The DME is installed at the BFI Southbank facility (formerly the National Film Theatre), which screens over 1,000 films a year and caters for a wide variety of film formats, including being the only public cinema in the UK still permitted to show the potentially hazardous nitrate film.
The BFI prides itself on the quality of its screenings. "Cinema is about the whole experience," says freelance cinema consultant / technician Ed Mauger, who plays a key role at the facility. "The prints of films you see at regional cinemas are mass produced and not particularly good quality, which I find a great shame. For a good quality cinema experience, it's not just about the quality of the visuals - it's the quality of the sound, the comfort of the seats, the décor - they all play a role."
When money became available for the BFI to upgrade the venue, that 'whole experience' was uppermost in the minds of all involved. "I wanted to put in an audio system which was at least three way," says Mauger. "Our existing audio processor didn't do tri-amping and so we looked at a range of alternative options. It soon became apparent that the DME was a cost-effective solution, because it has so many features.
"It was also recommended by Unique Cinema Systems in Norway. DME has been installed in the Norsk Film Institute over there, which reassured us that it must be good," says Mauger. "I also knew of the installation at DTS's theatre and the technical manager there also recommended Yamaha products highly."
Mauger ultimately specified a four way audio system, the audio from the various film formats such as 35mm, 70mm, DTS and Dolby being decoded, routed through a Panastereo Cinema Processor and fed to the DME64n, which provides crossovers, delays and surround routing.
(Jim Evans)
