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This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
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Author
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Topic: Next generation IMAX sound system detailed
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Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012
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posted 08-29-2014 01:01 PM
I found this over at home theater forums, not sure how true this is but here is the link Next Gen IMAX Sound System
I have been wondering where I should post this information, I looked at a few sites (blu-ray.com etc) and personally chose this site. This would be my first post. Certain information is purposely omitted.
I have personally seen the new IMAX sound system installed in a multiplex IMAX, (note: the theater is NOT a classic built GT/SR IMAX location), why and how I saw the sound system is irrelvant as I will not be giving away that information. Everyone who is familiar with the IMAX Digital multiplex (MPX for short) knows that there are three speakers behind the screen, two full range speakers in the each rear corner of the theater, and a subwoofer behind the screen. The new sound system is a 12 channel system.
Additions to the already existing IMAX set up include:
Two side speakers on the left and right side of the auditorium. The speaker will be held on a metal hanging stand, (the speaker will not be positioned on the wall), the speakers are about 1.5 foot X 1.75 foot in size. The speaker is customed built by IMAX and will have the IMAX logo in the middle on the bottom of the front. The grille in front of the speaker is made of metal mesh that will wrap around 1.45 inches on all four sides. You will be able to see the screws that hold the speakers in place. Four overhead speakers, each speaker is appox 2 foot X 2 foot and will be positioned flush with ceiling tiles on the roof. The front overhead speakers will have a slight curve/wrap to the front of the grille that helps it point towards the first 7-9 rows of the audience. The rear overhead speakers will also be approx 2 foot by 2 foot and will also have a slight curve (although less pronounced) pointed towards the rear 7 rows of the audience. Like the side speakers, there will be a metal mesh grille with the IMAX logo on the speaker.
Channel additions include:
OFL
OFR
ORL
OFR
VOG (Voice of God)
Side left
Sife right
Existing channels are:
SL
SC
SR
Surround LC
Surround RC
Subwoofer
I cannot yet confirm a few things:
1. Is the VOG overhead for all four speakers?
2. Are the OFL, OFR, ORL, ORR independent channels or one voice of god channel?
3. Are there any speaker additions behind the screen?
4. I cannot confirm if GT/SR locations will have larger customer built speakers to compensate for the larger/higher auditoriums. 5. Will GT/SR location have the speakers hanging down from the ceiling vs the in ceiling set up in a mulitplex.
If the new four overhead speakers are in fact one channel, it is posibble (more than likely) that there are addition screen speakers behind the screen. I cannot confirm either or.
The new sound system is open to all IMAX customers which include GT/SR and MPX customers.
The look to the set up is rather elegant and the customer will notice the speakers when they enter an IMAX auditorium.
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Carsten Kurz
Film God
Posts: 4340
From: Cologne, NRW, Germany
Registered: Aug 2009
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posted 08-31-2014 08:28 AM
I wrote about this four months ago:
http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f14/t000258.html
Terrys quote shows the same speaker layout as Barcos Auro 11.1 system.
http://www.barco.com/~/media/Downloads/White%20papers/2011/Auro%2011-1%20-%20A%20new%20dimension%20in%20cinema%20sound.pd f?
Barco supplies their Alchemy servers/IMS to IMAX cinemas with the new LIP systems, because the Alchemy server currently is the only one capable to control Barcos LIPs and deliver 4k in HFR.
It would be natural to use Auro for IMAX as Barcos servers support it AND the format is compatible with all previous 5.1 IMAX locations without the need for a dedicated sound mix/format. They could upgrade slowly one by one without major disruptions.
Currently, IMAX digital theaters use DOREMI servers, which support Auro 3D decoding as well - thus it would be easy to upgrade the sound systems of existing IMAX theaters to 11.1 without going the expensive LIP route.
Another option would be to downmix/transcode Auro encoded 5.1/11.1 mixes to a standard LPCM DCI 16ch mix, so they would have all the 11.1 audio from the Auro audio mix, but not in the Auro technical encoding format. That way, previous IMAX locations could even further use their Doremis without LIP, but WITH the 11.1 speaker layout, just in case Dolby drops Auro support from the Doremi servers now that they own Doremi...
One thing is sure - IMAX needs to implement a higher level (err.., forgive the pun... higher channel count...) sound system as a competitive measure now that other chains advertise their own sound branding or Auro/Atmos.
BUT - If IMAX would implement their own 5.1+ sound system (be it channel or object based) - they would need to do their own multichannel sound mixes for all IMAX major releases. That is quite unlikely to happen, given the time constraints prior to world wide launch dates.
The studios themselves would not do another 5.1+ sound format just for IMAX - they are already complaining about the needed efforts to supply 5.1 + 7.1 + Auro + ATMOS + HI/VI...
I also doubt they would hand out the raw tracks of a feature sound mix close to release-time for IMAX to do their own multichannel mix. It doesn't work that way.
Doing a DMR or reframing for IMAX native AR is a piece of cake compared to a full soundmix for a proprietary 5.1+ sound system. And I doubt IMAX will base their new sound system on simple upmixing of 5.1 tracks only.
However, the studios would be happy to supply an Auro 11.1 mix for all conventional Auro 3D equipped theaters that would work in IMAX (be they 11.1 or 5.1 equipped) theaters as well. IMAX could then still do their usual boosts and tweaks on an otherwise finished 11.1 audio master mix.
All said, makes an awful lot of sense to me strategically and techwise...
One issue may be that IMAX will probably not want to have any co-branding with IMAX, that is, they probably do not want to see 'IMAX+Auro 3D' on screen or posters. But they could have a special deal with Barco about this, and I think Auro Technologies would like to have that increased market acceptance as well in the ongoing Auro<->Atmos fight, even if the deal potentially lacks regular branding obligations.
- Carsten
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Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012
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posted 09-02-2014 11:15 AM
quote: Carsten Kurz
It simply wouldn't make sense NOT to use Auro, if the speaker layout is more or less the same and mixes for it are created anyway.
Carsten, while I do agree that Auro is likely the cheapest and easiest route for IMAX to take so that studios/IMAX do not have to make additional mixes, IMAX does release movies in more than 700+ release locations for a DMR. For mega budget movies like Transformers, Star Wars, Star Trek, having a studio create an additional IMAX mix would not be all that difficult, time consuming, or costly. Studios are making Atmos and Auro mixes and the network for those two formats are about 350+ combined locations.
I do not think the set up for IMAX will be identical to Auro.
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. In addition, IMAX almost guarantees that the movie will be in IMAX locations upon release. So there is no doubt that the studios would cut an IMAX version of the sound mix.
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