Want the best seat in a theater? This is where audio technicians sit!

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

A seat in the movie theater will make or break your viewing experience, so no doubt you usually take the time to arrive early or pre-order your ticket online so you can hand-pick your seat (when applicable). We all have our quirks and rituals regarding the theater experience, although the following bit of info might interest you. Vulture did a small piece today with Steve Martz, director of global technology at THX, regarding where sound technicians calibrate a theater’s system. So where is this sweet spot? Probably where you aim to sit anyway; center of the theater, about two-thirds back.

Obviously theaters are designed to accommodate ALL seats, but this area is where engineers use various microphones to help set up playback levels, speaker timing, and other settings. Martz comments that this is probably the best way to go, although if those seats are taken, he recommends moving forward as to increase periphery. Huge surprise? Absolutely not, but it’s always interesting to hear some insider perspective regarding the theater experience. I tend to aim for a center seat, about one-third back, because f*ck my eyeballs! I’m at a theater! Feel free to list your theater preferences below!