Harman solution for halo upgrade
- Details
As one of only three cinema-scale audio mix rooms in central London, halo had earmarked this as the first phase in a comprehensive refit of the 10,000sq.ft building, converting the stage into a Dolby Atmos environment, based around 46 JBL loudspeakers.The speakers, along with the Crown DCi-N network amplifiers and BSS Soundweb DSP, were supplied by Sound Technology, who distribute these and other Harman brands in the UK and Ireland.
Providing technical support from Sound Technology was senior application engineer, Ben Todd. He explained that with Atmos gaining traction in the industry, halo had felt the time was right to bring their main studio up to a reference spec.
With halo’s head of audio operations Richard Addis, and lead mix technician Johnathan Rush overseeing the implementation, in addition to the new generation technology, a heavy commitment was made at the same time to updating the room aesthetics, in order to provide a level of comfort and quality to match the already very highly regarded room acoustics.
halo, at first, had been reticent to change from their existing trusty bi-amped JBL loudspeakers. “So we persuaded them to have a demo of the tri-amped [JBL] 3732T ScreenArray to ensure that their LCR channels were up to date and worthy of the room,” said Todd. Sound Technology provided demo units of all JBL loudspeakers and Crown DCi-N amplifiers for the purpose, and according to Todd, “the demo convinced their well-trained ears that the upgrade was justified.”
Dolby advised on the remainder of the system using various JBL 9300 Series Cinema Surrounds and JBL AC18 and AC28 overhead channels, along with JBL 4642A screen subs and 4645C surround subs.
Crown’s DCi Drivecore Network series amplifiers were selected. Their high-performance DSP and converters, matched to their low distortion and high damping factor output stages, ensure tight, detailed and articulate reproduction of the mix material. They also feature BLU link which allows a high resolution, simple, cost-effective and resilient way to achieve a complete digital signal path when used in conjunction with the BSS BLU-806 DSP processor.
In this application, halo decided on the BSS BLU-806, with its configurable I/O, for a number of reasons, enabling them to switch effortlessly from Atmos configuration to 5.1, 7.1, IMAX or DTS:X.
“The BSS Soundweb London platform is a proven product in multi-channel post production, and allows facilities the flexibility to design a control interface and signal path to suit their requirements,” observed Addis. “The BLU-806 also has the high quality audio path and well-respected filters that earned BSS their reputation for sonic excellence.”
Summing up, Richard Addis said, “The installation went unusually smoothly, which was a testament to hard work and meticulous planning. It was completed slightly ahead of time, which is almost unheard of.”
Since the upgrade of Studio 1, several major blockbusters have been mixed through the JBL Cinema System, including Ghost Stories, Darkest Hour and Paddington 2. “The feedback from everyone who has mixed here has been overwhelmingly positive,” he concluded.
(Jim Evans)
