Movie theater sound calibration location.

Submitted by Dear-Bid4102 t3_11diau4 in movies

I have read that movie theaters calibrate their sound 2/3rd from the screen. I have always wondered is this 2/3 in terms of rows or is it 2/3rds in terms of actual distance. When theaters do their sound calibration how do they determine what is 2/3. For example if a theater has 15 rows and is 85 feet long. Would they go to 10th row or the row that falls closest to 56 feet? Or is not true that they even calibrate on the 2/3rd spot? Also I have noticed that in my theater the row as determined by feet from screen that is the 2/3rd is also the middle row.

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CinemaAudioNovice t1_ja8xw3q wrote

We just estimate 2/3s the distance from the screen, no counting rows, just look at the room and make a judgment call. You also want to be just below the centerline height wise

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Dear-Bid4102 OP t1_ja8yj1p wrote

Wow thank you! When you say just below center height are you referring that you also look for that in terms of location of calibration?

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CinemaAudioNovice t1_ja8z6up wrote

Yes, but not every room is ideal, sometimes being just below center will be too close or too far from the screen so you have to find a compromise in that situation. That’s why you walk into every room and make a unique judgement call. Every room is different, some the seating is offset to the side because it only has one side entrance, some have an aisle down the middle where no one sits, etc.

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Dear-Bid4102 OP t1_ja904i2 wrote

So let me ask you, do you think it matters sitting in that location. I have been wondering if AMC adding walls behind the seats would mess up acoustics. So I’m thinking the calibration must correct for this. I would also like to assume that a theater like a Dolby Cinema would be better calibrated to account for this? Thoughts?

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CinemaAudioNovice t1_ja930kb wrote

There’s only so much you can do to correct for a bad room unfortunately.

Premium screens like Dolby are always going to be given extra care and have much more calibration involved due to the extra channels and speakers. The rooms are also usually better designed acoustically.

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Dear-Bid4102 OP t1_ja960b7 wrote

Do you have any thoughts on the walls behind each seat? You think they mess up acoustics too much? I’m thinking of seeing more movies in imax for that reason.

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CinemaAudioNovice t1_ja97ln2 wrote

I haven’t noticed any problems with the walls behind recliners, they’re generally short and carpeted.

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