15 OF THE BEST FILM SCENES TO TEST SURROUND SOUND
David Lynch once said, “films are 50 per cent visual and 50 per cent sound. Sometimes sound even overplays the visual.”
He’s got a point: imagine Jaws without the dramatic ‘dun-dun’, 2001: A Space Odyssey without the visceral sound effects, or even – gulp! – Jurassic Park without its memorable theme.
If you’ve plumped for the comfort of your own home over getting covered in popcorn at your local cineplex, then the quality of your speaker system for movie nights is hugely important. And while there’s value in practical, space-saving soundbars and soundbases, nothing beats a full-fat surround-sound speaker package for the ultimate home cinema experience.
Whether you have a 5.1- or 7.2-channel system, or even a Dolby Atmos set-up with extra in-ceiling speakers, these film scenes will reveal just how good your AV system really is. Volume dial at the ready…
1 H OUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS (2004) - CHAPTER 4
Zhang Yimou’s gorgeous martial arts film has a soundtrack as vivid as its exotic picture - and the echo-game scene will be the first to detect any gaps in your system’s soundfield.
Beans, hurled by a police captain in slow motion, meticulously ping around the room and bounce off a circle of drums, requiring your system to track their trajectory precisely. Integration is key here, and the soundfield should take on the dimension of – and be as tight-knit as – the drum arrangement, thus putting you at the centre of it.
Blistering percussion is a good test of dynamics too, while smashing glass and the dancer’s twinkling headpiece will challenge your speakers’ tweeters
