Since I've spent all of my discretionary budget on acoustic treatments and XLR cables, I haven't purchased and new movies. Thankfully, season 2 of the Netflix Original, Daredevil is available. This season adds Elektra and The Punisher to the mix. I'm about halfway through and am pretty impressed.

It's typical PQ for a streaming program; however, the sound quality has been impressive. Most notable is the surround sound. Netflix has incorporated a lot of audio through the surrounds. It definitely sounds object based. LFE is also pretty good when the action starts ramping up. It's not quite as dynamic and clear as a Blu-Ray, but it's pretty darn good! PQ is 3.5/5 for poor black levels and mediocre color. SQ is 4/5 and is only lacking because the program is streaming. Interms of story and entertainment, I would rate this season better than the first. The production quality is better than the other network offerings and it's a bit dark and gritty. Just the way I like it!

Cheers,

T Cobe

Just watched John Wick last night. It's the first Blu-ray that I have with Atmos as the main sound option (main reason I got the movie in the first place). The movie itself was ok, but the sound was really pretty cool. Explosions, rain, fights, gunfire and club music all around you. I am currently running a 5.2.4 consisting of the TritonOnes, SuperCenter XXL and Invisia MPXs. I have my old Polk top of the line in-ceiling LSi80s for the .4. I can definitely see the potential for future movies. I figure the Ultra Blu-rays will have either Atmos or DTS:X as options and I am impatiently waiting. I am holding off on the 4k Blu-ray players until Oppo releases one. I have been very happy with my BDP-95. Running the Triton One's with LFE inputs and no additional subs and it was very good. I think I am looking at a few different subs to add to the back of my room to even the bass out a bit more for movies. Finalists so far are SVS PC13-Ultra, Golden Ear SuperSub XXL and the over-the-top pick Seaton Submersive F2+ or F18+.

I finished watching "the Big Short" last night. It's in DTS:X, which I would normally review in the ATMOS/DTS:X thread, but since my AVR's network card got burned out and I can't yet download DTS:X firmware, I watched it in normal surround, I'll review it here.

This film isn't really about special SQ effects in any case. It shows the panic and frustration that really exploded when the housing market and all the financial derivatives around it started to implode in 2007. So many folks and institutions losing big time, a few who shorted the housing market wondering if there would be any money left to pay off their bets, even feeling guilty that so much suffering had to occur for the bets to pay off.

Steve Carell plays one of the folks who foresaw the collapse, shorted it, and stood to collect big time, and had real problems accepting all the suffering and financial shenanigans that went with it. I thought he did a great job, so different from his comic roles.

A great "tour" of the financial meltdown, and the reaction along the way of so many involved. Recommended for the story at least as much as any PQ, SQ effects.

Rick

Thanks, Rick. I just received my copy in the mail yesterday along with Mockingjay part 2. I'm looking forward to both.

I watched Mockingjay part 1 tonight to refresh my memory. The SQ on this one is pretty good. I watched it on -25 on the Anthem and it was quite dynamic. The object base audio of the Atmos mix presented some great surround material. Jennifer Lawrence is a good actress and she carries these films a bit for me even with the other great supporting cast members. Although a bit juvenile, these are entertaining. I'm looking forward to Part 2 on Friday. I think I'll go crazy and watch at -20!

Cheers,

T Cobe

T Cobe wrote: Thanks, Rick. I just received my copy in the mail yesterday along with Mockingjay part 2. I'm looking forward to both.

I watched Mockingjay part 1 tonight to refresh my memory. The SQ on this one is pretty good. I watched it on -25 on the Anthem and it was quite dynamic. The object base audio of the Atmos mix presented some great surround material. Jennifer Lawrence is a good actress and she carries these films a bit for me even with the other great supporting cast members. Although a bit juvenile, these are entertaining. I'm looking forward to Part 2 on Friday. I think I'll go crazy and watch at -20!

Cheers,

T Cobe

A little off topic but I always say some day I'm going to take an SPL meter to the theater because I don't know how anyone would actually listen at "reference level". The loudest I'll ever go is -10 and that's like once in a blue moon and only if the particular film seems to have a quiet soundtrack. Otherwise -15 is my loudest and -20 is more typical.

My "loud" at home is way louder than my local theaters. I must have responsible theater operators in my area because if I google the topic I see all these articles and reddit threads about how movie theaters are getting dangerously loud. Not mine.

I think the relative near-fieldness of a home theater makes it sound louder. In theory, all else being equal a sound that is 90dB AT YOUR EAR should be the same whether its being produce 1 foot away or 20. Bear in mind that the source 20 feet away will have to be louder than 90dB to be 90dB at your ear but if you did the math (maybe it needs to be 96dB) and ran a test, the sound 1 foot from your ear would seem way louder even though they would both measure the same.

Theaters also have to pick a sound level that will work in the middle of the theater without making the first row's ears bleed.

Any way, I'm rambling and a bit off topic now but I've always found the concept of reference level in a home environment to be fascinating because there is no way I could listen at 0 on my AVR when sometimes -15dB is too loud.

Yeah, I had the volume up to -20 last night at one point and was instructed to turn it down... I'm letting loose tomorrow! Maybe I'll even go -15. I'm with you though, Imahawki, I can't go anywhere near reference. I'm not sure how Anthem does it.

Cheers,

T Cobe