Regal Entertainment Group, the largest theatre circuit in the United States, will install Barco’s Auro 11.1 immersive sound system in 20 additional cinemas across the country.
This new commitment builds upon the exhibitor’s initial installations of Auro 11.1 at locations in the New York and Los Angeles markets. In many of the new Auro 11.1 installations, Regal is coupling the sound upgrade with Barco’s ultra-bright Enhanced 4K DLP Cinema® projectors to create the RPX: Regal Premium Experience.
“Auro 11.1 offers Regal distinct advantages,” commented Rob Del Moro, chief purchasing officer for Regal Entertainment Group. “It’s highly compatible with our existing audio configuration. The unique speaker ‘height’ layer produces the most natural sound, and literally immerses the audience with audio of unsurpassed quality, at any listening level. Plus Auro 11.1 also adheres to an ‘open-standard’ of content creation, which ultimately translates into fewer restrictions and more choices for both filmmakers and exhibitors.”
Auro 11.1 by Barco has been designed in accordance with a sound reproduction layout consisting of three layers (traditional surround sound with height and overhead layers), which enables studio sound mixers to move objects around in space to create the most lifelike acoustical experience. Auro 11.1 is fully compatible with existing audio equipment and current workflows.
The first installation under the new agreement is already underway in Midland, Texas, where an existing auditorium at Regal Tall City Stadium 14 will include Auro 11.1 as a key component when the RPX: Regal Premium Experience debuts in November. In the next several months, Regal will continue to integrate Barco’s premium audio solution in an additional 19 locations from coast to coast.
