Meyer Sound News : Paramount Theater

Paramount Theater

The Meyer Self-Powered loudspeaker systems, supplied by Dansound of Seattle, are deployed in a single center cluster hung over the proscenium arch. (This new cluster replaces a previous center cluster, and supplements the main left-right systems.) The Meyer loudspeakers, installed in 1997, are designed primarily for coverage of the huge balconies, which hold the majority of the Paramount's 2800 seats.

Originally constructed in 1928, the Paramount served for more than a half century first as a vaudeville and silent movie house, and then as Seattle's premier motion picture theater. Designed by renowned theater architect Marcus B. Priteca, the Paramount interior was a resplendent showcase for huge crystal chandeliers, elaborate gold-leafed scrollwork and bedazzling mirrored lobbies. Suffering slow deterioration from the late 60's through the 1980's, the Paramount was resurrected in the mid-90's following a $35 million restoration. After tearing down the rear wall to accommodate enlarged dressing rooms and technical facilities, the Paramount received a new auditorium floor (convertible for seating or flat floor), new seats and a meticulous restoration of interior decoration. The Paramount hosts a wide variety of concerts and events, including extended runs of major touring Broadway productions.

User Comments

From Allen Bagley, Technical System Manager for the Paramount: "The original center cluster didn't really do any good at all. We had four tightly arrayed cabinets with front-loaded low drivers and we were getting all kinds of destructive lobing effects. We decided to replace them with the Meyers based on their acceptability to the touring theater market. Also, we wanted self-powered boxes so we could eliminate some amplifiers that had been giving us problems."

"The main difference with the Meyer boxes is that they worked! We had two boxes covering what had been done with four boxes to start with, and we no longer had all the comb filtering across the coverage area."

"We had a fairly stringent weight limitation to deal with, and yet the Meyer cabinets were well under that limit even though they were self-powered."

The two MSL-4s on top are aimed to cover the first mezzanine, while the lower CQ-2 cabinets cover the loge seats.

December, 2000