"It's TOO LOUD!!!" Topic

I rarely, if ever, go to the movies anymore. There are multiple personal reasons why that is, but a main one is that their sound system seems to be "cranked up to infinity".

The last time I went to a movie was in January of 2015, when a friend of mine wanted me to go see 'Frozen' with her and her daughter. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and experience, and it has become a favorite of mine, but unfortunately the sole detraction of the event was the excessive sound of the theater's volume. Since then, I've questioned whether the fault was in my hearing or the theater's booming sound system, and I can say that there's nothing wrong with my hearing.

So, what would you say?:

1. Movie theaters could turn their sound systems down to a more tolerable level.

2. The movie theater sound systems are just fine.

3. No opinion.

Thanks, all.

1.

At the risk of sounding like an old fart…

1.

1 for sure, though I suspect it is a minority opinion with today's movie goers.

1. Way too loud.

Modern sound effects have become like visual special effects. Hollywood directors rely too much on all the latest jeeweez technology in movie making and most of them have lost the art of good story telling. So the movie has surround sound, who cares.

Agree on 1, way too loud. I have some hearing loss and turn the TV volume up, but in the theater it seems like they crank it up very loud. I am considering buying a ticket and just staying home to listen as if it were a radio show.

It was fine the last time I was in one and that was only 27 years ago I cannot believe that it has become too loud in such a short time.

x42

1

It's not your imagination :

link

"Frozen" is one of the films checked here:

link

Also,oddly enough,people with impaired hearing can experience loud noises as painful more than those with good hearing. Which would mean children and teens wouldn't notice so much--even though it might be damaging their hearing.

As an aside,back in the 70's, a roommate of mine was a projectionist in an old downtown theater. When "Car Wash" played there,he would crank up the volume during the musical segments:

youtu.be/fXXmeP9TvBg

The patrons enjoyed it,but he had to tone it down after a section of plaster fell from the ceiling.

Considering that,when I was 17, I was working in a flour mill during the day, and playing in a rock band at night, I expect to having trouble hearing anything at all in a few years. So it will probably be a moot question for me.

I agree that it is way too loud. It has been for years. I have considered wearing earplugs like I do for concerts.

1

1

1. But my sample is small. If I see two movies a year in a theater, it's a good year for movies.

2

1.

1. and 1. and 1.

If the sound comes through the walls into the next theatre at the Multiplex, it's too loud.
Those damn romantic comedies are always drowning out my War movies that way!

2. And I think the volume should be louder, like past ten to eleven. Seriously, when I go to a flick, I want to be enveloped and my audio and visual senses overwhelmed with the experience, like going to a Five Finger Death Punch or Slipknot concert, all my senses being strained to the limit so I cannot forget the experience (even if I wanted to!). When I see the new Star Wars movie this December, I want to see it in Super Technicolor Hi-Def Digital HD 3D and the digital hyper-volume cranked up. Like the Kiss song says, "I Love it LOUD, right between the eyes!". And like the old rock ‘n' roll saying goes, "if it's too loud, you're too old".

I agree with Winston Smith.

If the theatre is packed, 1 is fine. If half full or less, then without all that sound absorbing clothing and shapes then turn it down.

1 – The worst offender having been the recent movie on Dunkrik (Dunkirk?). Overly loud with a soundtrack meant to feel like a hammer pounding my skull.

Latest Blade Runner did the same thing at a couple of spots too.

1.
And get off my lawn!

1 for me too!

2 Mainly because all the old farts and kids can't shut up during the movie.

Talking during a movie should be subject to capital punishment at a minimum, along with driving slow in the left hand lane.

1. My wife and I saw "The Martian" in the theatre a couple years ago. The loudness was close to unbearable, at least to me. It came close to ruining . . . nah, it ruined the movie. I'm in no hurry to return to that venue.

We've only seen one movie in a theatre since that time. A couple months ago, Austin Film Society presented a really enjoyable old Jackie Chan movie, "Young Master". The sound for that flick was just fine.

> And get off my lawn!

Most interestingly my hearing is getting worse but the movies are still getting louder, it must REALLY be worse than I thought.

It aint too loud but, my hearing is going.

1.
I think last film I saw this year was Wonder Woman. Will probably see Justice League next week.

Sorry I cant hear you?

Mostly 2, mostly.

2 but I have hearing loss. Used to work on the rifle ranges.

2--I don't have a problem with it. Don't go super often, maybe three or four times a year. Saw Dunkirk, didn't find it to be too noisy. Maybe it's me, maybe it's my theater.

2

#2, but I like it loud, and I go pretty often.

1

1. Given the advances inTechnology it ought to be possible for cinemas to provide properly balanced sound at less than 100 decibels

1.

I find that sound systems in general are way too loud. I am constantly turning down the sound in our little theater at work and elsewhere. I don't know why this is? It has become an issue at work for the past couple of years. I shouldn't have audio from a video blaring from across the building when I open the office door.

Don't get me wrong, I like to go to the occasional rock concert. A few years ago I was in the third row just feet from a speaker at a Rush concert. I play my home audio system loud when I have the rare opportunity to do so. But it is really hard to concentrate on a documentary film which has the volume so loud it rattles the windows.

I find that movies in a typical theater are really loud at first and then settles down. Either that or I am adjusting to it.

I quite going to movies years ago … Last one I saw was Avatar in 3D.

My 95-year old Dad always has earplugs in his pocket. I don't know why, because he never goes anywhere.

But maybe he's on to something.

Dan

I saw Avatar in 3D and it was awful. Gave me a headache. Never again.