Meyer Sound systems deliver powerful and intelligible sound for a diverse array of
events at the new UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA)
building. One of the nation’s premier institutions for the presentation of cinema, the
recently reopened BAMPFA has installed a 7.1 Meyer Sound cinema system in its
232-seat Barbro Osher Theatre, which hosts both film screenings and lectures and
discussions regarding current films and art exhibits. Elsewhere, CAL™ column array
loudspeakers provide sound reinforcement for a large, outdoor LED screen.

The Osher Theatre is the first in the history of BAMPFA that was designed and built
from the outset to meet the highest technical standards for film showings. “Aside
from the 10 percent of our film screenings that are silent, sound is a key
component of the experience,’ says Larry Rinder, director of BAMPFA. “We wanted
to have sound quality that was equal to our stringent standards for the visual
component, as it is critical that the soundtrack be heard exactly as the film’s
creators intended. In that regard, we feel fortunate to have a state-of-the-art Meyer
Sound cinema system in our theatre.’

For Susan Oxtoby, senior film curator, the Meyer Sound cinema system is the key
aural component in BAMPFA’s commitment to a film-going experience without
compromise. “We go to extraordinary lengths to make sure all our films—whether
historical or contemporary—are presented in an inviting space that presents an
ideal environment for hearing every detail. To that end, the auditorium’s quiet
acoustical design is perfect for cinema presentations, and the Meyer Sound system
performs beautifully, recreating every sonic nuance with no distortions or
distractions.’

The system comprises three Acheron® 80 screen channel loudspeakers, seven X-
800C cinema subwoofers, and 16 HMS-10 surround loudspeakers. A separate sound
reinforcement system for speech and live music presentations consists of two CQ-1
loudspeakers and six MM-4XP self-powered loudspeakers, while a Galileo®
loudspeaker management system with three Galileo 616 processors provides
system drive and optimization.

Audio for BAMPFA’s 32-by-18-foot, exterior LED video screen is supplied by two CAL
96 column array loudspeakers with digital beam steering technology. Two portable
500-HP subwoofers are available as needed, and a Galileo loudspeaker
management system with one Galileo 408 processor handles drive and control. The
CAL loudspeakers are programmed with two pre-sets: one for a near-field focus
that keeps sound contained close to the building, and a long-throw setting that can
cover an audience of hundreds when the adjacent street is closed for public film
showings and other special events.

AV integrator for the BAMPFA project was Richmond, Calif.-based David Carroll
Associates, with project management by Stewart Rosenthal, engineering by John
Brenneis and Dennis Fortin, and design consultation by David Carroll. The initial
scope of AV requirements was defined by New York-based theatrical design
consultants Fisher Dachs Associates. Building design was by the New York-based
architectural firm of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, with San Francisco-based firm EHDD
serving as executive architect.