Wider Is Better

I use to enjoy going to the local cineplex and watching movies. You got 5.1 digital surround, great seating (stadium seating anyways) and a larger than life image. Now a days, I still get that but I also have to pay a larger than life price. Not sure where your cinema is but mine, currently $9.50 for a movie that is not in 3D and $12.50 if it is. I have dropped $at least $40 dollars for me and my family and haven't even sat down yet. Don't even get me started on the candy and popcorn prices.

I may have chosen to limit the amount I spend on entertainment outside the house but I do not have to limit the experience at all. My last post was describing the projector I will be using and why, now let me tell you about the screen.... cinemascope screen that is.

I have looked at several reviews and many different companies offer a 2.35:1 screen. However, they are all very proud of them. I am looking for a screen that is 125" wide and acoustically transparent or AT. AT means that the speakers will go behind the screen, just like in a theater, and no sound transmission is lost.

I have looked upon the Stewart Film Screen (Hollywood screen of choice) and SMX Screen. Both are very expensive $3-4K...... I don't think so. DaLite and Draper both offer them but they were still a little high in my opinion. I considered doing a DIY but I really wanted something that I didn't have to do a ton of research on. I found that the screen company Elite has Acoustically transparent screens and they are budget conscience.

The AcousticPro 1080 125" 2.35:1 Lunette series screen is the screen I am considering. Not only is it AT, not only is it a 2.35:1 screen.... it is curved to help with light roll off on the edges and corners of the screen bringing the screen closer to the projector. Elite offers this screen in a 1.0 gain which means it won't be any brighter than using a traditional screen and that is fine with me because the screen is going to be well inside the sweet spot range for the projector.

I did consider going with a solid surface screen and getting the grey surface material to enhance the darker colors and shadow details but, I really wanted the true theater experience. And as it stands right now, I am headed in just that direction.