Achieving Musicality behind a perf screen.

I have seen the baffle method which imagesoutside of the screen. But what if three equal speakers could image in and out of the screen cavity (assuming minimum frequency response distorion. Could n't a more musical behind the screen experience be achieved?

http://cineramax.com/images/Helenebob.jpg

Baffle mounted variety speakers...

http://cineramax.com/images/HeleneSnell.jpg

Floorstanding Audiophile speaker array with little absorption (just rear).

http://cineramax.com/images/New-Speaker-Array.jpg

Assume all speakers are finished black. Seems to me this could be a more musical system.

First thing is to start with the RIGHT screen, SMX
Have you visited the smxscreen.com site?

Your idea is used in general by many here already I believe.

I have seen the baffle method which imagesoutside of the screen. But what if three equal speakers could image in and out of the screen cavity (assuming minimum frequency response distorion.
I'm not sure what you are saying.

http://www.subcentral.ch/images/history/010309-pre_mounted_screen.jpg

http://www.thesoundbroker.com/Images/THXinwall.jpg

Those are baffle walls. I am talking about the opposite.


Just having the speakers free standing behind the acoustical transparent screen. If the screen is sufficiently transparent the speakers would image nice and openly. Of course the back wall should have absorption but the floorstanding speakers per se could just sit behind the screen.

I am putting three free-standing line arrays behind an SMX screen. The drivers will fit perfectly behind the screen itself. I am hoping for an awesome result.

Thanks Fatawan, your answer helps my current dilemma. I really don't want to engage in screen comparisons at this point. The work Stewart has done for the Torus screen is a major engineering feat that no other screen company has the wherewithall to achieve. I am sure their VistaScope screen will be a home run.

As much as Id like to think that I am "mr. video know it all", there is a BARCO VAR outfit that sets up Post Production rooms for the top facilities in Hollywood. They are staffed with engineers with background in DLP manufacturing, gamma LUT doctorates, these guys REALLY know their stuff, and if you want a modded Barco Digital Cinema unit for home use, these are the go to guys. Interestingly they fully credit Odyssey as the pioneer in reduced aperture plates.


One of these days I will share a conversation I had with this Barco Digital Cinema Post Production sub group regarding what screen I HAD TO USE. I was planning on a Torus, or a 4 way mp, or even something like what Tryg did at home with his high power. But no, they are specking out this surprising little upstart company for their Post House work.

I wont let the cat out of the bag yet until I see it for myself, but never before had I had the very top projector manufacturer shove a screen down my throat, based on it's transparency, white field uniformity, color spectrae and contrast enhancement.

I will report back at a later date.

Thanks Again.

I am putting three free-standing line arrays behind an SMX screen. The drivers will fit perfectly behind the screen itself. I am hoping for an awesome result.

Tell us more about this! I have exact same idea of three floor to ceiling arrays behind my SMX screen. I'm thinking of going with line arrays for my surrounds also.

This is what many of us have done. and most using an SMX screen.

Here you see the place for the speakers though not all in place yet:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb101/Arwenmark/100_1561.jpg

and here the screen which the speakers are behind on the shelves as shown
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb101/Arwenmark/Picturesjan07059.jpg

Nice.

I have three of the AV123 LS6's on order. The array drivers are ~52" long, and they start about 15-18" from the ground. With a stage, the entire driver array can be within the dimensions of the screen so there will be no interference from the screen wall infrastructure. If I get everything lined up correctly, then my ears should be smack dab in the middle of the array as well, and even the seats in the second row won't suffer from having their ears above the drivers. That's one thing that worries me about "just any" large floorstander behind a screen, especially on a stage. The first row of listeners may end up with ears well below the drivers, and we all know that many speakers perform much differently when you move along the vertical axis. Trial and error, as always.

Those are interesting baffle walls, all of the things I have read and seen usually say that the wall needs to be slightly curved. There should be a only a slight opening around the speaker. It will help reduce or eliminate cabinet affects.

[QUOTE=Fatawan]That's one thing that worries me about "just any" large floorstander behind a screen, especially on a stage. The first row of listeners may end up with ears well below the drivers, and we all know that many speakers perform much differently when you move along the vertical axis.QUOTE]


Good point. Although with three rows my front rows ususallly get second class treatment.

"SMX mentioned in above post has 1.16 gain (their website) but not elec retractable."

I don't know the current status, but they kept promising one

I just spoke to them, not going to happen.

The people at the Barco Post House VAR said NEVER to use a roll down screen. Can you lift up the screen Rene like a garage door? Swing up then slide back. That should not be too hard to do.

"The people at the Barco Post House VAR said NEVER to use a roll down screen."

Why not?

"They all wrinkle."

Thanks for the reply/info!

Awhile ago I was looking at a curved AT screen fixed in a frame (S/R and Stewart) and than almost fantasized what you suggest: lift+180ºturn+move horz to wall. That extra step (180º) will face the hollow side backwards against the frontwall, all done 2m high above the speakers. Technically possible (not easy!)... but I don't know (looks like an old bridge construction)... :confused:

Must more convenient and much better in finishing of the room would be an elec retractable screen. :rolleyes:

"The people at the Barco Post House VAR said NEVER to use a roll down screen."
"They all wrinkle."

I have seen a big (SW=4m?) 16:9 elec retractable flat AT screen from S/R which indeed had some waves/smile in it. Since than I'm somewhat disappointed in S/R (also for their low 0.8 gain). S/R even says they stopped now making them above SW=140" for that reason.

Nevertheless I did expect until now a good quality elec retractable (flat) AT 2.35:1 screen from Stewart as being possible/durable/reliable, even at 14' or 15' SW. Are you sure they can't make it and keep their quality?

Isn't that the same screen (w/sidemasking) as Art Sonneborn now owns or has ordered for his new HT5000?

Rene,
Mine isn't curved or retractable.

Art