Ascend comparison to real movie theater

[BGHD]

I just saw Star Wars III and thought my Ascend system sounded better than the theater's setup. This was my first movie in a while since having a kid, so was pretty pumped to compare my home system to what I thought would be a reference-quality reproduction, but was disappointed. For those from the area, it's The Bridge in the Howard Hughes Center near LA airport. It wasn't a THX labeled theater, but a newer theater complex in my area so I thought it'd sound pretty good. They have "digital sound."

To me, it sounded a little muddy, less detailed. Dialogue was decent. The bass was loud, but not too tight. Would a THX branded theater sound much better? Maybe I wasn't in the sweet spot? Am I expecting too much (i.e. considering seating location, size of room, people eating/drinking/moving, etc)? For those from the area, any recommendations of a 'real' reference quality theater? The Bridge has what's called a 'Director's Room', but it was showing another movie, so I couldn't try it out.

[curtis]

That's too funny...I saw Star Wars III there last night, the 7:45pm show.

I didn't think it sounded too bad though.....not great, but not bad. We were in theater number 5.

[BGHD]

4PM Theater #6 yesterday too! Paid $3.85 for a bottle of Sprite! Hmm...maybe I just expected too much or it was my seating location. BTW, much better than I & II IMO. I tried checking out their speakers on the wall, but coudn't get a good look. The cruiser fly-overs were quite impressive, so can't wait to see it at home when the DVD comes out.

BTW, the point of this post wasn't to gloat about my system or push the movie, but to comment on my impression of the quality of the Ascend speakers. Feel free to move this post to another area if inappropriate for this section.

[curtis]

I would agree, the sound experience would be much better better at home and my Ascend setup.......but I don't have a huge screen.

You got that Sprite at that candy stand I bet....because I paid $3 for a bottle of water!! I also got some candy.

[mattepntr]

For true reference quality theater presentation, try the Arclight
cinemas at Sunset near Vine (The Cinerama Dome location). Since
they've remodeled the Dome, I haven't been in there, but the adjacent
Arclight cinemas are made for picky movie industry types like me:-)

Interesting trivia tidbit- Dolby Digital and DTS are slightly more
compressed in their theatrical versions than in their DVD/ HT
incarnations, although I doubt you'd be able to hear it in a well
set up movie theater.

[Nicholas Mosher]

Since finishing my home-audio setup, I have yet to see something best it at commercial movie theaters. I don't think I'll ever match film quality video though at home. Just too detailed, massive, and bright.

[BGHD]

Will definitely try to see one at the Arclight then.

[Cliff_L]

I had the opportunity to see "Hero" at the Arclight Dome while I was visiting LA last fall. It was *awesome*, to say the least. From what I recall, the sound was excellent, the picture was phenomenal. Not a BAD seat in the house.

You have to see it at the Dome and not one of the other 13 screens they have there though. And tickets weren't cheap. I think we paid $12 or $14 for a ticket during a matinee show. I also think it's reserved seating - so your ticket tells you what seat you're in? I was told that THAT was the place for movie buffs to see movies in LA.

Link to info about the Arclight Dome

[BGHD]

Back from the dead.

Saw the new IMAX 3D Deep Sea at the Howard Hughes Center in the L.A. area, and was very impressed with the sound this time out. Very balanced overall, good surround action and better dialogue clarity. With the 3D visuals and surround sound, I felt very enveloped by the movie. In fact, it was so relaxing, I almost fell asleep near the end. Maybe for SWIII last year, I just wasn't sitting in the sweet spot.

Still dying to see a movie at the Arclight some day.

[KojiroTakenashi]

IMAX Theatres don't use anything like normal theatres. For one, there's a subwoofer the size of a VW Beetle behind the screen. Then there's two large, multi-driver speakers behind you in the very uppermost-real corners of the theatre.

For a movie theatre, it depends on what speakers they buy, and if they're broken in or not - I remember when my local multiplex 'upgraded' from Klipsch to JBL, it sounded horrible until months later. Even then, the Wharfedale speakers in the lower-priority theatres still sound more accurate overall - the only thing the JBLs had were more extension...at the cost of linearity.

Dolby, DTS, SDDS, etc are merely formats the signal is processed in. IMO, the best I've ever heard was SDDS...it sounded pretty darn good. I don't know if THX is also a delivery format, but I DO know that THX is a set of specifications that have to be met.