EXPERIENCING “AVATAR” AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE

Recently, I dropped by the AV Enthusiast office in Huntsville, Alabama, to watch the original (2009) “Avatar” movie. Since they have a home theater system as part of their showroom, this gave me the opportunity to watch it as if I were at the cinema, something that I didn’t get to experience when I originally watched it at home many years ago on a 48” Phillips™ flatscreen TV. I expected this time to be fantastically different, and I was not disappointed.

I found that there are simply no similarities between the acoustics in my living room at home, and those of the AV Enthusiast home theater showroom. Acoustic treatments were added to the space to ensure an optimum listening experience. Noise-dampening wool insulation was installed between the studs in selected walls in order to eliminate noisy vibrations, and decorative acoustic panels made by Kinetics™ Noise Control were mounted on the outside of the walls to absorb erroneous noise within the room caused by any hard surfaces. These acoustic treatments are essential for the creation of the awesome audibility expected from a professionally designed surround sound system. During my viewing of “Avatar” in the AV Enthusiast showroom, every spoken word was clear and distinct, as were the voices of the creatures murmuring and howling in the Pandoran jungle. Amazingly, the only vibrations felt were the ones generated from the movie’s soundtrack – the rumbling, thunderous sounds of aircraft engines coupled with the deep, throaty roars of dangerous creatures lurking in the trees and skies.

A Star Ceiling also caught my attention as I looked up, and I learned that each starry tile in the dropped ceiling, aside from providing an aesthetic effect, was there to absorb erroneous, noise-generating vibrations.

Amazingly, I had no problem operating the high-tech theater, thanks to the Crestron Home™ Control System. I was handed a Crestron™ Handheld Remote Controller and simply selected “Watch Apple TV.” The lights dimmed, the movie started, and I was on my way to a fully immersive experience.

I was completely mesmerized by the orchestra of sounds thumping, throbbing, twittering, and shrieking all around me, directly involving me in the daily lives of the Na’Vi in a way that allowed me to experience their deep connection to their beloved Pandora. Every nuance of tone and timbre was artfully reproduced by the carefully designed 7.3 Surround Sound System. Its components were carefully chosen by the AV Enthusiast Integration Team to demonstrate the optimum set-up for the space being used. They chose a Totem™ Signature One for their center speaker since it is the key channel of the system. This speaker is a favorite of serious audiophiles for its ability to “bowl you over with sonic excellence,” as Chris Martens of hifiplus.com put it in a 2017 review.

For their front left and right speakers, the team chose a set of highly acclaimed Totem™ Wind speakers, known for their unusual avant-garde design and sonic excellence. And they chose three compact Totem™ Kin 10 subwoofers in keeping with the size of the space. Rounding out their surround sound system, the team chose a set of Totem™ IC82 ceiling speakers.

As for the visual effects, they were astounding. The depth and range of colors in the video were surreal, thanks to the craftmanship of the Wolf Cinema™ projector that the team paired with a 106-inch Screen Innovations™ ALR screen. I truly felt as if I were joined with the Na’Vi through my own avatar as they plunged perilously through the craggy depths of the Pandoran canyons on their mountain banshees, freely and fearlessly amusing themselves like carefree children. The breathtaking beauty of that thrill ride remains now in my mind as an ever-present vision of sheer delight.

I encourage you to visit the AV Enthusiast showroom for your own personal showing of “Avatar!”

Call them at 256.882.5081 to schedule a personal showing, or drop by their showroom at 514 Madison Street in Huntsville Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM or Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM.

The AV Enthusiast Home Theater is comprised of the following technology:

• 4K Apple TV™ streamer

• ARCAM™ AVR20 Receiver

• ARCAM™ Amps – PA720, PA240

• TXF-1100 Wolf Cinema™ Projector

• 106-inch Screen Innovations™ ALR screen

• Kinetics™ Acoustic Panels

• Totem™ Signature One Speaker

• Totem™ Wind Tower Speakers

• Totem™ KIN 10 Subwoofers

• Totem™ IC82 ceiling speakers

• Crestron™ CP-4r Processor

• Crestron™ HR150 Handheld Controller

• Crestron™ Horizon Light Dimmer