The $25K Theater

Over the last few posts, I've talked about what you can get in a home theater for $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000. This week, I'm going to step up a bit and talk about what you can get with a larger budget, in this case, $25,000. I realize that's a pretty big step, and there's a lot of room between $10,000 and $25,000. Just remember, we can tailor any package to your specific budget, so call us now to design your perfect home theater on your perfect budget!

First of all, everything is upgraded. You get better video, better audio, and better control. Quality installation remains the same, but since you'll have a somewhat more complex system, installation time may rise a bit.

Second, we can also add in comfortable theater-style seating and a rack mount to put all of your equipment away where you don't have to see it. This rack can also house other things outside the scope of this post, such as distributed audio gear, home automation equipment, and other "cool stuff" that can make your home much more inviting. We'll talk about all of that some other time!

Equipment Upgrades

At this level, you are almost certainly talking about a 1080p projector, although an upgraded large (greater than 60") plasma or LCD panel would also be comfortable at this level. You may also want to consider one of the best 720p projectors, which will have a brighter lamp, better color options, and may be ISF certified.

Projector vs. Panel
A good 1080p projector at this price point may be a single-chip or a 3-chip model. The 3-chip model will offer better color balance and a more even picture, but will force you to trade something else out for a lower model.

Audio

At the $10,000 level, we stepped up the audio to a multi-zone receiver that can handle an iPod dock. Here, we step up to an even more-powerful receiver that handles the audio processing faster and cleaner, more inputs of more types (especially more inputs that can handle high-definition sources), and can handle more networking functions, including streaming networked audio. You may also be able to drive a third zone of audio, as well as video to other rooms. Although it wouldn't be high-def video at this price point, wouldn't it be great to be able to watch the same movie in the kitchen that the kids are watching in the theater?

We also step up to better speakers at this point. Note that speakers are often the weakest link of the entire audio system, so going to better speakers and really tighten up the sound quality, make the dialog even more understandable, and pull in those nuances that lower levels of speakers just can't reproduce. We would also likely add a second subwoofer into the mix, to even out the bass response. Whenever you have just one subwoofer, there will be "hot" and "dead" spots in the bass frequencies due to the way audio works. A second sub can help to even those out, so more seats are in the "sweet spot".

Note that speaker prices in general range from something that goes into a $10 clock radio to over $50,000 per speaker, so there is really a very wide range in speaker quality.

Control

In the $10K package, we used a candy-bar style remote with Infra-Red (IR) signalling. This is the same technology that you're used to, in the same form factor. But at this price point, we would probably move into a tablet-style touchscreen remote. We'd get rid of the hard buttons and show only the buttons that are relevant to whatever you're doing. We would also be able to customize the backgrounds to show your favorite vacation locale, pictures of the kids, or whatever else you want.

Plus, we would move to Radio-Frequency (RF) based signalling. This lets you not have to worry about pointing the remote at the equipment, and also lets us put the equipment in a cabinet or closet. The equipment really no longer needs to be anywhere near the screen! This is a more reliable system of control, and is much more flexible.

Seating

If you go to a furniture store, you will find a huge array of quality, styles, and price levels for something as simple as a sofa. Theater seating isn't quite as dramatic, but there's still a pretty wide range. In this package, you would probably get 6 or 8 seating locations, with leather seats (possibly with vinyl backs and trim). These are really comfortable seats, and will add to your enjoyment of the system. After all, isn't it better to be more comfortable when you watch your movies?

Racking

In the lower priced-packages, we assumed you already have a shelf or entertainment center in which to put your equipment. But really, one of the greatest advantages of the new flat-panel TVs and in-wall or on-wall speakers is that you get the electronics out of the room.

So at this price-point, we add in a rack system so you can mount all of your equipment in a closet somewhere. If you like to see the equipment, I'd suggest a smoked-glass door on the cabinet so that you can see the equipment, but the LEDs won't be distracting as you watch your movie.

And if you decide you want to get more equipment out of your living space, this rack can also house your whole-home audio system (just put keypads in the walls and speakers in the ceiling), home automation system (lighting control, phone system), and much, much more.

Lighting control

Which reminds me of one more thing that we add at this price point - lighting control.

Imagine when you press "Play" on the remote to start your movie - not only do you get to sit in wonderfully comfortable theater seats, and watch (and hear!) a great looking and sounding movie, you can also watch the lights dim themselves to a comfortable viewing level. And if you press "Pause", the lights can come up part-way so you can find your way around the room. And when the movie is over, the lights can ramp up to normal brightness.

That's the real "cool factor" that you can get in your $25,000 home theater.

Above $25K

If you have the budget to go to another level, you can get even fewer compromises - full leather seating, better speakers, brighter projector at a higher resolution, a themed room (think your favorite movie!), more seating, and even a popcorn machine!

Remember, there are more choices in electronics than you can imagine. Each choice opens up a range of options in other areas - if you spend more on the projector, you may be more limited in your seating choices. Your budget and what's most important to you are the main determining factors.

At Inspired Electronics, Inc., we can help you cut through all of the options to figure out how to maximize your home theater experience within your budget and constraints. Call us today to get started on your project!

For more information on how Inspired Electronics, Inc. can put in your dream home theater, visit our web site at http://www.inspired-electronics.com or call us at 847.471.4420 for a consultation!

Thanks -
Rob