have activity in the rear center channel(s) almost constantly while others may only be active when something is specifically meant for them. Example: I watched Monsters, Inc yesterday afternoon, and it was, to me, fairly subdued in the rear center most of the time. But near the end after the "door chase" sequence, when Mike fakes out the CDA, and Sully has the real Boo... the shot is on the boss (can't remember the character's name) and from the rear center you get this "clank" sound because behind you Sully just knocked over the scream containers. Pretty cool. If that made any sense to you, check it out.

As for enabling EX/ES encoding on non EX/ES titles, I have my 811 set to "6.1 fix" mode, which will matrix 5.1 material. I haven't found anything yet that sounds bad with it. Matter of fact, I watched Battle Royale today in DTS and It sounded pretty damned good with the 6.1 matrix. I was suprised. There was at least one time where I got sound from only the rear center, while throughout I think it added to the whole soundtrack.

On the subject of The Haunting... it was pretty cheesy. But I've heard such good things about the ES mix, that I have been keeping my eye out for an inexpensive copy.

Skippy

EDIT: Also, the THX trailer that kicks off Monsters Inc was AWESOME!!! But you prolly already checked that out of you watched MI anyway.

 

[Bryce Miner]

Toy Story 2. I don't remember the exact chapter or time, but the scene is where the guy is in his chicken suit on a phone call and woody is in his glass case. The chicken dude says "big bu-bu-bu-bucks" and shuts the door. He walks from the center to to the left front then to th rear left then the center rear where the door slams.
Pretty Cool Pan.

I rememeber it is right before a chapter stop where you see woody in the glass case. Go to that chapter then go back a few seconds.

 

[Lyle_JP]

At the very end of Se7en, when the shot cuts to black, you can faintly hear a helicopter pan across the rear soundstage. Subtle, but cool.

-Lyle J.P.

 

[Scott Simonian]

I just watched SPR last night in 6.1 for my first time. BTW I have the DTS mix.

My HK525 forced it into DTS+NEO:6 and I watched the whole movie. The opening of this movie is quite familiar to me so I had a fun time listening to the differences. Actually, there wasnt too many. The entire surround field had not collapsed at all. It sounded almost the same. I found it had the same amount of directionality with smooth pans in the back. I thought the center surround helped anchor the back more. The thing was that there was seldom amount of center surround cues. Pretty much none. But thats just how this film was mixed. Whenever there was a cue back there it sounded fine, well placed.

The rest of the movie was pretty much the same. I paid lots of attention to the back. I was very happy with the way it sounded, other than the fact that there was practically no center surround cues.

The last firefight at the end was different. The soundfield was still wide, stable, and just plain effective. I was very happy. Then at the very end, when the P51s fly over. Lots of center surround information here. You will definitly see the effectivness of the center surround here.

Overall I was very happy with the way the film sounded with the matrixed surround back channel. I wont comment for the Dolby Digital version, for I do not own it or even listened to it.