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Audiophile test - "Polar Express"


DTLongo

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My lady friend bought the "Polar Express" DVD and we played it on my Klipschorns + Belle HT last weekend. It deserves place among one's audiophile demo-recordings. Whoever sound-engineered that must have loved the sound of big old railroad steam locomotives up close and personal. When the train made its appearance early in the movie the house and sofa literally shook, and it was mostly the Khorns' doing since my Velodyne subwoofer was barely cracked on. Further proof that when true bass is there the Khorns will do it justice.

Anyway, I suggest that you add "Polar Express" to to your audiophile best test-list together with such as the Telarc "1812" CD and DVD's such as Top Gun and Crimson Tide.
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I also watched it last weekend but had my sub turned up higher then usual. It certainly was an unexpected surprise when the train pulled up. The vocals were a little low so I had the volume turned WAY up. Holy moly! That would be a really good "show off your sub" movie scene.

All in all, I thought the movie was just OK but worth it just for the 30 seconds or so of rumbling steam locomotion.

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Anyone seen the movie in " IMAX " yet ??? because it was dubbed in imax !!

The seperation and volume spiking seems to swing to another level whenever a movie is filmed in or expected to be played in an imax theater ... amazing to say the least ...

The train coming over hill is enough so throw you off your seat in imax !!!

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Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the sound from the train was recorded right here in Michigan.

The Polar Express train was located on the campus of Michigan State University across the street from Spartan Stadium for many decades. I used to walk past it every day on the way to class. It was moved from campus only a couple years ago.

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Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the sound from the train was recorded right here in Michigan.

You're correct. The train sounds are from the No. 1225 Pere Marquette steam locomotive that was for years parked In East Lansing on the MSU campus near the tennis courts. A few years back its long restoration was completed. It's now stationed in Owosso, Michigan and pulls excursion trains. The site is http://www.mstrp.com/events.html.

There was a feature on NPR before the film was released about how the 1225 was recorded for the film. It's a coincidence that the locomotive recorded to give the Polar Express its voice has as its number,1225, a form of which, 12/25, is also a desigation for the date of Christmas.

Other 1225 related sites: http://drayton.smugmug.com/gallery/996785,

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000A468XY/102-9913145-0124933?v=glance&vi=quotes-trivia,

The Polar Express biography .ms

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Took my family to see it in IMAX 3D last Christmas. Total bill for 4 was nearly a hundred bucks and we had less than optimal seats.

Best hundred bucks I've spent in a LONG time. The kids were REACHING for things and the sound was stupendous, best I've heard this side of PWK's old listening room in Hope.

If you can catch it in 3D, do so. I HATE going to the movies, but I told my wife I'd go again to ANYTHING in IMAX 3D.

Dave

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