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Topic: Dolby SLS Express Series

Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-20-2017 09:58 AM

" Altec Incremental Amplifiers" That brings back memories we used to have a lot of them in commercial installations
Raven Labs also made a version that was plug in 120 watt amp modules in a card frame

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-20-2017 10:56 AM

Altec's were none too popular. Pricing was such that it was just cost cutting and maximizing profits on their part. A poor product with all the limitations inherent of all the eggs in one basket.

As to Raven, the mere mention of the brand name fills me with dread.

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Marco Giustini
Film God

Posts: 2713
From: Reading, UK
Registered: Nov 2007

posted 03-20-2017 12:51 PM

I still fail to understand why someone should invest in active speakers, sockets, tracks... what are you going to achieve compared to a rack of amplifiers? If you are really concerned about failures, keep an extra amp in stock for a quick replacement.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 03-20-2017 03:35 PM

It is pretty simple really. With about 4 branch circuits an electrician can power the entire surround array and it is no more complicated than wiring regular outlets. The cost, again, on a new build is practically zero. The cost of running CAT cable is also about as cheap as copper gets.

With traditional amplifiers, you are running expensive copper that has to be either in conduit or plenum cable...neither are anywhere near as cheap as running CAT cable.

It can also be argued that most powered speakers are "pre-tuned" too.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-20-2017 04:13 PM

quote: Steve Guttag
Can be powered off of 3-Phase, as I recall (think about how much power you are using with that many channels!). But the power was configurable.

Three phase isn't really saving much over 220 single phase. All it does is spread some of the load out over a third leg. So some bridge shorts in the power supply and it kicks the three phase breaker and all of the system is now down, and refunds ensue. A central common amplifier in any cinema on anything but the surround channel is one of the stupidest ideas anyone ever came up with.

If enough of these amplifiers crap out as Dolby stuff seems to do, then hopefully Atmos will go away. Its still a very unimpressive system in all the iterations I have heard so far. Concentrate on more good 7.1 systems folks! Atmos + Recliners = Marketing gimmick.

Mark

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Marco Giustini
Film God

Posts: 2713
From: Reading, UK
Registered: Nov 2007

posted 03-20-2017 04:18 PM

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
Its still a very unimpressive system in all the iterations I have heard so far

We can argue about many things but not that Atmos is a gimmick!

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Richard Fowler
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 03-20-2017 07:20 PM

"Quote the Raven nevermore".....

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 03-21-2017 06:55 AM

Mark, Dolby has promoted this amplifier as a surround amplifier, not a stage channel amplifier.

As for 3-phase. It does indeed balance your power load better (with respect to balancing one's power in the load center) and lowers the current/per/phase.

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-21-2017 10:38 AM

The Dolby Amp is singe phase only although 3 phase would have been a good idea

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-21-2017 11:47 AM

quote: Steve Guttag
As for 3-phase. It does indeed balance your power load better (with respect to balancing one's power in the load center) and lowers the current/per/phase.

I said that. I also said lose a power supply rectifier and that three phase breaker is gonna pop and shut it all down.

quote:
We can argue about many things but not that Atmos is a gimmick!

It's a "nothing" system around here. The chains that have it here have much better sounding 7.1 systems. Their Atmos systems must be the bare minimum to be able to put Atmos in your ads. Hence it IS a gimmick system.

Mark

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Marco Giustini
Film God

Posts: 2713
From: Reading, UK
Registered: Nov 2007

posted 03-21-2017 11:53 AM

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
The chains that have it here have much better sounding 7.1 systems. Their Atmos systems must be the bare minimum to be able to put Atmos in your ads. Hence it IS a gimmick system.

That's nonsense.
A minimum-specs Atmos system will always outperform a 7.1 system using the same equipment. You end up with a single amp per each surround speaker and, potentially, a better EQ/time delay which is done on EACH speaker on top of on the whole array/bed.
Any sound system can sound crap if not spec'd/tuned/installed correctly but what you say does not make any sense whatsoever.

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-21-2017 12:41 PM

I think Mark was maybe saying the 7.1 systems were comprised of the best components, while the Atmos systems being more expensive, were more minimally spec'd.

It does happen.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-21-2017 02:26 PM

What I was conveying is the local 7.1 systems in this State far outperform the local Atmos systems. Hence, Why I think Atmos is actually doing this industry a big disservice. It might be different if you actually built the room FOR Atmos and only one Atmos system existed... which if it is really special as everyone claims, is how it really should be.
Like THX "approving" systems in rooms they could never possibly be approved in just to get the name out there at a big location.

Note that I am not saying there are not really good sounding Atmos systems out there. Just not here.

Mark

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-21-2017 04:12 PM

A really good Atmos presentation requires TWO key things:

1. A properly configured sound system that doesn't pinch pennies on quantity and quality of speakers and amplifiers. Yes, a theater can effectively wire up what amounts to a 9.1 channel sound system, under-power it and yet still stick "Dolby Atmos" in the advertising. To me that's just a waste of money considering the high price of a Dolby CP-850. Why bother with a CP-850 if the rest of the sound system is going to be done on the cheap?

2. A movie that actually uses the object oriented surround technology. I think most movies released with Dolby Atmos audio are pretty much Atmos in name only. They do the usual 5.1 or 7.1 mix and then sprinkle in a tiny bit of ceiling activity to let sound geeks like me know the speakers are getting used.

It's difficult to encounter a theater that has a great Atmos-equipped sound system playing a movie with a great Atmos sound mix.

By the way, I don't think Atmos is a gimmick. Under the right circumstances it can really show off amazing surround capability. Unfortunately an Atmos system done right is awful expensive. And most movie productions don't want to spend the time needed to craft really good next-gen sound mixes. I think the money people deciding on the production schedules figure the movie is only going to be on the premium screen a week or two tops and then playing on TV screens in just 3 months. So why bother?

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Marco Giustini
Film God

Posts: 2713
From: Reading, UK
Registered: Nov 2007

posted 03-21-2017 04:28 PM

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
What I was conveying is the local 7.1 systems in this State far outperform the local Atmos systems

Of course the exhibitor will in the end decide how to outfit their auditoria but I cannot see how that could be Atmos/Dolby's fault? Atmos is a codec. On top of that Dolby provides the customer with equipment and setup guidance and also a final EQ.

If then the customer decides to install desktop PC speakers in the auditorium, it's the CUSTOMER's fault.

How many theatres have we visited with extremely poor sound, yet they had DD/DTS/SDDS decoders in their booth. Are DD/DTS/SDDS gimmicks? I don't believe so.

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