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Dolby or Imax

What type of theater do you prefer?

  • IMAX

    Votes: 46 31.9%

  • Dolby

    Votes: 91 63.2%

  • Standard

    Votes: 7 4.9%

  • Other (specify)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    144
Zen

Zen

The Wise Ones
Member
Nov 1, 2017
9,658
Which type of theater do you prefer? These days every cinema seems to have Dolby and IMAX theater variants to choose from when viewing a movie. I'm sitting in a Dolby theater as I type this and the seat setup is awesome with full recline, barriers to keep others on their phone out of view, maximum viewing angle from my seat, and giant ass speakers lining the walls. Seems like each type has its own seating setup and theater design to go along with whatever they advertise for their screens. Which do you prefer? I'm sure there are more that I haven't listed too.
 
Nida

Nida

Member
Aug 31, 2019
11,191
Everett, Washington
Our local AMC introduced "IMAX with Laser" recently. Anyone experienced that?

The only thing I hate about the Dolby theater is the seats don't recline as much as they do at the Regal RPX, and the reclining mechanism is a touch screen button that doesn't work well.
 
TheLucasLite

TheLucasLite

Member
Aug 27, 2018
1,446
I don't think I've been to a Dolby theatre, so I'm not even sure what that set up looks like (googling it just brings up pictures of the specific theater in hollywood).
 
Frostinferno

Frostinferno

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,495
The rumbling seats in Dolby make all the difference for me.

Feeling that during the stomps of the crowd during We Will Rock You in Bohemian Rhapsody (for example) was next level immersion.
 
Meg Cherry

Meg Cherry

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,279
Seattle, WA
Depends on the film. I'm lucky enough to live in a city with a really good IMAX screen & a multiplex with Dolby close by, so I kinda pick and choose. If something's actually filmed for IMAX, it's worth seeing it for the extra scale (MI Fallout was jawdropping) - but most stuff gets better picture/sound at Dolby. Plus, that one's already included in A-List.
 
GamerJM

GamerJM

Member
Nov 8, 2017
15,635
It depends on the movie. I usually go with Dolby though because there aren't any truly high end IMAX theaters near me.
 
Failburger

Failburger

Banned
Dec 3, 2018
2,455
I already have to wear earplugs to these loud as fuck theaters. I won't be surprise is there's a class action lawsuit against theaters that plays their movies way too dim and way too loud.
 
MrPink

MrPink

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,300
Nida said:
Our local AMC introduced "IMAX with Laser" recently. Anyone experienced that?

The only thing I hate about the Dolby theater is the seats don't recline as much as they do at the Regal RPX, and the reclining mechanism is a touch screen button that doesn't work well.
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I think they're quite good, at least the ones being introduced at AMC. Maybe not quite as good as Dolby Cinema but certainly within the same ballpark.

However, there are museums with true IMAX screen sizes that had their projectors replaced with Laser IMAX projectors. In those cases, if a film is utilizing the IMAX film format, I think there's no question that you gotta go to the IMAX. Otherwise, it's a trade off between screen size vs slightly better contrast/sound
 
Troll

Troll

Banned
Nov 10, 2017
3,278
Dolby has a much more comfortable seating arrangement. If the imax is packed like at avengers it starts to smell like BO too.
 
HeartlessNobody2134

HeartlessNobody2134

Member
May 10, 2018
5,685
Dolby all day every day. Most IMAX isn't real IMAX and the seating isn't great so I'll always choose Dolby unless it isn't an option.
 
PanSexual_Peacock

PanSexual_Peacock

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,710
If it was shot on actual IMAX cameras, go IMAX. Especially 70mm. The picture quality still can't be beat. I'd go Dolby for everything else.
 
Wag

Wag

Member
Nov 3, 2017
11,638
Frostinferno said:
The rumbling seats in Dolby make all the difference for me.

Feeling that during the stomps of the crowd during We Will Rock You in Bohemian Rhapsody (for example) was next level immersion.
Click to expand...
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My local IMAX theater has "buttkickahs" under the seats (if you've been there you know where I'm talking about).
 
Valiant

Valiant

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,310
I work as a cinema tech.

It's always Dolby as the best. Imax uses older projectors.

That is unless you happen to find a laser Imax. Then they are comparable.
 
BlueTsunami

BlueTsunami

Member
Oct 29, 2017
8,510
The viewing distance of real IMAX does it for me. If youre nearly close it fills your field of vision without having to look up at the screen as much in a typical theater.
 
jetpacks was yes

jetpacks was yes

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,081
For me it goes:

1) Nolan IMAX at Lincoln center IMAX (the only way to get imax film projected is by seeing a Christopher Nolan movie)

2) IMAX Laser at Lincoln center IMAX in NYC (not as good as IMAX film, but second best)

3) Dolby theaters

I'd choose Dolby theaters over other IMAX theaters tho. Just not the Lincoln ctr one.
 
ViewtifulJC

ViewtifulJC

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,020
is it weird to prefer the standard ones? There's a Cinemark nearby that's consistently strong, presentation wise. 4K projectors, very bright, proper screen masking, clear and immersive surround sound system. And it cost less, too. I'm seeing Little Women today for $6.50, in a very comfortable lounge seat.
 
wenis

wenis

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,111
there's no real imax in the states beyond a handful of theaters. Dolby/XD all day everyday.
 
LabRat

LabRat

Member
Mar 16, 2018
4,234
basically for nolan movies i go to imax, for everything else i think dolby is better. i don't even want to go to a regular cinema anymore
 
BDS

BDS

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,845
IMAX, but like a legitimate IMAX theater and not one of the many fake ones. Then Dolby.
 
Tribal24

Tribal24

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
2,382
Frostinferno said:
The rumbling seats in Dolby make all the difference for me.

Feeling that during the stomps of the crowd during We Will Rock You in Bohemian Rhapsody (for example) was next level immersion.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yup Dolby is better, Spiderverse got me to invest in Dolby Atmos and my tv becuase I wanted the same exact sound at home
 
Laserdisk

Laserdisk

Banned
May 11, 2018
8,942
UK
Imax all the way, the EDR (not HDR) of DV keeps up with IMAX Laser but you lose the 12 channel sound mixes and they are amazing.
Atmos you can get anywhere outside of Dolby Theaters so its nothing special to the mix, but the HDR adds nothing over IMAX laser.
IMAX also adds the world class 3D and the exclusive ratios.
 
phonicjoy

phonicjoy

Banned
Jun 19, 2018
4,305
It depends on the chain Id guess.
Ive been to the first Dolby Cinema theatre in the world and experienced some weird visual glitches there.
 
Roge_NES

Roge_NES

Member
Feb 18, 2018
672
Real Imax > Dolby > Liemax

what I like about Dolby is their consistency, so far to the different theaters I been to their Dolby rooms are identical.
 

Mechashiva

Member
Jan 7, 2018
483
Dolby was a revelation then I got a few movies where I didn't think it was loud as it should be and have moved back to Imax for my big loud movies. Still do some in dolby but there were consistency issues.
 
jstevenson

jstevenson

Developer at Insomniac Games
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
2,042
Burbank CA
In a real sized IMAX screen I go that direction (Mann's Chinese theatre and Universal Citywalk), otherwise I like the Dolby Cinema
 
RavFiveFour

RavFiveFour

Banned
Dec 3, 2018
1,721
How many theaters does OP think there are? Given they're all in the same theater you get different packages, I like my ticket cheap.
 
hiredhand

hiredhand

Member
Feb 6, 2019
3,151
Judging by the results, I'm pretty alone on this, but I don't think either of them is worth the extra cash.
 
daveo42

daveo42

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,251
Ohio
Dolby unless Nolan is directing, then it's IMAX 70MM.
RavFiveFour said:
How many theaters does OP think there are? Given they're all in the same theater you get different packages, I like my ticket cheap.
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You can get Dolby and IMAX tickets cheap if you go during matinee pricing. I saw TRoS in a Dolby theater with the rumble chairs for $10.
 
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