Small but perfectly formed JBL home cinema

[JBL 4645]

I just brought (x1 cinema rocker seat) to start off with, I’ll get another and another and another soon. They are used cinema seats going for £79.50 (paypal) which sounds good for rocker seat, should be here sometime within the next few days.

I’d have to make solid MDF flooring with thick piece of timber placed underneath with each set apart so many inches for support.

I’d countersink the holes on the upper mounting surface to screw the timber tightly and securely and fix the seating into it. I have no idea of if the seats have the original fixing screws but if not it, shouldn’t cost much for screw fittings.

This, what it looks like.

[JBL 4645]

Been watching a few chapters from DIE HARD it’s the perfect Sunday morning DOLBY STEREO sound to wake the neighbours up!

The camera always places a slight green mild tint on the video projection image. This did the same with my dads, camera phone when he loaned it to me, last year. Also the other digital camera would be utterly hopeless in taking a picture with dark light; all the softer darker tones would be so muted.

Taking pictures at the TV is bit tricky because of the contrast level that tends to be overexposed on whites.

[JBL 4645]

This film is still the dogs bollocks for one many DOLBY STEREO films of 1988, that got a best sound/sound editing nomination but BIRD took best sound while ROGER RABBIT took sound effects editing.

A slight close up view on the tacky but simply cost efficient bed sheet only £4.99 from ASDA. Still haven’t gotten around to buy micro perforated screen yet, well maybe soon.

The angle of the close up shot looks kinder skewed it’s the bed sheet, its not totally flat as its rolled up after use and tends to give a kinder 3D look that is better than watching AVATAR on bluray.

I haven’t reviewed the special edition region2 DVD that is also used for the bluray Fox are so tight ass and cheap with bluray. Yeah I can’t recall if the picture was purposely turned to mega crap or made crisper without the use of DNR or EE?

The image on this version looks far I can see fair range of grain flicking around. Also I think the sound mix was the same as the first edition region2. There so many region1 DVD versions it might be hard to find the theatrical DOLBY mix as the later version I won’t touch with 10 foot barge pole.

The Fox introduction is bit squashed down that is not how it appeared in the 1988 release and later versions of DIE HARD had I think they’ve had the original Fox intro replaced with that yucky Hollywood version like on the STAR WARS films as well SIGH.

[JBL 4645]

The weaponry sound effects are nicely crafted for this film are fixed or located to where performers are standing or moving around while firing a machinegun pans left then right and over to centre with loud smoothness.

The dialogue mix is brilliant from normal to mild to soft and silky whispery tones.

Some of the photochemical visual effects are a bit dated when the building blows up around the helicopter it’s a superimposed visual effect, I doubt the filming crew could get away blowing the building into smithereens. The same for the lower shot when McClane tosses a diy bomb down the elevator shaft, part of its practical real pyro with some elements of superimposing.


Chapter 22 has cool mix of deep rumble on the LFE.1 a motor that is humming away while steam is hissing over the LCR and surrounds mildly.

Surrounds are monaural as the film wasn’t mixed for split-stereo surrounds for 70mm release. Only a few handful split-stereo surround 70mm prints were ever made between 1978 and its final days in the 1990’s.

Nice mild air condition sound surrounds while Hans and McClane face each other for the first time.

There is a tiny hint of EE it doesn’t worry me it should thou both Fox for allowing it to be used.

A slightly closer shot shows the chicken wire effect, but that’s okay I like chicken wire. It’s only visible when standing up real close to the screen.

The gun fire in chapter 22 is Just Bloody Loud at in some parts as the glass shatters in millions of pieces! It hits when at 93m:23 “Jesus Christ” and as it rapidly builds up to a large chunk of glass shattering and falling to the floor with THUD!

Nice use of Beethoven's 9th Symphony in L/R only on the end credits. If I wanted the surrounds active to give a far dramatic closing all I’d need to do is press ON, on the second DOLBY decoder to feed out of phase signal to the surrounds that is stripped from the left and right front. In DOLBY STEREO matrix all 5 primary channels will be constantly active.

I sometimes just sneak the volume up while being aware of the issues it would have if I forgot to turn it down on the next film as it would damage loudspeakers. But the input on the DCX2496 seems very low level on the end credits fader +6db -30db input with -40db output EQ and amps are set accordantly for LF/HF LCRS/sub bass extension and LFE.1.

85db seems plenty loudness for the LCRS while sub bass extension LCRS fills in the missing lows below crossover point while LFE.1 is added to fit in within a few db so that I only notice the special low discrete effects as tiny thump rather than an overwhelming bloated load of booming noise.

[JBL 4645]

Between the above in room picture ware the camera has placed a slight green tint not just on the projected image but on the sidewall and in the black bar areas on the image. If the projector was up the creek the whites would register green, which they don’t.

The direct screen capture from DVD shows the film captured by the camera has placed a green tint on the dark areas. All the grey like concrete is totally off. I’d have to try other settings on the camera to find the best mode for the room conditions.

I might start off with black and white tests that way it would be easier for me to suss out what is happening.

[JBL 4645]

Just been in contact with the supplier and the seat whoa it comes as seen double and I need them in single to be able to fit them in the room, interpedently otherwise I’d have a few rows that aren’t centred to the room.

I’d like to get 6 seats in the room and then place the two seat sofa in the bedroom as relaxing meditation seat. Or a glorified large cat bed for Sooty.

[JBL 4645]

Using the spectrumlab as spectrum analyzer works for me as tool. I’ve already applied a several filters over the LCR LF range and I’m fresh out of filters now on the DCX2496.

What I like about the tool is the ability to see the colour of the spectrum while plotting out with the mouse moving it onto the higher peak frequencies (to show me the precise frequency) then making some judgment calls to select a Q shape filter and then apply the cut to the frequency until brighter colours thin out with the rest of the green colours.

The SPL db level I forget what level it was when testing I had to stick in ear plugs because the wideband pink noise, was a bit nauseating.

I haven’t tested out the HF LCR with spectrumlab yet only on the Technics SH-8055 RTA which looks fine but I’m sure there are few odd bands that need, delicate adjustment.

The SPL db metre was placed in temporary placement centreline of the room in the Irwin Rocker seat, slightly above back of the seat.


Centre channel LF

1
37Hz
-15.0db
Q7.1

2
75Hz
-15db
Q6.3

3
92Hz
+5.6db
Q3.2

4
111Hz
-10.0
Q8.9

5
145Hz
10.0db
Q8.9

6
184Hz
-9.0db
Q7.9

7
303Hz
10.0db
Q7.9

8
352Hz
-10.0db
Q7.1

9
738Hz
-10.0db
Q7.1


Left channel LF

1
37Hz
-10.0db
Q7.1

2
141Hz
-9.8db
Q7.1

3
233Hz
-8.0db
Q8.9

4
309Hz
-8.0db
Q8.9

5
556Hz
-9.0db
Q7.1

6
787Hz
-8.4db
Q8.9

7
352Hz
-9.4db
Q7.1

8
176Hz
-6.5db
Q8.9

9
111
-4.5db
Q5.6


Right channel LF

1
74Hz
-9.9db
Q7.1

2
145Hz
-11.9
Q7.1

3
176Hz
-6.1db
Q7.1


4
266Hz
-10.6db
Q8.9

5
330Hz
-8.6db
Q7.1

6
556Hz
-8.6db
Q7.1

7
37.Hz
-9.0db
Q8.9

8
787Hz
-5.5db
Q5.0

9
917Hz
-4.1db
Q5.0

[JBL 4645]

The surrounds need a slight bit of trimming and level boasting on the amplifier for the centre back surround. I have limited means with the other EQ has I can’t slot the frequency directly onto the issue that needs adjustment.

There are few yellow warm spots maybe a subtle db level cut and few EQ bands might make it unnoticeable by ear but not visually.

I’ll apply a few EQ band cuts to see how it looks against this, waterfall frequency spectrum.

[JBL 4645]

Well this is what I can do with the limited means of the other EQ. If I had a PEQ I can centre on the issue and sort it. Well it could be far worse.

[JBL 4645]

I had to apply some aggressive cuts in the hot areas that presented rough boom on the ole diy JBL4645. I prefer a smooth tone that fits within the LCR fronts.

I used a secondary JVC SEA-E30 EQ along with the PEQ FBQ2496 to apply some cut on the lower to level it with rest of the lower frequencies.

Some of the LFE.1 content on STAR TREK (2009) DolbyTrueHD is lubricious at times, that needs cutting back to prevent possible damage and smearing the rest of the mix with silly SPL db levels.

50Hz and 60Hz was bit a room location issue. I boasted a few frequencies up between these tones but any sudden soundtrack peaks around those tones will boast the level, its best to have second sub or relocate the SPL metre microphone where the tone fills in naturally without the need of applying boasting (boasting is not something I practice as this will reduce headroom).


Behringer FBQ2496

+10.0db
65.4Hz
Q0.25

-26db
37.2Hz
Q4.0

-7.0db
37.2Hz
Q0.12

+5.0db
93.5Hz
Q0.25

-6.0db
71.7Hz
Q0.14

+8.0db
50.2Hz
Q0.20

JVC SEA-E30
30Hz
-10db

63Hz
+2db

[JBL 4645]

Just did this quick off the webcam with SPL db metre connected to pc as the webcam mic is rubbish.
Image is bit on the high contrast side in some parts of the LCD video projection image at 1080iHD possibly the webcam setting is set to high for contrast levels.

Image looses stability a bit due to the high action movement of the image which is causing a bit of lag and slight out of sync because the image freezes for a second, hey its craptube not the cinema.

The SPL db range is set at 80dbc which has captured a not too all bad sound of the room in (mono) I can even hear some of the mild reverb of the room, metre is placed 7 feet away form the front.

I ran a few log sweeps at 5.0 seconds from 10Hz to 1KHz while looking at the graph of each LCR LF and sub bass extension and LFE.1 to get the colour of the spectrum the same with the PEQ.

I can hear the Spock footsteps at 3:12 centre channel.

3:30 the SPL db metre is picking up the video projector fan noise and most likely the pc fan in the rear, background.

The SPL db adds a bit of exaggeration to the sound I’m, surprised its not grossly distorted with the low end as that is the case most times, if played too loud.

[JBL 4645]

Well apparently I had a slight faulty EQ that was the Genxxa 10 band EQ yes the one produced for Tandy, UK or radio shack of that makes you laugh. I’ve had the EQ for years and haven’t noticed any previous past issues with it.

The fault was the left front was sounding like a room issue thou there is still an issue on the left side that is room, related. The EQ was lowering the output level when EQ mode was turned ON. The right channel was unaffected by the issue.

I’ve since swapped the leads around for another EQ for L/R it mostly acts as frequency monitor along with the other EQ that are used for some EQ trimming adjustment.

Not sure if the left channel on the Genexxa got overloaded with an input signal in the past as some of the films are heavy on dynamics.

I’m using the right input as spectrum monitor for centre channel at the moment (while the primary PEQ is handled by the DCX296 for all LCR fronts).

I did a quickie short video playing, The Fugitive region2 DVD DOLBY DIGITAL, while listening/monitoring to each LCR and stereo surround channel. The LCR least the left is bit balanced now with right and only few tiny EQ (tiny differences) slight subtleties in tone I can hear with the AVR pink noise in the LF LCR.

Oh, maybe I should start saving up for DEQ2496 and get the other EQ out of the system, plus the DEQ2496 are slimmer and don’t take up much height space.

From the stat I monitor the LCR then mute the centre while left and right played.

I’m listening to the score mix that is on L/R while it might be at the same level sometime on the centre, often its placed down a few db against the DE dialogue/effects.

2:39 I mute the LCR and monitor the stereo surrounds, that had me looking left and right downwards and upwards while the action unfolds in large ear busting dynamics.

4:01 the metrically clanging of score pinging from surround left to surround right was alarming, knowing there’s a freight train heading their way.

5:10 f&%k! Yeah it was Just Bloody Loud on the stereo surrounds!




I might buy a few more microphones and new preamp and microphone/multiplexer and placed the microphones at different locations around the living room, to see if I can’t captured the low and the back, (while adjusting the level so it won’t be too high) microphones for the middle and front set at different levels, so I’ll be capturing different parts of the room simultaneously rather than one point source location as my ears don’t hear the honky like sound in the living room, unless I placed my finger over my ear and listen with one ear.

The effects and music seems unnoticeable its like when going to cinema that is fair amount of echo, we tend to hear dialogue speech frequencies overlapping before a sentence has finished or if two performers are yelling at each other forget it, it’s a chaotic blast of noise that makes dialogue unintelligible.

I played a bit of pink noise on the ACR over LCR LF then with HF turned ON. The SPL db was placed near to the right front slightly in-between centre and right. A tiny difference in the frequency needs to be tackled to get a seamless tone in the LF and HF.

When the pink noise sounds on the left where it starts from it should sound the same precisely the same on the centre, followed by the right and then surrounds.

[JBL 4645]

Re-listening WATERWORLD 1995 this film must be regarded as classic by now. It was over budgeted with production issues and then got hammered by the film critics as stinker. I think its cut and paced nicely with wonderful James Newton Howard score that has lots of brassy instruments and precision beating away, that accompanies pleasingly naturally balanced film sound mix all this gets me, on the edge of the Rocker.


-Ever try and listen?
-To What?
The sound of the world.
-I don’t hear anything.
-That’s because you’re too loud, and you’re moving around all the time. Try sittin’ still.

Mariner a mutation who can survive/swim underwater (Kevin Costner) gives good performance (Jennie Tripplehorn) Helen, is part of community along with a little girl (Tina Majorino) Enola, who holds the key to “dry land” and everyone wants a piece of it, including the Smokers! The late (Dennis Hopper) r.i.p. “Deacon” chactutre is in chactutre with other nutty roles he’s played before and after.

WATERWORD was billed as “MAD MAX on water” which is fair to say it does deliver with climatic end fight.

I’m still puzzled as to where the LFE.1 track is? Its not displayed on the AVR just 5 primary full spectrum channels. Not sure if its an encoding issue at the DVD authoring plant or an intentional mix by the mixers to not adopt the LFE.1 thou it does seem weird and I think its down to someone screwing the film to video master transfer up, as its happened before on SPEED 1994 R2DVD first edition. The later special edition contained the LFE.1.

Well for WAERWORLD I just reroute the low end from LCRS to the main JBL sub though the AVR, that packs mild punch. A nice bass kicks off the sidewalls surrounds with smoothing stereo panning and in-between centre phantom that would work best with the surround processor Dolby pro-logic for centre back and overhead matrix, which I didn’t use tonight, just standard sidewall surrounds.

The end credits score doesn’t lose its centre channel tonal balance like on some film score end credit mixes where there’s a different mix for the centre and often left/right drowns-out the centre.

That’s quit a staggering list for the sound team often it’s a bit less for some big budget films.

Sound Department
Lou Angelo .... sound editor
David A. Arnold .... sound editor
James Ashwill .... foley mixer
Bill W. Benton .... additional sound re-recording mixer (as Bill Benton)
Brad Biggart .... sound re-recordist
David Burk .... assistant sound editor
Rick Canelli .... adr recordist
Chris Carpenter .... additional sound re-recording mixer
Simon Coke .... sound editor
Blake R. Cornett .... assistant sound editor (as Blake Cornett)
Gordon Davidson .... sound editor
Carmen Flores De Tanis .... assistant sound editor (as Carmen Flores Tanis)
Teri E. Dorman .... sound editor
Ann Ducommun .... assistant adr editor
Susan Dudeck .... adr editor
David R. Finkelstein .... assistant sound effects editor
Kimberly Gallagher-Carlton .... assistant sound editor (as Kimberly Carlton)
Steven Gerrior .... assistant sound editor
Nerses Gezalyan .... foley recordist
Mark C. Grech .... utility sound technician
Michael Haight .... sound editor
Jerelyn J. Harding .... adr editor
Todd Harris .... assistant sound editor (as Todd M. Harris)
Gary A. Hecker .... foley artist
Denise Horta .... adr editor
Chris Jackson .... assistant sound editor
Mark Kamps .... assistant sound editor
Mark Kamps .... sound post-production
Richard King .... sound effects editor
Steve Kohler .... sound
Andy Kopetzky .... sound editor
Dave Kulczycki .... sound editor
Gregg Landaker .... sound re-recording mixer
Melissa Lytle .... assistant adr editor
Melissa Lytle .... assistant sound editor
Larry Mann .... sound editor
Courtenay Marvin .... assistant sound editor
Steve Maslow .... sound re-recording mixer
Caitlin McKenna .... first assistant sound editor
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson .... first assistant sound editor (as Caitlin McKenna)
Chuck Michael .... sound editor
Nash Michael .... sound editor
Harry B. Miller III .... sound editor (as Harry Miller III)
Bob Newlan .... sound editor
Dan O'Connell .... foley artist
Thomas J. O'Connell .... adr mixer
Brion Paccassi .... sound re-recordist
Lauren Palmer .... supervising adr editor
Mark Pappas .... sound editor
Rodger Pardee .... sound editor
Jerry Pirozzi .... assistant sound editor
Timothy P. Salmon .... boom operator
Fritz Seid .... assistant sound editor
Yôko Seto .... assistant sound editor
Robert Ulrich .... adr editor
Paul C. Warschilka .... assistant sound editor (as Paul Warschilka)
Craig Weintraub .... assistant adr editor
Keith A. Wester .... sound mixer
Karen G. Wilson .... sound editor (as Karen Wilson)
Gary Wright .... sound editor
Bill Meadows .... sound recordist (uncredited)
Mark Ulano .... additional production sound mixer (uncredited)
Mark Ulano .... production sound mixer: reshoots (uncredited)
Jay Wilkinson .... supervising sound editor (uncredited)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114898/fullcredits#cast
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114898/

There were three sound formats for its release; dts stereo dts and Dolby SR, I saw it first in dts at UCI screen 5 I believe sat to the front of the auditorium gave a sonically clear sound over EV LCR. I also saw it twice at MGM screen1 in Dolby stereo with type A cards as the CP200 that was used in the screen only had type A cards and SR cards in the downstairs CP55. The bass was bit fuller with JBL stage fronts and sub. UCI tower park, same film mix expect one is digital dts the other Dolby stereo only difference is minus stereo surrounds and discrete output over all channels, but it has the same frequency response.

I like to get the WATERWORLD James Newton Howard score on CD.

Wow didn’t know there was USA:176 min (director's cut) over the theatrical 135min running time. region2 clocks in at 129min due to 4% PAL speed-up. I did once own the THX laserdisc that was only matrix audio PCM that sounded great, having only watched in the cinema a few months before it left the cinema.

I like how the camera captured the roll-bar on the CRT.

[JBL 4645]

I did a video last night, my usual self rambling away, since Sooty isn’t much of (conversationalist). Whew that’s a long word!! You know I’m exhausted after typing that word out. lol

ALIEN first edition R1DVD with dynamicEQ test and directors edition R2DVD


Please note! The audio is mono on this video (not stereo) the SPL db metre pick-up on the sound fairly well than most that I’ve heard on youtube that ether distort because someone wants to show-off there SVS sub at how loud it can play, with rumbles of bloated coloured, distortion overloading the cheap camera/phone.

I give a slight commentary, I must admit I’m very shy and rarely look at the camera.

If you understand that there is centre phantom image placed in the middle of left/right stereo front, same thing with stereo surrounds! I use the Pioneer VSP-200 to reduce the amount of centre phantom, and it can be placed elsewhere but I can’t at the moment since (the centre output phantom) doesn’t have its own dynamicEQ and would otherwise get out of control or I’d have to end up playing at lower volume on inner-left and inner-right fronts, which need their own DCX2496 and amps which I don’t have at the time!

I could do it, its not impossible just a lot of extra listening to do to get the balance smooth as possible.

What I mean “I don’t and have” is that the Pioneer VSP-200 has a small internal amps for centre and mono matrix surrounds left and right with pre-outputs and I’d rather use the pre-outputs with another DCX2496.

All this means is when vocals in music that sometimes is mixed on left/right in some films, often its sent to centre with echo effect on left/right. Moonraker (1979) has the vocals on left/right with an instrumental and bass guitar centre channel, on the opening titles music.


So what I’ve done is, to maximize the listening level. I can get deeply involved with the sound action, rather than having the sound blasting at ear fatigue high SPL db levels while straining my hearing to hear softer sounds or faint sounds in the centre.

Sure in real life, but this, isn’t “real life” it’s a an artistically created crafted film mix with layers of fabricated sound effects re-looping dialogue along with effects and music, all precisely mixed and balanced or some sounds hidden amongst the loudness of left/right front. It’s like finding an Easter Egg an extra sound that most wouldn’t even care to re-listening or question there thoughts “why can’t I hear the dialogue” not just dialogue soft Foley effects make for good listening entertainment.

Again in “real life” if woman was tapping her shoe heels across the road while loud traffic passes in-between, the chances are you won’t hear it, you might hear some of it with brief gaps between, the traffic noises. Otherwise we never get a second chance to hear real life sounds again in that moment in time. We might be familiarized with the sounds of everyday, but it’s never repeated twice, it may sound like it, but never repeated, if is, we are indeed living inside the matrix.

[JBL 4645]

I was just thinking about the issues regarding loudspeaker placement at the front of living room, while the CRT takes up a fair 31 1/2 “ by 22” by 41” size thus limiting the placement of the subs below the screen channels.

I was thinking about a cheap LED video projector that has long running time with less power being consumed, with a trade off of a small image throw. No matter I can use it for running regular viewings and leave the LCD video projector for showing the image at large and bright image scale for once in while DVD/laserdisc coughing bluray, I mean DVD showings.

I think the lamp time for the LED is something like 80,000 hours, which is damn sight more than the LCD video projector.

So I have a plan, that I’ll think about, I don’t want no flat screen because it will still limit as to where it can be placed and since the diy JBL sub takes up the same depth space as the CRT a flat screen would have to be placed at the front, no way and no how will it fit, not without compromising the sound, and sound comes first here!

This is the projector
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=225585
Sorry its 50,000hours

Display your DVDs, satellite, games consoles or any other video source on your wall
Ideal for bedrooms, small office presentations and the lounge
Get a screen size of up to 21-inch at a distance of 1 metre
Manual focus to get the best picture at different distances
LED operation - no bulbs to replace – no on-going replacement costs
Over 50,000 hours of use from the LEDs
Built in stereo speakers
Very small and ultra-portable
Lower power, high light output
Eco-friendly - only consumes 18W of power when in use
Includes dust cover
Dimensions (L x W x H): 180 x 110 x 55 mm
Weight: 1kg

Are you limited to space in your bedroom or cannot hang a flat screen TV on your wall. The answer therefore is this compact video projector. Great for watching regular TV, DVDs even for playing games and all from a unit that''s low in power, small in size and has no lamps or bulbs that can blow. Please note this is a low cost projector and is not up to the quality of displaying Blu-ray or HD TV signals. It is ideal for secondary use but should not be used as the primary "home cinema" projector.

So if the projector is mounted to ceiling at least 2 meters it should be around the size of the CRT screen so no big loss.

Light source: LED
Case material: Plastic & aluminium alloy
Power consumption (max): 18W
Luminous flux: 13 Lumens (equivalent of 400 Lumens)
Lens: F = 71mm, F = 2.5mm
Speakers: 2 x 2W
Resolution: 480 x 240
Video connection: 4-pole 3.5mm jack (with jack to 3-RCA lead)

Oh bugger!

This product is not available to purchase at this time.

I was looking for price, last I knew the price was knocked down to around £120 or £140 pounds early this year, sigh I should have brought it then.