Had a funny demo giving experience a couple days ago. (1 Viewer)

[Dustin B]

The second guy downstairs (not the one I helped build a sub and put a surround system together for) was having a few poeple he was working with for the summer over (Unviersity summer job in a bio research lab). He wanted to watch a movie on my system so of course I said sure. Including my brother and myself that put 7 people in front of the system. Furniture layout didn't really support this so I had to do some rearranging. After that all 7 of us had pretty decent seats.
Anyways, we were gonna watch Black Hawk Down so I wasn't goning to bother with demoing any other material, but the roommate said aren't you gonna do a big boom demo. So how could I resist that invitation. Popped in TPM and played the THX intro and part of the Lap 2 at 5dB under reference.
What made this demo giving a little different is none of the 4 guests had seen a system even remotely close to mine (I'm sure at home the best they had seen was dvd on a 27" with no stereo). The theaters here suck too so that helped as well.
Right after the ball exploded all 4 of them started applauding and my roommate cracked up laughing as a result of their applause. It was great.
Then to top it off, after I stopped TPM one of the 4 turned around and said to me, "I thought you broke one of your windows when the ball exploded!"
:b

 

[Cam S]

Haha, nothing like a demo like that. I love it when my guests get that shit eating grin on their face when the bass scares the shit outta them

 

[Paul Jenkins]

I just love those stories

 

[Robert_Gaither]

I like that look of OMG this is just simply insane as well. Most people don't really realise how bad a movie theater and most store setups really are.

 

[Sean Conklin]

 

[Philip Hamm]

The best is when people turn their heads to look in the direction of the surround speakers.

 

[Wayne Murphy]

I had a salesman into my home to pitch a MLM to me one time. He asked if I had a VCR so I brought him down to my theatre room. I've got a 100 inch screen and the full fireworks. As we were watching the video there is a part where a stampede of horses run across the screen and back behind you. The poor guy almost broke his neck swinging his head around and ducking. He told me after it was over he has seen that video hundreds of times and had never known that there was surround sound in it.

 

[Ron-P]

"I thought you broke one of your windows when the ball exploded!"

Peace Out~

 

[Dave Poehlman]

Glad you didn't hear "gee, how much did this cost?"

Hahah.. that reminded me, I just saw a Simpsons rerun where they go to see a movie (Homer gets Milk Duds smothered in popcorn butter) and they show the THX intro and peoples teeth shatter and someone's head explodes.. it's hilarious.

 

[Scott Van Dyke]

Popped in TPM and played the THX intro and part of the Lap 2 at 5dB under reference

Sounds cool. Can anyone elaborate on "TPM"?

 

[Dustin B]

The Phantom Menace. It has the latest THX intro that has some stupid loud low bass in it that really shows off the abilities of my DIY Tempest Sonosub. I can't get all my speakers to reference cleanly, so 5dB under is the loudest I go. However, the sub is a few dB hot, so they did get the bass near or at reference.
Below is a waterfall graph of the THX intro up on SVS's website.
Link Removed

 

[Stacy Huff]

Once I gave a demo to two friends. Toy Story 2. Somewhere in the opening scene these two sisters just spontaneously started doing a cheer. Actually got up and started doing movements and everything. It was still (and probably always will be) the most unique response I've ever seen. The power of HT...

 

[SteveK]

I had a friend/coworker over the other evening. While I was helping with dinner, I played him the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" DVD. I had it playing at a modest volume, and I asked him if he wanted it louder. He said no, as it was perfect the way it was. He commented on how clear everything sounded, even at a relatively low volume. He also commented that my SVS sub was the best sub he had heard. I don't know how many subs he has heard, but I suspect it's relatively few, and perhaps only on Bose systems. Still, it felt good to see him obviously enjoying my system (Paradigm Mini-monitors, center channel and ADP surrounds, and SVS 25-39).

Our original intent was to watch a movie, but by the time we got through with dinner it was too late to start watching a movie. So I played selected scenes for him, including the pod race from TPM, the THX intro from Toy Story 2, as well as the opening video game scene and the "Crossing the Street" chapter from TS2. I had turned the volume up louder than before, but still well below reference level (I never listen to anything that loud). You could tell he was very much enjoying himself. He said "This is better than the theater". Again, the compliment made me feel good about my system.

No, he didn't stand up and cheer or do cartwheels, but you could tell he liked what he heard. He also was impressed at the animated menus of the DVDs, as well as the instant access. I also played him some of the extra features on the Fantasia Legacy DVD. His wife is an art teacher, and I told him that I thought she would enjoy seeing some of the "how it's done" features on DVD, particularly the animated features. (I'm trying to convince him to get a DVD player, but he hasn't yet purchased one. I'll keep working on him, so I'm sure he'll buy one eventually).

This was the first demo I've ever given, and it was an enjoyable experience. I'm fairly certain that he enjoyed it as much as I did. At least I hope he did.

Steve K.

 

[Mary M S]

Can anyone list some titles (DVD) which have the old THX intro included. 'burmmmmmmmmnnnnnn,The Audience is Listening'.

Don't have it on any of mine right now and my husband wants to play it on the new system.

I see Toy S 2 listed above in a way that makes me think that has it. Any older/teenage crowd DVD's with it?

 

[Holadem]

What is also interesting is seeing people go berserk over the silliest things that we overlook. One of my friends nearly peed in his pants during the intro of the Matrix, when the phone rings (or is it the computer prompt?) from the center to the left channel.

Another strange reaction come from a friend who was coming to my place for the second time and found Paradigm towers instead of the small Klipsch Quintet he saw the first time. Though the Paradigm sounded significantly better, he said the WOW factor was bigger with the Klipsch because of their small size...

--
Holadem

 

[Holadem]

Mary, I believe TS I has it.

 

[Mary M S]

Thank You Holadem.
MS

 

[Dave Poehlman]

TS has the THX intro with a little comedic animation to it. The THX breaks down and this little guy flys around to fix it. The "burmmmmmmmmmnnnn" is still there.. it just gets interupted a bit. TS2 has it... without the "the audience is listening" part.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Glad you didn't hear "gee, how much did this cost?"

I get this ALL THE TIME!
It pisses me off to no end- people teasing me for spending on HT and music, then watching movies at my house and listening to my CDs. I think I'm too nice.
Eh, I could write up a whole thread on HT being unappreciated...

 

[Derek Williams]

Both The Matrix & Exorcist have that phone ringing thing that always scares me.