Building the Perfect Home Entertainment System for Your Family

The Challenge: Creating a Custom Home Theater Without Starting Over

Designing the perfect home entertainment system isn't just about picking the latest and greatest equipment—it’s about making sure it fits your family’s needs, your home’s layout, and most importantly, your vision. 

Many AV companies take this opportunity to push new gear, often misleading clients about the capabilities of their existing equipment. At Entertainment Pros, we do things differently. When possible, we help homeowners integrate their existing high-quality gear with cutting-edge technology, ensuring they get the best performance without unnecessary upgrades. Our latest project was a great example of this approach.

Assessing the Existing Setup

The client had a room with much of the wiring completed during construction, along with Klipsch Left/Center/Right front speakers, Left/Right side speakers and a behemoth SVS subwoofer. His products were good quality, so they were a great fit for the system. 

Enhancing Surround Sound

We added in-ceiling Monitor Audio speakers for the surround back speakers and a pair of matching in-ceiling speakers for upper Dolby Atmos channels (height channels, located above and forward of the listening/viewing location). We placed the existing subwoofer in the left front corner to ensure he had plenty of bass but also wasn't the first thing you see when you walk into the room.

A Dual-Screen Setup for Ultimate Flexibility

We installed a Sony 4K VPL-XW5000ES Laser Projector, and a Severtson 135" motorized screen which drops down in front of his existing 65" Sony XBR LED TV he chose to keep in the room. This allows him to select between basic TV viewing and easily switch to the full theater mode with the more immersive 135" screen.

Equipment Rack & Control System

The equipment was all located in a remote closet, with a small Red Aton equipment rack housing:

• SurgeX surge suppressor
• Elan/Nice SC150 System Controller
• Yamaha Aventage RX-A8 receiver
• Apple TV to provide the source material

The Elan/Nice control system provides him with the ability to control his system from anywhere he has cell or network connectivity—it is not limited by close proximity to the room.

He also opted for some Lutron Caseta dimmers (installed by a local electrician), which we programmed into his system so he can adjust the lighting for a movie or mood by his remote, phone, or tablet.

In addition to the theater, we added Monitor Audio in-ceiling speakers in his Living Room, Gym, and Outdoor Patio, with weather-resistant models connected to Sonos amplifiers to expand his listening area.

From Playroom to Home Theater—A True Transformation

This room was previously used as a multi-purpose room for playing ping pong and as the kids' playroom. We can now add 'home theater' to the capabilities of this space. If we had insisted on selling and using all new equipment to this client we probably would not have been chosen for this project.

At Entertainment Pros, we don’t believe in upselling for the sake of it. We focus on custom solutions which maximize your existing gear while integrating the latest technology to create an entertainment experience tailored just for you.

Ready to Build Your Dream Home Theater?

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and let’s build your perfect home theater together!

Equipment List for This Home Theater Project

Audio Components:

• Front Left/Right Speakers: Klipsch Tower Speakers
• Center Speaker: Klipsch Center Channel
• Side Surround Speakers: Klipsch Left/Right Surround Speakers
• Surround Back Speakers: Monitor Audio In-Ceiling Speakers
• Dolby Atmos Height Channels: Monitor Audio In-Ceiling Speakers
• Subwoofer: SVS Subwoofer

Video Components:

• Primary TV: Sony XBR 65” LED TV
• Projector: Sony 4K VPL-XW5000ES Laser Projector
• Projector Mount: Peerless Projector Mount
• Projection Screen: Severtson 135” Motorized Screen

AV Control & Processing:

• AV Receiver: Yamaha Aventage RX-A8 Receiver
• Control System: Elan/Nice SC150 System Controller
• Streaming Source: Apple TV

Power & Protection:

• Surge Protection: SurgeX Surge Suppressor

Lighting & Automation:

• Smart Lighting: Lutron Caseta Dimmers (integrated into the control system)

Multi-Room Audio Expansion:

• Living Room Speakers: Monitor Audio In-Ceiling Speakers
• Gym Speakers: Monitor Audio In-Ceiling Speakers
• Outdoor Speakers: Weather-Resistant Monitor Audio In-Celling Speakers
• Audio Streaming & Control: Sonos Amplifiers

Equipment Rack & Storage:

• Rack Location: Remote Closet
• Rack Type: Red Atom Equipment Rack