LEA Amplifiers Immerse Audiences at the Historic Cherry Lane Theatre

	The LEA Cinema Digital Series is a line of IoT-enabled power amplifiers designed especially for cinema applications of all sizes.

The Cherry Lane Theatre is the oldest continuously running off-Broadway theatre in New York City. The building was constructed as a farm silo in 1817, and also served as a brewery, tobacco warehouse, and box factory before being converted into a theater and christened the Cherry Lane Playhouse. First opened in 1923, the 167-seat theatre has long been a home for nontraditional and experimental works.

The theatre was acquired by an independent entertainment company in 2022. The new owners wanted to extensively renovate the theater with updates to the technical equipment, new seating, a newly installed film projector and screen, and an upgraded lobby. The goal was to blend Cherry Lane's rich theatrical legacy with cutting-edge technology, offering a premier venue for both film screenings and live performances with a full-service restaurant and bar in the lobby. They contacted Francois Godfrey, president and COO at Moving iMage Technologies, to facilitate the AV upgrades.

"Management at the theatre was very clear that every element had to be carefully selected to enhance both cinema and live performances," says Godfrey. "When we were considering amplifiers, LEA's Cinema Digital Series were at the top of the list."

The LEA Cinema Digital Series is a line of IoT-enabled power amplifiers designed especially for cinema applications of all sizes. Introduced in 2024, the series comprises models with two or four channels, offering power ranging from 350W to 1,500W per channel, depending on the model. All models can integrate with the Dolby Cinema Processor CP950 and include AES67 primary and secondary inputs, analog backup inputs, and the ability to accept AES67 feeds directly from a CP950 without requiring additional hardware, ensuring superior connectivity and flexibility at lower system costs, the company says.

Moving iMage Technologies installed Cinema Digital Series 704 amplifiers to power the historic theatre. The four-channel CDS704 provides 700W per channel, supports Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and features Smart Power Bridge technology. For flexibility in networked installations, the CDS704 provides three modes of connectivity: wired Ethernet, venue Wi-Fi, or a built-in Wi-Fi access point. In addition, the CDS704 features advanced DSP, including 96kHz linear-phase FIR crossover filters, acoustically transparent look-ahead RMS and peak limiters, and 32-bit floating-point DSP with built-in sample rate converters.

LEA amplifiers were the first to feature cloud connectivity. With LEA Cloud, AV companies like Moving iMage Technologies can remotely control and monitor amplifiers from anywhere, at any time, and with no subscription model or hidden costs. It's completely free to use.

Moving iMage Technologies' expertise in state-of-the-art out-of-home entertainment environments is evident in the sophisticated design of the venue. The custom engineering approach includes a motorized Stewart Screen and QSC Speaker Lift system that transitions between film and performance configurations. The immersive audio system, featuring the APX AuroMax processor, and premium camera systems for live streaming, further enhance the venue's capabilities.

The Cherry Lane Theatre re-opened in September 2025 to great acclaim, hosting a week of one-night-only special performances, which were capped off with a block party.

"We were thrilled to help transform Cherry Lane into a top-tier destination for film lovers and performing arts audiences," says Godfrey. "LEA's Cinema Digital Series is a perfect fit for theaters of all sizes and immerses moviegoers in lush audio like never before."