On the audio side, the original speakers were not in the optimal spatial audio positions as they were installed prior to the current Atmos specifications. So we started with our home theater design tool, which is our free tool where you can put in your room dimensions and interactively build out your theater, and it will place your speakers, your projector, and everything else in real-time. We then had our team of theater designers complete the exact design with this room's unique aspect, including a full 3D render of the final room.
In terms of audio, if customers have the budget, we generally will get them into a JBL Synthesis system. JBL is known for having installed the systems in many of the country's best commercial theaters; the same is true for private home theaters. The JBL Synthesis system has a host of advantages. One main key point is that the system uses compression drivers. Compression drivers are dramatically more efficient than standard dome tweeters and thus have an incredible dynamic range. They can go from a very soft sound to slamming you in the chest in a fraction of a second, precisely what you want in a theater experience. This particular theater has 3 SCL-2s up front, which have three 8” drivers and a 1.5” compression driver. It has two SCL-7s as the front wides. These are angled at 15 degrees, and with their wide 90-degree dispersion, they can hit all of the seats in the room. Then, we have powerful SCL-4s on the sides. And another pair of SCL-7s in the back sides and SCL-6s, which have matching compression drives as the rears. In the ceiling, we have four SCL-5s, which are angled at 45 degrees and have a 60-degree spread. Getting the ceiling speakers in the right location is critical in modern theaters. You’ll notice that the home theater tool on our website has a slider allowing you to play with the position. The upshot is that in a theater like this with three rows, you’ll see that it perfectly positions them to maximize the main listening position but at the same time covers every single seat.