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Author Topic: Smart mod 7 processor, too good to be true? Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 08-18-2003 05:56 PM                     Anyone know anything about this processor? At $1200 bucks seems incredible. comments anyone? Seems perfect for someone like me that can't justify spending $30,000 per screen to upgrade sound.  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 08-19-2003 01:19 AM                     I've always liked Smart products especially the stuff made in the last few years. They work ok for for folks that can't afford the top-of-the-line stuff from other companies. Smart has a good tech support dept. plus they have many older equipment manuals available online to download free.  |  IP: Logged Chris Greenwell Film Handler Posts: 28 From: West Valley, Ut Registered: Mar 2003 posted 08-19-2003 03:30 AM                     I ran the MOD 7's for about 2 years, they sounded great, and never had a problem.. Just stay away from the Smart 6 channel amp..... [ 08-20-2003, 04:41 AM: Message edited by: Chris Greenwell ]  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 08-19-2003 07:15 AM                     Chris you are confused with the MOD VI which looks simular. The MOD 7 was introduced at ShoWest this year. It features built in EX and envelope ( ceiling ) channel. The unit can be set up for cinema or video Dolby "type" decoding. The full octave on all channels equalization card is separate from the main circuit boards so you don't lose the EQ if you have change boards. I have tested out a prototype early this year and it gives you features that would cost 2 to 3 times from other sources. Five to seven channel amplifiers have their place such as screening rooms or VERY small cinemas where space may be at a premium. The availability of low cost amplifiers fron QSC and Crown in the past few years, pricing per watt many times is cheaper with multiple amplifiers versus multi-channel amplifiers  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 08-19-2003 01:30 PM                     So, I assume no one has any problems they've run into with the Mod 7? Where is a good source to get good prices on amps to go with it?  |  IP: Logged Oscar Neundorfer Master Film Handler Posts: 275 From: Senoia, GA Registered: May 2000 posted 08-19-2003 03:59 PM                        It IS incredible!! The MOD 7 is a fantastic, wonderful, innovative, processor!! It's...,it's... Oh...Wait a minute. I work for SMART. I'm very biased!! Oh, well, it's good anyway.  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-19-2003 04:30 PM                     We've just installed a couple, and they have been fine. One had a problem that was due to not replacing the packing after testing and before reshipping - so remember where the foam stuff was and put it back before shipping! The EQ is simple but sufficient, I would rather have 1/3 octave but for the price... The B-chsing setup level is lower than with Dolby, presumably Smart's pink noise level is a bit lower. Dolby has a slightly easier LED display for setiing Dolby level, but Smart's works fine. The line on the fader is for setup only from my experience. A film run at that line is frigging loud. I haven't tried a setup with the "EX" or ceiling surround yet, so no opinion there. To use a satellite or DVD video for preshow or special presentations, you can set up Projector 2 to do matrix without noise reduction, a pretty nice feature for platter setups who want decoded sound from a non-film source.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-19-2003 05:59 PM                     Brad, Don't forget that Smart also manufactures THE BEST cinema processor made today. The Panastereo CSP-1200. Yes, it is even far better than anything Dolby presently has to offer. Always consider whats going on in both ends of the price spectrum..... And yes, the cheapest is almost always the worst. Remember Sight, Seats, and Sound as the three most important things that will draw customers back again. Its really best to do your skimping in other areas of a plex than any of the above. Mark  |  IP: Logged Chris Greenwell Film Handler Posts: 28 From: West Valley, Ut Registered: Mar 2003 posted 08-20-2003 03:29 AM                     Sorry My mistake  |  IP: Logged Ron Yost Master Film Handler Posts: 344 From: Paso Robles, CA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 08-20-2003 11:49 AM                     For my first post here I want to boost the Smart Mod 7. I think it's an incredible value, tho I have a small home screening room and not a commercial venue. It's my very first experience with a 'real' Cinema Processor and I must say I'm extremely impressed with it. It has more features than any other processor on the market today. It is fairly simple to set up. Most importantly, it sounds beautifully crystal-clear. I have no digital reader as yet, but I do have BACP reverse-scan, and the combination of the two playing a good SR track is simply stunning. When I do get digital, it'll simply plug in the back of the Mod 7. Nice. So, how about some professional opinions from those who have actually LISTENED to it in comparison to other processors, and aren't simply basing opinions on price, rather than actual performance. IMHO it's a great deal, and a wonderfully transparent-sounding piece of equipment. Thank you SMART! Ron Yost  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-20-2003 12:47 PM                     We installed one of them and was very impressed with its versatility. Smart typical recomends that the house level be set at 70db at the cal mark and very rarely do I see it turned down from there  |  IP: Logged Oscar Neundorfer Master Film Handler Posts: 275 From: Senoia, GA Registered: May 2000 posted 08-20-2003 02:03 PM                        Gordon, You may have a typo in your post. We recommend that the calibrate level be set to 79 dBc SPL. At that level, most films seem to be at a good volume at the CAL mark. Thanks to all for the kind comments!  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-20-2003 02:12 PM                     sorry the 9 and the 0 are two close togather on the laptop it is 79  |  IP: Logged Kevin Wale Expert Film Handler Posts: 167 From: Guymon, OK USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 08-22-2003 09:51 PM                     We have a SMART 7 and that hous' sound is absolutely on par with any of our other houses with the DTS brand processors or the Ultra Stereo JS's we have. From what I understand the EX and envelope channel are one or the other as there isn't actually a place to wire a seperate EX and Envelope amp into it. Not sure on that as the tech didn't say much about it(he seemed to not be fond of SMART stuff because of it's low price point but we have a mod6 in one house as well and it has always sounded great too.) The only thing I wish about the SMART processors is that they would be shielded better. We have an older lamphouse that you can hear strike up through the house and monitor speakers because of the signal actually sent through the air. Now, I know SMART didn't figure this in because most people are using newer stuff and I certainly don't fault them on thier sound quality. The EX channel in the MOD 7 works fantastically too I must say.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-23-2003 01:29 AM                     The steel chassis should provide good sheilding so I would suspect the following possibilities 1 The wireing path from the soundhead to close to AC mains 2 Bad rack grounding or a dirty ground 3 Poor grounding on the ignitor  |  IP: Logged

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