Universal Cinema Services Keeps Rave Motion Pictures On The Cutting Edge With Harman Pro Group Cinema Companies JBl Professional And Crown

Universal Cinema Services, one of the most successful cinema system consulting and installation firms in the United States, has enjoyed continued success with Harman Pro Cinema Group products, as evidenced by its installation of JBL Professional ScreenArray® loudspeakers and Crown DSi amplifiers in Rave Motion Pictures theaters across the United States.

Based in Dallas, TX, Rave Motion Pictures owns more than 25 multiplex theaters throughout the Midwest and southern United States. One of the more upscale theater circuits in the country, Rave became the largest exhibition chain to outfit every screen in each theater with digital projection. Additionally, each screen offers digital surround sound and stadium seating.

To provide an audio experience that meets the high standards for which Rave has become known, Universal Cinema Services has installed Harman audio systems in all Rave theater locations throughout the country. Many of these installations feature JBL Professional ScreenArray loudspeakers and Crown DSi amplifiers, which integrate seamlessly to deliver uniform coverage and unmatched clarity, while providing the power necessary for high-performance cinema systems.

JBL Professional ScreenArray loudspeakers feature JBL’s best technical innovations, integrated in a system design that provides superior coverage, maximum power handling, and uniform acoustic power output, along with extremely low distortion. The ScreenArray design provides ideal power response and directivity control with seamless transitions between acoustic sections. The Crown DSi Series was engineered from the ground up for cinema applications and is composed of three two-channel amplifier models and an eight-channel system monitor. An intuitive front-panel LCD guides installers through the process of choosing loudspeaker signal processing presets and other system parameters.

"Our company, Universal Cinema Services, has represented JBL and Crown for many years,” said Stan Lamb, President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Cinema Services. “We are continually impressed with the high quality and competitive pricing that we can provide to our customers. The collaboration of JBL and Crown's engineering departments has produced matched components that are, we feel, superior offerings in the marketplace. The ‘wow’ factor that the latest generation of stage speakers and amps provides is nothing short of amazing. We look forward to our continued partnership with JBL and Crown as we work together toward the theater of the future."

“Universal Cinema Services has remained at the forefront of cinema design and installation for decades, thanks to the company’s utilization of the highest-quality technology components to provide the best movie experience possible,” said Stephen Morris, Harman Pro Group Vice President of Cinema Sales & Marketing. “The audio systems at Rave theaters across the country are the result of Harman and Universal Cinema’s mutual commitment to innovation.”

Harman Pro Cinema Group Companies JBL Professional And Crown Provide Dynamic Audio Experience For New 5-Theater Multiplex in Slovakia

Demonstrating the company’s ability to provide unmatched audio quality for the world’s most technologically advanced theaters, the Harman Pro Cinema Group has announced that AudioMaster s.r.o. recently outfitted five theaters in a brand-new cinema complex with JBL Professional ScreenArray® loudspeakers and Crown DSi amplifiers. Located in Zilina, Slovakia, the new CineMAX multiplex opened last December.

An example of the growing worldwide popularity of all-in-one shopping and entertainment centers, the new CineMAX in Zilina is part of a large, brand-new shopping center known as MAX that contains more than 100 stores. As such, one of the main goals of CineMAX was to provide an entertainment experience on par with the dynamic shopping experience of the brand new center. To accomplish this, a state-of-the-art sound system was imperative.

The CineMAX in Zilina contains five theaters—three of identical size and two larger theaters of different sizes. In total, the five theaters contain 15 JBL ScreenArray screen channel loudspeakers, six 4642GS subwoofers and 72 cinema surround loudspeakers. A total of 32 Crown DSi Series amplifiers power the systems, which also feature a total of five DSi 8M system monitors. The largest theater also contains a foyer, which is equipped with five JBL Control 24C ceiling speakers, one Crown 28M mixer and one Crown XLS202D power amplifier.

Harman Pro Distributor AudioMaster s.r.o. designed the systems at CineMAX and supplied the equipment. “Because we wanted to provide CineMAX with a state-of-the-art audio system that would keep customers coming back, we chose JBL ScreenArray loudspeakers and Crown DSi amplifiers,” said Michal Smolarik, Product Manager, AudioMaster s.r.o. “The system has performed exceptionally since CineMAX opened and has provided a crucial element to the overall performance of a cinema system.”

“As the visual element of the moviegoing experience continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the demand for equally advanced audio technology is also growing,” said Stephen Morris, Harman Pro Group Vice President of Cinema Sales & Marketing. “The new CineMAX multiplex in Zilina is a showcase for cutting-edge cinema technology, and is an example of the Harman Pro Cinema Group’s ability to provide high-quality audio for the most sophisticated cinema systems in the word.”

Marcus Theatres Turns To Harman Pro Cinema Group Companies JBL Professional and Crown To Deliver At New UltraScreen Theater In Pickerington

Leading cinema group Marcus Theatres® has recently installed a Digital-B-Chain™ Cinema sound system in its new UltraScreen® theater in Pickerington, OH. The Digital-B-Chain system features loudspeakers from JBL Professional and amplification, networking and processing from Crown Audio.

The Pickerington UltraScreen, featuring a 70-foot-wide screen, is a brand-new 400-seat auditorium, and is Marcus Theatres’ 10th Digital-B-Chain installation. The stage speakers consist of three channels of Academy Award-winning JBL ScreenArray® 4632 loudspeakers with a column of six 4642A dual 18-inch subwoofers. Additionally, the unique surround system features four JBL AC2212/00 loudspeakers on each side wall and one AM4315/95 loudspeaker in each corner. Nine Crown CT3000 amplifiers loaded with DBC network digital audio modules power the system, providing 27,000 total watts of power all with the highest resolution digital signal processing. “When I discussed the unique surround requirements with Mark Collins, I realized that the systems from JBL’s Application Engineered Series, designed specifically for themed entertainment venues, would provide the ideal high powered surround effects, “ said Chuck Goodsell, Director of Cinema Marketing, JBL Professional. “The Progressive Transition Waveguides™ featured in the AM and AC Series combine outstanding pattern control with undistorted natural sound throughout the auditorium.”

“The system at Pickerington is similar to other Harman systems we have installed in the past, but with fewer speakers and a higher power rating,” said Mark Collins, Director of Projection Technology, Marcus Theatres. “The eight AC2212/00 loudspeakers on the side walls and two AM4315/95 loudspeakers in the back corners provide great coverage, and the setup was extremely quick and easy.”

Goodsell further comments, “The Harman Pro Cinema Group’s Digital B-Chain technology offers unmatched control and versatility, while being optimized to perform seamlessly with Digital Cinema systems. Our continuing successful relationship with Mark Collins and Marcus Theatres is an example of Harman’s ability to meet the needs of one of the most technologically advanced theater circuits in the United States.”

Harman Pro Cinema Group Companies JBL Professional And Crown Collaborate With Cinemeccanica To Bring Networked Digital Audio To Cinema Park In Russia

The Harman Pro Cinema Group and Italian systems integrator Cinemeccanica, have designed and installed the world’s first complete multiplex Digital B-Chain™ cinema audio network for leading Russian cinema exhibitor, Cinema Park, at Cinema Park’s new 10 screen multiplex in Novosibirsk, Russia. The project is the first all Digital B-Chain installation with the entire multiplex utilizing DBC Systems in all 10 auditoriums. The DBC systems supplied by the Harman Pro Cinema Group and Cinemeccanica, include Crown CTs series amplifiers with DBC network modules and DBC network bridges and feature JBL Academy Award winning ScreenArray® cinema loudspeakers. The design and installation was made possible by the cooperative partnership of the HPRO Cinema Group, Cinemeccanica, and Cinema Park.

“The commitment to Harman Pro’s digital audio technology demonstrates Cinema Park’s philosophy of continually improving the Russian cinema patron’s experience here in Novosibirsk,” comments Sergey Kitin, General Director for Cinema Park Russia. “We have found working with both Cinemeccanica and the Harman Pro Cinema Group to be very beneficial for Cinema Park’s long term success. Collectively they have understood not only our needs for today but their digitally integrated solution fit perfectly with our expansion plans which rely heavily on a platform of digitally integrated network technologies used throughout our theatres.”

At the heart of Cinema Park’s Digital B-Chain system is the DBC Network Bridge, which allows distribution of multiple channels of digital audio over a standard Ethernet network throughout Cinema Park’s multiplex keeping the entire digital audio signal path to remain in the digital domain until the final and only digital to analog conversion which takes place inside the amplifier via the DBC network modules. Each of the 10 DBC Bridges accepts eight channels of AES digital audio from each respective Dolby 650 cinema processor. A multitude of routing and equalization options are available in the DBC Bridge, which can be used for critical room tuning and all parameters can be stored, labeled, and recalled as one of 32 different presets. The DBC Bridge then distributes a packaged “single click” network that includes CobraNet® digital audio and system-wide control protocol to all 89 Crown CTs amplifiers on site. This packaged “single click” solution eliminates the need for multiple network runs between the DBC Bridge and the amplifiers, simplifying the design and eliminating excessive costs. Although Cinema Park expects to employ Digital Cinema projectors in all 10 auditoriums in the near future, two of them now use Cinemeccanica’s digital solution CLC3D2. In these auditoriums cinema patrons can be immersed in a completely digital experience including digital cinema projection and Digital B-Chain networked digital audio.

The scope of the Harman system, featuring Digital B-Chain, Crown amps and JBL loudspeakers is a result of in-depth cooperation among the three parties and the unified vision shared by Harman, Cinema Park and Cinemeccanica. Massimo Riva of Cinemeccanica reveals how this shared vision resulted in such a system.
“We made a thorough analysis not only of current theater demands but future use of cinema facilities for alternative content,” said Massimo. “Everything from evaluating the cost of copper wire and traditional components to connecting and integrating new equipment was looked at, and we decided the ability to use Harman’s Digital B-Chain technology to network the amplifiers with short runs to the high quality speakers was the best route to take. The ability to use Cat 6 cabling was cost effective and the network enables us to monitor and control so many parameters that we could not otherwise do. It’s all possible because the Harman Pro Group components were designed from the beginning to work together.”

This thinking is echoed by Stephen Morris, Harman Pro Group Vice President of Cinema Sales & Marketing who notes, “Cinema Park has clearly taken steps towards not only future proofing their new multiplexes with state-of-the art digital audio networking but their vision of implementing these technologies to the benefit of everyday business is commendable. Construction cost savings were immediately realized during installation thanks to use of inexpensive Ethernet networks. Now Cinema Park’s technical service and support groups will benefit as their DBC System can send them real time system wide diagnostic reports of Novosibirsk to their remote office in Moscow.