6 minute read
ESSENTIAL ROAD TRIP
The Theory demo space was mightily impressive
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’
Wayne Hyde, Technical, Sales & Marketing Support at distributor CAVD shares a special fact- finding travelogue about the company’s recent adventures state-side.
Who are the suppliers you went to visit recently in California?
It was PRO Audio Technology (PRO) and their sister company Theory Audio Design (Theory), who both make speaker systems for residential and commercial applications. Many of the Hollywood stars have PRO systems in their homes, I wish we could share that list!
Plus, no trip to California is complete without a stop at Stewart Filmscreen, often considered the gold standard of screen manufacturers, for cinemas, aerospace, theme parks and residential projects.
Jamie Pullen, CAVD MD, says “California is the beating heart of the film industry, everything happens here from the creation of the movies through to screenings, launches and playback in the homes by those who created them! It’s a hotbed for AV manufacturers who know this space inside out and have the ability to build products that truly deliver.” Why did you go to visit PRO and Theory?
The PRO and Theory showroom, in Lake Forest, California had just recently been extended with audio zones and another home cinema demo area. So, we just had to get out there to experience the upgrades for ourselves, plus spend some quality time with our partners, the MD, Paul Hales, and VP of Sales, Mark Goldman.
What did you see?
The improvements to the whole facility were exceptional and it was easy to understand why PRO dealers in the sunshine state regularly bring their high-net-worth clients here.
Paul and Mark treated us to demonstrations in the Theory ‘room’ which had systems ranging from a 2.0 stereo layout, up to a Dolby Atmos 5.2.2 configuration. Next door in their R&D centre we heard a Theory system that was set up as a mono distributed audio system for
Jamie Pullen, Harry Fukushima, July Yepez (Stewart Filmscreen) and Wayne Hyde
commercial spaces, based on high-impedance pendant speakers combined with a tall slim subwoofer.
Jamie comments, “I love the Theory Atmos demonstration we run in the UK, however, we’ll add in the 2.1 version next as I believe no one is offering such a solution for distributed audio that’s as amazing as this.”
There are two PRO rooms as well, one midlevel system, as 9.2.6 and an epic top-of-therange system as 9.4.6. Jamie says, “How can I describe what I heard? Well, each delivered a very intense and immersive experience, it was just incredible.”
PRO also have a new loudspeaker added to their range, that’s been wowing all those who heard it at CEDIA Expo, and already its receiving industry awards. The SR-28212ai, is a 6in deep, tri-wire multi-application loudspeaker that can serve as a wide bandwidth full range speaker or the subwoofer section can be used for surround bass management or lastly, used as the main LFE woofer in a system. The 28212 can deliver a massive 130dB SPL at 1m!
The showrooms were beautifully presented and embraced luxurious aesthetics with a performance to match. CAVD plan on taking UK dealers out there in 2023 for full PRO and Theory training, to understand why their systems are the best way to deliver music and cinematic audio at home.
What were your biggest takeaways from visiting PRO Audio Technology and Theory Audio Design?
At the PRO Audio Technology R&D facility, they’ve invested in the Klippel Analyser loudspeaker measurement system. This incredibly valuable tool plays a key part in why the sound you hear is so good from PRO and Theory sound systems. The Klippel can take measurements all around the loudspeaker and aids the designer, Paul Hales, to fine-tune the drivers, cabinet design and which DSP amplifier settings are required.
And it’s worth noting that the measurements are also published, which can be a rarity in the home cinema industry. You’ll find this data on the website and crucially it can be used as part of your engineering calculations when designing a system. For example, in the soonto-be-released CEDIA RP22 paper (Immersive Audio Design Recommended Practice) measurements and data like this will play a key role in achieving parameter targets set in the new Performance Levels section. Achieving these targets gives you a higher probability of a better sound when it comes to your client’s experience when they sit down to enjoy their new home cinema room.
Stewart Filmscreen quality control is extreme Pro Audio Technology collection
Why did you go to visit Stewart Filmscreen?
Stewart Filmscreen has a new CEO, Mark Schelbert who we were looking forward to meeting, plus it’s been a while since we saw the operation there. It’s always good to see the sales, design and support crew at Stewart that we’re in constant touch with across the pond. Visiting also means we get to see what new products are coming, what plans they have and how they’re implementing the latest materials and technology in their manufacturing process.
What did you see?
Mark Robinson, VP of Technology, gave us a full tour of the facility. He’d only just returned from an early start that morning at Disneyland where he and his team had been servicing one of the many Stewart screens across the park. This one played a part in Minnie and Mickie’s Runaway Train ride!
As we made our way around the vast complex, every corner we turned revealed craftsmanship of the highest calibre. Frames are being trimmed from scratch and velveted, masking bars and motors are being tested, and screen materials are being cut to size and perforated.
One area, the matrix plant, really stood out. Three rooms approximately 20 x 20m, where Stewart’s award-winning projection surfaces are created. The optical layers are sprayed on by robots, towards the roof of the room and are gradually built up until a surface such as StudioTek, FireHawk or Phantom HALR has been born. This in-house control of this process is why Stewart has the most comprehensive range of surfaces.
During the tour, we took time to speak to Mark Schelbert who has been the new owner since April 2022. Mark enthusiastically explained how inspired he was by the history of Stewart Filmscreen but also recognised the modern challenges of a projection system. He is therefore making it a priority at Stewart to lead a team that constantly thinks about innovation, improving the operation and above all making the whole process easier for customers, from specification to installation.
At CAVD we’re particularly looking forward to fine tuning of the configurator section of their website and revised design specifications and manuals.
It was a simple reminder of why they’re considered the Rolls Royce of screen manufacturers. The operation was immense, with screens of all shapes and sizes regularly dispatched worldwide, many heading for home cinemas in the UK, Hollywood and other critical applications.
Above all, it was the attitude and mojo of everyone we met, from the guys building the shipping crates to the committed and proud new owner of the corporation. This energy, whether you subscribe to this idea or not, does make its way into the products for the end user to enjoy.
CAVD cavd.co.uk
