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The Sad State of Movie Theater Sound Systems

In the last 2 weeks I have done something I haven't done in many years,go to a movie theater to see  new releases.First was the latest Star Wars & then at a completely different theater the new Dawn of Justice.In BOTH theaters the sound level was WAYYY to loud,distortion was running rampant in both cases.The highs were tipped up & brittle,mids had ABSOLUTELY no organics & bass was booming & 1 note to the MAX!!!If I hadn't paid well over $10.00 per ticket I would probably have walked out of both theaters!So for those of you who regularly go to movie theaters is this the norm or is Seattle just too tight to spend on the good stuff?
freediver
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,403 posts
 
Agreed
it is automation and quite possibly some form of "streaming".
At the lowest entertainment factor, it should be criminal!
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
The Golden Age of theater sound was what, forty years ago?  Sound familiar?
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,805 posts
 
It's rare, indeed, when I go to a theater and when I do, it's the local Laemmle cineplex because at least it's decent. Decent, mind you, not really good. 

What I get from my simple two channel set up with my OPPO blu-ray and Samsung plasma runs rings around anything I get at a movie theater. Sometimes I just have to see something but every single time I go, the picture is so-so as well as the sound.

The state of the art has progressed to the point where what you can get at home easily rivals, and betters, anything you can get at a theater. It's the way of the world my friend.

All the best,
Nonoise
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,510 posts
 
I view most movies in the home screening rooms of the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg et cetera (and then only when an abundance of Playboy Bunnies are present), so I really cannot relate to your experience.

However, I do thank you for the word up.

Recently considered going out into the real world, but now I think not.
phd
1,307 posts
 
It is a sad affair when you go out to a movie and get inferior sound. Maybe you should stay at home and watch a movie on a good surround system because it looks like at this point it may be preferable.
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