Raising the Bar in Commercial Cinema
Emagine’s Super EMX Batavia (Chicago) Recalibrated with Trinnov
12 November 2025
Case Studies
When a cinema chain already known for exceptional audio decides to push the limits of what’s possible, the results can be remarkable. This is exactly what happened at Emagine Entertainment, a U.S.-based cinema group whose commitment to premium experiences is visible across its flagship locations.
Their Super EMX auditorium in Chicago is the crown jewel, a 100-foot dual-laser projection screen, a full commercial Dolby Atmos installation, 64 channels of immersive audio, and a uniquely powerful subwoofer system with six suspended bass-management subwoofers and two additional units behind the screen. In short: a room built to be a reference.
But even reference rooms can be elevated.
The Chicago system is powered by a Q-Sys backbone feeding a 64-channel Dante-based Trinnov MC Processor using AES67, the same platform trusted in world-class studio installations and increasingly in high-end commercial theaters.
The calibration process was deliberately streamlined:
- 3 measurement points using our 3D microphone
- 10 minutes of acquisition
- 5 minutes of computation
From there, only two adjustments were required to achieve the desired result:
- Apply the cinema X-Curve
- Set the screen subwoofer at cinema reference level
That was it. On a 64-channel commercial screen.
From X-Curve to Exceptional: A Noticeable Leap in Performance
The Chicago system is powered by a Q-Sys backbone feeding a 64-channel Dante-based Trinnov MC Processor using AES67, the same platform trusted in world-class studio installations and increasingly in high-end commercial theaters.
The calibration process was deliberately streamlined:
- 3 measurement points using our 3D microphone
- 10 minutes of acquisition
- 5 minutes of computation
From there, only two adjustments were required to achieve the desired result:
- Apply the cinema X-Curve
- Set the screen subwoofer at cinema reference level
That was it. On a 64-channel commercial screen.
Equipment used
- Dolby IMS3000, Dolby CP950,
- Qsys Core, Trinnov 64 channel Optimizer,
- QSC amps & Bass Management subs
- Danley Jericho stage speakers and subs,
- MAG surrounds, Dolby Surrounds
From X-Curve to Exceptional: A Noticeable Leap in Performance
Starting from the room’s default Dolby cinema configuration, including an X-Curve target, the Optimizer quickly revealed what the system was truly capable of.
Alexandre Garcia, who carried out the calibration with Michael Babb, summarized the experience after watching Predator: Badlands in the freshly tuned room:
“Despite having speakers 15–30 meters away at the golden seat, effects are slapping your face. The bass has a physical impact you simply cannot reproduce in home theater. In some respect, this room puts the hierarchy back where it belongs: commercial theaters as the true reference, with home theaters trying to get close. And despite its size, the room delivers high pressure all the way down to 6 Hz.”
And the reactions didn’t stop there. Emagine’s leadership made it clear that the upgrade was anything but subtle.
From Chief Entertainment Technologist, Tom Ruhling, who first experienced the Optimizer results in Detroit — the calibration that ultimately paved the way for Chicago:
“Holy $h1t!!!”
Tom had originally planned to run a traditional A/B comparison between the original tuning and the Trinnov calibration.
But after hearing the Optimizer’s output, he immediately dropped the idea — there was simply no need to go backwards and compare.
And from the General Manager of Emagine Batavia, the very evening following the installation:
“I was exit greeting screen 6 and I had seven separate sets of guests come up to me raving about the sound quality! It was a very noticeable upgrade for them and they loved it!”
According to Emagine, the improvement in Chicago is not small, guest perception and overall performance are far above the baseline, easily exceeding a 20% jump compared to the previous two-day calibration.
Why This Matters for Commercial Cinema
Large-format commercial theaters are some of the most complex environments in all of audio.
Their scale introduces challenges that no home cinema, no matter how ambitious, ever faces: throw distances of 20–30 meters, immense air volumes, multi-sub arrays suspended from ceilings, and extremely high SPL requirements.
Demonstrating that the Trinnov Optimizer can meaningfully elevate audio quality in such rooms, and do so rapidly, repeatably, and scientifically, underlines something essential about our technology:
→ It does not only improve studios.
→ It does not only improve home theaters.
→ It improves sound in any room, up to the largest premium auditoriums.
A Word of Thanks
We want to thank Tom Ruhling, Emagine’s Technical Director, for his trust and support. We’re grateful, and even more grateful that the results exceeded their expectations, and ours.
Make Your Flagship Rooms True Benchmarks
If you operate large-format or premium auditoriums and want them to become genuine references, both for your customers and for the industry, we would be delighted to help.
Please write us at cinema@trinnov.com or visit us at CineAsia in Bangkok, from 8 to 11 December.