[Marbles]

What do you like to test a subwoofer with, or what do you play to show off your subs?

One of my favorites is the first scene from Toy Story 2.

This can be music, DVD's etc..

[rydenfan]

Donald Fagen Morph the Cat album
Dark Side of the Moon
Police Certifiable on blu-ray
Ratatouille gunshot scene
Open Range gunshot scene
War of the Worlds pods emerging scene
Black Hawk Down helicopter crash scene
lots of good stuff in Dark Knight and both Hellboy movies

I could go on and on, but hopefully this is a starting point.

[Big Red Machine]

Master and COmmander opening scene battle

[DaveC113]

Boards of Canada, Sixtyniner

[rockadanny]

Adrian Belew, Side Three - Les Claypool on bass.
Pharoah Sanders, Message From Home - Bill Laswell produced.

[ajzepp]

Put in the Edward Norton version of the Incredible Hulk and play the scene toward the end where he's fighting the other monster...it'll knock  your socks off. LIterally. 

[woodsyi]

You can't listen to this CD without good subwoofers.  OTOH, this percussion solo is an acquired taste.  She is simply amazing though once you get the hang of it. 

http://www.amazon.com/Evelyn-Glennie-Shadow-Behind-Iron/dp/B000031W9F/ref=pd_sim_m_1

[mcgsxr]

For video people, I would go with the Matrix scene where the helicopter hits the building and breaks the glass etc.   Or maybe the groaning bass constancy of the Lord of the Rings movies.

For techno types, I would load in some Kruder and Dorfmeister.

For music lovers, I would go for 10 New Songs by Leonard Cohen (Alexandra Leaving is a personal favourite), or 1812 Overature I have with the real cannons, or The Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner.

For the childish visitors (who might be like the owner...) I like a little old school DJ Magic Mike...

[Bob in St. Louis]

Ooohh A subject near and dear to my heart.  aa

If I've got one shot at knocking somebodies socks off at low frequency effects (LFE's), it would have to be:
War of the Worlds Pod emergence scene (Chapters 5,6 I believe)
As a couple members here have found out first hand. 

If they want some more bass I might play some (two channel music) Japanese drums from:
KODO
It's amazing how much bass can be had from a drum that's 6' across.

Need some more? How about:
Finding Nemo
This one you'll want to 'sneak up' on the bass. The chapter with the little girl banging on the aquarium (your perspective is from inside the aquarium), starts INSTANTLY as soon as the chapter starts. Simply press [next chapter] on your DVD remote as it's not very far into the movie. But careful, it'll damage a sub if you're not careful. 

How about another movie? This one with 'tactful' bass (unlike War of the Worlds that's designed to make your pant legs move):
Bad Boys II Chapters 5,6. This is the longest chase/blow.stuff.up/edge.of.your.seat/eye.and.ear.candy scene I've ever seen.

Harry Potter; The "Whomping Willow". Very nice.

As mentioned before, I'll second these...........;
Matrix: Helicopter/building
Blackhawk Down: Crash scene
Master and Commander: Various scenes.....Basically anytime a cannon is fired. 
Donald Fagen: Morph the Cat  (CD)
Star Wars: Pod Race (cliche at this point I'm sure, but it'll help you get your rocks off) 

More, more, more.........there's sooo much more.
Actually, there's a site called "RemoteCentral.com" that has a several dozen page thread on this very topic, but I can't find it.

Great thread Rob!
Bob

[satfrat]

Without a doubt my favorite bass booming tune is Arron Coplan's Fanfare For The Common Man. I get totally inspired everytime I listen to this American treasure and it's a true test of a system bass potential.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJBx_aFfgyo&feature=related 


Cheers,
Robin

[fsimms]

Master and Commander: Various scenes.....Basically anytime a cannon is fired.

I couldn't agree more.  Make sure you listen to the DTS track and not the Dolby

Bob

PS Make sure that you don't have the dialog at a high volume when you listen to the DTS tracks!

[Bob in St. Louis]

Yes, DTS.....Better.....yes!

I've also heard about "The Dark Knight" having some good scenes. Something about a tractor trailer goes BOOM.
I have the movie but haven't watched it yet.

Bob

[keenween]

Underworld - River of Bass

[dyohn]

[zybar]

There are a million different scenes on the movie front to choose from, but a few of my favorites include the following:

U-571 - depth charge scene
Master and Commander - opening battle scene
T3 - the scene with the big crane truck
Matrix - Lobby and Helicopter scenes
Star Wars I - pod race
Black Hawk Down - crash scene

As for music...

The Bad Plus - These are the Vistas (track 2)
Rusted Root - When I Woke (tracks 1,2,5,11,13)
Natalie Merchant - Tigerlily (track 5)
Harry Connick Jr. - She (tracks 1, 5, 6, 7, 10)
Sam Cooke - Nightbeat (track 2)
Peggy Lee - Bewitching Lee (track 7)
Dave Matthews Band - Before These Crowded Streets (track
Brian Bromberg - Wood (track 11)
Eleanor McEvoy - Yola (track 2)
Susan Vega - Nine Objects of Desire (pretty much every track)

George

[Larkston Zinaspic]

Virgil Fox releases by Reference Recordings...loud pipes save lives. aa

[darrenyeats]

I had some slight damage on one of my drivers which was made into a one inch tear by Hunter, the first track from Bjork's Homogenic album.

Also Enya's Watermark and the track Spin Spin Sugar by Sneaker Pimps for sub-bass (I've never managed to get the Krell integrated to do it, but when I had the KSA-100 power amp I could really feel it!). I don't have a sub but the PMCs can go pretty low.
Darren

[Bob in St. Louis]

Bella Fleck - "Flight of the cosmic hippo". Lots of wonderful bass.  aa

[Mustang]

for me the test will always be   Tchaikovsky  The 1812 Overture.

The Telarc digital cannons comes with a warning   

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra does a great job on it. The Cannons come in around 12 minutes in to the symphony

The Cleveland Orchestra also does it proud

[Bob in St. Louis]

Evanescence - "Fallen". Just about every song on it has some pretty good low frequency ear candy.

Bob