posted 03-22-2013 09:42 PM                    

quote: Connor Wilson

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The Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City had dialog intelligibility issues, but that was built in 1969 (the current one).

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posted 03-23-2013 07:54 PM                       

quote: F

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The have tried lots of things to make [the Chinese] better, but it is pretty much un-salvageable.

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quote: Sam Chavez

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[The Chinese] is a very live venue and it has been worked on for years by just about everyone. There was a time when the HF drivers had a very short life there.

If electronics and the best speakers were the answer, someone would have found the answer by now. Understanding dialog is always a chore.

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posted 03-26-2013 02:49 PM                    

quote:

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For 20 years, THX has demonstrated its love of the movies by offering the only quality-assurance program designed to promote superior cinema sound and picture presentation. More than 3,000 cinemas and mixing studios around the world have earned THX certification, and almost all of them have one thing in common: They were built since 1983, the year THX was founded by legendary filmmaker George Lucas.

Does this mean that older venues cannot reap the benefits afforded by THX certification? Until now, the answer typically would have been yes—because few, if any, older cinemas were constructed with THX quality standards in mind.

But that has now changed, since THX has created a first-of-its-kind certification program for historic cinemas. The THX Historic Cinema Certification Program includes all of the core cinema design compliance requirements of the company's standard cinema certification program, while honoring the architectural characteristics that make historical venues unique.

"We created this program in response to demand from owners of historic cinemas, and because we value the role these landmark buildings are playing in revitalizing many downtown areas," says Ivan Fujihara, THX general manager. "We are pleased that this program will help owners provide state-of-the-art picture and sound presentation without taking away from the unique character their treasured cinemas possess."

The Certification Process

The process to attain THX Historic Certification is somewhat different from what new cinema venue construction undergoes in securing traditional certification. THX must determine if it's even possible for historic venues to meet certification standards before any plans for retrofit or upgrades can begin.

"The first thing we do is send a field engineer to the cinema to conduct extensive tests of the auditorium's current sound and picture capabilities," explains Jerry Zernicke, THX design-services manager. "We then evaluate the data, compare it with our standard certification criteria, and make two kinds of recommendations: items that must be upgraded to gain certification, and other suggestions that will help improve presentation quality."

Zernicke says THX considered 15 technical categories relating to sound and picture quality during the creation of this new program. Some of them were a direct application of the THX standard cinema certification criteria, while others have a tolerance respectful of the historical nature of each cinema venue. Specific minimum standards have been designated for each category, to ensure that the value of THX certification is not compromised.

The THX evaluation criteria include evaluation of the following auditorium elements: baffle or Bafflette installation, industry-standard sound-pressure level playback requirements, room reverberation, room geometry, projected image quality, background noise and playback equipment. Since each element is evaluated on its own merits, the program retains the flexibility to consider each venue's specific circumstances.

"The unique characteristics of these cinemas warrant special consideration when applying our criteria to determine their potential for historical certification," Zernicke notes. "At the end of the day, our intent is to help historic-cinema owners get the optimum performance out of their facilities, while recognizing these venues' place in history."

Once the THX design team makes its recommendations regarding necessary retrofit elements, it's up to cinema owners to make the changes that will allow them to achieve certification. After the mandated work is complete, THX will re-test the venue to determine whether the historic certification criteria have been satisfied. Those that pass will receive THX Historical Cinema Certification.

A Case in Point

One of the cinema owners leading the charge to initiate a THX certification category for historic venues was Tom Kiefaber, owner of Baltimore's historic Senator Theatre, which has been hosting moviegoers since 1939.

The Senator is being evaluated to be the first cinema to attain THX Historic Cinema Certification. As of this writing, Kiefaber is reviewing the evaluation report completed by THX engineers and making plans to complete the upgrades deemed necessary at the cinema before it can be certified. THX certification is something he has sought for a while.

"I've been talking with THX about this for a long time," Kiefaber says. "Over the years, I've continually upgraded the Senator's sound and projection systems, often after consulting with THX. Since my theatre was not built with the THX standards in mind, I was not eligible to achieve THX certification. This new THX program is a terrific way to acknowledge historic venues with extraordinary presentation qualities."

Kiefaber says that while he consistently gets commended for the Senator's extraordinary sound and picture quality, he also frequently gets asked why it is not THX-certified. This longtime THX fan looks forward to promoting the cinema's THX Historical Certification, confirming the Senator as a historical cinema that exudes character and offers a first-class presentation.

Good Business Sense

THX believes there are perhaps several hundred venues in the U.S. that are potential participants in the Historical Cinema Certification Program. The historical program will be a THX niche offering, as the traditional certification program remains the primary focus of the THX Cinema team.

THX management understands that patrons of historic cinemas typically choose those venues for reasons other than presentation quality; they consider the cinema's beauty, unique architectural design and overall ambience. The Historic Cinema Certification Program will support these cinemas offering first-class picture and sound presentation in addition to their gracious "golden-age" environment.

"Historic cinemas provide a unique experience and speak to a demographically different audience than multiplexes, but there's no reason their patrons shouldn't be afforded the best moviegoing experience possible," says Ann Brighouse, THX director of marketing. "Our work with cinemas that seek THX Historic Cinema Certification will enable these venues to be premier locations for movie lovers for decades to come."

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