Tube Amp in Snowpiercer

Who were what??

Snowpiercer is a TV series currently showing in the US (and Amazon Prime) - I imagine most audiophiles notice the HiFi in what they are watching? Don't they?

I imagine most audiophiles notice the HiFi in what they are watching? Don’t they?

guess I dont get the whole big deal about something like this.

It’s huge. Hollywood puts big money into props like this to push their narrative. It is everywhere. Like I forget the movie but some shallow but loaded character they put Meridian speakers prominently in his room. So of course some guy here asks about em. In Jerry Maguire when they want to show how sophisticated a character is they have her play Mingus on LP. On and on.

These people are obsessed with image. Snowpiercer is steampunk sci-fi so of course some midwit set designer has to come up with background bling that fits that vibe. Inevitably some dude sees it and goes wow cool must be good.

No. Must look good. All the difference in the world.

I do not watch tv only documentary works, F1 and MotoGP. Otherwise put on some Mozart and read a book.

@millercarbon - I simply said good looking - I mentioned nothing about what I thought the quality might be. I'm a computer engineer, my career depends on noticing details and asking questions - that's all. I judge other engineers in a professional setting by the level of their curiosity about what they encounter.

My father always built his own tube amps and they fascinate me. You can see how they are made and what makes them tick in a way I personally can't with digital.

And I am very aware of product placement after the project I work on was placed in the Ironman movies

"Bosch" on Amazon Prime .. Ohm, McIntosh, and Marantz I believe. 

Okay. Whatever. But this is Sean Bean. One does not simply buy his tube amp.

Better a tube amp than a wireless Bose.

Whatever. 

 Are you expecting a rational response from moi??

The dad character in HBO's "Sharp Objects" dressed up like a preppy and listened to his Simaudio gear most of the season. Makes me want to buy their DACs. 

One does not simply listen to Bose.  

It’s huge. Hollywood puts big money into props like this to push their narrative. It is everywhere. Like I forget the movie but some shallow but loaded character they put Meridian speakers prominently in his room. So of course some guy here asks about em. In Jerry Maguire when they want to show how sophisticated a character is they have her play Mingus on LP. On and on.

These people are obsessed with image. Snowpiercer is steampunk sci-fi so of course some midwit set designer has to come up with background bling that fits that vibe. Inevitably some dude sees it and goes wow cool must be good.

No. Must look good. All the difference in the world.

The movie, ’The Score’ has the two thieves as competitors, across generations and ways of doing things.

DeNiro had his psychological backdrop and his audio choices was supposed to reflect that.

Edward Norton had his characteristics, etc.., and his system choices was supposed to reflect that.

We conspired to give the one an all MFA system, but Classe got wind of this and managed to interrupt the selection and put their own gear in there. Which had nothing to do with who the people were supposed to be.

Taras and I (Ken Hotte) were sort of brought in by the sets people who knew us..we were brought in to decipher the psychology and then the stereo components in the high end bracket, that would reflect who these people are. A thing that only audiophiles would understand, but the script was supposed to be that kind of deep. In reality, Taras was asked as he has been around the film industry and knew lots of people. He asked me to help in the selections.

Then that was abandoned when Classe stepped in and paid for it all. Money talks and quality walks. That the film company abandoned the idea of a quality script with depth as someone would them pay for the gear in the shots and the filming, overall, and they did not have to go out and obtain the gear.

Since Classe is gone now, re the originals involved, I can now speak on that story.

Admittedly, we were drooling at the idea of obtaining the gear after the filming was done. When they break the company up, as is done at the end of most films (they are done as limited run corporations), the gear would have been sold off for pennies, kinda thing.

What they do generally, or used to do, is do the filming in Canada (Toronto film district, sometimes Vancouver) sell the film off to the editing companies in the US, for one dollar (enough to make for an officially recognized contract -and not one cent more)..and then shut the filming company down. so you better make sure you are paid before that happens as...when that happens... the company exists no more and has no assets.

This retired movie guy will now chime in. Set decoration makes subtle but important contributions in the creation of motion pictures and television shows.  The things a character has in his/her living space goes a good way in helping us understand who that character is.  The person who decides the various items we see in a shot may be a set decorator, the director, or maybe even the writer of the script.  In any case, I'd like to know if an audiophile on the production crew was able to get his sticky fingers on the stuff.

Let me know when someone flashes a Schumann Generator on a TV show.   Can’t be “ Lost In Space” or “Power Rangers” or any show written by guys who know nothing  about science.  

DeNiro was supposed to have the MFA system and tube monoblocks (jazz club owner, re scripting), and Edward Norton was going to have something like Aragon mono blocks or Krell mono blocks. (young punk)

To the OP - I have pondered the same question about Mr. Wilford on Snowpiercer.  The show has gone out of its way to flash the Tubes and his love of vinyl.  

I always thought that the Martin Logan Aerius speakers were out of place in Chandler and Joey’s apartment. Then I saw the episode where he bought them. He did go broke buying them.

@ohlala the gear in that show was beautiful. It caused me to look it up and ponder. It also gave great detail to who the father was, his escape and how wealthy the family really was. I tend to be curious about things I see in tv and movies and look them up, so I'm with OP. 

OP didn't the folks in the back of the train "EAT' parts.. Long pig, right?

Regards

@teo_audio,

Unlike some in this Forum (based on the replies thus far), like you, I notice set designs in movies and TV shows, and find them fascinating.  A lot of my interest stems from a buddy of mine, a "Brother From Another Mother", who was in charge of purchasing items for sets at a major U.S. film school.  I helped him from time to time when he had questions about audio equipment, and the brands and trends that were popular in certain eras.

I found that some producers and directors delve deep into the set and background minutiae, while others hardly give it a passing glance.  Those that found it extremely important created much more interesting visual works, in my humble opinion.  Of course, audio companies use product placement as a form of advertising -- all companies have been doing this since the dawn of the motion picture industry. 

If it makes a viewer want to investigate their brand or product, it has done its job.  Does that consumer behavior make the viewer someone who is "obsessed with their image"?  Far from it....SMH

I watch the Snowpiercer series and never noticed the tube amp. I’ll have to look much more closely tomorrow night when the new episode comes on.  Thanks for bringing it to my attention.   

It can get complicated, but sometimes items in a movie are there because somebody wants it for themselves after the movie is finished.  You can pay actors millions of dollars and some will still keep the clothes or the watch their character wore.  Sometimes it's an expensive car.  Why not audio equipment?

@j-wall totally agree. He is a little inept, but I sympathize with him hiding out in his stereo.