Your favorite movie demos to show off your Ascend speakers?

[mikesiskav]

I've been listening to my new Sierra 2 and Rythmik setup non-stop and I've realized that they really excel not just for music but for movies as well.

My favorite movie demo right now is chapter 10 of the 2011 movie "Drive." This is the scene where the main character only known as "the driver" (played by Ryan Gosling) helps Standard Gabriel to rob a pawnshop to buy protection for his wife and son who Gosling has befriended.

I first saw this demo on a $300,000 Wisdom Audio system at Cedia last year. When the gunshots rang out, I nearly jumped out of my seat. I'd say the dynamics in this scene easily rival that of Open Range (another great demo).

While I won't say that my system matches that of the $300,000 Wisdom Audio setup, I will say that for around 1/100th the price, my Sierra 2/Rythmik system comes surprisingly close. You can buy the Blu-ray version on Amazon for only $5.99. Try watching at -5dB if you're brave. But you better keep an extra pair of underwear around just in case.

[davef]

I've been listening to my new Sierra 2 and Rythmik setup non-stop and I've realized that they really excel not just for music but for movies as well.

My favorite movie demo right now is chapter 10 of the 2011 movie "Drive." This is the scene where the main character only known as "the driver" (played by Ryan Gosling) helps Standard Gabriel to rob a pawnshop to buy protection for his wife and son who Gosling has befriended.

I first saw this demo on a $300,000 Wisdom Audio system at Cedia last year. When the gunshots rang out, I nearly jumped out of my seat. I'd say the dynamics in this scene easily rival that of Open Range (another great demo).

While I won't say that my system matches that of the $300,000 Wisdom Audio setup, I will say that for around 1/100th the price, my Sierra 2/Rythmik system comes surprisingly close. You can buy the Blu-ray version on Amazon for only $5.99. Try watching at -5dB if you're brave. But you better keep an extra pair of underwear around just in case.

Thanks Mike -- this is really a huge compliment coming from someone as experienced as you are :) A defining moment for me with the Sierra-2 was demoing Sheffield Labs Drum & Track demo disc. While not much for showing off the tweeter, the transient accuracy and impulse response performance of the Sierra-2 woofer really shined and reminded me of some of the most expensive and well designed speakers I have ever heard... I believe Curtis was at the office when we first tried this disc with Sierra-2, we were both a bit awestruck :)

[curtis]

Thanks Mike -- this is really a huge compliment coming from someone as experienced as you are :) A defining moment for me with the Sierra-2 was demoing Sheffield Labs Drum & Track demo disc. While not much for showing off the tweeter, the transient accuracy and impulse response performance of the Sierra-2 woofer really shined and reminded me of some of the most expensive and well designed speakers I have ever heard... I believe Curtis was at the office when we first tried this disc with Sierra-2, we were both a bit awestruck :)
Yes, that was my disc, and yes, I was awestruck. It was what put me over the edge to upgrade from the Sierra-1.
We had it up pretty loud, I was amazed. I went home and listened to the Sierra-1s and Rythmik...which I had done many times before and very happy with...but I was no longer satisfied.

[MusicHead]

I do not have yet Ascend speakers (eagerly waiting for the Sierra Sat/Luna/Baby or whatever it will be called!), but I do have a Rythmik sub, does it count? ;)

A movie I use for demo is Star Wars II, the opening scene, with the spaceship rumbling through the atmosphere and the following explosion once it lands.

Interstellar is another movie with insane low end content and a great enthralling music score. The first time I watched the BluRay at high level I jumped off my pants when it went from the interview with old Murphy, which was only dialog on the center channel, to an all-channel mayhem once all of a sudden the scene switched to Cooper nightmare about piloting the airplane/spaceship.

Another good scene, mixing music and sound effects, is when Cooper is trying to dock with the damaged Endurance. The organ-based soundtrack is almost hypnotic as it punctuates the tension of what is happening on screen. I cannot even begin to think how that would sound with the Sierra 2 or Tower + a Rythmik sub...

[14er]

I will just throw this one in here because I watched it recently. 13 Hours. The gunfight(s) sound really good on my system for some reason. I felt like I was there.

[sludgeogre]

My favorite movie since I was a kid has always been The Blues Brothers and I think the opening scene with the big ol' horn blasts and jumping the Blues Mobile over the bridge is a fantastic way to show people what they can do. I've watched that movie many hundreds of times and it has never been as clear as it has been on my Sierra Towers. All of the music scenes are fantastic.

As far as action, I love showing the pilot episode of DareDevil on Netflix. It has a bunch of incredible panning effects, rain, knife sounds, and punches that sound incredible on a dynamic system. There's a point where the knives pan across his face and there's a bass sweep both times. It sounds eerily real through Ascend speakers.

[natetg57]

The train crash in Super 8 is sounds amazing on my 5 Sierra-2s. (and 2 Rythmik L12s)

[mikesiskav]

My favorite movie since I was a kid has always been The Blues Brothers and I think the opening scene with the big ol' horn blasts and jumping the Blues Mobile over the bridge is a fantastic way to show people what they can do. I've watched that movie many hundreds of times and it has never been as clear as it has been on my Sierra Towers. All of the music scenes are fantastic.

As far as action, I love showing the pilot episode of DareDevil on Netflix. It has a bunch of incredible panning effects, rain, knife sounds, and punches that sound incredible on a dynamic system. There's a point where the knives pan across his face and there's a bass sweep both times. It sounds eerily real through Ascend speakers.

Watching Daredevil right now. Great use of surround sound effects!

[mikesiskav]

Thanks Mike -- this is really a huge compliment coming from someone as experienced as you are :) A defining moment for me with the Sierra-2 was demoing Sheffield Labs Drum & Track demo disc. While not much for showing off the tweeter, the transient accuracy and impulse response performance of the Sierra-2 woofer really shined and reminded me of some of the most expensive and well designed speakers I have ever heard... I believe Curtis was at the office when we first tried this disc with Sierra-2, we were both a bit awestruck :)

Just got a copy of the Sheffield disc. Really great demo to show off the strengths of the Sierra 2 and Rythmik.

[mikesiskav]

Just wanted to add "Gravity" to the list of movies to test with your speakers. The bass is subtle but powerful at the same time, enough to rattle my fireplace.