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Author Topic: Cinemark, SR-D, and Subwoofers David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-09-2002 01:12 PM                        I've noticed that the local Cinemark's SR-D houses have very weak .1 LFE. Basically no deep bass at all. Yet their DTS houses seem much better in low-end performance. Brad noted the same thing in another thread (might be the one about Cinemark policy trailers). A Cinemark engineer says all systems are working to "industry standards" and are checked regularly (surprise!), also that competitors may be "goosing" their systems, implying they are NOT properly configured. How can there possibly be that big a difference in SR-D vs. DTS unless something is wrong? Or am I smoking crack? Obviously Cinemark believes the latter. [Of course my real agenda with this post is that somebody from Cinemark will read it, recognize the problem, and know what to do about it.]  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 04-09-2002 04:32 PM                     Could also be that one or more of the subwoofs have been stolen in the Dolby Digital houses.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 04-09-2002 06:09 PM                    Or blown out because of the way they are hooked up...but I am not sure about this purticular theater. Some of them have all three systems in the same rack. some have only two of them and others have just one of a purticular brand.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-09-2002 06:55 PM                        What's weird is it seems like all the SR-D houses there have no subwoofer action, but the same location's DTS houses all definitely do have working subs. The difference is very noticeable.  |  IP: Logged Richard Hamilton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1341 From: Evansville, Indiana Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-09-2002 08:51 PM                     It's been awhile since I set up a 35mm house, but if I remember correctly: when you set the levels on DTS, you set the Sub level +10db. I think the same goes for SRD. I remember setting the levels in the CP500 that the sub output was +10DB also. It's been awhile , please correct me if I'm wrong, Rick  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-09-2002 09:26 PM                     David, What was the "host processor" to the Dolby digital houses or was it a CP-500/CP-650? Likewise, what was the host processor for the DTS or was it the DTS-6AD Steve ------------------ "Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 04-09-2002 10:02 PM                     I think what is happening with some of those Dolby Digital equipped Cinemark auditoriums is just an odd coincidence. I have been in plenty of DTS-equipped Cinemark houses that greatly lacked deep bass. I suspected blown subwoofers or a completely out of tune sound system. I watched "Rush Hour 2" at a new Cinemark/IMAX 3D build in Colorado Springs and was very disappointed by the sound quality. I could see through the port glass and tell the DTS player was working, but the audio was really no better than an average analog presentation.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-09-2002 10:11 PM                        Steve, I don't know the answer to that. Maybe Darryl Spicer knows. It would be the standard Cinemark package & configuration as of early 1999. They might be running Ultra-Stereo throughout. I could ask the GM except I think I'm on his sh*t list now. I am absolutely convinced I'm right though.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-09-2002 10:21 PM                     David, the Cinemark Webb Chapel is exactly like what you describe, although I'm not sure why the pattern is always that way. (Then again I've not heard a good sounding Cinemark theater since the days when they supported THX.) SRD runs through CP500s at all new Cinemark locations and CP65s on older installations. DTS always runs through Ultra Stereo.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 04-09-2002 10:57 PM                    All we run down here is DTS and they all seem to put out good sub bass. But like I said earlier. This theater may be using a Combo digital set up. I will ask our tech if I think about it the next time I see him.  |  IP: Logged Karen Hultgren Master Film Handler Posts: 492 From: Agoura Hills, CA, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 04-10-2002 01:04 PM                        The SMPTE standard (RP200)states that the digital subwoofer level be set for 10dB in-band gain (as compared to the center channel). All digital systems can and should be set to this standard. Karen at DTS  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-10-2002 01:33 PM                        Karen, the good news for you is the DTS-equipped houses sound pretty good. Darryl, by "combo digital" I assume you mean capable of multiple digital formats on the same screen? That's not what they have at this theater. Each is either DTS or SR-D, but not both, split roughly 50-50 among the 17 auditoriums.  |  IP: Logged Ethan Harper E-dawggg!!! Posts: 325 From: Plano, TX, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 04-10-2002 06:05 PM                     I guess they need to install their Cinemark Super Dee Duper Mega Digital Sound System. ------------------ --"That's my story and i'm sticking to it!"--  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-10-2002 07:00 PM                        Peering in through the booth glass in a DTS house, it looks like a DTS 6D player and an Ultra-Stereo JS-200 processor. From a distance anyway. That's all I could identify. The surround speakers are JBL, not sure of the model but they look like the ones commonly found in many theaters, including THX-certified.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 04-10-2002 10:18 PM                    Should be a jsx 1000 wich is a 200 at the max capability. yeah that was what I was refering to when I said Combo. one thing you have to remember about DTS is that the subbass channel is carried over with the surround channels. So the bass can be present some in the surrounds.  |  IP: Logged

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