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Author Topic: Dolby's new sound system Mike Renlund Film Handler Posts: 71 From: San Francisco Registered: Feb 2008 posted 07-30-2014 11:35 AM                     The Dolby Theatre utilizes 5 screen channels which are JBL Vertec line arrays. Custom JBL subwoofers are used for the LFE channel and Meyer surround speakers. The main floor (orchestra and parterre)along with the first mezzanine are used when showing movies in Dolby Atmos. The top two mezzanines are closed off. Seats in the Parterre and Mezzanine 1 do have overhead speakers. Attached are two PDFs that show the layout and speaker placement: www.film-tech.com/ubbpics/Dolby_Theatre_1a.pdf www.film-tech.com/ubbpics/Dolby_Theatre_2a.pdf The only real change made since the creation of the documentation is that there are now two additional LFE subwoofers at the front of the auditorium.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 08-07-2014 08:05 AM                     While waiting for the (increasingly pointless) end of credits scene in "Guardians of the Galaxy" yesterday, I was looking around the auditorium and trying to peak at the rack of the Atmos installation. A lot of comments about the difficulty Atmos has is the expense (especially vs Auro) of amplifying each surround speaker. The auditorium I was in had a 60 foot common height screen. I didn't measure the depth. It didn't appear that shortcuts were taken in the Atmos design. Each side and ceiling "channel" had 8 speakers as did the rear (which was a speaker in each corner and then 6 spaced along the wall). They also had 2 surround subwoofers hanging from the ceiling. Anyway, point being there were 40 surround speakers needing amplification. It looked from what I could see of the rack that they were using 4 channel QSC amplifiers. At least most of what I could see had 4 green leds lit up. Assuming the same power requirements, Auro would need 6 channels of amplification (round up to 2 amplifiers). Atmos needs 8 more amplifiers. I don't know what the amps cost but let's say $800 each. The added cost would roughly be $6400. I guess you have to add another few grand if you add the LC and RC channels plus the surround subs. Unless the CP-850 is a lot more expensive than the Auro processor, I'm thinking that Atmos would be around $12,000 more (done right) than Auro. Considering that Auro is a really stupid channel layout concept and I'd say that 7.1 might even be better, I would suggest that for the cost difference a theater should either do neither (and just stick to 7.1) or spend the extra $12,000 for Atmos. I don't see any reason for anybody to ever install Auro.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 08-07-2014 01:29 PM                     The real difference is about 5 times as much for Atmos vs. Auro 3D... - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 08-07-2014 02:50 PM                     quote: Carsten Kurz The real difference is about 5 times as much for Atmos vs. Auro 3D... Out of curiosity and for my own education, can you itemize the estimated costs of each (speakers, amps, processor, etc. broken out)? The reason that your statement is somewhat shocking is that in the original announcement, Dolby said, "Dolby estimated that an 'average mid-size' theater could expect to make an investment of around $25,000-$30,000 for this upgrade." I know it will be a little higher for larger auditoriums but for Atmos to be 5x Auro, either Dolby's own estimate is WAY low or Auro costs next to nothing. They both require a bunch of additional surround speakers. Atmos "done right" also adds 2 screen channels and 2 subwoofers but the major cost difference between the two is the extra surround speaker amps and whatever the CP-850 costs in relation to the Auro processor.  |  IP: Logged

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