Home Theater Acoustics
Have you considered room acoustics? That's my first question when people ask me for home theater advice. Your theater's acoustic environment is as important to your system's sound quality as any single component. Sure, you can improve the sound with a new amplifier, new speakers, or the latest and greatest EX/ES processor; however, if your room isn't acoustically optimized, you still won't get maximum performance from your system, no matter how much it costs. Adding acoustic treatment is probably the easiest and most effective thing you can do to improve your sonic environment. Granted, it can be daunting to calculate reverberation times so that you add the right amount of acoustic treatment.
You wouldn’t want your video image to be out of focus, why would you want the sound to be blurred? What so many people fail to realize, is the extent to which the room itself contributes to the overall audio performance of a dedicated home cinema. In fact, as much as 80% of what you hear in a home cinema or listening room is not coming from your speakers – it’s coming from the walls, floor and ceiling – from the room itself. Consequently, the room itself really is the most important “component” in your entire theater system.
But buying more expensive speakers and electronics cannot effectively compensate or correct the problems the room itself causes – and simply putting up absorptive panels is only a part of what is needed to address the acoustical challenges the room introduces. Getting your theater to sound right requires a properly engineered solution based on a comprehensive acoustical strategy. Absorptive panels are merely one component whose real performance benefit can only be effectively realized when used as a part of a complete acoustic system solution. Furthermore, most of the acoustic problems the room causes cannot be electronically solved or “equalized away”. A total design approach is necessary to resolve the problems that the room itself creates while focusing the soundstage and enhancing spatial envelopment.
Our engineers then use computer-aided analysis allows us to “see what you’ll hear” and further develop the acoustic treatment strategy in order to determine the exact placement of these advanced treatment modules for the best possible sonic result, in order to achieve maximum clarity, focus, envelopment and balanced frequency response for every listening position. This scientifically rendered, highly customized strategy is the secret behind our consistently outstanding results and is an essential element in every Erskine Group private theater we design and engineer.
We look forward to working for you to design an outstanding acoustical environment for your home theater. Once you experience what your room can be, you will never go back! Contact Us today to get started.
