Audio equipment for 35mm setup

[Sebastian Bjork]

Hello,
This is my first post here. I have been following this forum for a while and get very good information from here.

I have decided to stop chasing pixels and new audio formats. I have therefore chosen 35mm for my home cinema. A dream come true, in fact.

I recently picked up a Kinoton FP30, the older one. As I have not yet projected my prints, I would like tips on which sound system (preferably used) I should acquire. I have read and searched a lot. Most people think that the CP65 is a good machine for optical sound, but since I plan to run DTS cds and also have digital sources sometimes, it would be best if I could get the most optimal. I recently sold my Stormaudio ISP 16 channel unit which I have run with my QSC SC2150, bi amped. I do not need all these new audio formats. For me, analog and a standard 5.1 or 7.1 are enough.

Which sound system would be best for me?

[Chris Wehrman]

Sebastian,

The CP65 is a great processor however it will not do 7.1. If you are planning on buying a used processor, I'd look at the CP650.
In my opinion, the CP650 is the most optimal cinema processor to use. It was the latest model Dolby made that has connections for film projector sound readers, both analog and digital. It is extremely flexible at accepting external multi channel digital and analog sources and can bi-amp the front screen channels, all depending on the option cards installed. It also has a built in RTA (oscilloscope required) to use when tuning the auditorium. It is what I chose to put in my home setup.

You can connect a DTS player to the CP650 or CP65's dedicated 6 channel analog input from a DTS-6 or 6D player. Something to keep in mind about the DTS are the CD drives, it might be difficult to find SCSI or even IDE drives to keep your player running long term when they go bad. As an alternative, if you use the CP650 with the cat773 card installed, you can run Dolby Digital (SRD) with no extra equipment other than the reader. This is the route I'm going as it's very unlikely to find DTS discs with used prints (at least here in the US). However, the DTS reader is easier to set up and maintain than the Dolby Digital reader so you may want to take than into consideration if you DO have the DTS discs with your prints. Be advised, setting up Dolby Digital readers as well as the analog optical reader requires an oscilloscope and several kinds of test films.

My home setup includes a CP650 with cat 773, 790 and 791 cards installed. This allows connection of a Dolby Digital film reader, additional external digital multichannel inputs, bi-amp front screen channel outputs and will decode Dolby Digital EX (center back surround channel). I also have a DTS-6D player with reader connected incase I find a print with the DTS discs.

Hope this helps and best of luck!!

Chris

[Kenneth Wuepper]

You may be able to obtain DTS disc content from Brad. He has been a Godsend when the print arrived without a disc or the one in the box was crushed.

[David Ferguson]

Hi (again!) Sebastian,

I'd recommend a CP500 or CP650, because then you have Dolby Digital as well. You can always add the DTS player to that to get analogue, SRD and DTS. The CP500 is older and therefore cheaper, but that also means more likely to have faults/issues. I've been relatively lucky with my CP500, and there are usually spares available which is good, but something to consider.

[Don Furr]

Like David, on the post above, I'd recommend a CP500. I actually replaced my broken 650 with a 500. It's pretty much a plug and play swap out. After having conversations with several different people I'm convinced a 650 isn't as reliable as a 500. My 650 just died a quick death. I also added a SA-10 to achieve the EX rear channels. In addition I purchased 2 500's from Ebay as backups. I paid $175 for both. I operated a 500 years before installing the 650. Since going back to a 500 I've had zero issues. My 2 cents.

[Sam Chavez]

The 500 has unique failure issues with the front door display panel. Make sure you get a good front panel with no lines or noise. The Cat. 684 control card is also a frequent failure more. Neither of these are in good supply as spares. 650 are much more abundant and there are lots of spares available. I still have new in the box units and spare parts bought from Dolby at a close out sale a few years back and there are various sellers on E Bay. One of them is Bay Cinema, not me, just someone using a similar company name.

[Don Furr]

The 500 has unique failure issues with the front door display panel. Make sure you get a good front panel with no lines or noise. The Cat. 684 control card is also a frequent failure more. Neither of these are in good supply as spares.

Agreed Sam. That's the reason I picked up a couple of "cheap" 500 spares...just in case. The unit I'm using now is my original 500 removed from a closed theatre back in 2005. Not a single issue in 15 years.

[Mitchell Dvoskin]

CP-500 have a reputation for having component failures. I never owned one, so I cannot confirm this is true.
CP-650 came in various versions, not all the version could play analog optical sound. Don't buy the 650D, it is digital only.

Both the 500 and the 650 use computer processors with the problems that may eventually prove inherent with that as they age and batteries mounted on the mother boards fail. The CP-65 is all hardware based, with pots and dials on the boards to adjust everything. As mentioned above, the CP-65 is analog Mono/Dolby A & SR only, so if you have no near term plans to go digital, it is a fine choice. A Dolby DA20 was a separate unit to add digital to the CP-65. If you go this route, note that the CP-65 could used either combined A/SR cards, or separate A and SR cards (222 & two 350 cards). The separate cards are considered to sound noticeably better. Also make sure that the unit has the 441 card which gives you surround and the ability to send deep bass to subwoofers.

[Gordon McLeod]

Buy a used Panastereo CSP1200 it supportsthe best analogue and has 2 5.1 digital inputs one for DTs and one for a DA20 and a configurable mag input as well. The best processor out ofthe box

[Sam Chavez]

Mitchell. CP-650 came in various versions, not all the version could play analog optical sound. Don't buy the 650D, it is digital only.

Not correct. 650D is a full feature cinema processor. It's only missing the Cat. 790 card for 7.1 and external 8 channel input. There is no 650 version I know of with no analog optical input.

[Steve Guttag]

Sam is correct. Even the CP650DC had the optical inputs but no Dolby Digital however, the CAT790 for Digital Cinema.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

I highly support what Gord said. Look for a used Panastereo CSP-1200. Finest processor ever made period! My second choice would be a Dolby CP-65 with all the add on stuff like a DA-20 and a CAT 700 reader. Worry about DTS later on. Disks can be very hard to track down.

[Leo Enticknap]

The reliability issue with the CP650 is that so many of its core functions are on the motherboard, and therefore it only takes one component on that board to fail, and the thing is a doorstop (now that Dolby no longer sell replacements). I've had two go because the flash memory chip that holds the firmware failed. Because the 500 and earlier consist of cards on a (relatively simple) backplane, you can swap out individual cards that go bad, and stand a pretty good chance of being able to find used replacements somewhere.

[Sam Chavez]

Not to toot my horn too shamelessly, BACP carries a full line of brand new boards for the 650, including power supplies as well as loaded flash memory chips.

[Chris Wehrman]

Speaking of the cp650, what is the latest firmware release and dose anyone know where I can a copy of it? Mine is currently at 2.2.5. Is it worth upgrading?

Chris