Cinetopia Progress Ridge 14 in Beaverton, Ore. was one of the few elite theatres in the Portland metro area selected for the December 15, 2011 pre-screenings of "Mission: Impossible—The Ghost Protocol." Among those venues, Cinetopia was the only one to bolster the blockbuster's stunning visuals with the visceral and immersive impact of Meyer Sound's premium EXP cinema loudspeaker systems.
"Movies like 'Mission: Impossible' are great vehicles to demonstrate why we invested in EXP for our Grand XL screens," says Cinetopia owner Rudyard Coltman. "EXP has dramatically greater clarity for striking realism, and the bass is much deeper and richer. What I keep hearing from patrons is, 'Now that I've heard EXP, I never want to go back and listen to the sound in other theatres.'"
Cinetopia Progress Ridge 14 is the first movie entertainment and hospitality enterprise in the Pacific Northwest to permanently install a Meyer Sound EXP system. Created to host the big blockbuster releases, the two Grand XL screens in the Beaverton location also offer Christie 4K digital projection,Panavision 3D (as required), steeply raked stadium seating, 24-inch reclining leather seats with extended legroom, and spectacularly wide screens—61 feet in the 300-capacity room and 70 feet in the larger 400-seat room.
The self-powered Meyer Sound systems for Grand XL encompass Acheron screen channel loudspeakers, complementary Acheron LF low frequency loudspeakers, X-800C cinema subwoofers, HMS-10 surround loudspeakers, and Galileo loudspeaker management systems. The systems were designed and calibrated by Meyer Sound's team to meet the performance criteria of headroom, power, and clarity that all EXP systems around the world share. Installation was handled by Scott Hicks of Portland-based American Cinema Equipment.
Cinetopia Progress Ridge 14 introduced what Coltman refers to as "Cinetopia 2.0," with the Grand XL experience as a key element. "We've been planning to make EXP a foundation of Grand XL for nearly two years," recalls Coltman. "We started with an EXP demo system at our original theatre in Vancouver, and the first movie we showed was 'Inception.' Within five minutes, it was clear to me that EXP was a must.
"We're redefining the entire film exhibition model," adds Coltman, "and Meyer Sound is an integral part of our branding strategy."
Created by Coltman and now growing in the Portland metro area, the Cinetopia concept seamlessly integrates film showings with on-site fine dining, live music, wine tasting, and art exhibition.
In addition to the Grand XL, Cinetopia Progress Ridge 14 also offers the intimate Living Room theatres (70 to 130 seats) and Movie Parlors (20 to 50 seats), which include additional suite-level amenities in an immersive environment with a 30-foot screen and up to 20 additional HD flat panels.
