Your thoughts on the quality of sound in the cinema?

[theflyingwasp]

I know a lot of what hifi forum members have very good home setups ,just by browsing for a few months a lot of members don't bother with going to the cinema partly because of some **** behind you eating Doritos or noisey kids etc ,but compared to your own 5.1 - 11.1 setups what do you think of cinema sound quality.

 

[fr0g]

I know a lot of what hifi forum members have very good home setups ,just by browsing for a few months a lot of members don't bother with going to the cinema partly because of some **** behind you eating Doritos or noisey kids etc ,but compared to your own 5.1 - 11.1 setups what do you think of cinema sound quality.

Not been for a couple of years, but IMO, it's bluddy terrible.

Too loud and harsh.

And the picture quality is bad.

Home watching is far nicer in every way imo. 5.1, 55", fridge with beer, pause button, toilet within 3 metres...

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I know a lot of what hifi forum members have very good home setups ,just by browsing for a few months a lot of members don't bother with going to the cinema partly because of some **** behind you eating Doritos or noisey kids etc ,but compared to your own 5.1 - 11.1 setups what do you think of cinema sound quality.

Not been for a couple of years, but IMO, it's bluddy terrible.

Too loud and harsh.

And the picture quality is bad.

Home watching is far nicer in every way imo. 5.1, 55", fridge with beer, pause button, toilet within 3 metres...

Agreed. The sound quality at the cinema is not great and yes it is too harsh. The picture could be better too.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I don't notice the quality of sound, because I'm usually wincing from the extreme volume.

I prefer my home system to be honest.

 

[simonlewis]

I have to agree with frOg, poor picture quality & not enough bass, the only problem i have at home is i have neighbour's, i would like to crank the volume up & listen to the walls vibrate.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

I have the opposite experience.
Usually in the cinemas the sound is very good.
In fact, it was first in a cinema many years ago that I noticed in what way the sound was different and better from my system at the time - it was loud AND clear. Only later I realised it was all about low distortion at real life volume levels and lack of boom due to better performing bass speakers and tamed room modes.

 

[theflyingwasp]

I'm fairly new to home cinema.apart from the obvious screen size diffrence is the quality of high end plasma or projector coupled with the monitor audio apex speakers simply better than the typical odeon experience.

Only went with the apex since it was a big thread but just those quality of speakers in general.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I'm fairly new to home cinema.apart from the obvious screen size diffrence is the quality of high end plasma or projector coupled with the monitor audio apex speakers simply better than the typical odeon experience. Only went with the apex since it was a big thread but just those quality of speakers in general.

From what I know you have made a great choice, you should be delighted with the results. The Yamaha should drive the speakers really well too.

 

[Andrew17321]

My local cinema has an excellent sound system. I regularly go there to see/hear live HD transmissions from the Metropoliton Opera in New York. They are wonderful.

Listening in a largish, well designed auditorium is far better than I could ever achieve in a room at home. (I have some DVDs of the same performances, and listening to them at home is not nearly so good.)

The quality of these HD transmissions is enough to satisfy my opera needs; I no longer bother to go to the city to see 'live' opera.

Andrew

 

[DandyCobalt]

Gave up going to the local Odeon years ago. Centre channel (the voice part) was always outblasted by the bass and surround effects.
Plus the irritating crisp-eating, popcorn munching interference 🙂

 

[Alantiggger]

Same as BBB, tbh I also find the sound in-house to be better sounding than that of the cinema.

The cinema sound always seem to want to be too loud with not a lot of detail ?

 

[jonathanRD]

Last time I went to the cinema was when Les Miserables first came out - we like our musical theatre so we all went as a family to see whether the film could get anywhere near the stage show. I sat there taking it all in and comparing the sound/experience to being at home. I decided I would rather be at home watching a film. I didn't feel that the sound was any better or more enjoyable that what I can achieve in my music room.
I would only go to the cinema if there was a new film which for some reason really captured my imagination and I couldn't wait for it's release on DVD. Otherwise it's cinema at home for me.

 

[buzz_lightclick]

I think it depends on the cinema. My local Cineworld screens generally have an OK or average sound and picture, though of course it depends where you sit, and which screen you are in, if you are stuck at the front it is terrible, and the smallest screen doesn't seem that much bigger than my TV.

Watching films in Vue always seems excessively loud to me, the bass is overbearing and it seems they have ramped everything up to maximum.

The nearest Showcase Cinema is quite different with its Sony digital 4k screens giving more detail in the picture and there is also a much better sound system, though I've no idea what speakers they use.

 

[VoodooDoctor]

I went to see Prometheus at the local Cineworld and one of the surround speakers was blown resulting in distortion. With the nature of the film and my AV geekery, that was really distracting. It was at that point that I began to doubt the current cinema experience. When I went to see The Dark Knight Rises, the air con was broken and the volume was turned up to 11, enough for me to find it uncomfortable. I haven't been since. Saying that we have a new arts cinema in town so I may give that a go.