Soundfirm, which has received more awards than any other Australian audio post facility, has selected a Meyer Sound cinema loudspeaker system for its Dolby Atmos dubbing stage in its new Melbourne location. The large mixing room is the country’s first to feature an all-Meyer Sound screen channel and surround loudspeaker system.The Meyer Sound system was selected by owner Roger Savage, a veteran re-recording mixer whose film credits include the family classic “Babe” and the musical “Moulin Rouge!”
“When we decided to install an Atmos room, we needed surround loudspeakers capable of full-range response, and Meyer Sound sounded so much better than anything else we’d experienced,” says Savage.
The monitoring system incorporates three Acheron® 80 screen loudspeakers, eight HMS-12 and 29 HMS-10 cinema surround loudspeakers, six X-800C high-power cinema subwoofers, and two 500-HP subwoofers in the rear for surround low end.
Chris Goodes, Soundfirm’s chief re-recording mixer, has mixed a number of projects in the new room. “The first thing I took to was the top end,” he says. “The Acherons are so much better than what we’d been using before. The dialogue clarity is outstanding, and you can trust what you’re doing with equalization. You never have to question whether the speaker is changing the sound. And you can work for 10 or 12 hours on this system without fatigue.”
Projects mixed by Goodes since opening include “The Monkey King,” an Atmos mix for the Chinese market; “Predestination,” a feature starring Ethan Hawke; “Deep Sea Challenge,” a James Cameron documentary; and “Hidden Universe” for IMAX release.
Savage appreciates the streamlined installation of the 48 V remotely powered surround loudspeakers. “Installation and setup was much easier than the conventional approach,” he notes. “You simply run a single cable with 48 V power and audio for the internally bi-amplified surrounds. This saves installation costs, particularly when you’re dealing with an Atmos system.”
The new mixing theatre also includes a Harrison Trion mixing console with 240 inputs, five Avid Pro Tools systems, a 10-meter-wide screen, and a Christie 4K projector with 3D capability.
“The independent mixers who use the room all comment on how great it sounds,” reports Savage. “The Meyer Sound monitors have lived up to our high expectations, and exceeded them—particularly with Atmos.”
Established in 1983, Soundfirm lists sound mixing credits for such iconic films as “Crocodile Dundee,” “Mad Max 2,” and “Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome.” In addition to its Melbourne location, Soundfirm also maintains post-production facilities in Sydney and Beijing.
