When did movie theaters become so loud?

[-]

onlyahippowilldo@reddit

It's not you. I usually ask someone sitting near me if it seems loud. If they agree I complain and they usually turn it down slightly. Makes it so much more enjoyable.

[-]

FoppyRETURNS@reddit

Sometime in 1985, but that is as far as I go back.

[-]

belunos@reddit

They've been that loud since you were a kid, you old bastard lol

[-]

Rubik842@reddit

Which are a scam. they are no different to low attenuation normal earplugs.

[-]

Slight_Second1963@reddit

Got a better version of their ‘switch’ ones for me to check out? because I prefer those for movies, crowds, airplanes, etc

[-]

Rubik842@reddit

Any industrial ones without extra plastic hanging out.

[-]

CallidoraBlack@reddit

I like the Quiet ones because they're easy to clean and they don't bother my ears. I got them at an Amazon returns store for 50 cents.

[-]

Rubik842@reddit

Bro. My profession is public address systems and speech intelligibility.

If they worked I'd be selling them to industrial clients.

[-]

If you guys have an AMC with the smaller theaters, they're better, the big ones though, you have these gigantic compression horns and THX volume levels, it's a bit much, they say it's for the dynamics, but, it's a little too dynamic

[-]

iridescentnightshade@reddit

I take earplugs everywhere there is going to be a slight chance of audio assault. Movies are one possibility.

[-]

cwatson214@reddit

June 11th, 1993

[-]

jholden23@reddit

I've noticed it loud, but not painfully loud. However, I did go see Wicked last night and there were two times during the singing towards the end when it was painfully loud. Seemed a little excessive.

[-]

TrustAffectionate966@reddit

After the initial two movies, I knew I needed to bring earplugs. I've racked up 150 films at the cinema this year alone - and I wouldn't have been able to do this without earplugs.

🧉🦄

[-]

xenniac@reddit

I go to the movies all the time, and no? Maybe get your hearing checked. Hate to tell you, but that's an age thing.

That said, I recently went to a metal show in a very small, enclosed back room at a venue and was nearly knocked on my ass by how loud it was. Like it scrambled my brain. But it was definitely just me being old. I don't have that problem movies, though.

[-]

RaspberryVespa@reddit

But you can Google the topic and see that theaters are perceivably louder now due to advancements in sound immersion technology. Plenty of articles about it! Plenty of warnings to protect your hearing in theaters now. It’s not just “we’re getting old”.

[-]

xenniac@reddit

Of course they're louder, but I'm just saying I've never felt like they were too loud or like I needed ear protection. And increased sensitivity to volume, especially physical effects ("borderline painful"), is something that happens with age.

[-]

Normal-Reward7257@reddit (OP)

Cool. I'll just add it to the list of things that cause existential dread.

[-]

airifle@reddit

I have definitely been to a movie or two these past few years that had the sound way too loud. Had to stuff torn up napkins in my ears because the loud stuff was uncomfortably loud. It’s not the norm, but it does happen and it’s not just you.

[-]

Lord_Wicki@reddit

The price of movies is insane as well, it's at least doubled in price. I remember in 2000 a ticket was about 7.50 for an evening showing, now it's $15.75 with service fees, what service are they providing? Convenience fees are always an inconvenience.

[-]

Apprehensive_Hat8986@reddit

Movies and concerts. Earplugs are just an everyday carry now.

[-]

Savings_Map9550@reddit

just assume earplugs are part of the movie experience now

[-]

hurl9e9y9@reddit

I bought earplugs specifically to see Interstellar for the IMAX rerelease and now I just take them with me to all movies and shows.

[-]

mtron32@reddit

You old bastard, sounding like grandpa Simpson 🤣🤣

[-]

hamburgler26@reddit

I think the previews and ads can be pretty obscene. But I remember in the 90s reading a story about how many decibels the shuttle launch scenes were in Armageddon and Deep Impact and how there was a loudness war or something, so I don't think it is entirely new.

I also think most theaters have mega sound systems now, I remember only a few would have the hot shit THX systems that could get super loud, but maybe I'm not remembering right.

[-]

EvenLettuce6638@reddit

Yes they are getting louder.

The only time it actually worked was during the Civil War movie, a gunshots were actually loud and realistic.

And they made me about to jump out of my seat, thought I was back in Iraq.

[-]

BloodyPaleMoonlight@reddit

This started happening at least 10 years ago when I was still going to theaters.

I was in a matinee and everyone in the theater was complaining about it. I went to talk to an employee to ask if they could turn it down. The employee told me they couldn't, but couldn't tell me why.

They also seemed to be particularly worse for the ad show before even the trailers play.

Since then I've taken earplugs to movie theaters, and going to theaters less.

[-]

_MadGasser@reddit

Boomer post

[-]

Normal-Reward7257@reddit (OP)

k

[-]

18randomcharacters@reddit

I saw Dune in IMAX when it came out. Sat in the center of the room (best area).

The sound was so loud it was just static in my ears. Like crackling distorted noise. And all the dialog was whispers.

[-]

iheartpyrex@reddit

I can’t go to a chain theater without my Loop earplugs. But in my experience, local theaters are not as loud and I don’t need them there.

[-]

Rubik842@reddit

Loop earplugs are a scam. They are no different to normal low level earplugs. Just buy those next time

[-]

Turbulent-Pea-8826@reddit

Yea they are loud but I once went to a movie where it was next fucking level loud. I asked them to check the volume and turn it down if possible and they did.

I am also a bit deaf so when I am complaining then good lord it was loud.

[-]

boyalien0@reddit

Jurassic Park was one of the loudest movies I’ve ever seen and that was 30 years ago

[-]

J_Robert_Matthewson@reddit

I've started taking my concert earplugs to the movies. It's pretty much become that Simpsons bit from a few decades back:

https://youtu.be/meOhPoCLSj4?si=6VuWaRqL6n5CqaNf

[-]

Sinistas@reddit

I've been bringing earplugs for years. It's stupid how loud they are now, and this is coming from a person who played extreme metal for 12 years.

[-]

pug_fugly_moe@reddit

The early 2000s.

[-]

tahlyn@reddit

Has been that way for literally years. I started carrying earplugs in my purse for movies like... 15 years ago.

[-]

vsaint@reddit

It’s Christopher Nolan’s fault

[-]

AlexiosPPPP87@reddit

When kids became as much

[-]

inspctrshabangabang@reddit

Pro tip, they have ear plugs at the theater. They also have them at concerts and baseball games. You just need to ask.

[-]

Normal-Reward7257@reddit (OP)

Oh, good to know!

[-]

CrackedPipe69@reddit

gif

[-]

Normal-Reward7257@reddit (OP)

How did you get a picture of me?

[-]

klsi832@reddit

I think you're in this one too

[-]

Normal-Reward7257@reddit (OP)

Accurate

[-]

TakingYourHand@reddit

Was the theater empty? People absorb sound.

[-]

Normal-Reward7257@reddit (OP)

Not empty, maybe 75% full.

But it was one of those theaters that has about a dozen seats to a row. Every chair is a massive recliner. Not like when I was a kid and they packed a theater full of as many seats as position.

[-]

Interesting-Set-5993@reddit

that's what I was gonna say. I've run into this issue just a few times, the last being when I took my youngest to see that awful new Little Mermaid. I figured it was just me being an old fart until a boy of about 9 exclaimed "Jeeze my eardrums are bleeding!" after a song ended.

Somebody explained they may have had the volume up from the previous night when they had a full house, so there weren't enough bodies to absorb the sound. We left early lol not only was it louder than shit but the movie was ass too.

[-]

LazarusDark@reddit

It's not just you, I've noticed movie theaters seem to no longer care about proper calibration (it started over a decade ago but it's gotten even worse since COVID). I have a home theater with over 2500 watts of speakers and I listen at reference volumes (reference means it's calibrated by microphone to correct film standards), so I know what proper volume is. I also go to different theaters from different chains to local theaters (or I did before COVID when I'd go to a movie every other week, now I only go see one or two movies in theater a year). The last movie I saw the volume was way beyond proper reference, it was metal show volume (I have also been to many metal shows over the decades).

TL;DR: theaters used to have proper calibration but few do now and the sound levels are all over the place, usually too high (remember the THX sound videos? Yeah, when's the last time you saw that in a theater?)

At this point, Imax and Dolby Cinema are the only names you can trust for consistent sound calibration ("Dolby Cinema" is a particular brand of experience similar to Imax where the screen, projection, and sound are all guaranteed to be of a certain quality, it's not the same as just having Dolby surround sound)

[-]

ibanezer83@reddit

You'd think that now , in the future, standards would be easily and consistently followed. Unfortunately, in my experience, TV and Theaters, especially corporate ones, are all over the place with levels.

TV is just terrible, it's like the whole industry said fuck it , no more standards for levels. One show the dialog is near silent with 10db boost on music, the next is limited to hell and unintelligible mush...

What happened to this generation of sound crews?

[-]

killer_sheltie@reddit

Interesting to know

[-]

Profeshinal_Spellor@reddit

Peak boomer content here folks

[-]

ailish@reddit

It's okay, bot/karma farmer, I reported you.

[-]

Profeshinal_Spellor@reddit

Right back at you

[-]

ailish@reddit

You talk during the movie don't you?

[-]

Profeshinal_Spellor@reddit

Nope

[-]

ailish@reddit

Uh huh.

[-]

Profeshinal_Spellor@reddit

My pleasure

[-]

ailish@reddit

Okay, bot.

[-]

Profeshinal_Spellor@reddit

Go fuck yourself

[-]

Slippery-Pete76@reddit

Boomers would be complaining that they can’t hear it.

[-]

HeywoodJaBlessMe@reddit

Im an audio pro today and managed a movie theater in my youth and I can say with total confidence that movies are at least 6 dB louder today than they averaged 30 years ago.

[-]

Normal-Reward7257@reddit (OP)

Fair. But it was so loud!

[-]

ohwowimonredditcool@reddit

eargasm earplugs sound great and never have issues hearing dialogue

[-]

JeffTS@reddit

Turn your hearing aides down, dude!

I haven’t been to a movie since before Covid. But it was loud then. But not painfully loud.

[-]

bikeonychus@reddit

Last time I went (and I hadn't been to a cinema in 7 years), it sounded too quiet to me. Husband didn't notice either way.

Anyway, I think I should probably get my hearing tested...

[-]

killer_sheltie@reddit

Not necessarily a recent thing. I remember sitting watching Brokeback Mountain at the theater and hearing Godzilla (or some similar monster movie) playing in next theater over.

[-]

ladyboppette@reddit

I bring earplugs and sunglasses to the movies.

[-]

Punkin_Queen@reddit

The music and the sound effects are loud. But the dialogue isn't, so I still can't hear shit. I spend half the movie wishing I had closed captioning.

[-]

NoContextCarl@reddit

Its been like that for the past 10 to 15 years. Bass that you feel in chest. Ear piercing highs.

I've had my fair share of loudness in my life, but watching a movie shouldn't be like attending a concern or firing a gun in your living room.

[-]

CherryBombO_O@reddit

Ear plugs are a great idea but you could also say something to management. Mistakes happen. In reverse my family went to see a special showing and there was no audio. No one did anything, so I went to the manager (non-Karen style) and they fixed this audio. OP, the movies ARE way too loud, I agree.

[-]

BugEquivalents@reddit

I go to the movies a few times a year and the last movie I went to seemed especially loud. I assumed it was because I went to an imax theater, which was a new experience for me.

[-]

theislandhomestead@reddit

About when big TVs got cheaper. The theaters needed to have a better selling point than just a big screen so they decided to lean into the sound.

[-]

Normal-Reward7257@reddit (OP)

Hhmm, I guess that makes sense.

[-]

FnordRanger_5@reddit

2011

[-]

Forking_Shirtballs@reddit

My first experience with it was one of the Lord of the Rings movies, probably the second. Absurdly loud.

[-]

seanymphcalypso@reddit

Check your theater for sensory friendly shows. Granted they’re usually during the week and an early matinee, but they turn the lights low (not off) and the volume is significantly reduced. I have some people on my life with auditory sensitivities so we keep an eye out for when the theater is showing something they’d like and make plans to go see it.

[-]

midnight-dour@reddit

[-]

XennialQueen@reddit

My husband and I noticed it a couple of years ago. It’s absolutely insane. Our youngest has to wear headphones to make going to the movies tolerable.