Why Install a Home Theater

Going to the movies with family and friends is an experience everyone loves and cherishes. The excitement builds from the moment someone asks, “want to go see a movie?” Why is that? Is it the ambiance that a theater provides? Or perhaps the fun of sitting in the dark with your friends, watching the picture on a massive screen, sound coming at you from all directions as the action unfolds onscreen, while munching on some fresh, hot popcorn smothered in delicious butter? The answer is yes, yes to all. The entirety of the experience is special and leaves everyone with a feeling of giddiness.

But this amazing experience is not without some issues. Lugging a family along with friends around can be challenging, especially with rambunctious little ones that are excited to see the latest Disney has to offer. Movie times and ticket availability is another. How many times has someone suggested an impromptu Movie night to see the newly released blockbuster, an with enthused excitement you get ready and make your way to the local theater to find long lines, and worse, a sold out movie. What to do? We can wait for the 10:30 showing, but the sitter cannot stay that late. I guess we will have to do it another night :-(

Another limitation is that you are of course limited to what is showing at your local theaters. This is great if a movie you are interested in is playing, however there is no denying the selection is a bit limited. I know I have personally seen a movie or two in my days that we went to see simply for the experience of going out and enjoying a movie, and not due to any real interest in that particular movie. While its still fun, I have to admit it takes away from the excitement a bit.

I don’t suggest that we remove the movie going experience altogether, but some of the issues I outlined above leave some room for another option. Add in the fact that we are dealing with an unprecedented pandemic during our lifetime, there has never been a better time to invest in your family’s enjoyment.

Benefits of a Home Theater

So we know some of the amazing benefits of going out to see a movie, but let’s talk a bit about some of the incredible reasons to have a state of the art Home Theater right in your own home. Some of the obvious things that stand out are, no lines and no people. Let’s be honest here, nothing can ruin a fun movie night like some rowdy teenagers out having fun and being a bit too loud, or the kid sitting behind you that keeps kicking you seat. Ever have the person sitting a row or two in front of you constantly checking their phone or texting throughout the movie? This one gets my blood boiling. This is a time to just sit, enjoy and turn off the outside world, and is definitely distracting to everyone around them. Sitting in your very own Home Theater removes all of these issues, well sort of. The good news, is if you still have these issues, you can usually ground the offenders.

The benefits go far beyond eliminating some distractions however. Convenience is a huge bonus. Watch what you want, when you want, and with whom you want. No distractions, no lines, and with streaming services provided by devices such as Roku, AppleTV, and Amazon FireTV, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Vudu and more, you are never at a loss of content to watch. The possibilities are literally endless. There is always something to find that the entire family can enjoy. Showtime is whenever you gather everyone into the room. No longer will you have to ensure you get downtown in time to park and get to the theater and seated by 4:20, 5:20, 6:20 or whatever times are showing. Simply grab your universal remote, and start the show when you want.

Another great benefit is comfort. While many theaters have been updating with nicer seating, its never just quite the right fit. You can choose the size, features, color and style of seating for your own personal Home Theater that suits your tastes and comfort. Reclining, heat, even massage are excellent options to ensure your comfort.

What happens when nature calls? If you’re at a movie theater, you first have to make the embarrassing shuffle through the aisle as moviegoer after moviegoer annoying has to stand up to let you by. Of course, you are going to miss some of the story as you take care of business. And then the real fun begins, of trying to find your seat when you return, into a dark theater, looking awkwardly at strangers, making eye contact with people wondering why you couldn’t just wait. At home, simply pause the show and call out bathroom break and everyone gets their break, or goes and grabs a snack. No one has to miss any of the show.

Why a Home Theater is Actually Better!!!

There is no doubt a movie theater has a lot going for it. Huge screen. Big sound. The smell of fresh popcorn. When you start to pick everything apart though, there are some noticeable differences that point to how a properly setup Home Theater is actually a better experience. To start, a lot of movie theaters are really lagging behind with technology. While you can see the movie on a huge screen, its often not that great in terms of picture quality. Seeing your content at home on a large truly ultra high definition screen with the use of a 4K home theater projector on a screen as large as the space will permit is awe inspiring and will bring many wows from all your visiting friends and family. Remember in days past when everyone would gather at that one friends house that had the LARGE 40” rear projection big screen TV? We believe going a bit bigger is always better with a Home Theater. 100”, sure. Maybe a 120”, why not. 133”, we’re getting closer. How about 200”? As long as the space can support it, we LOVE going with a nice huge screen that helps immerse you in the action, right in your own home. While you may be giving up some size compared to the massive screen at a movie theater, you more than make up the difference with quality.

One thing that many, many movie theaters tend to do is crank the volume up to ungodly levels. We get it, a big action movie should have lots of loud, boomy sound. And they certainly have enough speakers to accomplish this, many having a solid 100 speakers in the theater. While this provides lot of sound, it does not necessarily provide correct sound. True Surround Sound requires proper placement and calibration. A movie theater is generally a pretty large room to be able to ensure everyone gets the correct sound at all times. If you are sitting too far to the left of the theater, you are going to hear mainly just the left channel speakers in scenes where sound is pumping to both the right and left channels. Physics simply dictates it is impossible to cover all areas of a space that large properly. Many theaters compensate by turning the volume very loud, to give the impression that what you are hearing is great sound. It is often simply just loud. VERY loud.

I’ve been to a number of movies where I left after the movie ended with a terrible headache. 2 hours of brain pounding sound can do that. Personally, I do not find it enjoyable to have the volume maxed out when I watch a movie. Sure, I do like it loud, but at an acceptable level. Not only does it physically hurt if it is too loud, it also does not sound good. I, far too often, have heard distortion and cracking speakers in a movie theater due to it being so loud.

A Home Theater provides you with a much more appropriate space to watch and listen to a movie. In most scenarios, you are never seated more than 10 or 15 feet at most from any of the speakers. If you are, the system can be calibrated so that all of the speakers in the theater provide the same, smooth level of sound to the main seating area. Rather then sound coming in at different intervals, calibration ensures that it all reaches the listening area when it should to provide the optimal sound and experience. It’s not just about providing a loud room, but a properly sounding room, as the directors intended when filming.

How We Can Help

With a variety of top brands in the industry, such as KEF, Triad, Origin Acoustics and more, we have the ability to create a custom Home Theater that fits anyones needs. Properly placed and sized speakers powered by some of the best Home Theater receivers, amplifier, and pre-amplifiers from companies like Yamaha, Sony, Marantz, Audio Control and more has given us the ability to really tailor a Home Theater so that it provides exactly what you’d expect from a properly built Home Theater. The difference in the quality of sound between a loud movie theater and a calibrated Home Theater will be night and day. You will really be immersed in the sound and become a part of the action. It’s time to invest in your family and their enjoyment. Please feel free to reach out to us for a free consultation anywhere in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties in Connecticut. We do service all of Connecticut and most of Westchester County NY as well.