Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 28, Issue: 3, March 1937)

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Modern Theater Loud Speakers and Their Development

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Publisher: SMPTE — White Plains, NY, USA
Doc Type: Journal Article
Content Type: Original Research
Abbreviated Title: J SMPE
Volume: 28, No. 3, pp. 246–264
Abstract: Although many of the basic ideas involved in the operation of present-day loud speakers were conceived during the early stages of the development of the telephone, it was not until the advent of the vacuum tube amplifier that these principles were applied to the design of structures capable of delivering sufficient acoustical power to be audible throughout a room or auditorium. Having reached this stage, however, the developments that culminated in the sound reproducing systems employed with present-day sound pictures came in rapid succession. These developments have embraced all phases of loud speaker design, with the result that systems are now available that convert from 25 to 50 per cent of the electrical input into acoustical output, and maintain conversion efficiencies of this order of magnitude over a frequency range of 50 to 10,000 cps. These systems are so designed as to be capable of reproducing the recorded sound at intensities that not only greatly enhance the dramatic effect of the presentation in the theater, but also open entirely new fields in recording. All these improvements have been attained with a reduction in distortion and improved fidelity of the reproduced sound. The directional properties of the loud speakers also have been markedly improved, with the result that the better quality of reproduction achieved is available throughout the entire seating area and the undesirable beam effects previously experienced have been eliminated.
Publication Date: 1937-03-01
DOI: 10.5594/J08559
ISSN: Print: 0097-5834
Link: https://doi.org/10.5594/J08559
Author(s): C. FlannaganElectrical Research Products, Inc., New York, N. Y.
R. WolfElectrical Research Products, Inc., New York, N. Y.
W. C. JonesBell Telephone Laboratories, Inc., New York, N. Y.
Copyright: © 1937 Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc.

Bibliographic Reference(s)

1. Watson T. A. : U. S. Pat. No. 266,567; filed April 17, 1880, issued October 24, 1882 . EXTERNAL
10. Maxfield J. P. Harrison H. C. : “Methods of High-Quality Recording and Reproducing Music and Speech Based on Telephone Research,” Bell Syst. Tech. J. , 5 (July, 1926 ), No. 3 , p. 493 . Harrison, H. C.: U. S. Pat. No. 1,730,425; October 8, 1929. EXTERNAL
11. Bostwick L. G. : “An Efficient Loud Speaker at the Higher Audible Frequencies,” J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. , 2 (Oct., 1930 ), No. 2 , p. 242 . EXTERNAL
12. Maxfield J. P. Flannagan C. : “Wide-Range Reproduction in Theaters,” J. Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng. , XXVI (Jan., 1936 ), No. 1 , p. 67 . EXTERNAL
13. Wente E. C. Thuras A. L. : “Symposium on Wire Transmission of Symphonic Music and Its Reproduction in Auditory Perspective—Loud Speakers and Microphones,” Bell Syst. Tech. J. , 13 (April, 1934 ), No. 2 , p. 259 . EXTERNAL
2. Capps F. L. : U. S. Pat. No. 441,396; filed April 7, 1890, issued November 25, 1890 . EXTERNAL
3. Siemens Halske : German Pat. No. 2355; December 14, 1877 . Siemens: Brit. Pat. No. 4685; February 1, 1878. Cuttriss and Redding: U. S. Pat. No. 242,816; June 14, 1881. EXTERNAL
4. Prescott G. B. : “Bell's Electric Speaking Telephone,” D. Appleton & Co. ( New York ), 1884 , p. 458 . EXTERNAL
5. Ibid. , p. 441 . EXTERNAL
6. Tournayre Tournayre : French Pat. No. 463,660; submitted October 15, 1913 , published March 2, 1914. EXTERNAL
7. Webster A. G. : “Acoustical Impedance and Theory of Horns and Phonograph,” Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. , 5 ( 1919 ), No. 6 , p. 275 . EXTERNAL
8. Green I. W. Maxfield J. P. : “Public Address Systems,” Bell Syst. Tech. J. , 2 (April, 1923 ), No. 2 , p. 113 . EXTERNAL
9. Wente E. C. Thuras A. L. : “High-Efficiency Receiver of Large Power Capacity,” Bell Syst. Tech. J. , 7 (Jan., 1928 ), No. 1 , p. 140 . EXTERNAL

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C. Flannagan, R. Wolf, and W. C. Jones; Modern Theater Loud Speakers and Their Development, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 28, Issue: 3, March 1937); SMPTE, 1937. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/J08559

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C. Flannagan, R. Wolf, and W. C. Jones; Modern Theater Loud Speakers and Their Development, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 28, Issue: 3, March 1937); SMPTE, 1937. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/J08559

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<span class="citation">C. Flannagan, R. Wolf, and W. C. Jones; <cite>Modern Theater Loud Speakers and Their Development</cite>, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 28, Issue: 3, March 1937); SMPTE, 1937. Available at <a href="https://doi.org/10.5594/J08559" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://doi.org/10.5594/J08559</a></span>

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C. Flannagan, R. Wolf, and W. C. Jones; <cite id="bib-10-5594-j08559">Modern Theater Loud Speakers and Their Development</cite>, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 28, Issue: 3, March 1937); SMPTE, 1937
<span class="doi">10.5594/J08559</span>
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Referenced By

Second Installment: History of Sound Motion Pictures [Active]