How to Get Stellar Sound from Your Home Theater Installation

Design a System and Environment that Immerses You in the Action

Ever sit down at your local theater with your fresh bucket of popcorn only to realize the speakers aren’t working properly? Sound that is too low, loud, or uneven not only makes enjoying the movie impossible, but it will leave you with a lingering headache. One of the benefits of a home theater installation is that you have much better control over sound quality than you would at a commercial theater. 

It’s easier for an AV professional to create a dedicated, optimized space in the comfort of home than in a large theater auditorium. Through years of experience and partnerships with industry-leading manufacturers, we can design an environment that immerses you in your favorite movies, TV shows and sports. By focusing on these three things, we deliver stunning audio performance to all our Hawai’i clients. 

SEE MORE: What You Need for the Ultimate Custom Home Theater 

The Design 

The important thing to note when it comes to a professional home theater design is that it isn't just about buying the coolest gadgets for the room. Each installation starts with discovery to get to know your family's preferences and your space limitations. These two things will affect the overall layout of your system and the equipment we use. 

Our three-dimensional surround sound systems require speakers at the front of the room, the sides, back, and ceiling. But since speaker placement is all about creating a sweet spot for the listener, seating needs to be decided first before ironing out your speakers' exact location and angle. 

Your theater design includes more than the ideal spot for your speakers and subwoofers. It also addresses all necessary wiring and audio calibrations to get all components communicating seamlessly. 

The Electronics

Now about those components. We know these are at the top of everyone’s mind. Here it's important to not be laser-focused on your speakers. Top-notch audio quality requires exceptional performance at each step of your signal path.

That means you want to partner with trusted manufacturers when choosing your sources (media servers, Blu-rays, etc.), AV receiver, cabling and speakers. You also want to ensure they all support the latest immersive audio technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. We partner with industry leaders in all these categories, including Anthem, Paradigm, and AudioQuest. 

With a plethora of high-end models to choose from, the right choice comes down to your family’s needs. For example, for speakers, you may want to opt for in-ceiling or in-wall varieties to safeguard your curated décor. Then, the number of speakers and the type of content you want to watch may affect your choice of AV receiver. We'll advise you on the best options as part of your initial theater design. 

The Environment 

You can take some additional steps to 'dampen' the room to avoid reverberations that will affect your audio quality. First, you want to use home theater seating from manufacturers like Cineak. These are specifically built not to interfere with your sound. Avoid hardwood floors and opt for carpeting instead. For windows, incorporate motorized window treatments that improve sound quality and reduce unwanted ambient lighting. 

Sometimes, it might be necessary to integrate acoustic panels that isolate and absorb sound to balance the room. In the past, these panels were an eyesore and understandably avoided by many homeowners. These days, though, it’s much easier to integrate them into your theater design. Some camouflage perfectly into the walls, so you won't even know they're there. Other companies offer beautiful panels that resemble luxury artwork and add a spark to your décor. 

Ready to enjoy unprecedented sound quality from your home theater installation? Reach out to our team of experts by giving us a call, filling out our contact form or chatting with us below.