Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas W. Bethe  All the level meters and careful attention to levels is not going to mean much when an 18 year old "projectionist" (read switch flipper and knob turner) decides to over ride the "normal" level for a film and blast the audience just because he or she has the ultimate power over the volume control and wants to flaunt that power.
I usually go to Cinemark theaters because the audio use to be well done, the projection is GREAT, the seats are comfortable and the popcorn taste GREAT!
Lately the one Cinemark Cineplex I go to has been having problems with getting the audio levels right. I talked to the manager and he assured me that everything is calibrated and working correctly. The problem is that the trailers are super bright and super loud and sometimes the feature is so loud I have to stick napkins in my ears to get through the movie. I haven't taken my Sound Level Meter with me but I would suspect that the levels are well over 100 dBSPL for most of the movie and sometimes reached over 110 dBSPL for short periods. That is simply too loud for extended listening. The last movie I saw there was so over done in levels that I had a hearing shift that lasted almost a whole day even with the napkins in my ears.
I am not sure whether this is a problem with the theater management or that some 18 year old who thinks it is cool to blast the patrons with very LOUD audio. What ever the problem I think it is up to the management to correct it or people are going to stop going (or maybe not). I know the next time I go to that theater I will take along some ear plugs. There were about 25 patrons in a theater that can seat 300 so there was really no need to blast everyone with super loud sound.
I have not contacted Cinemark directly but that maybe my next course of action.
I just wanted to add that with all the careful attention to everything that is done in post there is still the wild card, the projectionist, and they can make or break a movie going experience for a lot of people by how they "adjust" the volume knob.
FWIW and YMMV |
i never go to a movie without my 30dB plugs
and never go to something I know will be loud without ALSO taking my 25dB ear muffs to use TOO