One thing that sets cinema sound apart from almost all other types of professional audio is that the goal for cinema playback is to be heard as much like the original recording as possible. This is significant, and not trivial. Filmmakers quite literally want you to experience their work as they saw it and heard … leer más
Before sound is heard through the loudspeakers, a cinema sound system must accomplish three primary functions – all which are typically performed by one, two or three individual components. A cinema processor takes digital content from the server and handles format selection, volume control, EQ, and typically outputs analog signals to drive amplifiers directly, or … leer más
How are cinema subwoofers different from professional audio subwoofers? Superficially, subwoofers for cinema and for professional audio applications may seem quite similar. While both are often big black boxes with dual 18” subwoofers, there are many differences due to the specific needs of each application. Let’s look at some of the differences between a cinema subwoofers, like … leer más
We are often asked to design “the best sound system” by a cinema owner. While we appreciate the opportunity to provide audio gear with outstanding performance, great sound requires more than just great equipment. Getting it right requires that you pay attention to each of these Six Steps. Skipping even ONE, will not get you … leer más
The Cinema industry has been hit hard by the COVID 19 shutdown. While we are optimistic about an eventual recovery, the industry will be changed by all that has occurred. Studio release patterns and theatrical windows are changing. Cinemas need other income streams that don’t rely so completely on major studio releases. Cinemas also need … leer más
Most conventional cinema “screen channel” loudspeakers are designed to sit on a platform behind the cinema screen. The low frequency (LF) enclosure is made of heavy MDF panels to offer the best low frequency performance for the lowest cost. The horn section is supported by metal brackets and is mounted to the top of the LF … leer más
In a previous blog about loudspeaker sensitivity, we looked at two readily available woofers to see how different specifications and construction techniques resulted in different amounts of low frequency output capability. For this discussion, we will take a single woofer design and see how using 1, 2 or 4 woofers affects total output capability. Doubling … leer más
Cinema dealers and customers often ask us which QSC speakers they could use to make a home cinema sound amazing. Many home cinema systems include an Audio Video Receiver (AVR). The AVR is the control center and power amplifier for typical 5.1 or 7.1 home theater sound systems with surround sound. The AVR contains 5 … leer más
Have you ever wondered which is a better method for wiring your surround speakers, and why?Some installers use Series-Parallel wiring schemes to conserve amp channels and raise load impedance on inferior amps. But at QSC, we have always recommended parallel wiring for all surround speakers when multiple speakers are combined on an amp channel. Parallel … leer más
In our previous blog post, Sensitivity Sensationalism, we looked at some incorrect assumptions often made around loudspeaker sensitivity and power ratings. We discussed the dangerous practice of publishing inflated specifications, including frequency range, power handling, impedance, and unspecified boundary loading conditions. And we promised a deep dive into the design of a Screen Channel Low … leer más
In this third and final installment of our look at small rooms, we’ll focus on Q-SYS and how it can be used for multi-room systems, especially “cinema on demand” rooms in commercial multiplex sites. As before, let’s look at room sizes of about 10m, or 33 ft. in length. We’ll also assume the use of … leer más
Loudspeaker sensitivity and power ratings have become the primary specifications used to design sound systems in cinema. This practice and these specifications are accepted at face value and not often questioned. They make designing sound systems fairly easy and straightforward. However, they rely on many assumptions and some of them are simply not valid, at least … leer más
In Part 1 of our discussion on small rooms, we focused on premium solutions using our Reference Monitor System. In Part 2, we will look at some systems using the economical DCS SC 1120 and SC 1150 screen channels and a variety of amplifier and processor options for small rooms, including private screening rooms, high-end … leer más
In addition to our larger audio solutions for mainstream multiplexes, QSC has several options for small rooms. These could be private screening rooms, high-end home cinemas, or even “cinema on demand” rooms in multiplex sites that are rented to small groups. While QSC can support all room sizes, let’s focus on rooms of less than … leer más
The best speakers in the world are not going to sound great if they are not located in the proper position and aimed correctly at the audience. The goal of a cinema sound system is to provide the best possible sound to a large number of people. Each seating location should have a similar audio … leer más
Discover the power and flexibility of the new DPA-Q amplifier series Q-SYS – our ecosystem for audio, video, and control – combined with our new DPA-Q amps, has become increasingly popular for powering immersive audio systems in Premium Large Format cinemas. In this post, we’ll show you how you can use our new 8-channel DPA-Q … leer más
Setting up DCA amps with QSC DataPort processors and DCS Series Loudspeakers is fast and easy because a single HD-15 cable carries all connections between the amplifiers and processor. Dual channel audio input, control of AC standby mode, amplifier output monitoring and even impedance measurement of loudspeaker loads are all accomplished via a single DataPort cable … leer más
Subwoofer failures have several causes. Repeated failures indicate that there is something wrong with the application or the installation. Simply replacing woofers will not fix the underlying problem. Well-designed, high quality subwoofers should not fail. Check the following things to find the real issue. 1. The room is too big. Another way of saying this … leer más