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Author Topic: Line Array speakers - useful in movie theatres? Eric Robinson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 538 From: Santa Rosa, CA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 01-04-2011 11:37 AM                     Line array speakers appear to be an ideal component for movie theatres, but, considering that no one is using them, there must be some drawback. Might it be that the dispersion angle is too wide, thus not allowing a tightly defined left center and right region for the audience? Or might it have something to do with the B Chain audio processing equipment?  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-04-2011 11:46 AM                     Most of them just don't have the capability of the controled coverage and spl  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 01-04-2011 01:14 PM                     What Gordon said, and another thing that so many people can't get through their thick heads (I am referring to so many folks who, in trying to save a buck on installs, try to substitute speakers) is that film tracks are mixed using speaker systems with the specific characteristics, and use of other speakers will result in very unsatisfactory sound. Some examples I have encountered: A home screening room where the vendor installed $50,000 "high-end" music speakers..they sounded great with music sources but were very harsh and made dialog unintelligible when running film. Another room used live sound speakers from a major player in sound reinforcement, there was NO apparent separation from the screen channels. There are reasons why there are so many types of speakers available...you MUST match the speaker's design to its intended use or you will suffer the consequences.  |  IP: Logged Marin Zorica Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 671 From: Biograd na Moru, Croatia Registered: May 2003 posted 01-04-2011 05:43 PM                     Not only they have wide horizontal coverage and low vertical (so you can point diferent are with array of them) in cinema as is stated you need to have sound comming from one place, so in that case you have big horns to achieve high pressure and coverage with single driver. Even array could be used with careful aligment, you still have problem that you can't aim that good and put em near screen. But, closes thing to array in cinema is JBL screen array which consist of number of mid driver which are made in that way so that drivers don't cancel each other. On other side, if array is not aimed or controlled in good manner you can have canceling or bad phase rasponse in some places at some frequencies.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 01-04-2011 07:07 PM                       There are a few line arrays out there in high end large houses. They are very pricey of course and setting the vertical pattern is an issue. Overkill for all but the largest of venues.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-04-2011 09:53 PM                     I have an opinion... Line Arrays are a bit overused in general. They have their place but rarely in cinema. I firmly feel that the suspension of disbelief depends on point sources coming from behind the screen and Line Arrays don't to that well. I also believe that the sound should be reflective of the seated position. That is, if you sit in the rear of the theatre off to the far corner...then not only will your picture be smaller (perception) and skewed...so should the sound be to match that. It shouldn't sound too big...and I've heard that. The only time I could see using a Line Array in a cinema is if the venue is SO big that one has to admit they are going to fail at presenting the sound in any semblance of proper anyway and is thus playing a came of compromises. -Steve  |  IP: Logged Marin Zorica Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 671 From: Biograd na Moru, Croatia Registered: May 2003 posted 01-05-2011 05:05 PM                     Steve did mentione good point, I did discuss that with some people, well....some people like to sit in middle of room, some on back, some on front.....we don't talk on issue when room is full of crowd and there is no place to sit, but people just "like" some seats in cinema, and as I notticed, most of people that sit from back don't like loud sound, as I did get from talk with some of my friends.  |  IP: Logged Eric Robinson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 538 From: Santa Rosa, CA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 01-05-2011 11:42 PM                     Just out of curiosity...are there any studios in the Northern California area which mix / produce movie soundtracks? It would be interesting to see one of these studios first hand.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 01-06-2011 12:41 AM                       Lucasfilm Skywalker ranch does a number of mixes for Pixar and many other clients. Good luck getting an invite.  |  IP: Logged Ron Lacheur Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 650 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-06-2011 01:01 AM                     quote: Sam D. Chavez Good luck getting an invite. Not surprising, but too bad. Apparently the Stag Theater has an amazing TAD 3-Way System.  |  IP: Logged Eric Robinson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 538 From: Santa Rosa, CA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 01-06-2011 02:15 PM                     quote: Sam D. Chavez Good luck getting an invite. Sam, I'll buy you breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you could get us in there for a tour. Food offer subject to change without prior notice. But seriously, I'm sure I would learn a great deal from it. Thanks for all the opinions / facts from everyone.  |  IP: Logged

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