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1 Vive Fundamentals Christie University

Objectives

Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

Articulate current in-market solutions

Define Vive Audio

Describe the technology behind Vive.

Currently in Market The vast majority of current in-market cinema audio solutions rely on a distributed

system using speakers with horn loaded compression driver technology.

Compression Driver

Compression drivers were first introduced in 1928.

The signal is produced by alternating current

in a diaphragm.

The Diaphragm is larger than the horn throat -

audio signal is compressed, and then

expanded through the horn.

Limitations of compression drivers include:

Higher Distortion

Less Dynamic Range

Uneven dispersion.

Compression driver and horn dispersion pattern is

spherical - bouncing sound off the ceiling and walls.

This means reduced clarity, reduced listening "sweet

spot" in the auditorium to the center, excluding the

sides and far back as well as reduced volume

towards the rear of the auditorium.

Vive Fundamentals


As an example, ~90dB is equivalent to hearing a

motorcycle at 25 feet, whereas ~82dB is the

equivalent to a garbage disposal - in other words,

90dB is nearly twice as loud as 80dB.

Note, Vive speakers have no horn, therefore are not

compromised by the limitations of compression

drivers.

Point Source vs. Line Source

Point source compression driver vs. a line source driver

Current in-market solutions utilize a Point Source driver throughout the system. The point

source is spherical propagation while the line source, which is used in Vive, is cylindrical

propagation. Note that the Vive LS3S surround speaker utilizes a blend of Point Source

with Ribbon Driver technology. The Ribbon driver improves the timbre matching, i.e. the

tonal characteristics, between the surrounds and screen channels.

Point Source drops off or dissipates at approximately 6dB per doubling of distance. Click

the illustration of the point source

to reveal an example of a theatre

auditorium. Here we see when

the system is calibrated to

85dB at the reference seat.

Note that the reference seat is

2/3 back from the screen. If you

are sitting in the front row the

sound is at approximately 90dB.

However in the back row, the

sound is at approximately 82dB.

That's a significant delta of 8dB.


Line Source drops off or

dissipates at approximately 3dB

per doubling of distance.

Click the illustration of the

line source to reveal an

example of a theatre

auditorium. Here we see when

the system is calibrated to 85dB

at the reference seat, the sound

at the front of the auditorium is

at about 86.5dB and the back is

approximately 83dB. That's a

difference of 3.5dB.

This is significant for two reasons. Number one, every three dB is twice the differential.

Also the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers or SEMPTE Specification

notes that you should not have a differential greater than 6dB from front to back.

What is Vive? Christie Vive Audio is a complete audio solution capable of bringing

immersive cinema sound to any auditorium; including, small, medium,

large/ Atmos theatres.

Vive's full speaker lineup includes: Screen Channel Speakers (Line Arrays),

Subwoofers and Surround Speakers.

Complemented by the Christie IMB & SKA-3D audio/ video processor, Vive's

amplifiers and speakers can be integrated into any existing or new cinema

auditorium.

Vive meets the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE)

requirements for screen speakers. These requirements include: Cover the

entire auditorium, Produce the most sound and High volume levels across

the full audio spectrum with full fidelity. Vive also meets DCI audio

standards, which include: 20 or 24 bits per sample, 48 kHz or 96 kHz sample

rate. Up to 16 full bandwidth channels, WAV container, uncompressed PCM

audio, all speakers calibrated to 85dB with pink noise.

Vive supports any leading Cinema Audio format including: Dolby Atmos,

5.1/ 7.1 and Auro 11.1.


Vive delivers exceptional timbre-matching, enhanced voice intelligibility and low

distortion, with the speakers’ unique parabolic line-array design increasing the optimal

listening area up to four times that of the standard point-source systems.

Vive Features

The top features of Vive:

Line array configurations

The number of drivers in the line array will dictate coverage

Ribbon Driver technology

Vive speakers employ Ribbon Driver Technology. Ribbon Drivers tech allows for a

wider dispersion pattern. For example, the LA1 Line Array has a 120º horizontal

dispersion and 30º vertical dispersion.

Uniformity of coverage with 4x the optimal listening area

Ribbon Driver line arrays produce more focused linear sound.

Timbre matching among speakers

All speakers are tuned the same. This means that they are tonally similar and can

be used in any configuration.

Fatigue-free sound

Because the dynamic range is so good with the Vive speakers, you can hit over

100dB and it won’t hurt your ears.

Ribbon Driver Technology

Ribbon Driver

Ribbon Drivers are direct radiators and do not require a horn to produce sound.

A Ribbon Driver speaker consists of a thin metal-film ribbon suspended in a magnetic

field. The electrical signal is applied to the ribbon, which moves with it to create the

sound. The advantage of a ribbon driver is that the ribbon has very little mass thus; it

can accelerate very quickly, yielding very good high-frequency response.

They are capable of producing very wide horizontal dispersion and highly focused

vertical dispersion with very consistent sound pressure levels (SPL) through the listening

area.


It is made up of a tough ultra-low mass

ribbon membrane sandwiched

between six powerful neodymium

magnets.

Alternating current from amplifier flows

through conductors built into the

ribbon membrane, creating a varying

electromotive force.

Ribbon membrane is pushed and

pulled by magnetic forces on either

side, causing it to vibrate.

Compared to Compression Driver Speakers, Ribbon Driver Line Arrays offer greater:

Directivity: Tightly controlled vertical dispersion to put sound where it is needed

Coverage: Consistent volume levels from front row to back row of the venue

Phase Coherence: Improves multichannel imaging, reduced screen attenuation

Output: Higher SPL in listening area are possible with a line array than from a traditional

point source speaker, using the same drivers.

Fatigue-free sound: the low-distortion sound and low-power requirements that are

produced by ribbon driver speaker systems result in a fatigue-free sound that enhances

listener experience.

Ribbon Driver Dispersion Pattern

Sound produced by a point source compression

driver results in a spherical propagation pattern,

which spreads equally in all directions. This requires

the use of a horn to provide directivity control.


In contrast, sound produced by a Ribbon

Driver line source results in a cylindrical

propagation pattern. This has wide

horizontal dispersion and controlled

vertical dispersion. Sound Pressure Level

(SPL) produced by a line source system

decays at half the rate of a point source

system; 3dB per doubling of distance vs.

6dB per doubling of distance. This results

in more uniform SPL throughout the

listening area.

Line Array Technology

A line array configuration can provide a highly focused

cylindrical dispersion pattern over a large area. Line

arrays have become a standard in professional audio.

A ribbon driver diaphragm features a low mass, flexible

membrane with a voice coil printed or mounted to it.

The voice coil is flat (on a plane) and interacts with the

magnetic field created by magnets placed on either

side of the planar diaphragm. Ribbon driver

loudspeakers offer several performance advantages

compared to compression driver/horn.

Minimal power compression - Ribbon drivers have

lower power compression compared with cone-type

and compression drivers, where the voice coil is in a

constrained space with limited air flow. The structure is

open on a ribbon driver diaphragm and though air is

not a good conductor of heat, the increased open

surface area for the conductors, compared to

compression drivers and cone-type drivers, offers

improved heat transfer from the diaphragm to the

surrounding environment, so operating temperatures

can be lower for a given sound level.

Lower distortion - Unlike compression drivers, ribbon drivers do not suffer from high

frequency breakup, in part due to the lower mass of the diaphragm -typically about

1/30 the mass of a compression driver. Since the voice coil is in contact with the planar

diaphragm, the driving force covers a large percentage of the flat diaphragm surface,


which further reduces distortion due to diaphragm breakup and other issues found in

compression driver domes, where the voice coil is at the perimeter of the diaphragm.

Faster transient response - Since a ribbon driver diaphragm has less mass than a

compression driver, the overall rate of acceleration/deceleration of the ribbon driver

diaphragm can be faster, due to lower momentum, leading to better transient

response. This is ideal for digital cinema content with a high crest factor.

Higher dynamic range - The faster transient response that a ribbon driver offers due to

the direct-drive low-mass design increases the available dynamic range by

approximately 10 to 12dB when compared to compression drivers where the

momentum of the diaphragm must be overcome to accelerate the diaphragm and

then overcome again to change direction.

Extended high frequency response - Ribbon drivers offer an extended high frequency

response compared to compression drivers. This is due to the direct drive of the flat

voice coil attached directly to the planar diaphragm, compared to the losses found in

compression drivers as the voice coil vibrations need to first travel up the voice coil

bobbin, through the joint between the bobbin and the diaphragm, and the

interference of the sound as it transits into and then back through the diaphragm.

In this diagram we see the notable increase to the coverage of the sweet spot listening

area with Vive's Ribbon Driver line array speakers. Vive speakers are calibrated to

provide even coverage throughout the auditorium.


Advantages

Ribbon Driver Technology

provides several

advantages over traditional

point-source, compression

driver audio systems:

Cylindrical propagation

provides increased sound

coverage and significantly

larger optimal listening

area.

Consistent SPL coverage.

Decreased SPL drop-off

over distance.

Vive Speakers The Vive line of speakers, when paired together can create screen

channel speakers, corner surrounds and surround channels.

Line Array Speakers

LA1

The LA1 line array speaker is a coaxial articulated ribbon driver line

array in a single sealed enclosure.

Driver components include 9 3.5" ribbon drivers with

Neodynium magnets.

Frequency response at 80-20kHz @ -6dB points

Maximum SPL or Sound Pressure Level at 123dB

continuous and 135dB peak.

Rated impedance 8ohms.


LA1 line arrays can be paired with S115 subwoofers to create a screen channel. This is

ideal for auditoriums of 50-150 seats. Note that you'll need three screen channels per

auditorium, left, center and right channels - and five if the screen is wider than 40 feet.

LA3

Just as the LA1, the LA3 line array speaker is a coaxial articulated ribbon

driver line array in a single sealed enclosure.

Driver components include 18 3.5" ribbon drivers with Neodynmium

magnets.

Frequency response at 80-20kHz @ -6dB points.

Maximum SPL or Sound Pressure Level at 126dB continuous and 137dB

peak.

Rated impedance 4 ohms.

LA3 line arrays can be paired with

S215 subwoofers to create a

screen channel. This is ideal for

auditoriums of 250-350 seats. Note

that you'll need three screen

channels per auditorium, left,

center and right channels - and five

if the screen is wider than 40 feet.


LA4

The LA4 line array speaker is a coaxial articulated ribbon driver line array in

a single sealed enclosure.

Driver components include 8 6" ribbon drivers with Neodynmium magnets.


Maximum SPL or Sound Pressure Level at 130dB

continuous and 141dB peak.

Rated impedance 4 ohms.

The LA4 is ideal for auditoriums of 350 - 450 seats.

The LA4 can be combined with the S215 subwoofer to create a

3-way, bi-amplified, full range speaker/ sub system.

LA5

The LA5 line array speaker is a coaxial articulated ribbon driver line array

in a single sealed enclosure.

Driver components include 12 6" ribbon drivers with Neodynmium

magnets.


Maximum SPL or Sound Pressure Level at 135dB continuous and 146dB

peak.

Rated impedance for Mid-frequency is 4 ohms and 2.7 ohms for high

frequency.

The LA5 is ideal for auditoriums of 500+

seats.

The LA5 can be combined with two S215

subwoofer to create a 3-way, tri-amplified, full range

speaker/ sub system.


Subwoofers

S115

The S115 Subwoofer is a 1x15" low frequency driver.

Maximum Sound Pressure Level (SPL) is 125dB continuous and 134dB peak.

Extended low frequency response with bandwidth

of 27-300Hz @ -10db.

Crossed braced cabinet tuned to 27Hz.

LA1 line arrays can be paired with S115 subwoofers

to create a screen channel.

S118


Maximum Sound Pressure Level (SPL) is 127dB continuous

and 136dB peak.

Extended low frequency response with bandwidth of 20-

250Hz @ -10db.


S215



Extended low frequency response with bandwidth of 27-300Hz @ -

10db.


LA3 line arrays can be paired with S215 subwoofers to create a

screen channel.


S218



Extended low frequency response with bandwidth

of 20-250Hz @ -10db.


The S218 subwoofer is designed for Low Frequency

Effects channels and can be combined with the

CDA7.5 amplifier.

Surround Speakers

LS3S

The LS3S utilizes one 3.5"ribbon driver with Neodymium magnets, one 6.5" mid-bass driver

and one 6.5" bass-driver with a 2.way linear phase internal crossover @2.5kHz.

Maximum SPL is 109dB continuous and 121dB Peak.

Wide 120 degrees horizontal dispersion and 60 degree vertical

dispersion patterns.

Provides optimal coverage for auditoriums of 250-350 seats.

A rated impedance of 4 ohms.

The LS3S when combined with a subwoofer for bass management,

creates a 3-way. bi-amplified full range speaker/sub system. As

mentioned earlier, an auditorium analysis will determine the quantity of speakers

required. As a rule of thumb, the LS3S Line Source Surround speakers should be placed

8ft apart.


LA3S

The LA3S utilizes six 3.5"ribbon driver with Neodymium magnets, four 5.25" paper/ Kevlar

composite drivers with a 2-way linear phase internal crossover @1.5kHz.


Wide 120 degrees horizontal dispersion and 60 degree vertical dispersion patterns.



The LA3S surround speakers feature dramatically higher RMS to

peak max SPL ratio than traditional, compression driver systems.

This means that powerful, sudden bursts of sounds, such as

explosions, pop through quickly and flawlessly, without the lag

that can detract from the purity of the experience.

The LA3S are designed for Atmos/ Auro installation and can be

integrated in a variety of locations, including, wall, corner or

ceiling.

LA3C

The LA3C utilizes 12 3.5"ribbon driver with Kapton diaphragm and

Neodymium magnets, eight 5.25" paper/ Kevlar composite drivers with a

2-way linear phase internal crossover @1.5kHz.






As with the LA3S surround speakers, the LA3C speakers also feature

dramatically higher RMS to peak max SPL ratio than traditional,

compression driver systems.

Designed for Atmos. Auro installations for overhead/ ceiling installations.


LA4S

The LA4S utilizes four 6"ribbon drivers plus four 6.5" paper/ Kevlar mid-

bass drivers.






LA4C

The LA4C utilizes eight 6"ribbon drivers plus eight 6.5" paper/ Kevlar composite

mid-bass drivers.


Wide 120 degrees horizontal dispersion and 100 degree vertical dispersion

patterns.


A Rated impedance of 4 ohms.

LA5S

The LA5S utilizes six 6"ribbon drivers and six 6.5" paper/ Kevlar composite mid-

bass drivers.



patterns.

Provides optimal coverage for auditoriums of 500+ seats.

A Rated impedance of 4 ohms.


LA5C

The LA5C utilizes twelve 6"ribbon drivers plus twelve 6.5" paper/ Kevlar

composite mid-bass drivers.



patterns.

Provides optimal coverage for auditoriums of 500+ seats.


Vive Amplifiers

Christie Vive Audio Amplifiers

Represents

the latest

technology,

utilizing an

advanced

high-speed

Class D architecture.

Fast transient response even with low impedance loads.

Automatic Clip Limiting (ACL) circuitry which provides trouble-free operation into

loads as low as 2 ohms.

Use Neutrik Speakon high current locking output connectors.


What do the different classes of amplifiers mean?

Different Classes of Amplifiers

Class A amplifiers have current constantly flowing

through the output transistors even if there is no

incoming audio signal, so the output transistors are

always on. This type of amplifier has the lowest

distortion of any but it’s extremely wasteful and

inefficient, dissipating 80% of its power in heat with

an efficiency of only 20%.

Class B amplifiers use output transistors that switch on and off, with one device

amplifying the positive portion of the waveform, the other device the negative part. If

there is no incoming audio signal, then no current flows through the output transistors.

Consequently, Class B amplifiers are much

more efficient (about 50% to 70%) than

Class A, however there may be non-linear

distortions that occur when one set of

transistors switch off and the other set

switches on.

Class A/B amplifiers combine the virtues of Class A and Class B designs by having one

output device stay on a bit longer, while the other device takes over amplifying the

other half of the audio waveform. In other words, there is a small current on at all times

in the crossover portion of each output device, which eliminates the potential switching

distortion of a pure Class B design. Efficiency of a Class A/B amp is still about 50%.


Class D amplifiers, although there are a number of different design variations, are

essentially switching amplifiers or Pulse Width Modulator (PWM) designs. The incoming

analog audio signal is used to modulate a very high frequency PWM carrier that works

the output stage either fully on or off. This ultra-high frequency carrier must be removed

from the audio output with a reconstruction filter so that no ultra-high frequency

switching components remain to corrupt the audio signals. As previously mentioned,

Class D designs are extremely efficient, typically in the range of 85% to 90% or more

when compared to Class A amplifiers.

Vive Family of Amplifiers

Christie CDA professional amplifiers offer a range of power options to meet a variety of

uses:

2000W, 3000W, 5000W and 7500W.

An auditorium analysis will determine required quantity of amplifiers and speakers.

Note, THD or Total Harmonic Distortion is used to characterize the linearity of audio

systems and the power quality of electric power systems. In audio systems, lower THD

means the components in a loudspeaker, amplifier or microphone or other equipment

produce a more accurate reproduction by reducing harmonics added by electronics

and audio media.


CDA2

The CDA2 amplifier has a minimum load impedance of 2 ohms, 540W per

channel at 4 ohms @<0.1% THD.

o Sample configurations include Two LS3S line source surround speakers

paired with a CDA2 amplifier.

CDA3



o Sample configurations include one LA1 Line array paired with one S115

subwoofer and a CDA3 amplifier, OR for Atmos or Auro systems, two LA3S

surround speakers paired with one CDA3 amplifier.

CDA5



o Sample configurations include one LA5 Line array paired with two S215

subwoofers and two CDA5 amplifiers, or one LA3 line array paired with

one S215 subwoofer and a single CDA5 amplifier.

CDA7.5

The CDA7.5 amplifier has a minimum load impedance of 2 ohms, 2030W per


o Sample configurations include a CDA7.5 amplifier paired with a S118, S218

or S2115 subwoofers.


Audio/ Video Processing

The Christie SKA-3D

The SKA-3D is a cinema audio processor, video scaler/processor, switcher and

alternative content interface. Alternative content includes advertising, Blu-ray, satellite

receivers etc., to look and sound as a feature presentation.

The SKA-3D can

extract high

definition audio

from HDMI signals.

It has a 31‐band, graphic EQ for each of the main

outputs and a four band, parametric EQ for the LFE output.

The SKA-3D also has five channels of two‐way crossover providing three screen

channels and two surround channels.

Note, a Loudspeaker Management System (an external 3-way Crossover) may be

required in some installations. This is needed as the SKA-3D only has two-way crossovers.

With the screen channels you may need to divide the spectrum into three bands for the

subwoofer, mid-drivers and the ribbon drivers.

Also, the SKA-3D is not compatible with Dolby Atmos or Auro Systems.

This diagram shows you how the SKA-3D fits into the Christie cinema audio chain.

Vive speakers plug into a CDA amplifier, which plugs into the SKA-3D, which plugs into a

Christie IMB equipped cinema projector.

Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this document is accurate and reliable, however in

some cases changes in the specifications may not be reflected in this document. Christie reserves the right to

make changes to specifications at any time without notice.

training.christiedigital.com Vive Fundamentals v1.0 Sept14

Objectives Currently in Market - Christietraining.christiedigital.com/tpcourses/Online...

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