We Upgraded our Sound
A new subwoofer, upgraded surrounds, and a full pass on the entire system means our presentation finally sounds as good as it looks. Want the details? Learn More
Fury Road is the epitome of maximalist filmmaking. A two-hour rush of striking imagery and wildly creative set pieces. It could have been a chaotic blur, but the impeccable film-craft of George Miller and company rendered its world with vivid detail. This technical prowess extends to the audio. There are plenty of roaring engines and booming explosions, but that’s not the hard part. What sets the film apart is the clarity and fidelity that exist within the chaos.
Saturday (7/15) - 9:30*
Monday (7/17) - 7:00
*We’re turning it up extra loud for the late show on Saturday.
On 35mm Film
Good audio is about more than big noises and surround sound, and no film demonstrates this like Cinemagic favorite There Will Be Blood. From Johnny Greenwood’s incredible score to the impeccable sense of place created by the film’s soundscape, it’s a masterclass in sound design.
Sunday (7/16) - 7:00
Tuesday (7/18) - 7:00
The audio of Drive is all about contrasts. It’s a world of neon lit calm, punctuated by deafening outburst of violence. All of this is supported by one of the best synth soundtracks ever put to film. It’s remarkable both for quality and restraint, vanishing entirely for the titular driving sequences to leave nothing but engine noise.
Friday (7/14) - 10:00*
Saturday (7/15) - 7:00
*We’re turning it up extra loud for the late show on Friday.
Much has been said Tenet’s ill-chosen 2020 release date, or its complex puzzle box of a plot, but far too little attention has been given to the exceptional technical execution of Tenet. It’s a movie that was crafted for the expansive audio of a proper cinema.
Friday (7/14) - 6:45
Sunday (7/16) - 3:30
Schedule by day
Friday (7/14)
6:45 - Tenet
10:00 - Drive*
Saturday (7/15)
7:00 - Drive
9:30 - Mad Max: Fury Road*
Sunday (7/16)
3:30 - Tenet
7:00 - There Will Be Blood (on 35mm)
Monday (7/17)
7:00 - Mad Max: Fury Road
Tuesday (7/18)
7:00 - There Will Be Blood (on 35mm)
* Head Up! We’re going to play the late shows extra loud on Friday and Saturday.
Wondering exactly what we did?
Here’s the punch list…
New subwoofer driver and amplifier. The subwoofer cabinet was OK, but the speaker itself was… not. We replaced the speaker and installed a new amplifier that added about 1000 watts to the channel. This one isn’t rocket science: more bass = more bass.
Completely rebuilt half the surrounds. We installed a new crossover, replaced the main driver, and added high frequency drivers to the larger surround speakers. Before the upgrade, these were retrofitted home speakers that (all considered) didn’t sound too bad. Still, they didn’t sound good enough. They bring a lot more range and fidelity now, which also helps with a sense of positioning for audio behind you.
Minor improvements to the other surrounds. The other half of the surrounds were decent theater speakers that we partially rebuilt before opening, but the high frequency drivers weren’t great. We installed new HF drivers and different crossover in these to brighten up the top end.
All Surrounds repositioned. They were way too high, and aimed more at the opposing wall than the audience. We dropped them down, moved them back, and pointed them in the right direction. This will somewhat improve the quality of the audio, and dramatically improve the sense of surround sound coming from distinct positions around you. This may seem like one of the simpler changes, but in practice it’s the most dramatic (it was also, by far, the most work).
New amp for center channel. The old amp was bringing a little bit of static, and running too close to max power. The new amp brings cleaner audio and a little more headroom when we want to turn it up.
A full equalization/timing/level pass. New kit means it’s time to rebalance the whole thing so it sounds it’s best.
Minor repairs to the stage speakers. The stage speakers were already top-notch, and until now they were mostly being held back by the rest of the system. Still, they got a little TLC to make sure everything was in order.
Where does that leave us?
The Cinemagic has been 7.1 surround capable since we re-opened 2 years ago, but shortcomings in the surrounds made it hard to tell. Now, films with 7.1 surround will sound great, and actually benefit from those two extra channels.
That said, it’s something of a dirty industry secret that the vast majority of films are still mixed for 5.1 surround (yup, even if you pay extra for whatever made-up ‘premium’ format the big chains are selling now). Instead of sinking piles of money into trendy audio tech that only sees use in mega-budget blockbusters, we focused on making the core system the best it could be and giving it the flexibility to sound great regardless of format.
It’s our goal to have the best theatrical presentation in Portland. We’ve been in this business long enough to know that making that happen is about a lot more than expensive toys. It takes a lot of time and patience to make a system that sounds and looks it’s best, and while our ego may never be big enough to claim “The Best Presentation in Portland”, we feel comfortable saying that all this work has left us way closer to that goal.