The Stereo Shop

There is a reason that some tickets at a concert cost more than others. “The best seat in the house” is the spot where all of the sounds meet perfectly to capture the perfect essence of the music, with no echoes, no feedback, no discordant sounds.

Audiophiles know that you can do the same thing in a vehicle, and make any spot in your car become ‘the sweet spot’. It’s called ‘time alignment’. Higher end Audison, JVC and Alpine head units have the ability to be electronically ‘time aligned’, which delays different speakers in the car so that the music gets to a certain point at the same time. Usually we’re asked to make the driver’s head the primary sweet spot, but we also can add a couple more listening positions so that when there are more people in the car, the sound can be switched to a different setting.

Time alignment involves a bit of physics and math – and a bit of art and talent combined with your personal preferences. And at The StereoShop, we can find the perfect sweet spot for you and your vehicle. Give us a call today if you want to have the best seat in the house each time you get into your vehicle!

Find out more at our website!

You’ve decided you want a home theater, something to take home entertainment to a whole new level for your family and friends. But what exactly does ‘home theater’ mean to you. Is it a dedicated theater for your family to celebrate an Oscar performance – or to cheer on your team to the championship? Are you simply looking for a way to see and hear a great picture in an everyday room, or do you want you whole house wired for sound?

Once you have a good idea of what you want, you can start planning in earnest. The first question is: will this home theater be a do-it-yourself project or is it time to call in the professionals? Here’s a list to consider as you weigh your choices:

1. Designing your system. Do you know the components that will be best suited to achieve your unique goals?

Here are a few choices to contemplate:
    a. Which home theater receiver is best for you?
    b. What style of Blu Ray player do you want?
    c. Does your television come from high definition satellite or cable box?
    d. What kind of universal remote do you need?
    e. What’s your goal in a video source – a television or projector?
    f. Which type of screen do you envision?
    g. How many and what kind of speakers do you need?
    h. What components do you already own that can be integrated into your system?

2. Brother, can you spare the time? When you start outlining the time needed, you’ll realize it’s not a Sunday afternoon project. For speaker locations, you need to allow an hour and a half to two hours per speaker if the wire is concealed, and you would need a minimum of six speakers. Hooking up receivers to components averages two hours. Wiring can take as little as two hours and as much as six – depending on the room and the walls. Even programming your remote control should be figured into the equation.

3. Wired for sight and sound. The most challenging task for wiring is fishing wires through walls and ceilings with minimal infiltration through drywall. Do you have the tools necessary for this? If you’ve not done this before, do you have the patience to learn as you go?

4. Sound engineering. For optimal sound, location is everything. Correct angles and spacing make the most of your subwoofers. One helpful hint is that your speakers should be spaced apart by approximately double the width of your television screen.

5. If you had a hammer. Not surprisingly, carpentry skills are also needed for your custom home theater installation. Examples of a few chores are cutting dry wall, notching joists or studs for wire access, drilling, repairing and painting drywall. If you don’t own the proper tools (and can’t borrow them from your neighbor!), you probably can rent them from a home improvement center. Or you can hire a contractor to do this part. JUst make sure you add this expense to your bottom line.

6. Get with the programming! Professional grade remotes are far superior to consumer grade remotes and well worth the price differential, but they are only available from professional installers. Programming a universal remote can be a daunting project taking quite a bit of time. (We include customized programming with any universal remote you purchase from us.)

We’d love to help you achieve the home theater of your dreams. If you’d like a professional consultation, want to shop for speakers or just need a little more information, drop by the Stereo Shop. Let’s talk about a home theater that will make the director’s cut for you!