NORTHRIDGE, California – Making its world-class CBT column loudspeakers available for even more cinemas around the world, HARMAN’s JBL Professional today announced that its CBT 70J-1 column loudspeaker and CBT 70JE-1 extension box are now THX approved. This enables exhibitors to include CBT 70J-1 loudspeakers in their THX-certified theaters.
“The CBT 70J-1 was developed for a variety of applications where high-quality sound and low visual profile are priorities and we have seen considerable adoption of this product in cinema environments,” said Rick Kamlet, Senior Manager, Commercial Sound, JBL Professional. “Now, with THX approval, even more moviegoers can enjoy the sonic benefits of the CBT 70J-1!”
The CBT 70J-1 is a high-power, 2-way line array system consisting of 16 high-frequency drivers and four high-power low-frequency drivers, all in a fully co-axial column loudspeaker, featuring JBL’s patented CBT Constant Beamwidth beam control circuitry. The vertical coverage of the loudspeaker is asymmetrical, sending more sound toward the far seats of the auditorium than the near seats. When used as surround speakers, this technological breakthrough provides a much wider “sweet spot” where the audience hears a similar amount of both left and right surround speakers.
The 2-foot height of the column array controls the sound as well as a 2-foot tall horn would, so this asymmetrical coverage takes place throughout a wide bandwidth of the operational range of the speaker. In addition, the CBT 70J-1 covers a very wide horizontal angle of 150 degrees, allowing the even coverage of more seats. The small frontal profile makes it visually unobtrusive and the bracket allows for both vertical tilt and horizontal swivel aiming. The CBT 70JE-1 extension box can be added to the CBT 70J-1, doubling the low-frequency output capability and extending the pattern control of the system down to a lower frequency.
Major cinema exhibitors have installed the CBT70J-1 and the CBT70J-1 + CBTJE in the past several years as surround systems. These systems provide complete even coverage for each seat throughout the auditoriums at high SPL levels.
“We are very pleased that THX has certified the CBT70J-1 + JE,” said Charles Goodsell, Senior
Manager, Cinema, JBL Professional. “Movie theaters throughout the world are already employing these systems and we are glad they will now be able to be installed in THX-certified auditoriums.”
HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 15,200 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $5.1 billion for the last twelve months ended March 31, 2014.
