The German post-production facility Rotor Film has installed a 69-loudspeaker
Meyer Sound cinema system in its recently opened mixing stage—the largest in
Europe that offers both Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D immersive surround sound
technologies. Located in the Babelsberg “Media City’ complex in Potsdam, the room
features one of the largest Meyer Sound cinema monitoring systems ever installed.

Before making the critical decision on loudspeakers, Rotor Film held intensive
comparative listening tests, with participation by management, staff, and associated
independent mixing engineers.

“We invited about 20 sound designers and freelance engineers as our guests to
listen to a wide range of audio samples,’ says Christoph Engelke, technical director
at Rotor Film. “Based on everyone’s listening experiences, a Meyer Sound system
was the clear choice for our two top managers, Holger Lehmann and Martin
Fruhmorgen, and myself.’

To accommodate mixing for 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos, the system comprises three
Acheron® 100 screen channel loudspeakers, four HMS-12 and 30 HMS-10 surround
loudspeakers, and nine X-800C high-power cinema subwoofers. For Auro-3D
extension, the system includes another three Acheron 100 loudspeakers and 20
more HMS-10 loudspeakers.

“So far, we’ve had a very good response from visiting engineers on the Meyer
Sound system’s performance,’ reports Engelke.

Equipped with seating for 200, the 400-square-meter room can be used to both mix
and screen films. It features an Avid Pro Tools S6 mixing console with 64 faders
and four Pro Tools systems running HD11 and HD12 software. In addition to a full
slate of plug-ins from Waves, Altiverb, iZotope, and others, the studio also offers
outboard effects by Lexicon, TC Electronic, and Eventide. Color grading is achieved
with a Baselight TWO system on a Blackboard 2 control surface, and films are
screened with either a Barco DP4K-32B digital projector or an all-format Kinoton
film projector onto a 14.5-by-6.1-meter screen.

Rotor Film is located in the Babelsberg Medienstadt (Media City), a district of
Potsdam that has been a center for film production since 1912, as well as for
television in recent decades. Historic films produced at Studio Babelsberg include
“Metropolis’ and “Blue Angel,’ while more recent productions include “The Bourne
Ultimatum,’ “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay,’ “The Grand Budapest Hotel,’ and
“Bridge of Spies.’