HARMAN International India Pvt. Ltd. has successfully completed an audio system installation with HARMAN JBL Professional cinema loudspeakers at PVR Cinema in Juhu, Mumbai. PVR Cinema is India’s leading and premium cinema exhibition chain.PVR Cinema in Juhu consists of five auditoriums, which have varied seating capacity ranging from approximately 100 to 300 seats. Due to its prime location, the Juhu property of PVR hosts previews and premieres of most of the major movie releases every week. With Mumbai at the heart of the Bollywood community, PVR had to ensure that its Juhu cinema location provided the best-in-class cinema experience, especially concerning the audio and projection systems.
Since PVR Juhu is considered a premium cinema, and, since it has been open for a few years, PVR decided to upgrade the sound systems to meet the latest technology standards. PVR Juhu sought the expertise and consultation of the HARMAN Professional India team for the refurbishment and upgrade of the sound systems for all the screens in the cinema. Samir Mistry, Application Engineer, HARMAN Professional India, carried out the system installation with assistance from Hi-Tech Audio Systems, the authorized India distributor for HARMAN Professional products in India. With the advent of 3D cinema, it was evident that the sound systems would have to match the requirements of the latest developments in worldwide cinema standards and also leave sufficient scope for upgrades.
PVR opted for HARMAN JBL 5742 ScreenArray® loudspeaker systems and 4642A subwoofers in each of the five auditoriums, along with JBL 8340A surround speakers in three auditoriums and JBL 8350 surround speakers in two auditoriums. Crown DSi 2000, 4000 and 6000 amplifiers power the systems.
The new system, designed by the HARMAN Professional India team, has the capability of handling high sound levels with ample headroom, enabling PVR Juhu to provide its customers with a unique and immersive cinema experience.
There were some challenges as well. Since it is a fully functional multiplex, the installation had to be performed during non-show hours (late night to early morning), with the auditoriums up and running for the next day’s shows to begin on time.
Today, the feedback from both the film fraternity and the general public is overwhelmingly positive. Commenting on the successful installation, Mr. JC Mehta, Vice President of Engineering, PVR Cinemas Ltd said, “Although film is by definition a visual medium, the story is incomplete without sound. The entire cinema-going experience has undergone a sea change in India with multiplexes and the mall culture. PVR has been constantly following and adapting all the latest international trends and standards in cinema sound. A prime example of this is PVR Juhu, Mumbai where we have done a complete revamp of the audio equipment as part of our philosophy in providing the best quality. We have therefore invested in the latest JBL speakers and the latest DSi digital amplifiers from Crown to support our requirements in supporting 3D sound. Needless to say, our patrons are extremely happy with the enhanced movie viewing experience.”
“The system has been designed to deliver its fullest output in all scenarios, with ease of use in mind,” said Ankush Agarwal, Senior Manager, Marketing, HARMAN Professional India. “Most importantly, the headroom for all variations and the control in sound output are now best managed with this combination of high-performance HARMAN cinema systems. It is capable of handling high sound levels with ample headroom and effectively reproduces soft whispers to the loudest bang.”
