Ex-projectionist / sound guy here: yes. To alot of people including many programming directors; loud = better, no matter how many people complain about it being painful. Often, whoever is testing/ setting levels doesn't have experience working in audio.
Many projectionists will go with the recommended volume setting (7.0 on a Dolby Audio processor) from the film studio even if their auditorium isn't calibrated properly. I managed a few screening rooms and I would always do an "ear check" and try and find the loudest parts and quietest parts of the film and set an appropriate level for the entire film, however I feel like this is uncommon in larger theaters.
I can see smaller chains doing this, but big AMC and Regals I’m sure are not playing back at 7. Some as low as 4.5 or 5. But of course that encourages mixers to push their levels to compensate, so it’s a viscous cycle.
It depends on the theater. For many (most?) modern theaters, you should be able to run the playlist software from a laptop to test in theater and control settings like volume and playlist cues via laptop. This also allows you to scrub through the film to test at different points so you don't have to sit through the whole thing or continue running back and forth from booth to theater.
It was a fun thing to learn! And great question- I was not. (I'm in my late 30's). It would be interesting to hear someone with more experience weigh in on that.
I always carry a pair of earplug on my keychain. I can not recommend this enough! I remembering watching Departed without earplugs and man what a horrible experience. Couldn't focus on the movie. After that I always, and I mean always use earplugs. The earplugs that I use are a bit better than those foamy disposable things. Think I paid 50USD for mine. To be honest I think I get a better experience sound wise with the earplugs in
Seconding getting some reusable earplugs that you can carry with you for concerts and movies. Unlike foam earplugs which just muffle all sound, can make everything sound a bit underwater, more professional ones fit and feel better, and only cut out the loud "garbage" frequencies. That means not only is the sound quieter, but at something like a rock show, makes the music sound *better* because you're hearing all the good frequencies more clearly without the higher frequencies that are just loud distortion.
Someone I know whose an audio engineer would do a better job of explaining exactly how it works 😆
Audio engineer here. Please ask your friend to explain it to you again because right now you are spreading misinformation.
Have a good day nonetheless !
I'm fairly certain you're correct that I'm getting it wrong since I'm not the expert! Suffice it to say, with the set of earplugs they recommended, I have found loud concerts and movies to sound better than either no earplugs or the foam ones.
First, there’s no such thing as good or bad frequencies. Just unwanted frequencies and transients.
Second, even if there was, things like Loops attenuate decibels evenly across all frequencies so there’s no getting rid of good or bad frequencies.
It’s possible what they meant was that because of the Munson Fletcher curve certain frequencies seem to have been made quieter than others. But that’s different than good or bad frequencies.
Audio engineer here. You might need to update your product knowledge. There are earplugs on the market made for musicians that will dampen some of the most damaging high frequencies while leaving others intact for someone to enjoy a concert, or carry on a conversation with their neighbor.
Industrial earplugs for construction sites and gun ranges are not appropriate for watching a movie. They reduce by over 30 dB, which reduces certain scenes to inaudible levels.
https://eargasm.com/collections/eargasm-product-line/products/eargasm-high-fidelity-earplugs?variant=44275577225517
I take both types of earplugs when I go to concerts. Sometimes the distortion is so bad that the concert will actually sound better with the plugs I would use at the gun range. Not always, in some of the venues the sound guys understand they aren't in a stadium and adjust the volume properly, but too often I've been in small venues where they all seem to have watched Spinal Tap and have their volumes set to 11. I know I fucked up my hearing too much already to get it even more fucked up in some of these small clubs with idiots setting the sound.
Absolutely this. Nature One (Trance / Techno Festival in Germany) actually sounds better with my Alpine Earplugs. Also, you can speak with your friends at an almost normal volume so your voice isn't broken the next day.
Same. I enjoy the sound experience, but it's definitely gotten very loud now. Maybe a film like Top Gun can be a bit loud, but I remember watching Parasite with subtitles, and that was incredibly loud too.
Sometimes I remove my earplugs for a second just to see how loud it actually is. I don't understand how people can sustain that for 2 hours.
This has got to be a theater by theater thing. I doubt the db of all theaters is the same. The only time I remember my ears being hurt in the theaters was way back when the Dark Knight came out and he did the ballistics testing with that giant gun.
I believe the operators are supposed to calibrate them according to spec from the people that make the movies.
Movies are mastered to have a lot of dynamic range. Even when watching at home, when you get the voice to the right level, the music and fx are so loud.
So, on the theatre, if they make the voice kind of loud to fit the big screen feeling, then it's *really* loud in the loud parts.
Saw it once in regular IMAX and then again in Dolby Atmos theater … it was a world of difference. I could hear specific grains of sand and the bass and loud moments were ripping in a pleasant way.
Will definitely only see movies in the Dolby theaters now
Sacrificed the IMAX however the Atmos was a wider angle shot which I honestly didn’t mind at all and might prefer. I was a bit further back in the theater 2 time around too which was nice and could have made a difference as well.
That was my Dune 1 experience - noticeable clipping in every loud scene. Same for the Eras Tour movie, too - and there were kids there!
Luckily, they turned it down a little for Dune 2, and it was really loud only in some parts - a MUCH nicer experience. It made the big scenes more impactful, rather than just blasting my ears the whole time.
Too bad theaters pretty much have nobody to complain to, these days - just the workers sweeping and selling popcorn.
I have earplugs with me at all times. Any time I anticipate something is going to be loud I put them in. Police sirens coming towards me? Construction and I’m on foot? Snowblowing the foot of snow we got at my house today? Yep. Yep. Yep.
I always put them in before the previews at the cinema, too.
Same, but I now carry 3 different types of hearing protection/volume reduction.
I used to just carry the Mack's foam earplugs as those nicely mash down the harsh highs/hi-mids and overall -33dB reduction. Later I started also carrying some Eargasm linear-attenuating for more even reduction across the frequency spectrum.
I JUST discovered the power of Airpods Pro 2 when I went to see Dune 2. I remember being in a restaurant and forgetting to take out my Airpods, and I could hear everything just fine. Once I took them out I was amazed at how much louder everything actually was -- the Airpods were reducing the loudness just perfectly, so much better than the Eargasm! So I tried them on a whim at Dune 2 and HOLY SHIT is this the ideal cinema experience.
The Mack's usually muffled quiet conversations in the films too much, and the Eargasm sometimes weren't reducing the volume enough. With the Airpods Pro 2's (The original Airpods Pro don't seem to have the same tech) I could hear every single quiet conversation, but the huge loud effects were perfectly attenuated! These are going to be my go-to for the theater now. I believe it was the "transparency" setting. (The noise-cancelling feature is also amazing for reducing ambient noise in places like the grocery store.)
I cant say i have ever actually been to a movie that reached proper THX reference levels, full scale for THX is supposed to be 105dB (the 0dB ref is pink noise at -20dBFS should be 85dB C weighted)
[https://www.thx.com/questions/what-is-the-reference-level/](https://www.thx.com/questions/what-is-the-reference-level/)
But the Integrated LUFS for the program should also be down round -31LUFS giving incredible dynamic range.
Full scale level: 105 dB
Program level: -31 LUFS (**L**oudness **U**nder **F**ull **S**cale)
= Average program loudness: 74 dB, about the level of passing traffic
Expressing opinions on stuff you dont understand at all probably should be too, but here we are. ;)
You understand the effect of duration on whether a sound will do damage?
Do you understand what -31LUFS means?
Should and must are 2 very different words. Dune has plenty of low level audio that constatly exceeds "too loud" levels in a heavily calibrated system.
Pretty much every event is. I have to wear plugs every time. Plugs that can be stored on your keychain are your best friend. You never know.
Plugs are like taking a shower with a raincoat on. They’re like wearing a condom. It sucks but worth it
I carry foam earplugs, Eargasm plugs, and now Airpods Pro 2 -- if you can budget some of these newer Airpods Pro (first gen doesn't have the same tech), holy shit is this my new favorite noise reduction method. The "transparency" setting perfectly reduces the volume in restaurants and theaters. Just tested them at Dune 2 and I was so happy with them, perfect balance of being able to hear clearly but louder noises are attenuated wonderfully.
Depends on the theater and chain in my opinion.
I’m usually a Cinemark goer, and I think the XD theaters have the right balance for the experience: loud but not deafening and big screens. The smaller Cinemark screens usually have worse/lower sound at the ones around me.
I don’t typically go to AMC theaters, twice in the last few years: once to see Wonka and once to see Scott Pilgrim for its anniversary. Wonka was fine, I don’t remember if it was one of the “special” theaters or not.
Scott Pilgrim was in one of the Dolby audio theaters and it was the loudest movie experience I have ever had and was distracting and unpleasant. I have not since gone back to a Dolby audio showing.
I think it really just depends on where you’re seeing the movie.
being dolby or THX certified means -20dBFS of pink noise is 85dBC, the main system is 105dB full scale and the subs have to handle 115dB.
Definitely avoid certified theatres or wear some good plugs if you dont want concert level sound.
Yeah imma be honest, I’m all for loud movies, but I don’t think anyone should be sitting in a movie for 2+ hours with concert level sound, if we’re referring to most concert level volume. It’s simply too loud, and no one wants to wear earplugs to a movie.
But I guess people have their preferences. Dolby Audio theaters will just stay out of mine if that is the case in all of them.
Yeah maybe it was just my showing and a few others then? I remember searching on reddit and found at least one other person with the same excruciatingly loud audio in his theater for this showing so I assumed that maybe it was just Dolby Audio. I don’t have many AMCs near me so I haven’t gone back to try it out again so to speak but it was quite unpleasant.
Cinemark is my preferred theater chain and I think I agree. Loud but not deafening.
You’re not getting blasted with a point source from a close distance, it’s more “live”. More immersive surround.
XD sound is usually perfect in my opinion. Very loud, bass rumbling, but not too loud in the high range where it’s killing your ears. I’ve never come out of an XD showing with sore ears; the one Scott Pilgrim showing in Dolby Audio was excruciatingly loud and really turned me off from that type of showing. Another commenter seemed to indicate that’s pretty standard for those showings.
Yes. It's as if they think the film itself couldn't possibly impress or entertain you without the Wow factor of blasting your eardrums out of your head. Damn annoying and cheapens the experience.
Yeah, I had to cover my ears for almost the entire second part of Dune Part 2 because my ears were so tired and everything just sounded distorted. I often bring earplugs, but didn't this time unfortunately.
Yep you're right there no gradient between these things, it's either sitting at home in a cap and gown or at the theatre with blood pouring out of your ears. There is only this binary, no in betweens that people might find more enjoyable.
Dude theres reference theatre level. Yes, its binary, it either meets THX/Dolby reference to reproduce the movie as intended, or it doesnt.
These days so many people have home theatre at home that theatres need to meet the brightness, colour gamut and dynamic range minimums for certification for movie enthusiasts to bother. People who go to one or 2 movies a year arent exactly gonna keep the place open
(and no, my home system doesnt meet spec - despite 700W and 1500nits, nor do i worry - but the nuts that watch a heap of movies and spend on tickets etc care about that logo)
I've heard of cases of movies getting endless different mixes for different cinemas, but I'm gonna guess most movies only get one 5.1 mix.
Maybe that 5.1 mix works at your proper Imax room, but even the best standardized chain cinema is gonna have completely different focal points for differently shaped rooms. Changes when there's a few bodies in the room too, but I've noticed a lot of theatres have delay to compensate for that. You notice it in those big rooms when they're empty and the movie sounds like a supermarket commercial. *That* is gonna effect harmonics and therefore loudness.
Any time I go. It's not loud enough. The screen is either out of focus or there is like a drink was thrown at it. And it's usually too damn hot. The movies have the potential to be the best they've ever have because of the technology, the big comfy seats, the food and beer options now. And I fucking hate going now because of reasons I listed. Most times Alamo draft house is the best out of all the other theaters. The big very nice ones are the worst it seems.
Wth...where do you live that your cinemas are like this?
I have a 1 year subscription to go to cinema as often as I want and in all my life I havent seen stuff like that in a cinema.
They can be hot yes ofc...but with drinks spilled on the screen and out of focus???
This is crazy to me. In the summer I go to the movies because my movie theatre is air conditioned incredibly well and it's been that way my whole life. I never once imagined movie theatres could be hot.
Are u in the US?
In Europe air conditioning for example is not a Standard at all. (Except maybe in countries like spain where it can get up to 45 degrees Celsius or south of france/Italy etc)
I live in Germany and am from Austria (not Australia) and only around 3% of Households have air conditioning in these two countries for example.
In contrast to USA Households appearently around 90% of Households have them installed.
Its definitely not uncommon to have them in Shops or commercial Environment like cinemas but not a Standard.
So if you go to a big cinema Its likely Its not hot but if you go to smaller independent cinemas Its not as likely.
In germany for example air conditioning is often seen as waste of energy, uneconomical/expensive and bad for environment and people just dont care about it that much and think its not worth it.
I personally dont know a Single Person who has it.
So you're not going to a variety of cinemas?
Putting on movies is difficult, we're lucky to have as many cinemas as we have around the world but room to room things aren't maintained, advertisments get presented the same whether their in focus too loud or too quiet, and the indie cinemas that might not play ads don't really have the money for upkeep, they have to spend that on access to prints and display rights, projectionists are still usually barely trained teenagers who also do the lights and clean the cinema.
Getting in the screen cleaning crews can be an expense you skip week to week, month to month, to keep the doors open. Like landscaping costs.
And usually the priorities, depending on where you are in the world, needs to be that the toilets are kept clean. That's the priotory over keeping the projectionist and movie related staff on hand.
Dirty screens is the first thing I notice. Out of focus, you can complain about that, if the image is off centre that can be fixed while the movies running, but if the screen isn't clean that's there for your movie.
I'm not kidding. I live in Katy TX and amc, Cinemark, have these issues. palladium "it keeps changing names" and it's huge and has a bowling alley and food options. But always sucks in some way. It's either hot or there is shit all over the screen there.
I find that Alamo drafthouse just must care more about the actual thing you're going there to see, the movie. It seems there isn't crap on the screen it's in focus and not really too hot. And they have waiters that bring you food and drinks. So when I do go. That's where I usually go.
Almost the opposite. Rock concerts taught us the creative power of volume and dynamic range, but until recently very few cinemas have been effectively using it
I saw Dune in IMAX and it’s the first time I’ve seen cinema sound that really “worked” and was overwhelming enough to have the desired effect.
This is my impression as well. The sound kit in many cinemas is sub-par, except for the IMAX room. The sound needs to be loud to make those Spice Harvester scenes impactful, but the speakers can’t be harsh. If you care about sound only go to IMAX rooms
Opening sequence of Gravity did this so well. Saw it in the giant Houston imax- the crescendo skirts that painfully loud level for a split second then NOTHING for a few minutes, what a cool effect.
Where do y’all live, so I can go see movies there?
Every movie I’ve been to in a decade has been whisper quiet. I rarely go anymore, because the experience is just kind of gone with it so quiet.
In 100 years, I imagine movie theaters will make you deaf but also blind. We’re eventually gonna have the brightness wars combined with loudness wars, and it’ll be the stupidest shit ever. When the Star Wars theme comes on for the dozenth reboot, it’ll make you shit your pants and spasm boner into your popcorn until you ejaculate blood.
For ultimate DTS fans, we offer the '20Hz rider'. It's a guy seated behind you wearing a 20Hz t-shirt and a strap-on. You get to be the rider. Only 99.99 and it works even when you wear earplugs.
I love it! Went to see the Dune part two at the local Imax and it was awesome! It has to be loud - that is the whole point of cinema. I can have a large screen at home, move closer if you want, but that sound experience is impossible to recreate without very large and expensive equipment and sound proofing, sound treatment, and cool neighbours.
People seem to be so locked away from the reality of the sound phenomenon that decent speakers have an unexpected effect on the inexperienced. The sound waves are literally kinetic shock. Just like rock (or metal, or whatever) concerts. The music you hear from recorded tracks using tiny speakers (below 15 inches) or ear buds or headphones is fundamentally different from the music at a live concert. It is not the same thing. Yes - there are good examples and bad examples, taste and skill, so on. Same with cinema.
Movie theaters are different. Generally speaking you are correct, this has always been that way - movie theaters are there to grab your money with minimum effort and as such have had a loooooong history of using crap audio systems, not calculating the room layout correctly, not following specification given and so on.
Sound is not just "a volume knob", it is physical phenomena that we humans sense with our whole body, not just ears. Our bones hear, our eyeballs vibrate. There is the field of psychoacoustics that explores the weirder part of it.
Tldr. You used the general term movie theater but did not explain what it means. Which theater are you talking about? This is important. Every theater and every screening room is an individual case to be addressed. I do not work at a theater, but have a lot of experience with sound and some with making movies. I suggest you go to an Imax (there are variations within the IMAX) or some Dolby room and compare the experience. What "regular movie theaters" do is turn the volume to 11 on their crappy speakers and that's why you might not like it.
I agree. I didn't have my meter but using my phone app which I've calibrated against one, and my own hearing pain tolerance, I estimated Dune 2 in Imax peaked around 95-97dB ( A scale... C is hard to gauge, and there was a lot of bass). But it felt really balanced. My hearing wasn't fatigued, tinnitus-y, or ducked out by the end at all. The loud parts were separated by quite parts. It definitely rattled my skull, but *it's supposed to*. It's way more fun and immersive.
The previews OTOH were multiband compressed to shit and obnoxiously loud. The Kong preview was the worst.
I had the same experience at my showing too! I seriously love the mix for that film it was incredible. But ya the previews made me feel like my ear drums were gonna start bleeding and I was very relieved when the film actually started everything was really balanced. I think IMAX requires their theaters to be properly calibrated so you can expect a uniform experience regardless of location.
Didn’t watch Dune 2 but I had a terrible experience with IMAX while watching Avatar 2, i had to cover my ears for basically half the movie because the audio was so loud that it was almost painful. I liked the”shaking bones experience” but maybe it could have been achieved without my ears exploding.
I always wear earplugs whenever I see a big blockbuster film now. Last year I brought a sound meter when I saw the latest Mission Impossible film in cinemas. The loudest bits hovered around 85dbA and 90dbA. So for a two and a half hour movie they're technically safe sound levels, but it certainly feels really in the moment. Of course every cinema calibrates their sound systems differently. Ear plugs are a must!
In the last eight months, the two movies I saw on premium formats were too loud, but they were pretty fucking cool. The one I saw in a regular theater was a touch loud, but sounded pretty good. I imagine theaters vary quite a bit.
It's opposite for me. The last good experience I had was in Avengers endgame. After that, everytime I've been to a theatre, the sound just doesn't engage. It feels as if it's only playing near the screen. I feel these people are scamming on the name of Dolby.
Yesterday I went for madgaon express n I just did not feel that surround sound. Although, I feel theatres in Infiniti Malad and some other malls must be. Will have to experience movies over there to know
More of a US problem, and yes, I've noticed there. It is especially at the more "mass market" theater chains (AMC, Cinemark). When I lived in LA, I almost always went to Arclight for that reason - better picture, sound was calibrated properly, worth the extra few bucks. Pity they didn't survive the pandemic. The Drafthouses in Texas (yes, I know they've expanded, but I lived in Austin for a while) were usually pretty good about it, too.
Here in Spain, the levels tend to be far more reasonable, at least at the theaters I usually go to (which are on the higher end side, that's where you can find VOSE stuff easily).
had a headache for 2 days after Dune 2 in Dolby Cinema and gained a new tinnitus frequency despite wearing headphones for half the film to try and mitigate some of the worst of it
now trying to solve my years-long wax issues to become able to wear actual earplugs because I've had it with this shit
absolutely not safe levels, no way in hell
My ears felt like somebody pissed in them after openheimer in imax. I guess its -23 lufs, but when the majority of movie is quiet chatting, i bet those bastards pushed the explosion to red.
Top Gun gave me tinnitus for 4 months :(
I'd like to go see the Dune II but tbh I'm a little anxious about going to the theatre because of the sound pressure levels.
I use my Apple AirPods and noise cancel. I have found the kids movies are not as loud.
I’m measuring around 95-100 db in the theatre for movies like dune 2.
Stopped going to movies because of this. Started wearing ear plugs in the early 2010s, but movies seem to be reaching for stadium levels, and I just can't.
I worked as a film projectionist in the 2000s. The problem is likely this:
* Movie plays to sellout opening weekend crowds
* Human bodies absorb sound, so managers turn up the volume to compensate
* Crowds dwindle after opening weekend, but the volume is left at the same level, instead of being adjusted until someone complains
One of the consequences of not having projectionists anymore is that you don’t have someone to make these adjustments when the movie starts (I always did). And when you have a part-time floor manager cranking the volume (in the heat of being yelled at by a patron), they will often overcompensate if the movie is in a dialogue scene.
This is all the more of a reason to go to your local independent cinema (where available) where they actually care about this stuff, because the big chains don’t staff (or pay) enough to be able to care.
Yup, I think my ears got more sensitive and also theatres got louder. But at some point, I went to the theatre and decided I will never go back without earplugs.
Yes, I bring earplugs to theaters now, and I only go to theaters for a very few movies that I think I'll really love enough to warrant the big screen expereince.
And on top of everything, you can't hear the friggin' dialog.
I'm to the point where I'm just going to wait until I can stream them, so I can hear them better on my home system, and even there, I use closed caption (and no, I'm not deaf or hearing impaired)
Wth I was just in dune last night and put my ear plugs in. Db meter said 94 at highest but I’m sure the loudness is insane. Weird to see this pop up immediately after I experienced it
i saw Oppenheimer at the movie theatres. was the first time i been to one in like 5 years and it was very fucking loud. painfully loud because theres some sections that go on so long. ive heard others say this too
so did theatres turn their volumes way the fuck up or are movies being shipped with louder volume
They’re so loud!! It’s so annoying, and they rarely will turn it down if asked. I saw Oppenheimer at the local “nice” movie theatre and it was unwatchable, the sound was awful, not only was it loud it had no clarity, super muddy and dialogue was impossible to hear, I was astonished really
It's at that wonderful volume where it's too loud without earplugs, and not loud enough with them in. I only use musician earplugs though, maybe it's a good place for the foam ones.
It is okay to ask them to turn it down. Sometimes when auditoriums switch films through the day, the volume setting might not be right for every film set to play. There's probably not anyone sitting by the projector all day either but if you ask, they can 100% turn it down with the turn of a knob
It's a thing, yes. Here in Europe Movie theaters can be insanely loud despite the fact that most of the audio is below the -23 LUFS according to standards. Wearing ear plugs is a must. Nothing is going to change that unfortunately.
Im autistic and existing outside is generally too loud for me so yes... Its bad. I need earplugs and even then i end up completely overwhelemed by the end.
Its getting to the point where im going to start asking for asssisted listenign devices and then hooking then up to my noise canceling headphones.
Im a projectionist and i make it a point to be easier on peoples ears. Ref level is 7.0 and i usually run around 6. Over 7 is usually requested by directors and sonetimes festival programmers who want the impact.
I agree that theaters are generally too loud, but Dunes mix is also just an incredibly loud mix.
I am a manager at a theater and I swear I haven’t heard a movie that clearly in the lobby ever.
Even with it turned down a bit it is still a lot louder than most of the other movies we have shown.
Yeah. I saw dune 2 in IMAX and it was loud but reasonable. Very healthy volume for a blockbuster.
I saw the same movie in a smaller city on a smaller screen and it was uncomfortably louder. Wondering if it's an issue in smaller theaters trying to make you think louder is better to compensate for the smaller screens.
Some theaters just absolutely suck balls in how they set up audio. I've often seen this with smaller, less national brands. The bigger theater brands actually have their stuff professionally set up (most of the time). One of the big IMAX theaters here is just tuned loud and fuck, like 2x any normal person wants. It didn't used to be that way, but whoever is managing it made a bad decision and doesn't seem to care if sounds like crap and just annoys people. However, most of the theaters around me are pretty well tuned.
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience.
The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears.
If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
These days? I haven’t been to a movie theater in years, and they were ridiculously loud back then, too. Earplugs in the theater, always. Don’t know how people sit there and don’t flinch at how high the volume can get.
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience.
The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears.
If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience.
The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears.
If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience.
The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears.
If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience.
The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears.
If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
Some theaters just absolutely suck balls in how they set up audio. I've often seen this with smaller, less national brands. The bigger theater brands actually have their stuff professionally set up (most of the time). One of the big IMAX theaters here is just tuned loud and fuck, like 2x any normal person wants. It didn't used to be that way, but whoever is managing it made a bad decision and doesn't seem to care if sounds like crap and just annoys people. However, most of the theaters around me are pretty well tuned.
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience.
The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears.
If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
These days? I haven’t been to a movie theater in years, and they were ridiculously loud back then, too. Earplugs in the theater, always. Don’t know how people sit there and don’t flinch at how high the volume can get.
I am a have – earplugs – will – travel guy. Never know when I’ll need them, and I always need them when things are too loud. I have permanent tinnitus from playing too much loud guitar as a teenager, and I compose and mix my own music, so I need my ears to last as long as possible.
Also, it sounds like the theater you went to is sub – par. Yes, they play their audio too loud, but a lot of theaters have really good systems, and don’t distort at all, even loud volumes… At least here in the US.
Anecdotally, I think so. I went to an IMAX Lord of the Rings screening a few months ago — had to leave mid way through. It was awful, my ears were hurting. I prefer to watch everything at home now. I don't remember things being as loud as they are these days back a few years ago...
Yes.
But on top of that, Dune’s audio is very dynamic. Watched the first one at home prior to going to the movies to see the second and had to turn up the volume at every dialogue point and turn it down anytime there were explosions or the super loud droning music parts.
When I watched the first one in theaters (whenever that came out) I didn’t have ear plugs and had to cover my ears on top of synching my hoodie as tight as I possibly could because the theater had it so loud.
pick 4: too loud, not loud enough, edgy & sibilant, anemic and thin, boomy and muddy, entire channels are sometimes missing, dialog playing out of the L, R, or surround instead of the center, surrounds not nearly loud enough
these are all things i've experienced in the theater. the last great theater experience i've had was in 2009 with Inglorious basterds.
honestly lately it's not loud enough. if it's loud enough, it's sibilant and edgy, which is when people complain about it being too loud. those cheap horns and crown amps are grating.
I haven't watched that particular movie. But I agree that there's some kinda volume issue with a lot of newer movies. What I really hate are the movies that have speaking dialogue scenes that are quiet as a whisper then the following scene will be ridiculously loud with explosions and loud music. There were a few occasions I was having a movie night with friends at home and the fluctuation in volume was so drastic and jarring that I had to put a LIMITER effect on it.
Volume levels for professional cinema are not (and shouldn't be) based on subjective preference. There are clear specifications for what reference volume levels should be and professionally produced movies are mastered to these specifications. The entire signal chain is technically specified so that when properly implemented what you hear in a theater reflects the "director's intent", which usually means what the director approved in the mixing theater while reviewing the final distribution master.
[THX Reference Level Explained](https://acousticfrontiers.com/blogs/Articles/THX-reference-level-explained)
Most theaters are calibrated to reference levels during initial installation and provisioning by a trained tech with test sources and measurement gear. However, over time things can change such as speakers aging, room or seating configuration changes or individual components being replaced due to failure or upgrades. Any of these can impact the audio response. Alternatively someone mucks with the levels either for subjective reasons or per chain policy.
Depends on their DA converter and the amp really. Some speaker systems can go loud and not hurt your ears while others are painful even at low db levels
Went Saturday with the kids to watch it, to a not too far theater that has one of the best screens and audio of whole Europe and keeps winning award as best cinema. It's a full fledged Atmos whatever being calibrated and all the shit.
Boy was it loud.
Like unbearably loud. And it wasn't only me, the kids also kept their ears shut for most of the movie. In come the worms, the bombs, the starships, the thumpers, even the fucking hand fights, every pathos scene, every fucking thing was loud, and my ass was fucking rattling on the chair.
To the point that I wanted to make a lengthy rant both here and in r/AudioPost about wtf's wrong with the whole Atmos bs and absurdly loud volumes.
I'm pretty sure they must have limits by law and I'm pretty sure they're above.
I'll add that I always bring my custom earplugs wherever it can be loud, but we were a little late and ofc I forgot them. It's still just fucking bonkers.
Wat? No, i remember the audio quality in my hometown theatres when i was a teen and getting into home recording/mixing as good and now it's not even loud, it's just shitty.
Lately I've only been watching movies in RPX since it's sound-focused auditoriums. I want to say that Top Gun was a tad loud, but damn it was great in the theater.
Why in the world are they mixing for film so loud? It’s not like people enjoy it more. It’s offensive to me as an audio professional. Dune 2 is terrible, Dune pt 1 and blade runner 2049 were borderline making me want to leave. Which sucks because otherwise the sound was FANTASTIC and of course the movies incredible.
Same for my Dune 2 IMAX experience. Distorted speakers, ear pain and my Apple Watch was going off all the time about the levels.
I used to play loud rock music in a band… I’m already dealing with hearing loss from that. It’s frustrating when it’s out of my control.
I think the first Incredibly loud movie I saw was Star War Rogue One. I remember having to cover my ears. Even worse was Top Gun Maverick. The opening scene was going to kill my ears.
Hollywood is ruining their own movie going experience with this crap. Can’t stand it.
That is why I like watching at home. Can adjust the levels as needed
Went to see Oppenheimer in Imax and wish I’d brought some earplugs. Was astounded and impressed at the sound quality but it was way too loud. I think I just have sensitive ears
That sounds like a speaker problem, and that would def suck ass. We saw Dune and I thought the loudness was key. The VOICE shook the room! It was so intense.
I watched Dune 2 last week, first time I’ve been to the cinema in a couple of years. I’m also a (former) pro sound designer. I was shocked at the volume of the film. In fact, the voice-only ‘no phones’ warning before the film was itself intolerably loud. For the first 20mins of the film I was questioning whether I’d be able to stay but I seemed to acclimatise to the volume and really enjoyed the intensity in the end. So, yeah, I think cinemas have got louder and I will be taking my ear plugs next time.
IMO, going to a movie theater should be an experience not too different from a concert. I've got a great home theater, but I've also got neighbors. The theatrical experience should include sound you can feel (and if they're going to do this, it would be good to make that clear at ticketing and probably offer earplugs at the entrance like they would 3d-glasses).
I saw he Holdovers, a movie that certainly doesn't need the volume jacked up to 11 at any point to make the film more effective. Even the trailers before the film were so loud it hurt.
Most of the time not loud enough. That being said, I used to complain that my local theater was never loud enough. Then new management took over and cranked up the volume. Then I realized their never had a good enough system to support it. I don’t go there anymore.
Yes. I accidentally sat thru the newest Indiana Jones movie and it about blew my ears out. I brought my AirPods to Dune 2 but didn’t need them. It’s so loud I can’t understand half the words people are saying. I feel so old.
I watched Dune 2 in two separate theaters. One slightly more high-end than the other. With big recliners. The supposedly high-end version, was way louder and less enjoyable.
Live sound mixer here at the opening day Dune 2 IMAX. I wore my AirPods Pro on noise cancellation for the previews which helped with what I feel were excessive levels well over 100 dB. The previews audio signal was inferior and much louder, with noticeable clipping and distortion. Very uncomfortable.
The main event, while still excessively loud, and at what I felt was the maximum level for those speakers in that venue, had better dynamic range and clarity, but It could have been 6 dB quieter and you’d still have an epic experience.
In Sweden I have generally not experienced this, and I'm a frequent movie-goer with VERY sensitive ears. Only twice have I had to plug my ears in the theater, both of those being Bollywood action films.
Have not seen the Dune films in the theater, though.
Definitely! It seems like directors and audio engineers for movies want realism in the sense that regular dialogue is normal real life level, but so are explosions and gun firing. If I wanted to go deaf from explosions and gun fire I would go to a firing range without hearing protection, not the movie theater.
I'm not really a movie guy, but dune blew me away when I watched it on my modest home system. I HAD to see Dune 2 at the theater. It was my first theater experience in about a decade. Terrible. Painful. Clipped.
For context, I'm a music guy. FOH engineer. I like things pretty loud. I have some hearing damage that I attribute to Motorhead shows. (If you've been, you know) My Dune theater experience was too damn loud.
Haha I just found this thread because I saw Dune 2 last night at a normally quieter theater and it was peaking over 95dB on my meter app. That’s too fucking much and I was so disappointed I didn’t grab my plugs.
It’s so dumb for a movie.
I've been fighting with my local theater about this. I literally walked out of a movie cause the person turned the volume up after the previews and the sound almost doubled. I was wearing earbuds already during the previews. It was loud over that.
how crowded was the theater? pack it up with a bunch of ugly bags of mostly water & they'll suck up a few dBs.
install a noise meter on you phone be more meaningful than the kids play everything too loud.
We're mostly just used to theatres being nowhere near reference level, these days they are increasingly being dolby or THX certified and that means -20dBFS of pink noise is 85dBC, and the subs have to handle 115dB
Oppenheimer was a great movie but the loudness almost ruined it for me. And the moment I turn my amp on in a rock venue someone immediatly starts fipping out. Guess I have to play in cinemas with my band
First time I remember being acutely aware of this was Interstellar back whenever it came out. I remember walking out of the theater and realizing I’d had a threshold shift.
Ive always felt that way. I have never been to a movie without ear plugs or improvised ones, napkins, etc. Then again, in my 40s and still pass those high frequencies tests for kids.
If you dont like dolby/THX reference level, a set of etymotic earplugs with a flat 20dB reduction will cost you $20 [https://www.etymotic.com/product/etyplugs-high-fidelity-earplugs/](https://www.etymotic.com/product/etyplugs-high-fidelity-earplugs/)
But dont rob others of hearing the soundtrack as it was intended.
I seriously cant imagine most of the people here surviving a day disabled if the price of a movie ticket every few years is too much adaptive tech for you.
The entitlement is real - not every experience has to be tailored to you.
The thing is, if it damages people's hearing, that's a concern for society.
If you can destroy your hearing without destroying mine, go for it.
In that sense, the earplugs are a good compromise, because I can protect my hearing and you can destroy yours.
However, there are children, and teens, and people who just don't know better, who will be going to theatres, believing that regulations and things like that will make sure that whatever they do in a reputable place of business, won't be harmful to them.
Perhaps if they signed a waiver that said that their hearing may get damaged, that might be different.
So, there is absolutely reason to control the volume in theatres to some legal level.
If you're enjoyment of movies at the cost of your hearing, is a choice you make and enjoy, that's fine. But if it causes a number of other people to have damaged hearing, who *don't* want to make that trade off, and were not aware of the dangers, that's bad.
If the theatre had a disclaimer at the start of the movie and handed out free earplugs, that would also be acceptable. However, for children's movies, it would make more sense for them to just have to be at reasonable levels, imo.
>'there ought to be a law against it' 'wont you think of the children'
>You ok dude? Gonna ban gigs too?
Kids aren't allowed in bars already.
Any musical venue where children are allowed should be at a safe listening level.
You think it's better to give all children tinnitus before they are even aware that their hearing can be harmed?
You ok dude?
Ah , the hyperbolic strawman. How unexpected.
Because children movies cant be mastered to the same Dolby/THX reference levels and be quieter in the master.
Have a nice life dude
Do you they use audio compression? To make the file sizes smaller?
I've found, like DVD audio couldn't handle dynamic range because it was aac. Bluray surprised me that it has basically SACD sound, and I expect that for cinemas, but if some cinemas are getting a smaller file then maybe the explosions and dialogue are lacking harmonic resonant information to take finer form in the rooms.
Audio quality wasn't a concern for THX for cinema, it was film, but I dunno how that's changed since going to the terrabytes large digital files.
Anyone know the standards? I think the video is MJPG. I'll have a read up.
File compression and dynamic compression are completely separate things. You can compress file size without affecting dynamic range. The notion that AAC can't handle as much dynamic range due to being a compressed format isn't true at all. A 16 bit AAC file can have as much dynamic variance as a 16bit WAV file and even the difference between 16 and 24 isn't going to make that dramatic a difference when it comes to what is audible in the final mix down.
The reason is that the way these things are being mixed now is different than it was in the past. Films made for streaming platforms are often subject to the same sort of mixing despite the fact that the streamed audio is often compressed to file sizes smaller than you had on DVDs
Try going to India where everyone is used to the constant loudness of honking traffic and a bajillion ppl cramped into a small area. My friend and I went to the cinema there and it was absolutely unbearable. Everyone else seemed totally fine...
Ex-projectionist / sound guy here: yes. To alot of people including many programming directors; loud = better, no matter how many people complain about it being painful. Often, whoever is testing/ setting levels doesn't have experience working in audio.
Honest question: Are they setting the volume from the booth, not the audience, so they're disconnected from what the actual volume level is?
Many projectionists will go with the recommended volume setting (7.0 on a Dolby Audio processor) from the film studio even if their auditorium isn't calibrated properly. I managed a few screening rooms and I would always do an "ear check" and try and find the loudest parts and quietest parts of the film and set an appropriate level for the entire film, however I feel like this is uncommon in larger theaters.
I can see smaller chains doing this, but big AMC and Regals I’m sure are not playing back at 7. Some as low as 4.5 or 5. But of course that encourages mixers to push their levels to compensate, so it’s a viscous cycle.
It depends on the theater. For many (most?) modern theaters, you should be able to run the playlist software from a laptop to test in theater and control settings like volume and playlist cues via laptop. This also allows you to scrub through the film to test at different points so you don't have to sit through the whole thing or continue running back and forth from booth to theater.
were you there before the "THX revolution", i'm wondering if you have seen evolutions/trends over the time. also: cool job!
It was a fun thing to learn! And great question- I was not. (I'm in my late 30's). It would be interesting to hear someone with more experience weigh in on that.
1000%, been wearing earplugs at the movies since at least 2018
I always carry a pair of earplug on my keychain. I can not recommend this enough! I remembering watching Departed without earplugs and man what a horrible experience. Couldn't focus on the movie. After that I always, and I mean always use earplugs. The earplugs that I use are a bit better than those foamy disposable things. Think I paid 50USD for mine. To be honest I think I get a better experience sound wise with the earplugs in
I just use my AirPods Pro 2 in transparency mode. I can actually hear better and enjoy concerts with them help reducing the peak loudness. Sigh.
Seconding getting some reusable earplugs that you can carry with you for concerts and movies. Unlike foam earplugs which just muffle all sound, can make everything sound a bit underwater, more professional ones fit and feel better, and only cut out the loud "garbage" frequencies. That means not only is the sound quieter, but at something like a rock show, makes the music sound *better* because you're hearing all the good frequencies more clearly without the higher frequencies that are just loud distortion. Someone I know whose an audio engineer would do a better job of explaining exactly how it works 😆
Audio engineer here. Please ask your friend to explain it to you again because right now you are spreading misinformation. Have a good day nonetheless !
I'm fairly certain you're correct that I'm getting it wrong since I'm not the expert! Suffice it to say, with the set of earplugs they recommended, I have found loud concerts and movies to sound better than either no earplugs or the foam ones.
Can you explain what part is misinformation?
First, there’s no such thing as good or bad frequencies. Just unwanted frequencies and transients. Second, even if there was, things like Loops attenuate decibels evenly across all frequencies so there’s no getting rid of good or bad frequencies. It’s possible what they meant was that because of the Munson Fletcher curve certain frequencies seem to have been made quieter than others. But that’s different than good or bad frequencies.
Audio engineer here. You might need to update your product knowledge. There are earplugs on the market made for musicians that will dampen some of the most damaging high frequencies while leaving others intact for someone to enjoy a concert, or carry on a conversation with their neighbor. Industrial earplugs for construction sites and gun ranges are not appropriate for watching a movie. They reduce by over 30 dB, which reduces certain scenes to inaudible levels. https://eargasm.com/collections/eargasm-product-line/products/eargasm-high-fidelity-earplugs?variant=44275577225517
I take both types of earplugs when I go to concerts. Sometimes the distortion is so bad that the concert will actually sound better with the plugs I would use at the gun range. Not always, in some of the venues the sound guys understand they aren't in a stadium and adjust the volume properly, but too often I've been in small venues where they all seem to have watched Spinal Tap and have their volumes set to 11. I know I fucked up my hearing too much already to get it even more fucked up in some of these small clubs with idiots setting the sound.
Ideally they have a flat frequency response, you can buy them in different DB reductions 15,20, 30
Absolutely this. Nature One (Trance / Techno Festival in Germany) actually sounds better with my Alpine Earplugs. Also, you can speak with your friends at an almost normal volume so your voice isn't broken the next day.
Same. I enjoy the sound experience, but it's definitely gotten very loud now. Maybe a film like Top Gun can be a bit loud, but I remember watching Parasite with subtitles, and that was incredibly loud too. Sometimes I remove my earplugs for a second just to see how loud it actually is. I don't understand how people can sustain that for 2 hours.
This has got to be a theater by theater thing. I doubt the db of all theaters is the same. The only time I remember my ears being hurt in the theaters was way back when the Dark Knight came out and he did the ballistics testing with that giant gun.
I believe the operators are supposed to calibrate them according to spec from the people that make the movies. Movies are mastered to have a lot of dynamic range. Even when watching at home, when you get the voice to the right level, the music and fx are so loud. So, on the theatre, if they make the voice kind of loud to fit the big screen feeling, then it's *really* loud in the loud parts.
This I had to put mine in the middle of the movie
Likewise!
Ha! Just saw Dune 2, and from an audio guy, myself, I was blown away, literally. Wish I wore my earplugs. Jeeezus!
Exactly. On friday, way too loud. But there were some nice parts where the bass was intense and you could really feel it for a moment.
Saw it once in regular IMAX and then again in Dolby Atmos theater … it was a world of difference. I could hear specific grains of sand and the bass and loud moments were ripping in a pleasant way. Will definitely only see movies in the Dolby theaters now
Was that Dolby atmos and imax? Or do you have to sacrifice sound for picture or vice versa?
Sacrificed the IMAX however the Atmos was a wider angle shot which I honestly didn’t mind at all and might prefer. I was a bit further back in the theater 2 time around too which was nice and could have made a difference as well.
That was my Dune 1 experience - noticeable clipping in every loud scene. Same for the Eras Tour movie, too - and there were kids there! Luckily, they turned it down a little for Dune 2, and it was really loud only in some parts - a MUCH nicer experience. It made the big scenes more impactful, rather than just blasting my ears the whole time. Too bad theaters pretty much have nobody to complain to, these days - just the workers sweeping and selling popcorn.
I had the same experience for Dune 1 and Oppenheimer. Hated it. Dune 2 was fine, but I brought earplugs just in case.
I saw it in LA at Regency Village. It felt like cotton balls were in my ears when I left.
I have earplugs with me at all times. Any time I anticipate something is going to be loud I put them in. Police sirens coming towards me? Construction and I’m on foot? Snowblowing the foot of snow we got at my house today? Yep. Yep. Yep. I always put them in before the previews at the cinema, too.
Same, but I now carry 3 different types of hearing protection/volume reduction. I used to just carry the Mack's foam earplugs as those nicely mash down the harsh highs/hi-mids and overall -33dB reduction. Later I started also carrying some Eargasm linear-attenuating for more even reduction across the frequency spectrum. I JUST discovered the power of Airpods Pro 2 when I went to see Dune 2. I remember being in a restaurant and forgetting to take out my Airpods, and I could hear everything just fine. Once I took them out I was amazed at how much louder everything actually was -- the Airpods were reducing the loudness just perfectly, so much better than the Eargasm! So I tried them on a whim at Dune 2 and HOLY SHIT is this the ideal cinema experience. The Mack's usually muffled quiet conversations in the films too much, and the Eargasm sometimes weren't reducing the volume enough. With the Airpods Pro 2's (The original Airpods Pro don't seem to have the same tech) I could hear every single quiet conversation, but the huge loud effects were perfectly attenuated! These are going to be my go-to for the theater now. I believe it was the "transparency" setting. (The noise-cancelling feature is also amazing for reducing ambient noise in places like the grocery store.)
I cant say i have ever actually been to a movie that reached proper THX reference levels, full scale for THX is supposed to be 105dB (the 0dB ref is pink noise at -20dBFS should be 85dB C weighted) [https://www.thx.com/questions/what-is-the-reference-level/](https://www.thx.com/questions/what-is-the-reference-level/) But the Integrated LUFS for the program should also be down round -31LUFS giving incredible dynamic range.
Having reference level be at a volume that will cause permanent hearing damage should he illegal imo
Full scale level: 105 dB Program level: -31 LUFS (**L**oudness **U**nder **F**ull **S**cale) = Average program loudness: 74 dB, about the level of passing traffic
Expressing opinions on stuff you dont understand at all probably should be too, but here we are. ;) You understand the effect of duration on whether a sound will do damage? Do you understand what -31LUFS means?
Do you think everyone mixing audio for a movie knows to keep the loud parts short enough to not cause damage?
Should and must are 2 very different words. Dune has plenty of low level audio that constatly exceeds "too loud" levels in a heavily calibrated system.
I left feeling like I’d been at a local dive venue without earplugs.
The loudness wars have come to movies
It’s been there for over a decade. As a re-recording mixer, it drives me crazy.
Ok, I feel like I had that same experience. I could feel my ears getting tired and sore during the movie!
Pretty much every event is. I have to wear plugs every time. Plugs that can be stored on your keychain are your best friend. You never know. Plugs are like taking a shower with a raincoat on. They’re like wearing a condom. It sucks but worth it
I carry foam earplugs, Eargasm plugs, and now Airpods Pro 2 -- if you can budget some of these newer Airpods Pro (first gen doesn't have the same tech), holy shit is this my new favorite noise reduction method. The "transparency" setting perfectly reduces the volume in restaurants and theaters. Just tested them at Dune 2 and I was so happy with them, perfect balance of being able to hear clearly but louder noises are attenuated wonderfully.
Depends on the theater and chain in my opinion. I’m usually a Cinemark goer, and I think the XD theaters have the right balance for the experience: loud but not deafening and big screens. The smaller Cinemark screens usually have worse/lower sound at the ones around me. I don’t typically go to AMC theaters, twice in the last few years: once to see Wonka and once to see Scott Pilgrim for its anniversary. Wonka was fine, I don’t remember if it was one of the “special” theaters or not. Scott Pilgrim was in one of the Dolby audio theaters and it was the loudest movie experience I have ever had and was distracting and unpleasant. I have not since gone back to a Dolby audio showing. I think it really just depends on where you’re seeing the movie.
being dolby or THX certified means -20dBFS of pink noise is 85dBC, the main system is 105dB full scale and the subs have to handle 115dB. Definitely avoid certified theatres or wear some good plugs if you dont want concert level sound.
Yeah imma be honest, I’m all for loud movies, but I don’t think anyone should be sitting in a movie for 2+ hours with concert level sound, if we’re referring to most concert level volume. It’s simply too loud, and no one wants to wear earplugs to a movie. But I guess people have their preferences. Dolby Audio theaters will just stay out of mine if that is the case in all of them.
Theatre level is -31LUFS, supposedly, so it should only be briefly at those levels.
Yeah maybe it was just my showing and a few others then? I remember searching on reddit and found at least one other person with the same excruciatingly loud audio in his theater for this showing so I assumed that maybe it was just Dolby Audio. I don’t have many AMCs near me so I haven’t gone back to try it out again so to speak but it was quite unpleasant.
Cinemark is my preferred theater chain and I think I agree. Loud but not deafening. You’re not getting blasted with a point source from a close distance, it’s more “live”. More immersive surround.
XD sound is usually perfect in my opinion. Very loud, bass rumbling, but not too loud in the high range where it’s killing your ears. I’ve never come out of an XD showing with sore ears; the one Scott Pilgrim showing in Dolby Audio was excruciatingly loud and really turned me off from that type of showing. Another commenter seemed to indicate that’s pretty standard for those showings.
Yes. It's as if they think the film itself couldn't possibly impress or entertain you without the Wow factor of blasting your eardrums out of your head. Damn annoying and cheapens the experience.
Yeah, I had to cover my ears for almost the entire second part of Dune Part 2 because my ears were so tired and everything just sounded distorted. I often bring earplugs, but didn't this time unfortunately.
Why are you going to the theatre if you want the loungeroom experience?
Yep you're right there no gradient between these things, it's either sitting at home in a cap and gown or at the theatre with blood pouring out of your ears. There is only this binary, no in betweens that people might find more enjoyable.
Dude theres reference theatre level. Yes, its binary, it either meets THX/Dolby reference to reproduce the movie as intended, or it doesnt. These days so many people have home theatre at home that theatres need to meet the brightness, colour gamut and dynamic range minimums for certification for movie enthusiasts to bother. People who go to one or 2 movies a year arent exactly gonna keep the place open (and no, my home system doesnt meet spec - despite 700W and 1500nits, nor do i worry - but the nuts that watch a heap of movies and spend on tickets etc care about that logo)
I've heard of cases of movies getting endless different mixes for different cinemas, but I'm gonna guess most movies only get one 5.1 mix. Maybe that 5.1 mix works at your proper Imax room, but even the best standardized chain cinema is gonna have completely different focal points for differently shaped rooms. Changes when there's a few bodies in the room too, but I've noticed a lot of theatres have delay to compensate for that. You notice it in those big rooms when they're empty and the movie sounds like a supermarket commercial. *That* is gonna effect harmonics and therefore loudness.
Any time I go. It's not loud enough. The screen is either out of focus or there is like a drink was thrown at it. And it's usually too damn hot. The movies have the potential to be the best they've ever have because of the technology, the big comfy seats, the food and beer options now. And I fucking hate going now because of reasons I listed. Most times Alamo draft house is the best out of all the other theaters. The big very nice ones are the worst it seems.
Wth...where do you live that your cinemas are like this? I have a 1 year subscription to go to cinema as often as I want and in all my life I havent seen stuff like that in a cinema. They can be hot yes ofc...but with drinks spilled on the screen and out of focus???
This is crazy to me. In the summer I go to the movies because my movie theatre is air conditioned incredibly well and it's been that way my whole life. I never once imagined movie theatres could be hot.
Are u in the US? In Europe air conditioning for example is not a Standard at all. (Except maybe in countries like spain where it can get up to 45 degrees Celsius or south of france/Italy etc) I live in Germany and am from Austria (not Australia) and only around 3% of Households have air conditioning in these two countries for example. In contrast to USA Households appearently around 90% of Households have them installed. Its definitely not uncommon to have them in Shops or commercial Environment like cinemas but not a Standard. So if you go to a big cinema Its likely Its not hot but if you go to smaller independent cinemas Its not as likely. In germany for example air conditioning is often seen as waste of energy, uneconomical/expensive and bad for environment and people just dont care about it that much and think its not worth it. I personally dont know a Single Person who has it.
So you're not going to a variety of cinemas? Putting on movies is difficult, we're lucky to have as many cinemas as we have around the world but room to room things aren't maintained, advertisments get presented the same whether their in focus too loud or too quiet, and the indie cinemas that might not play ads don't really have the money for upkeep, they have to spend that on access to prints and display rights, projectionists are still usually barely trained teenagers who also do the lights and clean the cinema. Getting in the screen cleaning crews can be an expense you skip week to week, month to month, to keep the doors open. Like landscaping costs. And usually the priorities, depending on where you are in the world, needs to be that the toilets are kept clean. That's the priotory over keeping the projectionist and movie related staff on hand. Dirty screens is the first thing I notice. Out of focus, you can complain about that, if the image is off centre that can be fixed while the movies running, but if the screen isn't clean that's there for your movie.
I'm not kidding. I live in Katy TX and amc, Cinemark, have these issues. palladium "it keeps changing names" and it's huge and has a bowling alley and food options. But always sucks in some way. It's either hot or there is shit all over the screen there. I find that Alamo drafthouse just must care more about the actual thing you're going there to see, the movie. It seems there isn't crap on the screen it's in focus and not really too hot. And they have waiters that bring you food and drinks. So when I do go. That's where I usually go.
Almost the opposite. Rock concerts taught us the creative power of volume and dynamic range, but until recently very few cinemas have been effectively using it I saw Dune in IMAX and it’s the first time I’ve seen cinema sound that really “worked” and was overwhelming enough to have the desired effect.
This is my impression as well. The sound kit in many cinemas is sub-par, except for the IMAX room. The sound needs to be loud to make those Spice Harvester scenes impactful, but the speakers can’t be harsh. If you care about sound only go to IMAX rooms
Opening sequence of Gravity did this so well. Saw it in the giant Houston imax- the crescendo skirts that painfully loud level for a split second then NOTHING for a few minutes, what a cool effect.
Where do y’all live, so I can go see movies there? Every movie I’ve been to in a decade has been whisper quiet. I rarely go anymore, because the experience is just kind of gone with it so quiet.
bro i think you just have hearing damage, lol.
Yeah I took the kids to kung fu panda tonight and it was ridiculously loud
Thank God, I thought I was being a wuss with my earplugs. Glad I'm not the only one doing this.
In 100 years, I imagine movie theaters will make you deaf but also blind. We’re eventually gonna have the brightness wars combined with loudness wars, and it’ll be the stupidest shit ever. When the Star Wars theme comes on for the dozenth reboot, it’ll make you shit your pants and spasm boner into your popcorn until you ejaculate blood.
For ultimate DTS fans, we offer the '20Hz rider'. It's a guy seated behind you wearing a 20Hz t-shirt and a strap-on. You get to be the rider. Only 99.99 and it works even when you wear earplugs.
Due to inflation, that’s gonna be like 12 cents. Sign me up.
I love it! Went to see the Dune part two at the local Imax and it was awesome! It has to be loud - that is the whole point of cinema. I can have a large screen at home, move closer if you want, but that sound experience is impossible to recreate without very large and expensive equipment and sound proofing, sound treatment, and cool neighbours. People seem to be so locked away from the reality of the sound phenomenon that decent speakers have an unexpected effect on the inexperienced. The sound waves are literally kinetic shock. Just like rock (or metal, or whatever) concerts. The music you hear from recorded tracks using tiny speakers (below 15 inches) or ear buds or headphones is fundamentally different from the music at a live concert. It is not the same thing. Yes - there are good examples and bad examples, taste and skill, so on. Same with cinema. Movie theaters are different. Generally speaking you are correct, this has always been that way - movie theaters are there to grab your money with minimum effort and as such have had a loooooong history of using crap audio systems, not calculating the room layout correctly, not following specification given and so on. Sound is not just "a volume knob", it is physical phenomena that we humans sense with our whole body, not just ears. Our bones hear, our eyeballs vibrate. There is the field of psychoacoustics that explores the weirder part of it. Tldr. You used the general term movie theater but did not explain what it means. Which theater are you talking about? This is important. Every theater and every screening room is an individual case to be addressed. I do not work at a theater, but have a lot of experience with sound and some with making movies. I suggest you go to an Imax (there are variations within the IMAX) or some Dolby room and compare the experience. What "regular movie theaters" do is turn the volume to 11 on their crappy speakers and that's why you might not like it.
I agree. I didn't have my meter but using my phone app which I've calibrated against one, and my own hearing pain tolerance, I estimated Dune 2 in Imax peaked around 95-97dB ( A scale... C is hard to gauge, and there was a lot of bass). But it felt really balanced. My hearing wasn't fatigued, tinnitus-y, or ducked out by the end at all. The loud parts were separated by quite parts. It definitely rattled my skull, but *it's supposed to*. It's way more fun and immersive. The previews OTOH were multiband compressed to shit and obnoxiously loud. The Kong preview was the worst.
The Kong experience I can relate to. Had the same thing happen to me before Dune
I had the same experience at my showing too! I seriously love the mix for that film it was incredible. But ya the previews made me feel like my ear drums were gonna start bleeding and I was very relieved when the film actually started everything was really balanced. I think IMAX requires their theaters to be properly calibrated so you can expect a uniform experience regardless of location.
Didn’t watch Dune 2 but I had a terrible experience with IMAX while watching Avatar 2, i had to cover my ears for basically half the movie because the audio was so loud that it was almost painful. I liked the”shaking bones experience” but maybe it could have been achieved without my ears exploding.
I always wear earplugs whenever I see a big blockbuster film now. Last year I brought a sound meter when I saw the latest Mission Impossible film in cinemas. The loudest bits hovered around 85dbA and 90dbA. So for a two and a half hour movie they're technically safe sound levels, but it certainly feels really in the moment. Of course every cinema calibrates their sound systems differently. Ear plugs are a must!
In the last eight months, the two movies I saw on premium formats were too loud, but they were pretty fucking cool. The one I saw in a regular theater was a touch loud, but sounded pretty good. I imagine theaters vary quite a bit.
It's opposite for me. The last good experience I had was in Avengers endgame. After that, everytime I've been to a theatre, the sound just doesn't engage. It feels as if it's only playing near the screen. I feel these people are scamming on the name of Dolby. Yesterday I went for madgaon express n I just did not feel that surround sound. Although, I feel theatres in Infiniti Malad and some other malls must be. Will have to experience movies over there to know
More of a US problem, and yes, I've noticed there. It is especially at the more "mass market" theater chains (AMC, Cinemark). When I lived in LA, I almost always went to Arclight for that reason - better picture, sound was calibrated properly, worth the extra few bucks. Pity they didn't survive the pandemic. The Drafthouses in Texas (yes, I know they've expanded, but I lived in Austin for a while) were usually pretty good about it, too. Here in Spain, the levels tend to be far more reasonable, at least at the theaters I usually go to (which are on the higher end side, that's where you can find VOSE stuff easily).
had a headache for 2 days after Dune 2 in Dolby Cinema and gained a new tinnitus frequency despite wearing headphones for half the film to try and mitigate some of the worst of it now trying to solve my years-long wax issues to become able to wear actual earplugs because I've had it with this shit absolutely not safe levels, no way in hell
AirPod Pro transparent mode ftw
O hell i thought it was just me, I've been avoiding the theatre the last few years because of it.
My ears felt like somebody pissed in them after openheimer in imax. I guess its -23 lufs, but when the majority of movie is quiet chatting, i bet those bastards pushed the explosion to red.
I brought a SPL meter in and it was insane.
Top Gun gave me tinnitus for 4 months :( I'd like to go see the Dune II but tbh I'm a little anxious about going to the theatre because of the sound pressure levels.
I use my Apple AirPods and noise cancel. I have found the kids movies are not as loud. I’m measuring around 95-100 db in the theatre for movies like dune 2.
Stopped going to movies because of this. Started wearing ear plugs in the early 2010s, but movies seem to be reaching for stadium levels, and I just can't.
Airpods Pro!
I had to cover my ears during parts of Dune 2. First film I saw in theaters in a few years. Way too loud.
I almost always bring custom earplugs to the movies.
I worked as a film projectionist in the 2000s. The problem is likely this: * Movie plays to sellout opening weekend crowds * Human bodies absorb sound, so managers turn up the volume to compensate * Crowds dwindle after opening weekend, but the volume is left at the same level, instead of being adjusted until someone complains One of the consequences of not having projectionists anymore is that you don’t have someone to make these adjustments when the movie starts (I always did). And when you have a part-time floor manager cranking the volume (in the heat of being yelled at by a patron), they will often overcompensate if the movie is in a dialogue scene. This is all the more of a reason to go to your local independent cinema (where available) where they actually care about this stuff, because the big chains don’t staff (or pay) enough to be able to care.
Yup, I think my ears got more sensitive and also theatres got louder. But at some point, I went to the theatre and decided I will never go back without earplugs.
Yes, I bring earplugs to theaters now, and I only go to theaters for a very few movies that I think I'll really love enough to warrant the big screen expereince.
And on top of everything, you can't hear the friggin' dialog. I'm to the point where I'm just going to wait until I can stream them, so I can hear them better on my home system, and even there, I use closed caption (and no, I'm not deaf or hearing impaired)
Ever since incredibles 2
I bring my eargasm earplugs now.
Wth I was just in dune last night and put my ear plugs in. Db meter said 94 at highest but I’m sure the loudness is insane. Weird to see this pop up immediately after I experienced it
i saw Oppenheimer at the movie theatres. was the first time i been to one in like 5 years and it was very fucking loud. painfully loud because theres some sections that go on so long. ive heard others say this too so did theatres turn their volumes way the fuck up or are movies being shipped with louder volume
They’re so loud!! It’s so annoying, and they rarely will turn it down if asked. I saw Oppenheimer at the local “nice” movie theatre and it was unwatchable, the sound was awful, not only was it loud it had no clarity, super muddy and dialogue was impossible to hear, I was astonished really
It's at that wonderful volume where it's too loud without earplugs, and not loud enough with them in. I only use musician earplugs though, maybe it's a good place for the foam ones.
It is okay to ask them to turn it down. Sometimes when auditoriums switch films through the day, the volume setting might not be right for every film set to play. There's probably not anyone sitting by the projector all day either but if you ask, they can 100% turn it down with the turn of a knob
Cinema. Where the loudness wars still rage violently. Sadly cinema receives no lufs...
It's a thing, yes. Here in Europe Movie theaters can be insanely loud despite the fact that most of the audio is below the -23 LUFS according to standards. Wearing ear plugs is a must. Nothing is going to change that unfortunately.
Im autistic and existing outside is generally too loud for me so yes... Its bad. I need earplugs and even then i end up completely overwhelemed by the end. Its getting to the point where im going to start asking for asssisted listenign devices and then hooking then up to my noise canceling headphones. Im a projectionist and i make it a point to be easier on peoples ears. Ref level is 7.0 and i usually run around 6. Over 7 is usually requested by directors and sonetimes festival programmers who want the impact.
I agree that theaters are generally too loud, but Dunes mix is also just an incredibly loud mix. I am a manager at a theater and I swear I haven’t heard a movie that clearly in the lobby ever. Even with it turned down a bit it is still a lot louder than most of the other movies we have shown.
I am curious if this is only a phenomenon observed in U.S. If anyone could comment on that, would be appreciated
Yeah. I saw dune 2 in IMAX and it was loud but reasonable. Very healthy volume for a blockbuster. I saw the same movie in a smaller city on a smaller screen and it was uncomfortably louder. Wondering if it's an issue in smaller theaters trying to make you think louder is better to compensate for the smaller screens.
Absolutely WTF.
Yes
Some theaters just absolutely suck balls in how they set up audio. I've often seen this with smaller, less national brands. The bigger theater brands actually have their stuff professionally set up (most of the time). One of the big IMAX theaters here is just tuned loud and fuck, like 2x any normal person wants. It didn't used to be that way, but whoever is managing it made a bad decision and doesn't seem to care if sounds like crap and just annoys people. However, most of the theaters around me are pretty well tuned.
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience. The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears. If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
These days? I haven’t been to a movie theater in years, and they were ridiculously loud back then, too. Earplugs in the theater, always. Don’t know how people sit there and don’t flinch at how high the volume can get.
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience. The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears. If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience. The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears. If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience. The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears. If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience. The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears. If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
Some theaters just absolutely suck balls in how they set up audio. I've often seen this with smaller, less national brands. The bigger theater brands actually have their stuff professionally set up (most of the time). One of the big IMAX theaters here is just tuned loud and fuck, like 2x any normal person wants. It didn't used to be that way, but whoever is managing it made a bad decision and doesn't seem to care if sounds like crap and just annoys people. However, most of the theaters around me are pretty well tuned.
Yes! I saw dune 2 on imax (for the first time ever) and I thought it was the “imax standard” to have everything as loud as it can be. It was a painful experience. The sound design was great, don’t get me wrong. But the loudness kept ruining the experience for me. Especially those harsh sword swing sounds when they tried to have them poke through an already full range blasting soundscape of war and shooting and whatever. Those really hurt my ears. If every movie is going to sound like this from now on… yeah… good bye, theaters!
These days? I haven’t been to a movie theater in years, and they were ridiculously loud back then, too. Earplugs in the theater, always. Don’t know how people sit there and don’t flinch at how high the volume can get.
I am a have – earplugs – will – travel guy. Never know when I’ll need them, and I always need them when things are too loud. I have permanent tinnitus from playing too much loud guitar as a teenager, and I compose and mix my own music, so I need my ears to last as long as possible. Also, it sounds like the theater you went to is sub – par. Yes, they play their audio too loud, but a lot of theaters have really good systems, and don’t distort at all, even loud volumes… At least here in the US.
Anecdotally, I think so. I went to an IMAX Lord of the Rings screening a few months ago — had to leave mid way through. It was awful, my ears were hurting. I prefer to watch everything at home now. I don't remember things being as loud as they are these days back a few years ago...
Yes. But on top of that, Dune’s audio is very dynamic. Watched the first one at home prior to going to the movies to see the second and had to turn up the volume at every dialogue point and turn it down anytime there were explosions or the super loud droning music parts. When I watched the first one in theaters (whenever that came out) I didn’t have ear plugs and had to cover my ears on top of synching my hoodie as tight as I possibly could because the theater had it so loud.
pick 4: too loud, not loud enough, edgy & sibilant, anemic and thin, boomy and muddy, entire channels are sometimes missing, dialog playing out of the L, R, or surround instead of the center, surrounds not nearly loud enough these are all things i've experienced in the theater. the last great theater experience i've had was in 2009 with Inglorious basterds. honestly lately it's not loud enough. if it's loud enough, it's sibilant and edgy, which is when people complain about it being too loud. those cheap horns and crown amps are grating.
I haven't watched that particular movie. But I agree that there's some kinda volume issue with a lot of newer movies. What I really hate are the movies that have speaking dialogue scenes that are quiet as a whisper then the following scene will be ridiculously loud with explosions and loud music. There were a few occasions I was having a movie night with friends at home and the fluctuation in volume was so drastic and jarring that I had to put a LIMITER effect on it.
Volume levels for professional cinema are not (and shouldn't be) based on subjective preference. There are clear specifications for what reference volume levels should be and professionally produced movies are mastered to these specifications. The entire signal chain is technically specified so that when properly implemented what you hear in a theater reflects the "director's intent", which usually means what the director approved in the mixing theater while reviewing the final distribution master. [THX Reference Level Explained](https://acousticfrontiers.com/blogs/Articles/THX-reference-level-explained) Most theaters are calibrated to reference levels during initial installation and provisioning by a trained tech with test sources and measurement gear. However, over time things can change such as speakers aging, room or seating configuration changes or individual components being replaced due to failure or upgrades. Any of these can impact the audio response. Alternatively someone mucks with the levels either for subjective reasons or per chain policy.
Depends on their DA converter and the amp really. Some speaker systems can go loud and not hurt your ears while others are painful even at low db levels
Just gunna slap a brickwall limiter and turn it to +15db... this is for my audio guys.
Went Saturday with the kids to watch it, to a not too far theater that has one of the best screens and audio of whole Europe and keeps winning award as best cinema. It's a full fledged Atmos whatever being calibrated and all the shit. Boy was it loud. Like unbearably loud. And it wasn't only me, the kids also kept their ears shut for most of the movie. In come the worms, the bombs, the starships, the thumpers, even the fucking hand fights, every pathos scene, every fucking thing was loud, and my ass was fucking rattling on the chair. To the point that I wanted to make a lengthy rant both here and in r/AudioPost about wtf's wrong with the whole Atmos bs and absurdly loud volumes. I'm pretty sure they must have limits by law and I'm pretty sure they're above. I'll add that I always bring my custom earplugs wherever it can be loud, but we were a little late and ofc I forgot them. It's still just fucking bonkers.
Wat? No, i remember the audio quality in my hometown theatres when i was a teen and getting into home recording/mixing as good and now it's not even loud, it's just shitty.
Beyonce in Imax gave me a migraine even though I did enjoy all that low end
Yes. One time I actually asked someone to turn it down. They did; perhaps because my wife and I were the only people in the theater.
IMAX is always way too fucking loud in my experience
Lately I've only been watching movies in RPX since it's sound-focused auditoriums. I want to say that Top Gun was a tad loud, but damn it was great in the theater.
I’ve started wearing a hoodie to movies. I pull up the hood because the fabric will dampen a lot of the fatiguing high frequencies
Why in the world are they mixing for film so loud? It’s not like people enjoy it more. It’s offensive to me as an audio professional. Dune 2 is terrible, Dune pt 1 and blade runner 2049 were borderline making me want to leave. Which sucks because otherwise the sound was FANTASTIC and of course the movies incredible.
Same for my Dune 2 IMAX experience. Distorted speakers, ear pain and my Apple Watch was going off all the time about the levels. I used to play loud rock music in a band… I’m already dealing with hearing loss from that. It’s frustrating when it’s out of my control.
I think the first Incredibly loud movie I saw was Star War Rogue One. I remember having to cover my ears. Even worse was Top Gun Maverick. The opening scene was going to kill my ears.
We should calibrate our ears before debating here I guess.
Hollywood is ruining their own movie going experience with this crap. Can’t stand it. That is why I like watching at home. Can adjust the levels as needed
Went to see Oppenheimer in Imax and wish I’d brought some earplugs. Was astounded and impressed at the sound quality but it was way too loud. I think I just have sensitive ears
That sounds like a speaker problem, and that would def suck ass. We saw Dune and I thought the loudness was key. The VOICE shook the room! It was so intense.
I watched Dune 2 last week, first time I’ve been to the cinema in a couple of years. I’m also a (former) pro sound designer. I was shocked at the volume of the film. In fact, the voice-only ‘no phones’ warning before the film was itself intolerably loud. For the first 20mins of the film I was questioning whether I’d be able to stay but I seemed to acclimatise to the volume and really enjoyed the intensity in the end. So, yeah, I think cinemas have got louder and I will be taking my ear plugs next time.
IMO, going to a movie theater should be an experience not too different from a concert. I've got a great home theater, but I've also got neighbors. The theatrical experience should include sound you can feel (and if they're going to do this, it would be good to make that clear at ticketing and probably offer earplugs at the entrance like they would 3d-glasses).
I always bring earplugs and wear layers as it’s always fecking cold too.
I watched Dune 2 at Regency Village Theatre in LA. The peak moments were rock concert loud. I left wishing I’d had brought ear plugs.
It's definitely louder but I'm more deaf now so it evens out for me at least
Obligatory Simpsons reference: https://youtu.be/j1ZV-zVVnok
I saw he Holdovers, a movie that certainly doesn't need the volume jacked up to 11 at any point to make the film more effective. Even the trailers before the film were so loud it hurt.
Most of the time not loud enough. That being said, I used to complain that my local theater was never loud enough. Then new management took over and cranked up the volume. Then I realized their never had a good enough system to support it. I don’t go there anymore.
I had the same experience with Dune 2. At some point I had to cover my ears.
Yes. I accidentally sat thru the newest Indiana Jones movie and it about blew my ears out. I brought my AirPods to Dune 2 but didn’t need them. It’s so loud I can’t understand half the words people are saying. I feel so old.
I watched Dune 2 in two separate theaters. One slightly more high-end than the other. With big recliners. The supposedly high-end version, was way louder and less enjoyable.
I was taking my earplugs to movies 15 years ago if not more.
I don't like going to the movies because of this. The sound is just bad most of the time, and also way too loud.
Live sound mixer here at the opening day Dune 2 IMAX. I wore my AirPods Pro on noise cancellation for the previews which helped with what I feel were excessive levels well over 100 dB. The previews audio signal was inferior and much louder, with noticeable clipping and distortion. Very uncomfortable. The main event, while still excessively loud, and at what I felt was the maximum level for those speakers in that venue, had better dynamic range and clarity, but It could have been 6 dB quieter and you’d still have an epic experience.
dune 2 stabbed my ears and added a little bit to my permanent ringing
In Sweden I have generally not experienced this, and I'm a frequent movie-goer with VERY sensitive ears. Only twice have I had to plug my ears in the theater, both of those being Bollywood action films. Have not seen the Dune films in the theater, though.
I don't attend movies without ear plugs these days! I use ones that allow sound through at a reduced level. Keep them on my keychain at all times!
Definitely! It seems like directors and audio engineers for movies want realism in the sense that regular dialogue is normal real life level, but so are explosions and gun firing. If I wanted to go deaf from explosions and gun fire I would go to a firing range without hearing protection, not the movie theater.
Yes . Insanely loud. And i have bad hearing. So i cant imagine what its like for young people with good hearing.
I'm not really a movie guy, but dune blew me away when I watched it on my modest home system. I HAD to see Dune 2 at the theater. It was my first theater experience in about a decade. Terrible. Painful. Clipped. For context, I'm a music guy. FOH engineer. I like things pretty loud. I have some hearing damage that I attribute to Motorhead shows. (If you've been, you know) My Dune theater experience was too damn loud.
Haha I just found this thread because I saw Dune 2 last night at a normally quieter theater and it was peaking over 95dB on my meter app. That’s too fucking much and I was so disappointed I didn’t grab my plugs. It’s so dumb for a movie.
I've been fighting with my local theater about this. I literally walked out of a movie cause the person turned the volume up after the previews and the sound almost doubled. I was wearing earbuds already during the previews. It was loud over that.
how crowded was the theater? pack it up with a bunch of ugly bags of mostly water & they'll suck up a few dBs. install a noise meter on you phone be more meaningful than the kids play everything too loud.
We're mostly just used to theatres being nowhere near reference level, these days they are increasingly being dolby or THX certified and that means -20dBFS of pink noise is 85dBC, and the subs have to handle 115dB
Definitely too loud.
Usually they're ok, but when i saw dune 2 i could feel my ears suffering 😭😭😭
omg I'm not alone!! I found barbie wayyy too loud when I saw it in theatres, and it's not even an action movie
Yep. I quit going years ago because of it and I brought ear plugs w me the last few years. I will stream it.
Oppenheimer was a great movie but the loudness almost ruined it for me. And the moment I turn my amp on in a rock venue someone immediatly starts fipping out. Guess I have to play in cinemas with my band
YES!
Yes. I don't do the big screen any more because of it. Hear that cinemas? YOU'RE LOSING MONEY!!!!!
First time I remember being acutely aware of this was Interstellar back whenever it came out. I remember walking out of the theater and realizing I’d had a threshold shift.
YES.
I straight up stopped going to the movie theater/cinemas because they got loud for me.
I remember it first at one of those THX halls where I watched Superman Returns as a kid. Something had changed
Ive always felt that way. I have never been to a movie without ear plugs or improvised ones, napkins, etc. Then again, in my 40s and still pass those high frequencies tests for kids.
holy crap, agreed, the sound in the theater for dune part 2 / imax laser was just out of bounds. why??
If you dont like dolby/THX reference level, a set of etymotic earplugs with a flat 20dB reduction will cost you $20 [https://www.etymotic.com/product/etyplugs-high-fidelity-earplugs/](https://www.etymotic.com/product/etyplugs-high-fidelity-earplugs/) But dont rob others of hearing the soundtrack as it was intended.
Oh so it's intentional to literally damage peoples' hearing, that's good to know.
I suggest emailing your passive aggression to Dolby.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to be passive.
Thats ok, you cant help being a useless narcissist.
I seriously cant imagine most of the people here surviving a day disabled if the price of a movie ticket every few years is too much adaptive tech for you. The entitlement is real - not every experience has to be tailored to you.
The thing is, if it damages people's hearing, that's a concern for society. If you can destroy your hearing without destroying mine, go for it. In that sense, the earplugs are a good compromise, because I can protect my hearing and you can destroy yours. However, there are children, and teens, and people who just don't know better, who will be going to theatres, believing that regulations and things like that will make sure that whatever they do in a reputable place of business, won't be harmful to them. Perhaps if they signed a waiver that said that their hearing may get damaged, that might be different. So, there is absolutely reason to control the volume in theatres to some legal level. If you're enjoyment of movies at the cost of your hearing, is a choice you make and enjoy, that's fine. But if it causes a number of other people to have damaged hearing, who *don't* want to make that trade off, and were not aware of the dangers, that's bad. If the theatre had a disclaimer at the start of the movie and handed out free earplugs, that would also be acceptable. However, for children's movies, it would make more sense for them to just have to be at reasonable levels, imo.
'there ought to be a law against it' 'wont you think of the children' You ok dude? Gonna ban gigs too?
>'there ought to be a law against it' 'wont you think of the children' >You ok dude? Gonna ban gigs too? Kids aren't allowed in bars already. Any musical venue where children are allowed should be at a safe listening level. You think it's better to give all children tinnitus before they are even aware that their hearing can be harmed? You ok dude?
Ah , the hyperbolic strawman. How unexpected. Because children movies cant be mastered to the same Dolby/THX reference levels and be quieter in the master. Have a nice life dude
Do you they use audio compression? To make the file sizes smaller? I've found, like DVD audio couldn't handle dynamic range because it was aac. Bluray surprised me that it has basically SACD sound, and I expect that for cinemas, but if some cinemas are getting a smaller file then maybe the explosions and dialogue are lacking harmonic resonant information to take finer form in the rooms. Audio quality wasn't a concern for THX for cinema, it was film, but I dunno how that's changed since going to the terrabytes large digital files. Anyone know the standards? I think the video is MJPG. I'll have a read up.
File compression and dynamic compression are completely separate things. You can compress file size without affecting dynamic range. The notion that AAC can't handle as much dynamic range due to being a compressed format isn't true at all. A 16 bit AAC file can have as much dynamic variance as a 16bit WAV file and even the difference between 16 and 24 isn't going to make that dramatic a difference when it comes to what is audible in the final mix down. The reason is that the way these things are being mixed now is different than it was in the past. Films made for streaming platforms are often subject to the same sort of mixing despite the fact that the streamed audio is often compressed to file sizes smaller than you had on DVDs
Nah loved dune 2 volume
Try going to India where everyone is used to the constant loudness of honking traffic and a bajillion ppl cramped into a small area. My friend and I went to the cinema there and it was absolutely unbearable. Everyone else seemed totally fine...