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This topic comprises 7 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Topic: The credibility of THX certification.
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Marcel Birgelen
Film God
Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 07-25-2013 07:51 AM
quote: Bobby Henderson
GCC Northpark 1-2 was one of those special theaters where the sound systems were routinely re-tuned. Most multiplex theaters sit at the polar opposite of that situation. They're rarely, if ever re-tuned. I think some theaters get one sound system tweak when the equipment is first installed and then that's pretty much it.
So, retuning by somebody who cares and has the knowledge really was the only magic ingredient here?
Looking at the few pictures available, the equipment being used and the layout of the theater (at least auditorium 1) was nothing you won't see at another self respecting venue. I've noticed though, that the sidewalls of #1 weren't parallel. Could that have been a major acoustic advantage?
B.T.W.: I've read on the Warehouse pages that GCC Northpark #2 was running a ***-4000 system. I know that many around here aren't that convinced about that system, so is it actually true or just a mistake?
quote: Joe Redifer
Then why are IMAX, ETX, etc auditoriums always so damned loud? They absolutely hurt.
Maybe someone should introduce XtremeMAX with modified D-BOX seats that send electrical shocks trough your body every time something explodes on screen.
But yeah, people are idiots, in some way or another... The sound that almost blew your eardrums and pounded in your chest is easily remembered and recognized. A sophisticated sound system has the disadvantage of not being intrusive and thus not instantly being recognized as such by most people...
quote: Joe Redifer
EDIT: Hey IMAX you can't stop me from saying anything here.
You're sure about that? Did you look outside your window lately? You didn't notice that white van being parked in almost the same spot, every single day?
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 07-25-2013 10:30 AM
quote: Marcel Birgelen
So, retuning by somebody who cares and has the knowledge really was the only magic ingredient here?
No. But it was probably the most important ingredient.
IMHO, any movie theater that charges a premium above standard ticket price to enter the "special" auditorium, be it IMAX Digital, Cinemark XD, Regal RPX, AMC ETX, Carmike Big D, etc., these theaters should be required to get their sound quality up in the category Northpark #1 had. If that means spending a shit-ton on acoustical wall treatment to eliminate echo, so be it. If that means replacing some blown speakers or fried amplifiers a little more often, so be it. If that means carefully retuning the sound system at least several times per year, or even for every movie like Northpark 1-2 did, so be it.
These damned theater chains need to be doing more than merely installing a 2nd digital projector and a slightly larger screen to soak audience members an extra $3-$5. It didn't cost anything extra to see a movie at Northpark 1-2 and that theater trounced all these acronym-laden houses in terms of sound & projection quality.
Northpark #1 was one of the original THX-certified theaters when the program was rolled out in support of [i]Return of the Jedi back in 1983. I'm guessing Tomlinson Holman and anyone else helping him probably put a lot more effort into the Northpark project since the THX concept was brand new. The acoustics in there were superb for a movie theater. I can't remember hearing any kind of echo at all in that huge room. Instead it had a fairly acoustically dry feel, not quite as dry as a sound recording booth, but pretty dry. Any properly designed THX certified house should have that feel to it. Before a show it would be quiet enough that a strange kind of pressure built in my ears from them working harder to hear far more faint noises, like maybe someone talking 20 rows behind me.
quote: Marcel Birgelen
B.T.W.: I've read on the Warehouse pages that GCC Northpark #2 was running a ***-4000 system. I know that many around here aren't that convinced about that system, so is it actually true or just a mistake?
The #2 screen had the sound system that shall not be named installed around 1995. I can't remember for sure if it was removed after only a year or two of service. Not that it mattered. The GCC Northpark 1-2 closed in 1998.
quote: Marcel Birgelen
But yeah, people are idiots, in some way or another... The sound that almost blew your eardrums and pounded in your chest is easily remembered and recognized. A sophisticated sound system has the disadvantage of not being intrusive and thus not instantly being recognized as such by most people...
But you see that was the thing about GCC Northpark 1-2: that theater could deliver highly dynamic sound that seemed really loud and powerful, but it wasn't painful. That system could scare the hell out of you, but it wouldn't hurt your ear drums. They didn't have the upper 10kHz-20kHz frequency band levels hitting 120db like some of these acronym-laden auditoriums do. High frequency sound at 120db is painful. But sub-bass at 120db is very tolerable, you feel it more than hear it. If the person doing the B-chain really knows what he is doing (like Brad) and the room is properly designed in the first place there is a hell of a lot of potential for great quality sound.
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Marcel Birgelen
Film God
Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 07-26-2013 02:28 PM
quote: Bobby Henderson
The acoustics in there were superb for a movie theater. I can't remember hearing any kind of echo at all in that huge room. Instead it had a fairly acoustically dry feel, not quite as dry as a sound recording booth, but pretty dry. Any properly designed THX certified house should have that feel to it. Before a show it would be quiet enough that a strange kind of pressure built in my ears from them working harder to hear far more faint noises, like maybe someone talking 20 rows behind me.
I think you describe what a good theater should sound like when silent and luckily there are still a few (often THX certified) houses out there that do have those properties. A good movie theater should probably feel just a bit too dead. The strange feel of being in a large room, but with the acoustics of a small, cozy living-room ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
quote: Brad Miller
we would reject a reel if it had a lab splice in it
Slightly off topic, but I still wonder how you/they did that, didn't the contract with the distributor state that it could have a maximum of N splices in it?
quote: Scott Jentsch
So, instead of seeing Kickstarter campaigns for "Save our theater from the digital apocalypse" we should organize a Kickstarter campaign for theaters to get a competent sound tech to come visit?
I propose a Kickstarter campaign for a "THX Mark 2"
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 07-26-2013 03:21 PM
quote: Joe Redifer
I really want to say something, but I can't think of anything that hasn't been uttered probably 1,000 times by Carmike theater employees and customers. But I did Google that and yes, that's what they actually call it.
It's not just "Big D," according to the very cheesy logo, it's "Big DDD" -which, naturally, makes me think of huge, swaying breasts. The acronyms of premium houses from other chains often have an "X" in them, but "Big DDD" doesn't have an "X" yet makes me think of "XXX" activity.
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
The logo itself makes me want to vomit. Even if they keep the name I strongly recommend Carmike to do a serious re-design of that logo. It sucks. It looks like something thrown together by a committee of people with little if any creative talent.
There's an outside chance Lawton might get one of those "Big D" screens when Carmike opens a new theater here next year. Of course with me talking shit about such screens they could take offense and scrap the idea. But it would be their loss (charging the locals only standard ticket prices in the new theater as opposed to tacking on more premium fees).
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). When I got there, no auditorium could be turned up past 4.5.
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