BGW Systems, a division of Amplifier Technologies, Inc. has announced installation of the first VXi Series Immersive Sound power amplifiers at Classic Cinemas 10 in Elk Grove Village, IL. Classic selected the BGW VXi because of its unique ultra-performance design that has previously only been affordable for price insensitive audiophile applications.
The BGW VXi is the first cinema amplifier that is fully balanced differential, from input all the way to the loudspeakers. Its Class AB operation with fully linear power supplies and ultra-low distortion ThermalTrak™ output transistors was previously not economically feasible for cinema use. Now, new components and circuitry have resulted in a significant reduction in cost over similar high performance amplifiers.
Alan Gilbertson, Classic Cinemas’ chief of technical services, said “We have been installing BGW’s for several decades because of superior audio quality, but I could hear the improvement with the VXi immediately. Dialog has never been so clear.”
Morris Kessler, president of BGW/ATI and designer of the VXi said, “This amp is a game changer for cinema audio. It has superior clarity, is twice as fast with twice the dynamic range, impossible to overdrive and dead quiet. These are performance characteristics of the expensive high end home theater amplifiers ATI produces, but the BGW VXi is cost competitive with the digital switching amplifiers used in today’s cinemas.”
The VXi can be configured with 16 x 200W, 8 x 400W, 4 x 800W channels or combinations to total 3200W per chassis. Featuring current feedback and dual DC servos, signal-to-noise ratio approaches a staggering 128 dB, slew rate is greater than 60V/uSec and damping factor greater than 400.
John F. Allen, High Performance Stereo founder and president, responsible for assisting in the design and installation of the BGW VXi in the HPS-4000® sound systems at Classic’s Elk Grove Cinema 10 said, “HPS is proud to be the very first to use balanced differential power amplifiers in modern cinema sound systems, and will use the VXi Series exclusively in all future HPS-4000 installations. In addition to stunning music and effects, they deliver the clearest dialog we’ve ever had.” He added that the first complete cinema complex to be entirely equipped with these amplifiers will be the R/C Theatres Lexington Exchange Movies 12, opening later this year in California, MD.
Attendees at CinemaCon 2015 can see the VXi Immersive Sound power amplifiers in the BGW booth, #2803 in the Augustus Ballroom at Caesars Palace, April 21-23.
About Classic Cinemas: Classic Cinemas, based in Downers Grove, Illinois, is a family-owned business, run by Willis, Shirley and Chris Johnson. It began in 1978 with the operation of the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. Today the company operates 13 theaters in 12 communities with a total of 104 screens. Having received numerous accolades for business excellence, preservation, community service, and accessibility, Classic Cinemas endeavors to be the hometown theatre of choice in the Chicago area. For more information visit
www.classiccinemas.com
About HPS-4000: High Performance Stereo is the developer and exclusive distributor of the computer-designed, digital-ready HPS-4000 sound system. HPS was founded with the goal of improving motion picture sound systems. The HPS-4000® sound systems were first introduced in 1980 and continue to evolve today with new driver technology. In 1984, HPS was the first to bring digital sound to a commercial movie theatre. For more information, visit
www.hps4000.com
