Ever since I started seeing movies in IMAX or Atmos I can't go to the movies anymore without bringing earplugs. Movie theaters today are too damn loud. I get that sound is important and movies should be immersive but this has gotten out of hand. Dunkirk and Blade Runner 2049 are two of the loudest movies I had ever seen and the decibel levels are def too high. I've read reports from AVSforum of people bringing their decibel readers into these theaters and the readings show the DB levels are in the "hearing damage" range. I don't want to be that guy but it's just too much now
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I wear earplugs to the movies now
- Thread starter JB1981
- Start date
Admiral Woofington
Member
worst offender was Dunkirk recently. My poor ears.
Earthbound64
Banned
I carry earplugs with me anywhere I go.
Obviously I only put them in when necessary, but nonetheless.
Things are too loud.
Obviously I only put them in when necessary, but nonetheless.
Things are too loud.
Kralamoonard
Member
Legit, first time I went to IMAX was to watch Dunkirk and oh my god I thought I was gonna die.
I felt my chest was gonna break into pieces from the vibrations and I had to move to the back of the cinema. Not sure if it made a difference but I was so overwhelmed that it felt...daunting?
Don't know how to describe it but was not a pleasant experience. It was even more difficult to hear the dialogue because of that, it felt muffled, especially when the pilots were talking on the radio.
Definitely not a good IMAX debut.
Tbf tho, there were some scenes that felt genuine as if I was a soldier about to be bombarded by a German plane because of how loud it was there, so it did pay off in some scenes. Like you could feel it as if you were there.
The showing of Blade Runner I was at last night was so loud the high frequency sound was distorting. There's no way it was supposed to be up that high. About 1/3 of the audience had their hands over their ears much of the time. Whenever the music would start booming you saw hands go up all over the room.
Master Of Illusion
Member
I didn't see Dunkirk in IMAX (saw the regular 70mm showing) so I didn't feel it was loud to any extreme.
However, I did see The Golden Circle in Dolby Vision/Atmos. Jesus fuck that was loud.
However, I did see The Golden Circle in Dolby Vision/Atmos. Jesus fuck that was loud.
yanipheonu
Member
Any recommended earplugs actually? I have tinnitus and wouldn't mind carrying some around in case I'm in a loud place.
brianmcdoogle
Member
The trend of loud equals immersive of the last decade is really seeming to culminate with stuff like Dunkirk and others. Luckily when I saw it by myself in 70mm it was projected appropriately. But when I saw it again digitally it was blown out.
Though I remember this getting bad in the late 90s before it calmed down so maybe we are just at the end of another cycle.
Though I remember this getting bad in the late 90s before it calmed down so maybe we are just at the end of another cycle.
I'm quite sensitive to this kind of thing but haven't yet been overwhelmed in a theatre yet. Interstellar and DKR were both intensely loud but I could handle it. Never had my ears ring the next day like I would after a concert without earplugs. I always wear those now at concerts. Already have life-changing tinnitus and don't want to make it any worse.
Blade Runner in IMAX two days definitely distortion in its loudest parts, but again, not overwhelmingly loud. Maybe they had complaints the night before and turned it down?
Blade Runner in IMAX two days definitely distortion in its loudest parts, but again, not overwhelmingly loud. Maybe they had complaints the night before and turned it down?
deadscreensky
Member
My ears hurt for days after Dunkirk. And I brought earplugs! Never again.
Escape Goat
Member
What?
Baraka Obama
Banned
If my ears arent ringing by the end then its not loud enough.
Im part of the problem
Im part of the problem
I bought Earasers musician earplugs at Guitar Center. They are expansive but worth it in the long run.
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Earaser...410563082-sku^1362412921613@ADL4GC-adType^PLA
Alcoremortis
Member
I've started bringing crappy earplugs to theaters and was super happy to have them in Dunkirk.
Eh? Speak up
nhlducks35
Member
Shit's fucking great fam
I was about to make the same recommendation. Used them at 2 shows, and at a 3 day music festival and they did an incredible job and I never felt like they would fall out.
Dunkirk's loudness was in the "wtf were they thinking" range in imax... I had to put my fingers in my hears to be able to bear that volume. I already have tinnitus in one ear (even though I've always been careful and never listened to anything anywhere near as loud as Dunkirk)... I don't want to fuck my other ear up as well.
Escape Goat
Member
GodParticle
Member
I don't go to the theater often. Hadn't been in years and literally had to hold my fingers in my ear because it was so loud. Now I bring plugs every time just in case
This has certainly been my take away from the last few films I've seen. Haven't gone as far as to bring earplugs yet but the loudness is one of the first things I notice right away. It's in part why I enjoy films more so watching them at home and why I don't really see films more then once unless it's something big and I'm super interested in.
You're lucky to still have hearing levels to make movies seem loud. I guess if I were you I'd have earplugs to preserve my pristine hearing too.
Yup, I think some theaters are pushing their systems into the red zone. It's not the mixes, but their dials.
I got a headache from my Imax showing of blade runner. Even a few years back the sound wasn't up this high, distorting and such.
Roberto Larcos
Member
Dunkirk was horrific for this, made me feel ill. Sadly for me, I think I'll just stop going to the cinema for now it takes all the enjoyment out of films. Blu-ray / digital it is for me, at least then I'm in control.
ChimpBottle
Member
I definitely enjoyed how loud Dunkirk was. Most movies don't get that pass, but for a movie centered around being in the middle of a war, where you get a jolt every time a bullet is fired, it couldn't not be loud.
I've always thought that movies are too loud since I was a kid. That being said, I've probably gone to the theatre about ten times in the past decade.
I never thought of wearing earplugs until I saw Dunkirk, although the loudness was somewhat appropriate and added to the atmosphere of having bullets ripping through your plane or whatever. Still, I could have done without the loudness.
I never thought of wearing earplugs until I saw Dunkirk, although the loudness was somewhat appropriate and added to the atmosphere of having bullets ripping through your plane or whatever. Still, I could have done without the loudness.
brianjones
Member
god you guys are weird
Turbo Killer
Member
Same, love Atmos.
At times I think theaters don't even bother viewing the films themselves to even check if the sound is to loud or low as well. A film being to low is something I only encountered once.
This is a significant part of why if that system to view current theater movies in your home ever gets up and running at a good price you'll have millions jumping on it.
This is a significant part of why if that system to view current theater movies in your home ever gets up and running at a good price you'll have millions jumping on it.
Movie so immersive you get hearing damage just like actual veterans.
The loudness In Wick 2 made me jump a couple of times from gunshots like you would in a horror film or something
frankthetoad
Neo Member
Same here. It was mainly some swelling portions of the music and some high action gun fire. Too freaking much. Can't wait for the UHD so I can watch it at a human, non-Replicant decibel level. Not a huge fan of listening to movies that are trying to make my ears bleed.
GHG
Member
Anyone who thinks this sort of thing is weird has probably not had tinnitus. Imagine a ringing in your ears that virtually never goes away, along with partial hearing loss.
You're trying to sleep. Still ringing.