The best surround sound on a dvd you have ever heard?

I have heard some pretty spectacular surround sound including Armageddon, Titanic, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys 2 and all the usual big budget blockbuster suspects but for me the best surround sound scene i have ever heard was in the asian film Hero, there is a scene in the library which sounds breathtaking in DTS ( probably sounds breathtaking in Dolby too but i only watched it in DTS )

Special mention to DTS and their original spinning logo icon found at the start of many original fullbitrate DVD's.

I would have to say the 5.1 DD mix for Daredevil. It was one of the most active, tasteful mixes I have heard in a Hollywood blockbuster in years. While it may not have the in-your-face impact of its competitors it is an engagingly immersive presentation.

Any of the LOTRs

Oh man, there are lots of GOOD choices out there. One recent one that comes to mind is Master & Commander. The ambient sounds of life aboard a sailing ship constantly surround you, along with the raging storms, cannonballs whizzing by, etc. Very well done, very believable and not in-your-face-silly. Hmmm, now I'm going to have to go watch it again tonight.

Hands down DD 5.1 Fight Club. Especially the last scene in the movie, it shakes the house.

Ill see your Master and Commander, and raise you an Open Range and Perfect Storm.

I like the part in KIll Bill Vol 1, when the two chickies are fighting in the house at the beginning of the movie (now it may not be the best movie or best scene ever but) you can hear things being thrown at every speaker and when she lands on the glass coffee table, fragments of glass are bouncing off each speaker.

Just a little scene thats (to me anyways) under-rated. Overall a pristine sounding movie.

Jessica

I have the DTS version of this, sounds superb but ya know i didn't enjoy this film as much as i hoped i would and i like weird strange movies ( I'm a David Lynch fan and lurveeeeee Twin Peaks, Wild At Heart and Mulholland Dr. )

Oooh, two more good choices.

For me is IM2 and U571.

If I really wanted to impress some one with my system the first choice would be the opening battle scene in Master and Commander, excellent effects and very involving.

try WONDERFUL DAYS ... its a Korean CGI anime.... its DD track and DTS track is one of the best i have ever heard .-)

There is one particular scene in Blue Crush where 2 characters are having a conversation indoors, but it's raining outside. My GF and I both kept looking outside for rain even though we knew it was not here, but in the movie. It seemed as if you were in the room with them.

Master and Commander is nuts in the surrounds.

Another good one is the "Version you have never seen before" Of The Exorcist. The movie alone will creep you out but the EX track is outstanding.

For me the obvious choice has to be the D-Day landing in Saving Private Ryan. It is just a full on assault of your senses for 20 minutes.

Cast Away has some subtle sounds provided by the rears to provide an excellent ambience when Tom Hanks is first on the island.

At the beginning of Clear And Present Danger when a Coast Guard ship is cutting through waves, it sounds like you are really on the ship.

A movie that really surprised me as to how well it used the rear speakers is one which most of you without kids probably haven't seen, Bioncle: Mask of Light.

Underworld

Twister in full bitrate DTS. This soundtrack is simply amazing!

I've calibrated my system using a sound level meter to make sure the levels are all as they are supposed to be. That being said, with a lot of movies, I'm a bit disappointed with the surround use. In general the level seems a little low and I think a lot of transfers just don't make good use of the surrounds for whatever reason (budget, attention to detail, talent, etc).

A few movies have stood out for me though.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the clones: In addition to some really strong bass during one of the landing sequences, this movie has a few scenes with the most active surrounds I think I've ever heard. In the battle between Obi Wan and Jengo Fett on top of the tower, the surrounds are amazing. The water sounds are a nice backdrop, but the real kicker is when Jengo's rocket pack breaks loose and flies around. It does a complete circle around the room, hitting every speaker in the process. It sounds great!

The Lion King (Disney Special Platinum Edition). This one has an alternate audio track they say is "enhanced" for home theaters. Boy is it! The surrounds are super active with jungle sounds and effects. Some people complain that they are too loud. I'm guessing that some combination of my having calibrated my system with a meter *and* the fact that I use dipole surrounds (as opposed to direct or monopole) makes this sound very nice on my system. It's also a great, fun movie.

Those are the only ones I can think of at the moment.

Brian.

I'll vote for Saving Private Ryan DTS and Led Zepellin Live DTS.

Are you guys nuts? No one mentioned Terminator 3????? That has to be almost the king of surround sound. That and, Return of the King (3rd part of Lord of the Rings).

Also, Finding Nemo has its moments. And some horror movies, like Final Destination 2. Honorable mention goes to "The Fifth Element". Very consistent surround usage.

But for overall consistency and impact of surround usage, I think Terminator 3 wins hands down -- and I rent movies sometimes just for the sound ; )

Return of the King is pretty close -- but there are plenty of long dialogue scenes too. Terminator 3 gives the most consistent surround sound barrage -- from the opening nuclear explosion to the crane scene, to the end when the female terminator dies/explodes.

Note that of the Lord of the Rings films, Fellowship is 2nd in surround sound, Two Towers is dead last. Return has more action and more surround usage than the others. I was actually pretty disappointed with Two Towers (other than some Nazgull scenes and the wall explosion).

Many of the other DVDs mentioned have great SCENES (like D day on Saving Private Ryan), but I think the poster here is looking for movies as a WHOLE. Not just individual scenes.

Thus movies that not only have good surround sound, but LOTs of it -- not just a few scenes.

Blue Man Group "Audio" in both the DD5.1 mode and the flip side DVD audio mode. Not a true movie but the use of surround sound is awesome. Be prepared to shake the entire house, even with a sound isolated room.

Not a DVD but Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" on SACD.


Opening scene of "Gladiator," not just the battle but also the scene in the field. You can here the wheat shaking in the tops of the stems ans he runs his hands over them.

Band of Brothers. I specifically remember the assualt on Carentan when they first move on the town from an outlying road.

Lotr movies and Daredevil!!Wait Got to add Episode II to that as well..Just too many to choose..

Bad Boys 2 has a VERY nice audio and video track, but the movie is just COMPLETE GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

brickie

Daredevil DTS
LOTR: FOTH, Mines of Moria and the final battle scene in the forest.
Master and Commander Opening scene.
Ronin

I also agree with Brickie on Bad Boys II. Reference quality disc, but a bad movie overall.

I have not heard that Blue Man Group DVD, but as a blgentry stated Lion King: Platinum edition.

I watched in straight DD then a friend said use the Disney enhanced. I called him out saying it was marketing crap, boy was I wrong.

I don't see how anything else can compare. The rears get as much use as the fronts in this movie for the entire movie!

Aye, Sound calibration discs suck, automatic calibration thats built-in to receivers arent much better.

I start with the calibration utilitity, and then make modifications from there. I always end up boosting the back.

Also, you know what? I found just setting all the levels equal according the volume control on the reciever, seems to sound better than the calibrations.

My 5 channels are all set within .5 of eachother now, and they sound great. I regularly lower and raise my sub level depending on the movie or concert.

really, whiz-bang action movies are cool, but what so far has really impressed me the most was Being John Malcovich. The scenes that take place from inside his head - when you hear him talking (Malcovich, that is). Plug your ears with your fingers and talk to yourself. They nailed that effect perfectly, to the point where it almost feels like someone is plugging your ears and you are talking but with Malcovich's voice. Amazing and unique use of the surround field.

Try out Dave Matthews Band Live in Central Park. Excellent seperation of instruments on all of the speakers, you can even hear every bass guitar chord on the LFE channel, its nice!