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Author Topic: AMC Sound Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-11-2002 05:47 PM                     Most AMC Theaters screens are wired for 5.1 SDDS, not 7.1. In a typical new AMC 24-plex you might have 4 to 8 screens wired for SDDS 7.1. AMC doesn't install SDDS exclusively. When the AMC Grand opened in Dallas, I recall the theater having 2 DTS machines and either 2 or 4 Dolby Digital machines as well. A lot of AMC sites will have at least a couple Dolby Digital or DTS machines either fixed in the largest theaters or put in rollaround carts. The big problem with AMC Theatres and their sound systems is their STUPID habit of installing the surround array speakers all the way up into the ceiling. Either the speaker drivers are mounted at the top of the wall next to the drop-ceiling, or the speakers are actually installed IN the ceiling with the drivers facing downward. PISS POOR SOUND SYSTEM DESIGN. The method is used only for making it easy and cheap to wire up surround speakers. It has absolutely nothing to do with improving sound quality.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 12-11-2002 06:06 PM                     The Loew's Universal Cineplex here in Orlando is an all-SDDS theater. They put SDDS next to everything on the marquee. In fact, they were the only theater in the world showing "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" in SDDS. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-11-2002 06:16 PM                        Hey, that sounds just like Regal Cinema World 8 here! They show EVERYTHING in Dolby Digital, including Greek Wedding!  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-11-2002 07:07 PM                     Usually the 4 larger centre theatres have the SDDS8 channel setup  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-12-2002 09:05 AM                    quote: The big problem with AMC Theatres and their sound systems is their STUPID habit of installing the surround array speakers all the way up into the ceiling. They moved away from that in their larger houses for a while, and instead installed something they called "Century Sound Arrays" - IMHO an equally stupid idea. These arrays house 17 speakers in one cabinet all pointing in different directions. They put two in - one on the left and one on the right, and they were supposed to create a better sound field than the speakers in the ceiling. But what actually happened was that the surround moved from the ceiling to two points in space slightly behind you. I don't know what they do with their surrounds now.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 12-12-2002 10:22 AM                        Who thinks up these strange speaker array models for AMC?  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-12-2002 10:37 AM                        Probably an accountant. (I have nothing against accountants, but they should be no more involved in the design of theatre sound systems than sound engineers should be involved in the preparation of corporate financial statements.)  |  IP: Logged Paul Linfesty Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1383 From: Bakersfield, CA, USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 12-12-2002 12:33 PM                     quote: They show EVERYTHING in Dolby Digital, including Greek Wedding! My Big Fat Greek Wedding was Dolby SR.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-12-2002 12:43 PM                        quote: My Big Fat Greek Wedding was Dolby SR. Exactly. I should have added when I said "They show everything in Dolby Digital including Greek Wedding". Their marquee always has the Dolby Digital logo next to every movie, regardless of what format it's actually playing in. The sad part is they have the marquee logo things for DTS and SDDS too but they never use them.  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-12-2002 01:28 PM                     I am gald to hear AMC is mooving away from the stupid non-perferated screens. This has been the reason that i absolutely REFUSE tosee a movie at AMC. I hate being halfway up the screen and still below the sound field. I remember when they first opened the AMC 20 in Mission Valley, Some employe (mabey even a projectionist or manager) was bragging about how much higher the image quality was because of the new Torro screens.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-12-2002 02:56 PM                    Not all of AMCs screens are non-perf. Only about roughly half. We have four "big" houses with SDDS 8. Two are tri-amped front speakers, non perf screens (one of which is Torus), and two are bi-amped front speakers and perf screen. That's the combination they use - or at least they did when they built our theater. Of the remaining "small" houses, the same combination is used: Bi-amp/perf, Tri-amp/non-perf.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 12-12-2002 03:43 PM                    Why would they do non perf on a screen that was not Torus? That's a huge sacrifice for no gain. OK, maybe a little gain in it being brighter.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 12-12-2002 04:01 PM                        As I recall, the "black holes" of normal perforations reduce light efficiency by only about 5 percent. The new microperf (MP) screens even less.  |  IP: Logged Jason Burroughs Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 654 From: Allen, TX Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-12-2002 04:18 PM                     When the AMC Grand 24 in Dallas opened in '94 it had 4 Dolby DA-20's in roll around mini-racks. there were 10 Dolby readers (probably either 699 or 700's) There were also 2 DTS units also on roll arounds, 2 Readers 10 auditoriums wired to accept the DTS units as well (same houses) All 24 Screens were SDDS the 8 largest were 8 channel the rest were 6 channel. 8 largest screens were also Torus screens. The rest of the screens were no-perforated with the speakers above and below the screen. Screen and Sub speakers were from EAW, Surrounds from Community (2 surrounds PER-Auditorium - one on each side) The surrounds have since been replaced, don't know what with though. Annother down side was discovered during the rocket launch scene in Apollo 13, the strong bass sent ripples up the screen that were visable during the movie.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-13-2002 08:36 AM                    quote: Surrounds from Community (2 surrounds PER-Auditorium - one on each side) Thanks, Jason. "COMMUNITY". I said "Century", but I think "Community" IS the correct name for them. My bad. Sorry for that. Mark  |  IP: Logged

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