Denon Staff
Best Movie Scenes to Test Your Home Cinema Setup
What’s the purpose of a decent AV Receiver and surround speaker setup? To bring real cinema feeling to your home, with all the room-shaking bass, stuff flying all around and the feeling you are pulled directly into the action. Here are three outstanding movie scenes to really test your home theater’s ability to suspend disbelief.
Ready Player One
Play it in DOLBY ATMOS
The first race in the movie, starts at 0:11:50, length: 4:40
Car chases and racing scenes are always a great test of a home theater system and Ready Player One takes it to the next level with this visually stunning and audibly impressive four-minute adrenaline rush. The sound engineering is outstanding and with the right surround sound system, you’ll hear the musical clink of game tokens waterfalling from above, King Kong thundering behind you, and the seismic crunch of collapsing bridges. It’s an exhilarating use of rear and height channels that has to be experienced to be appreciated.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Play it in DOLBY ATMOS from UHD Blu-ray // if you have a supported Denon AV Receiver, play DTS-HD Master Audio track from Blu-ray with AUROMATIC upmixer
Queen performing at Live Aid in Wembley Stadium. Starts at 1:54:37, length: 07:05 The recreation of Queen’s masterful performance at Live Aid in 1985 is a goose-bump inducing and inspiring recreation of maybe one of the best rock performances of all time. The scene begins with a diving view of Wembley Stadium where the crowd completely immerses you. Then Freddie Mercury enraptures you with Bohemian Rhapsody, followed by deep bass drums (excellent test for subwoofer syncing). It’s during Radio Gaga where we experience one of the most atmospheric parts of the scene. When Freddie Mercury starts the call and response with the audience, it feels like you’re right there on stage with him. The Auromatic upmixer on the Blu-ray capably generates this amazing atmosphere, similar to Dolby Atmos.
A Star Is Born
Play it in DOLBY ATMOS
Beginning of the movie. Start in chapter 1, length: 05:02
The opening concert in a Star is Born features a screaming guitar and a deep, punchy bass drum, which shows no mercy and sounds outstanding in Dolby Atmos. It fills the room full of energy, with the audience building on the loudness for a truly mesmerizing first act. The scene cuts to a more somber atmosphere in a car with Bradley Cooper, followed by Lady Gaga’s pained, whispered phone break-up and her subsequent deep primal cries in the echoing stillness of the bathroom. The detail we find in this scene, from the crash of dishes to the reverberant voices is incredibly realistic. Outside, Lady Gaga sings “Somewhere over the Rainbow” and thanks to Dolby Atmos, you can clearly hear how the sound changes to coming from above as well as she steps into the underpass.
Don’t have a home cinema yet? Consider buying a soundbar to get started, or if your situation allows, go all-in with an AV Receiver and speakers. If you are already considering a full-blown surround and 3D audio setup, wait no longer!