With its two largest dubbing stages refurbished, LA-based Wildfire Post-Production Studios installed Meyer Sound EXP cinema loudspeakers – the first such installation in a large film and TV production facility in Southern California.

The top-to-bottom overhaul – which included new 288-channel Harrison MPC digital consoles for each stage – took more than a year, primarily because steady bookings allowed little down time for rewiring and re-equipping. ‘We had mixed Rampart [forthcoming release with Woody Harrelson and Sigourney Weaver] on our old system,’ says Leslie Shatz, film mixer and co-owner of Wildfire. ‘Then we came back later and remixed it on the Meyer EXP system. The director, editor, post supervisor, and music supervisor were immediately aware of a quantum improvement in sound quality, all without being told we had made the change.’

Both rooms are equipped with Acheron screen channel loudspeakers, HMS-10 cinema surround loudspeakers, and X-800 subwoofers. The Galileo loudspeaker management systems can be programmed to provide a 7.1, 5.1 or, if required, up to a 13.1 surround mixing environment.

‘I was very impressed by the ability of the Meyer systems to handle very loud programme smoothly, and by the clear articulation of the subwoofers,’ says Chris David, Wildfire’s other co-owner and fellow mixing luminary. ‘We mixed Immortals on the system, a film with some serious action scenes in the last reel. I was struck by the clarity in the low frequencies and the total lack of high-frequency distortion even at very high levels.’

The improvement was also evident to Chief Engineer, Brian Slack: ‘When mixing dialogue and music, you hear absolutely everything,’ he comments. ‘It’s totally transparent. It’s so much more realistic, yet it also translates well to other stages.’

Wildfire Post-Production Studios provides a full range of services to the film and television production industry, including sound mixing, sound editorial, ADR and Foley, digital intermediates, digital effects, and transfers.