avguytx Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 The original theater in my hometown, the Rialto, has been owned by the city for maybe 20 years now and has been in disarray for a looong time. it was leased to someone 20 years ago by the city who is finally getting out of it so the city can officially take over and renovate it during the next couple of years. It's going to get lots of new stuff including a new digital projector, sound system, flooring, the balcony redone, etc., etc. Should be very cool. They have been playing movies there over the last 20 years and charging a couple of bucks and had a concession stand open but that is getting redone, too. A couple years back, a big fundraiser was done that replaced all of the original outside neon with all new, got repainted in the front, new tiles, etc. It was a nice change but more is needed. The theater was original built in 1923 and was more "streamlined" in 1939 and once again in 1949. It has hosted various movie stars in its early days including Ricardo Montalban. I grew up in this town and watched many movies there including The Rock Horror Picture Show on Halloween many times. Always a blast. They were moving some old things out today so while I wasn't busy, I went over and perused around. About the only thing vintage speaker wise that was left was what looks to be a homemade Altec A7 VOTT cabinet (couldn't quite get the model) and the 288C driver on the 805B 15 cell horn. But here are some various pictures; I just like the history and seeing it all from "behind the scenes.". @longdrive03 Ken might remember going here a time or two... These are behind the stage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 These are in the basement under the stage/screen. It was creepy down there as there was no light except from my cell phone flashlight which quit when I'd take a picture. Nothing exciting...just various stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 And the lone Altec speaker cabinet and horn. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottajam Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Looks like a good place to hide a body. Kidding, pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 And how it looks lit up now with the front all redone. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtmudd Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 49 minutes ago, avguytx said: The original theater in my hometown, the Rialto, has been owned by the city for maybe 20 years now and has been in disarray for a looong time. it was leased to someone 20 years ago by the city who is finally getting out of it so the city can officially take over and renovate it during the next couple of years. It's going to get lots of new stuff including a new digital projector, sound system, flooring, the balcony redone, etc., etc. Should be very cool. They have been playing movies there over the last 20 years and charging a couple of bucks and had a concession stand open but that is getting redone, too. A couple years back, a big fundraiser was done that replaced all of the original outside neon with all new, got repainted in the front, new tiles, etc. It was a nice change but more is needed. The theater was original built in 1923 and was more "streamlined" in 1939 and once again in 1949. It has hosted various movie stars in its early days including Ricardo Montalban. I grew up in this town and watched many movies there including The Rock Horror Picture Show on Halloween many times. Always a blast. They were moving some old things out today so while I wasn't busy, I went over and perused around. About the only thing vintage speaker wise that was left was what looks to be a homemade Altec A7 VOTT cabinet (couldn't quite get the model) and the 288C driver on the 805B 15 cell horn. But here are some various pictures; I just like the history and seeing it all from "behind the scenes.". @longdrive03 Ken might remember going here a time or two... These are behind the stage. this is what happened to our local theater.... http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?32722-Altec-A4-questions http://www.audioasylumtrader.com/ca/listing/Speakers-Floor-Standing/Altec-Lansing/A4/VoTT-System-with-extras/59515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 A lot of history in those pics, the front of the building looks very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I can't seem to find the phantom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizRotus Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Very cool. Thanks for sharing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 2 hours ago, avguytx said: The original theater in my hometown, Did you get the speaker(s)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 No. The old man would want more than they're worth so they went to his place. They said after he passes, they'll give me his granddaughters number. There's only one of those Altec speakers so it wouldn't do me much good other than resale. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 All this makes me wonder what's going to happen with movie theaters (see https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-21/movie-theaters-were-already-in-trouble-with-disney-s-fox-deal-it-s-double). The local mall AMC (18 screens) has Klipsch loudspeakers, while the local "detached" AMC theater (9 screens) has JBL and sounds really like trash in comparison (I kid you not). The JBL system sounds really harsh: has piercing highs, no lows, overwhelming midbass, and it sounds loud all the time, implying lots of modulation distortion. No one seems to pay a lot of attention to the sound (except perhaps my wife and me), but some can be seen wiggling their ear canals with their fingers as they exit the theater after the feature, indicating "aural irritation" to me. The economics of the newer digital projectors has already put the little guys out of business (costing in at $100K per screen for the projectors only). With the rising costs of the hardware (audio and video) and the squeeze that the movie studios are increasingly placing on the local theaters, it seems to me that a concept like "The Loft" might become more common, with audiophile surround sound systems and 4K projectors that could fill perhaps 50-100 people in a "Loft"-sized room playing movies released in parallel with the theaters off of 4K BD disc. Seems to me that this isn't out of the realm of possibility. Anyway, it seems to me that the very same type of "by invitation only" concept could be envisioned for rooms with three Jubilees and other Klipsch Professional products in surround and subwoofers...and really wow attending audiences in extremely well set up audio rooms with higher end HT projectors that could project on a slightly larger HT screen size. The sound system could also double as Loft parties before and after the flick(s). Entry fees could help pay for the gear, amortized over time. Bring in the pizza and BYOB, and you've got a really nice evening entertainment experience that really beats your average cinema. And its a lot less expensive than a standard movie theater concept. Anyway...it's just a thought... Chris 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 12 hours ago, avguytx said: There's only one of those Altec speakers so it wouldn't do me much good other than resale. I ask because I have one too. It came from the movie theater that is now a theatre in my one horse hometown. If you score the speaker, you might want to see if you can get the xover and amp too. 16 hours ago, avguytx said: so the city can officially take over and renovate it during the next couple of years. Good luck to them. The place looks like it will be a cool place when they're finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtmudd Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 16 hours ago, avguytx said: And how it looks lit up now with the front all redone. that's a nice and cool looking theater.. Any state or government grants... for the restoration..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 1 hour ago, Woofers and Tweeters said: I ask because I have one too. It came from the movie theater that is now a theatre in my one horse hometown. If you score the speaker, you might want to see if you can get the xover and amp too. Good luck to them. The place looks like it will be a cool place when they're finished. There was no Altec crossover and amp to be found that was running it. For the last however many years, the woofer section didn't work on it...just the horn. There were 2 commercial type amps running things in a hodge podge way for years so there's no telling. The old man may have stuff stashed away somewhere but, like everything he has piled up, he thinks it's all worth its weight in gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 59 minutes ago, dirtmudd said: that's a nice and cool looking theater.. Any state or government grants... for the restoration..... Yeah, it will look great when it's done and I remember it being decently nice in the mid 70's when I started going to movies there....I was about 10 then. Even then, it was showing its age. The funding to fix the front was primarily from local donations and fund raisers. The neon was quite expensive to fix. There may be some tax dollars, grants, etc., that help with the next part but it seems it will be mostly local funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtmudd Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 2 minutes ago, avguytx said: Yeah, it will look great when it's done and I remember it being decently nice in the mid 70's when I started going to movies there....I was about 10 then. Even then, it was showing its age. The funding to fix the front was primarily from local donations and fund raisers. The neon was quite expensive to fix. There may be some tax dollars, grants, etc., that help with the next part but it seems it will be mostly local funding. the Stanley theater here...was saved it started in the late 70's to protect it.. http://www.thestanley.org/about/renovations/ but unfortunately with the uptown.. it's in foreclosure...and the dimwitted previous owners...destroyed 2 altec a4's.....just for $120 of plywood... as posted the links above....or earlier.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofers and Tweeters Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 55 minutes ago, avguytx said: There was no Altec crossover and amp to be found that was running it. For the last however many years, the woofer section didn't work on it...just the horn. There were 2 commercial type amps running things in a hodge podge way for years so there's no telling. The old man may have stuff stashed away somewhere but, like everything he has piled up, he thinks it's all worth its weight in gold. The crossover was mounted on the side of the cabinet on the one I have. The woofer that I have will need to be reworked. People are asking a lot for the speakers on paybay. One I seen before Two I seen before The asking price is way up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woralph Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Interesting, though the inside looks a bit creepy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longdrive03 Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Oh man!! Just saw this thread. Brings back tons of memories from the 60' and 70's in my hometown. Sandi Cole's dad ran the theater. Used to have to use the phone in the ticket booth to call my mom to com get me when i was small!!! Watched many movies there since nothing else to do in Searcy (but get in trouble)! AVGUY we need to offer our services to build some big speakers if they redo it. Would be fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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