This is topic Smart mod 7 processor, too good to be true? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 08-18-2003, 05:56 PM:
 
Anyone know anything about this processor?
At $1200 bucks seems incredible.
comments anyone?
Seems perfect for someone like me that can't justify spending $30,000 per screen to upgrade sound.
 

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Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 08-19-2003, 01:19 AM:
 
I've always liked Smart products especially the stuff made in the last few years. They work ok for for folks that can't afford the top-of-the-line stuff from other companies. Smart has a good tech support dept. plus they have many older equipment manuals available online to download free.
 

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Posted by Chris Greenwell (Member # 1660) on 08-19-2003, 03:30 AM:
 
I ran the MOD 7's for about 2 years, they sounded great, and never had a problem.. Just stay away from the Smart 6 channel amp.....

[ 08-20-2003, 04:41 AM: Message edited by: Chris Greenwell ]
 

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Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 08-19-2003, 07:15 AM:
 
Chris you are confused with the MOD VI which looks simular. The MOD 7 was introduced at ShoWest this year. It features built in EX and envelope ( ceiling ) channel. The unit can be set up for cinema or video Dolby "type" decoding. The full octave on all channels equalization card is separate from the main circuit boards so you don't lose the EQ if you have change boards. I have tested out a prototype early this year and it gives you features that would cost 2 to 3 times from other sources.
Five to seven channel amplifiers have their place such as screening rooms or VERY small cinemas where space may be at a premium. The availability of low cost amplifiers fron QSC and Crown in the past few years, pricing per watt many times is cheaper with multiple amplifiers versus multi-channel amplifiers
 

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Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 08-19-2003, 01:30 PM:
 
So, I assume no one has any problems they've run into with the Mod 7?
Where is a good source to get good prices on amps to go with it?
 

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Posted by Oscar Neundorfer (Member # 458) on 08-19-2003, 03:59 PM:
 
It IS incredible!! The MOD 7 is a fantastic, wonderful, innovative, processor!! It's...,it's... Oh...Wait a minute. I work for SMART. I'm very biased!! Oh, well, it's good anyway.
 

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Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 08-19-2003, 04:30 PM:
 
We've just installed a couple, and they have been fine. One had a problem that was due to not replacing the packing after testing and before reshipping - so remember where the foam stuff was and put it back before shipping!
The EQ is simple but sufficient, I would rather have 1/3 octave but for the price...
The B-chsing setup level is lower than with Dolby, presumably Smart's pink noise level is a bit lower.
Dolby has a slightly easier LED display for setiing Dolby level, but Smart's works fine.
The line on the fader is for setup only from my experience. A film run at that line is frigging loud.
I haven't tried a setup with the "EX" or ceiling surround yet, so no opinion there.
To use a satellite or DVD video for preshow or special presentations, you can set up Projector 2 to do matrix without noise reduction, a pretty nice feature for platter setups who want decoded sound from a non-film source.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-19-2003, 05:59 PM:
 
Brad,
Don't forget that Smart also manufactures THE BEST cinema processor made today. The Panastereo CSP-1200. Yes, it is even far better than anything Dolby presently has to offer. Always consider whats going on in both ends of the price spectrum..... And yes, the cheapest is almost always the worst.

Remember Sight, Seats, and Sound as the three most important things that will draw customers back again. Its really best to do your skimping in other areas of a plex than any of the above.
Mark
 

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Posted by Chris Greenwell (Member # 1660) on 08-20-2003, 03:29 AM:
 
Sorry My mistake
 

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Posted by Ron Yost (Member # 1850) on 08-20-2003, 11:49 AM:
 
For my first post here I want to boost the Smart Mod 7. I think it's an incredible value, tho I have a small home screening room and not a commercial venue.

It's my very first experience with a 'real' Cinema Processor and I must say I'm extremely impressed with it. It has more features than any other processor on the market today. It is fairly simple to set up. Most importantly, it sounds beautifully crystal-clear. I have no digital reader as yet, but I do have BACP reverse-scan, and the combination of the two playing a good SR track is simply stunning.

When I do get digital, it'll simply plug in the back of the Mod 7. Nice.

So, how about some professional opinions from those who have actually LISTENED to it in comparison to other processors, and aren't simply basing opinions on price, rather than actual performance. IMHO it's a great deal, and a wonderfully transparent-sounding piece of equipment. Thank you SMART!

Ron Yost
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-20-2003, 12:47 PM:
 
We installed one of them and was very impressed with its versatility. Smart typical recomends that the house level be set at 70db at the cal mark and very rarely do I see it turned down from there
 

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Posted by Oscar Neundorfer (Member # 458) on 08-20-2003, 02:03 PM:
 
Gordon,

You may have a typo in your post. We recommend that the calibrate level be set to 79 dBc SPL. At that level, most films seem to be at a good volume at the CAL mark.

Thanks to all for the kind comments!
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-20-2003, 02:12 PM:
 
sorry the 9 and the 0 are two close togather on the laptop it is 79
 

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Posted by Kevin Wale (Member # 1851) on 08-22-2003, 09:51 PM:
 
We have a SMART 7 and that hous' sound is absolutely on par with any of our other houses with the DTS brand processors or the Ultra Stereo JS's we have.

From what I understand the EX and envelope channel are one or the other as there isn't actually a place to wire a seperate EX and Envelope amp into it. Not sure on that as the tech didn't say much about it(he seemed to not be fond of SMART stuff because of it's low price point but we have a mod6 in one house as well and it has always sounded great too.)

The only thing I wish about the SMART processors is that they would be shielded better. We have an older lamphouse that you can hear strike up through the house and monitor speakers because of the signal actually sent through the air. Now, I know SMART didn't figure this in because most people are using newer stuff and I certainly don't fault them on thier sound quality.

The EX channel in the MOD 7 works fantastically too I must say.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-23-2003, 01:29 AM:
 
The steel chassis should provide good sheilding so I would suspect the following possibilities
1 The wireing path from the soundhead to close to AC mains
2 Bad rack grounding or a dirty ground
3 Poor grounding on the ignitor
 

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Posted by Kevin Wale (Member # 1851) on 08-23-2003, 04:50 AM:
 
Oooh, I'll look into those. Someone told me that the SMART6 just didn't have good shielding itself at that time. If one of those things fixes it I would be ready to do backflips with exitement.

Thanks for the tips...
 

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Posted by Don Sneed (Member # 955) on 08-24-2003, 09:25 PM:
 
I always liked SMART processors...even the SR300, As Ken said, Smart has the best customer support, Oscar at Smart was so helpful on a problem I had in Baytown Texas that he gave me (I no longer have)his home phone # since I would be working on the problem over the weekend, I ask you...how many tech support would do that!!! my answer...NO ONE !!! Thank you Oscar for your help...
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-25-2003, 06:10 AM:
 
Not to take anything away from Oscar...but I do have several tech support home phone numbers!...many such numbers are guarded to ensure they don't work 7-day weeks every week. For many people, calling is easier than figuring it out. The difference is, if you figure it out yourself, you've learned something...if someone else tells you how to do something, you may have learned something.

Steve
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-26-2003, 09:52 AM:
 
Don,
You ACTUALLY liked the SR300??? I always like the way Osacar smiles when I mention that model to him. Perhaps the very last units wer acceptable??? Not sure he actually liked it that much. I removed more of them for customers than I can even remember and usually installed Dolby back when they made really good processors. The SR300 had the worst surround decoding ever!! More bleed through into the surrounds then any other processor I've worked with. I did like the Mod 2B alot.... great bang for the buck. We are bringing in a Mod 7 for testing puropses for our mom and pop theatres that just can't afford the Panastero(or really wealthy theatre owners that are just too cheap to buy the best). Since Dolby no longer manufactures a viable cinema processor that I'd install, that leaves just Panastero, Ultra Stereo, and Smart. My preference in that order btw.
Mark @ CLACO
 

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Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 02-02-2004, 06:17 PM:
 
Mark, did you ever have the opportunity to do the testing mentioned in the last post?

And if so, the results are?

Thanks.
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-02-2004, 08:29 PM:
 
I'll go on record again that I don't agree with Mark's condemnation of the Dolby CP-650...for what it is, it is really quite a nice piece and performs as claimed.

Steve
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-03-2004, 05:43 PM:
 
I believe the SR300 dynaspan matrix was deseigned to meet a requirement of AMC for a "fat surround playback"
and a major customer does get what they want:)
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-03-2004, 07:06 PM:
 
Yes, We did install a MOD 7 for testing and listening purposes and it was good if you take the price into consideration. You get alot in return for what you pay. I will state again and not to rustle Oscar here but I didn't think the SR was passable. It not only pumped but there was also some mufflung of the high end that was going on. I will make one thing clear on this though and that is that Oscar wants this particuluar processor back to check the SR to be sure that it was calibrated at the factory and we have not had a chance to do that. Hopefully in the next week or so though. So in this thread I am not going to fault the SR emulation scheme they use. We did install 4 of these for a customer and he was quite content with the way the SR sounded. I was not on that install so did not get to hear those 4 other units. Beware there are a couple of other minor problems such as the preamp oscillating when you attach your scope leads...this apparently happens with only some scopes as it didn't occur with my Tektronix 465B but did with one other techs Leader scope that worked on the install. A 100 ohm resistor in line with each scope lead stops the oscillation. The red and green jacks are also reversed as per Dolby's color standard and the slots in the back of the chassis that the DB 25 connectors stick trough is a bit too narrow for some types of mating DB25 connectors. I think this is all minor stuff though that Oscar will most likely rectify in future production runs.

As for the CP650...There are other far superior, much more flexible routes to offer to your customer that don't really cost very much more, and under certain circumstances can actually cost you alot less. The CP650 isn't even in my dictonary. It is way, way overrated and its sound quality doesn't begin to approach the alternative processor.

Mark @ CLACO
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-08-2004, 09:38 PM:
 
Did Dolby piss in your Wheaties or something, Mark?

The CP-650 is an excellent processor. For the typical cinema that has choosen Dolby Digital as, at least, one of their format it is the most cost effective.

It does well on analog and digital and I have had ZERO complaints from it. Its SR emulation seems better than even Dolby's analog alternative.

The sound quality was always good with the CP-650 and it has improved with time. There are software improvements (noise optimization) as well as hardware improvements that have been continual with it to improve the sonic quality.

It has an excellent service record. More so than other models and brands.

As for features...sure it is not as flexible as others but it does offer some attractive features like AES or S/PDIF decoding. It also has optional AES outputs.

Your dictionary is really defective if the CP-650 is not in it.

Steve
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-08-2004, 10:50 PM:
 
No Steve they didn't. I'm just not a fan of digital processors, I am a fan of the analog stuff they made though and I do like the sound of the CP500 but not its quirks. There is just something far superior to offer the customer at about the same price and I'd simply rather go that route.
Mark @ CLACO
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-08-2004, 11:44 PM:
 
Here is what is odd...I never liked the sound of the CP-500 but do like the sound of the CP-650. The CP-650 is notably quieter and has been getting more so with time.

As to being in the digital world...it all depends...if you have say Dolby Digital as your primary format then keeping it in the digital domain has distinct advantages over doing a D/A conversion...sending it through more processing then out to the amplifiers.

Another issue I've had to deal with is post processor...there are analog and digital crossovers. For 3-ways, I have found that DSP based crossovers have very desirable features and qualities that outweigh the extra A/D D/A conversion. I'd rather keep the signal in the digital domain and send it to the crossover/EQ in the digital domain and only do one D/A conversion.

I'm completely sold on the parametric EQ as the best choice for most tunings. Minimal phase problems, maximum benefits. It would be a snap for Dolby to put a parametric option in for the CP-650. Then again, the CSP-1200 could have parametric EQs if Pana was so inclined (and I request it of Ray monthly!).

Depending on the installation and the requirements of the system, I could see either the CSP-1200 or the CP-650 getting the nod...I wouldn't discount either out of hand, however since the both bring something to the table.

Steve
 

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Posted by Matt Zeiner (Member # 1914) on 02-09-2004, 06:42 AM:
 

quote:

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I'm completely sold on the parametric EQ as the best choice for most tunings. Minimal phase problems, maximum benefits. It would be a snap for Dolby to put a parametric option in for the CP-650.

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less than 1/3 octave the filters tended to be too wide less than that the phase shift was the problem

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