SPRING 2019
THE NASHVILLE SUMMIT REPORT Dealer Award Winners Page 16
ProSource Members Speak Out! Page 30
Power CI and PRO Meetings from San Antonio Page 34
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FROM THE TECHNOLOGY INSIDER GROUP
PROSOURCE
By David J. Workman CEO/President ProSource
Managing Director CAROL CAMPBELL (323) 309-7673 • Carol@TechnologyInsiderGroup.com
EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief MAUREEN JENSON (310) 806-1507 • Mjenson86@gmail.com Managing Editor DOUGLAS WEINSTEIN (714) 865-5106 • Doug@TechnologyInsiderGroup.com
CREATIVE
CEO CAT TOOMEY (317) 514-5546 • Cat@CATalyzingComm.com Graphic Design • MARIA SATCHELL
PROSOURCE™ 109 River Oaks Drive, Suite 100 Southlake, TX 76092 CEO/President DAVE WORKMAN (817) 428-5212 • Dave.Workman@Prosourceinfo.com Vice President, Finance & Operations JESSICA PASKON (817) 431-2240 • Jessica.Paskon@Prosourceinfo.com Director of Membership SHERRY DANTONIO (562) 810-1706 • Sherry.Dantonio@Prosourceinfo.com Vice President, Business Development ANDY OROZCO (954) 562-3312 • Andy.Orozco@Prosourceinfo.com Director of Field Management TIM BASHFORD (513) 319-8228 • Tim.Bashford@Prosourceinfo.com Administrative Specialist SUSAN HINOJOSA (817)-431-2240 • Susan.Hinojosa@Prosourceinfo.com Administrative Assistant BRANDY LANGLE (817)-431-2240 • Brandy.Langle@Prosourceinfo.com
DISTRICT MANAGERS Robert Dodge – Northeast Region (714) 273-6276 • Robert.Dodge@Prosourceinfo.com Lani Godfrey – Southeast Region (704) 401-9015 • Lani.Godfrey@Prosourceinfo.com Rick Huggins – West Coast Region (619) 318-9842 • Rick.Huggins@Prosourceinfo.com Nicole Riddle – Midwest Region (612) 402-8020 • Nicole.Riddle@Prosourceinfo.com Samantha Summerville – South Central Region (480) 310-1796 • Samantha.Summerville@Prosourceinfo.com
Published by:
Publisher of The Insider Newsletter TechnologyInsiderGroup.com © ProSource Insider 2019, All Rights Reserved
As we celebrate the 5th anniversary of ProSource, I want to reach out and thank our members, vendors, and media partners who have helped make ProSource the #1 buying group in consumer technology. Our theme this year at the recent Nashville Summit and San Antonio Spring Meeting was “Better Together.” Several touchpoints I made in my opening keynotes were that we all live in the business of change, and that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Today, as I write this opening letter for the Insider magazine, we are just returning from the Spring Meeting in San Antonio. We had a great mix of PRO and Power members and everyone I spoke with commented on how valuable the event has become. Perhaps what separates us most from other buying groups is the level of member-to-member networking and the working group sessions that took place over five days. We had an outstanding roster of guest speakers, active product demonstration rooms, entertainment, and the opportunity for members to meet with key decision-makers from ProSource vendor partners one-on-one, away from the bustle of an industry trade show. We also announced Thanks for the expansion of the ProSource Board of Directors with being a the addition of Lance Anderson, CEO and Founder of Admit One Home Systems, and Aaron Cowden, Owner ProSource of Fusion Audio + Video. member and And coming up in July in Las Vegas is our annual Best Practices meeting open to PRO and Power level members. have a great I can’t tell you how great it was to hear 100 percent 2019! positive feedback from our members who who came away last year with tangible and actionable information. Please join us and add your voice and experience to the mix. In this issue of Insider, we are celebrating our Members of the Year announced at the Summit and our Vendors of the Year awards presented at the Spring Meeting. There is lots of coverage of the Nashville Summit including David Warfel's lighting presentation, new lighting vendors who introduced themselves at the Summit, updates on the Town Hall dinners and everyone’s favorite – all the great pictures from the great events that we put on! There’s lots of other great information and updates that I know you’re going to enjoy reading to keep you informed and entertained. As we look ahead to the rest of the year, my advice to all of our members is to focus on profitability and improving your business. I believe you should be looking at strategically expanding your business into new category opportunities and differentiate yourself with experiential marketing and selling. Finally, explore new options on marketing to your target demographic. We are all in the business of change and working together makes us all greater than the sum of our parts. So thanks again for being a ProSource member and have a great 2019! SPRING|2019
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SPRING 2019
DEPARTMENTS 3F ROM THE PROSOURCE by Dave Workman 6N EWS Welcome New Members; Two New Board Members Announced; ProSource Members Win Awards; Calendar of Events Including CEDIA EXPO; Best Practices and Upcoming Town Hall Dinners 16
30 H EARD ON THE STREET Nashville Summit attendees tell District Managers all 32 WELCOME NEW VENDORS 38 P RODUCT SHOWCASE The latest offerings from our valued vendor partners 50 1 5 MINUTES WITH… Sherry Dantonio
FEATURES 17
16 STATE OF THE BUSINESS AND MEMBER AWARDS Reflecting success, the keynote and education from the Spring Summit in Nashville 20 T HE SUMMIT REPORT FROM NASHVILLE The latest on business initiatives: lighting, recurring monthly revenue and member engagement
34
34 P OWER CI AND PRO MEETINGS FROM SAN ANTONIO Vendor of the Year Awards and meeting recap
SPRING|2019
5
NEWS
“We are delighted to welcome all of our new members,” said Sherry Dantonio, Director of Membership at ProSource. “We kicked off the year with our annual Summit in Nashville in March that allowed our new members to meet vendors, share ideas, and learn from their peers.”
Welcome New Members! The new PRO member approved by the ProSource Board of Directors is:
The new Power member approved by the ProSource Board of Directors is:
Audio Advisor, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI
Elevated Electronics, Overland Park, KS
The following CI members were added: Architechnology Designs, Melville, NY Argenta Solutions, Sandy, UT CTRL+ALL, Berwyn, IL ECS AV, Redondo Beach, CA Electronic Interiors, Dallas, TX Integration Controls, St. Louis, MO Launch Systems, Irvine, CA LAVA Integration, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA MediaTech, St. Charles, IL
PAVE, Nashville, TN ProStream Digital, Flower Mound, TX Saber Security Systems, Round Rock, TX Smart Home Systems, Bozeman, MT SoundFX, West Warwick, RI Soundscapes, Nashville, TN Teague Electric Construction, Lenexa, KS Village Audio Video, Wilmette, IL Wired Technologies Group, Winter Garden, FL
Approved by the ProSource Board of Directors, the following CI members were elevated to the Power membership level: Flanner’s Home Entertainment, Allis, WI
Lightworks, San Diego, CA
Global Sight & Sound, Brown Deer, WI
Multimedia Solutions Group, Inc., Farmers Branch, TX
Innovation Sight & Sound, Tampa, FL
6
SPRING|2019
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NEWS ProSource Adds Two New Seats to the Board of Directors Lance Anderson, CEO and Founder of Admit One Home Systems and Aaron Cowden, Owner of Fusion Audio + Video, Fill the New Seats
Congratulations to our new board members. Both of them were announced at the Spring Meeting in San Antonio.
Lance Anderson
Aaron Cowden
“The members and vendors of ProSource are held in my highest regard; their advice and guidance has helped shape my own company,” said Anderson. “I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this group and believe that my experience can help pave the way for the next generation. I believe it when we say we are ‘Better Together.’” “Our team at Fusion is extremely honored and humbled to be given an opportunity to serve the ProSource family,” said Cowden. “We truly wouldn’t be where we are today without the 10-plus years of knowledge sharing and strategic planning that being a ProSource member offers. Onward and upward!”
“It’s important that our board reflects the totality of its membership. With exponential growth within the Power and CI levels of membership, we are excited to welcome Lance Anderson and Aaron Cowden as leaders who represent the integration side of the business,” – Murray Huppin, Chairman of the Board.
NEWS CONGRATULATIONS PROSOURCE WINNERS! ➤ Consumer Technology Association
Mark of Excellence Awards
Integrator of the Year: Wipliance Innovation Award: Admit One Home Systems Lighting Control Project of the Year: Eagle Sentry Luxury Home of the Year $150K to $300K: Automation Design + Entertainment Specialty Project of the Year: Maestro Integration
➤ Electronic House
Home of the Year Awards Silver: Home Theater $75K - $150K Silver: Home Theater $150K+ Silver: Outdoor Space Bronze: Before and After
ListenUp Bronze: Smart Home Traditional Design & 150K+
HabiTech Systems ➤ Dealerscope 2019
Hall of Fame Award Congratulations to Angus Bryan, BrandsMart USA, for receiving a 2019 Hall of Fame award from Dealerscope!
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NEWS CONGRATULATIONS PROSOURCE WINNERS!
Congratulations to David Pidgeon, Co-Founder/CEO, Starpower for receiving the 2018 ADL Torch of Liberty Award.
Congratulations to Bob Cole, Founder, World Wide Stereo for his induction into the 2018 Consumer Technology Hall of Fame.
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SAVE THE DATE Best Practices Summit July 30 - August 2, 2019 Las Vegas
”Our members have spoken," said Dave Workman.
"The message is loud and clear that our 2018 Operations Best Practices Conference was one of the most successful events that attendees have overwhelmingly rated as an excellent experience with 100 percent committing to participate in future meetings.“
”The meeting was completely worthwhile. Steve Firszt and Paul Starkey led the morning and had the ears of everyone. The afternoon was a series of ’hot topics’ from health care to compensation. Lots of nuggets of information learned from the presenters and attendees," contributed Dave Gilbert, Senior Vice President, Hi-Fi Sales. "This was the perfect forum for my admin person. He got a lot from it as it gave him a view of the big picture.” ”I had a blast and learned a ton from the others in our group," said Rivers Meek, Vice President, Finance, at Spectrum Technology Integrators. Terrence Marcel, Vice President of Operations at the same firm stated, "The meeting was definitely worth the trip for us!”
The ProSource CEDIA Industry Reception Thursday, September 12th 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Grand Hyatt Denver - Pinnacle Club
Upcoming Town Hall Dinners! (subject to change)
14
SPRING|2019
CITY
DATE
CITY
DATE
Las Vegas
9/24/19
Nashville
10/16/19
Oakland
9/25/19
Charlotte
10/17/19
Orange County/Irvine
9/26/19
Boston
10/22/19
Cincinnati
10/1/19
NY Metro
10/23/19
Chicago
10/2/19
Orlando
10/24/19
Minneapolis
10/3/19
Philadelphia
10/24/19
Ft Lauderdale
10/8/19
Dallas
10/29/19
Miami
10/10/19
Phoenix
10/30/19
Atlanta
10/15/19
SUMMIT REPORT The ProSource members are
“Better Together” in Nashville! Reflecting success and ongoing initiatives at the Spring Summit Dave Workman addresses the crowd during the State of the Business.
Proving this year’s conference theme, “Better Together” is really true, ProSource members gathered in Nashville for four days of opportunities, learning and enrichment. During CEO and President Dave Workman’s State of the Business presentation, he discussed three ongoing key initiatives: Lighting, an RMR service-oriented business model, and member engagement. Said Dave Workman, “We have made great strides in the last year. The recently appointed 12-member strong Lighting and Shading Committee have worked very hard to make dealers aware of and get them trained in lighting. They need to become ALA certified (American Lighting Association). The end goal is for our members to differentiate their businesses and become trained and fluent in LED downlighting, task and landscape lighting, fixtures and other profitable areas. Added Andy Orozco, Vice President, Business Development, “The Lighting and Shading Committee has been imperative in bringing in new ProSource vendor members: American Lighting, American Lighting Association, DMF Lighting and WAC Lighting. Our District Managers, Samantha Summerville and Nicole Riddle are ‘Category Champions’ and are becoming certified themselves so they can assist the dealers better in their lighting objectives. They can help push forward this major initiative in the right direction.” Orozco and the committee have already forged partnerships with Coastal Source, Colorbeam and other vendors, and are steering members toward the American Lighting Association for live and online training and accreditation. Said Workman, “For RMR, the members that have gotten onboard with the recurring revenue model and are working closely with OneVision and Parasol have had very good experiences. Every ProSource member will eventually have to trans-
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SPRING|2019
form themselves to the service models to do great business going forward. “In regards to member engagement, we have been super proactive and this past year, have had a record level of Town Halls and expanded the Town Hall commitment at the Tech Summits. The District Managers have been given bigger budgets to really get out into the field to work with the dealers and vendor representatives. “Our major market Town Hall dinners had record attendance with over 250 attendees across 15 dinners. The secondary market Town Hall dinners are scheduled within 11 Tech Summits. Our Operations Best Practice Conference had 78 total attendees with over 60 percent Power members attending and 100 percent of attendees saying they will attend the next event. We are really proud of these great results.” During the State of the Business address, Dave outlined additional ProSource initiatives the group is working on during 2019: “The key initiatives for 2019 are really about ‘Maximizing Better Together:’ How to improve our members’ businesses,
Andy Orozco listens to members during the Town Hall meeting.
the introduction of a health care initiative, encouraging our members to take full advantage of our partnership with AVB Marketing. Increase member-to-member interaction, and maximize the opportunities with our existing vendor partners.” • AVB marketing is a not-for-profit and member-owned service provider specializing in websites for custom integrators and e-commerce specialty retailers. With marketing included for web development, video production, content marketing, social media and so much more, this is full service at an ultimate level. AVB Marketing provides rich and dynamic content for ProSource members and can help elevate their businesses to a much higher profile level. • ProSource has been working with MAHCA (Making American Healthcare Affordable). A healthcare collective that provides a tailored, low-cost health insurance plan for ProSource’s members, employees and management team with
Paul Starkey and Steve Firszt of Vital MGMT taught business intelligence for custom integrators.
Henry Clifford, Livewire, speaks up at the Town Hall meeting.
significant savings. Its basic design removes unnecessary overhead embedded into traditional plans. Yet it functions like a fully insured plan, more details will be forthcoming. This will save ProSource members an enormous amount of money on health care for their employees. Subscribers today are saving about 22 percent under the plan and one company with 100 employees is saving closer to 30 percent. Recapping the past year, Dave Workman said ProSource’s audio business was up nearly 11 percent; its premium TV volume was down 2.6 percent; and CI products and accessories were ahead 17 percent amid an otherwise challenging Q4. Member churn was down to 3 percent, from as high as 15 percent in the past, and member ranks are expected to hit 600 in 2019.
Keynote and Education The featured keynoter at the Summit, Jason Dorsey, president of The Center for Generational Kinetics, spoke on the importance of understanding the generational dynamics between and among Millennials, Gen-Zers, Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers and about how to leverage these dynamics in business. Jason digs deep to separate the myth from the truth and focused on how the ProSource members can learn about the different generations to get the most impact from their own teams. continued next page Keynoter Jason Dorsey on how to get the best from your team no matter what their generational differences. SPRING|2019
17
SUMMIT REPORT
A record attendance of ProSource members converged in Nashville for four days of opportunities, learning and enrichment.
The educational breakout sessions included: • “Cause and Effect Studies in Business Performance and the Power of Key Metrics” presented by Paul Starkey and Steve Firszt of Vital MGMT. • “The Impact of EOS — Get the Most from Your Business” presented by Brad Whitehead of Vx Strategy.
Brad Whitehead of Vx Strategy speaking with Bill Aziz, Artisan Systems after his presentation on the impact of EOS.
• “Lighting — The Next Big Business” presented by David K. Warfel, an educator, author, and lighting designer practicing in architecture, light, and experience design. Concluded Dave Workman, “At the end of the day, people stay with ProSource because we offer them an opportunity to grow with us, great resources, networking opportunities and business problem solving. We have very little member churn. We are going to keep building on our successes from 2018, keep that momentum going, and push forward with all of our 2019 initiatives; it’s what we do.”
New ProSource members Jamie and Jeff Briesemeister of Integration Controls, “The energy here is amazing!”
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SPRING|2019
Mike Hench and Felicia D’Ascanio of Coastal Source.
David K. Warfel answers questions during his standing room only presentation on the business of lighting.
Mike Libman of DMF Lighting.
ProSource recognized its
2019 MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARDS DURING THE SUMMIT:
Northeast Member of the Year: Audio Interiors, Inc.; Larry Abrams, Robert Woebber and John Broderick with Robert Dodge of ProSource.
Western Member of the Year: AVD, Inc.; Ty Meyer and Brent Showerman with Dave Workman and Rick Huggins of ProSource.
Southeast Member of the Year: First Priority Audio, Inc.; Bert Herrero and Joel Hernandez with Dave Workman and Lani Godfrey of ProSource.
ProSource PRO Member of the Year: ListenUp, Inc.; Walt Stinson, Steve Weiner, Phil Murray, Benjamin Larkin with Dave Workman and Jessica Paskon of ProSource.
South Central Member of the Year: DB Media; Davis Tyson is flanked by Dave Workman and Samantha Summerville of ProSource.
North Central Member of the Year: TRIPhase Technologies; Robert Haecker and Josh Gray with Dave Workman and Nicole Riddle of ProSource.
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SUMMIT REPORT How The ProSource Member Can Sell More Lighting $$$ By David K Warfel, Owner, Founding Designer, and Chief Helper LightCanHelpYou.com
Here are some brief lighting stats: The NAHB estimated that well over a million new homes will be started in 2019 and every single one of them will have lighting. The U.S. Census Bureau concluded there are roughly 130 million households in the U.S. and every single one of them has lighting. The LED market in the U.S. is David Warfel
estimated well over ten billion dollars annually.
That’s a big market. Most homes, sadly, are built with very little thought towards lighting and many high-end homes have beautiful, integrated systems controlling cheap lighting fixtures that are too often in the wrong place. This is a great opportunity to improve the quality of a home, to enhance the experience for the customer and to enter a new market for an integrator with the right tools. Light is the first gift of the universe, an essential element of all life on earth. Light is the catalyst in photosynthesis, allows us to see the smile on a loved one’s face and provides unspeakable beauty at sunset. The LED revolution has completely changed the lighting industry and there is incredible opportunity to recapture the lost benefits of light that regulate our circadian rhythm and allow us to experience beauty. The shift in technology also leaves us facing a bewildering array of options in the light bulb aisle. There is vast untapped potential to change our lives for the better through the combination of better lighting design and better lighting technology. ProSource members are in the right place at the right time
Rob Doherty and Alex Weaver of Legrand.
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Jennifer Kirkpatrick of American Lighting.
This residence has a great example of multi-layered lighting.
to disrupt the lighting industry by offering professional lighting design services, higher quality products and the integration that makes it all possible. But how do you get started selling lighting or- if you are already selling lighting- how do you grow the market and differentiate yourself from the competition?
ProSource’s Sherry Dantonio and Barry O’Brien, Performance Audio.
continued
New ProSource vendor Dish Network had a packed booth.
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SUMMIT REPORT continued The answer is simple. Hire or engage a professional architectural lighting designer who can help you choose the right fixtures to add to your lineup, provide quality design for a reasonable cost and offer fast turnaround to meet your deadlines. Study the global industry and local market, test the new equipment with your control systems and train your staff on the case for good lighting. Then start selling hundreds of light fixtures for every home. There are more than a million new housing starts this year that need you.
Get Ready…
Add a professional lighting designer to your team or engage a consultant who can: n Investigate the ProSource brand partner fixture offerings and dealer programs n Study the manufacturers’ sales, purchase order, delivery and support processes n Recommend fixtures and brands to add to your business n Understand the global lighting industry and know emerging trends n Work directly with your clients to develop custom lighting designs that truly offer a better experience (and usually include far more loads and fixtures than a builder’s layout that increases profits) n Specify lighting fixtures within your product lines
Get Set…
n Order samples, test with your controls, and get to know the equipment n Develop a sales strategy: why should your customers buy from you? n Become a dealer for the brands you choose
Go!
n Start with a project with a friendly client, flexible builder and generous timeline n Keep builders happy and clients thrilled by offering better services, better technology and better results. Isn’t that what you already do?
Thomas Wang of WAC Lighting.
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SPRING|2019
Hidden in light are the five promises of light: light can help you see what you are doing so you can do it better; know where you are and where you are going; feel more alert in the morning, more productive, more romantic, more relaxed; focus clearly on what is important to you; adapt to the changes in seasons, mood, and age.
Adding an entirely new revenue stream can be time-consuming and the lighting world is an enormous and complicated industry. It is easier than ever to make expensive longlasting mistakes, to order the wrong fixtures by swapping a single part number and to end up with angry builders and unhappy clients. I know because I have already made each of those mistakes in my 20+ years of design. I learned from those mistakes. I want to help you avoid them. Lighting design is typically very expensive, time consuming and practiced by very few. Our bespoke model requires every detail to be reimagined, every fixture to be reexamined and every project to be laboriously detailed. It would be easy for me to spend $25,000 and take six months designing a home. At that rate, I can only help a few people a year. I launched the ‘Light Can Help You’ brand to offer incredible design services at a fraction of the usual cost with results in days or weeks instead of months. We invested heavily in the creation of an entirely new process, leveraging advanced technologies and economies of scale to amortize research and development and accelerate the process of design. Now we can help more people than ever before. Our Accelerated model was designed from the ground up to directly benefit integrators. We take the guesswork out of the process by sharing our deep industry knowledge, recommend-
The JBL Synthesis and Lexicon dedicated room.
Brent Showerman, Audio Video Design, Dave Gilbert, Hi-Fi Sales and Peter Cook, Automation Design + Entertainment.
David’s commercial work spans decades and crosses many genres.
ing brands and specific fixtures, working with clients to develop designs and providing detailed drawings and fixture details. You can hire a team of experienced professionals to join your staff or spend years training existing staff, or we become your professional design team at no cost to you and you start selling tomorrow. Check us out online at lightcanhelpyou.com, email David directly at david@lightcanhelpyou.com or call him at 217.202.8280. Light can help your customers and your business. We can help you with light.
David Warfel has designed for Carnegie Hall, multiple projects on the Las Vegas strip, homes in more than a dozen states, and for a growing number of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line projects. He has shared his knowledge with multiple conferences and as a continuing education provider for the American Institute of Architects and the Illuminating Engineering Society. The former head of lighting design at the University of Illinois, David now focuses on helping homeowners get the right light in the right place at the right time.
SPRING|2019
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SUMMIT REPORT Recurring Monthly Revenue and Services Initiative in Full Swing ProSource members speak out on how RMR is improving their businesses
“OneVision provided me with the framework
The importance of recurring monthly revenue for increased ProSource member growth cannot be overstated. It’s clear that the entirety of the industry is moving towards Recurring Monthly Revenue to add an extra level of financial stability to revenue streams. This also adds a foundation of extended services that keep their dealer top of mind for homeowners. ProSource vendors OneVision and Parasol spoke out on their Nashville Summit experiences and let their customers do the talking as well. Said OneVision’s Joey Kolchinsky, “In Nashville I witnessed, first hand, how ProSource members collaborate, share ideas, and influence each other to drive their business forward. Steps from our booth we witnessed multiple discussions about service between integrators who had taken the leap of faith with OneVision and those “OneVision is an integral part of our service who haven’t. “Between the ProSource team strategy. We look at OneVision as a part of creating a sense of urgency around our own team, so much so that we refer to addressing what we call the serthem as 'Sterling North.' They’ve proven that vice challenge and the camaradethey will roll up their sleeves and dig into rie between dealers, we saw many our business just as energetically as we do. new opportunities come to fruiTheir focus, expert knowledge, close tion that we otherwise would have struggled to convert on our own. relationships with our team, and comProSource members are some of mitment to service has had an incredible the most open-minded business impact on our business.” owners in the industry and that’s a testament to ProSource’s investTodd Jarvis, Founder ment into their business practices.” Sterling Home Technologies San Antonio, TX
The entertaining Marc Fisher of Origin Acoustics.
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continued
Digital Installers’ Rusty Deeble and Stephen Working of Audio Concepts.
and guidance I needed to systematically change how we provide service. Overnight, every one of our clients began receiving a better service experience and in short order I learned to sell service the way I knew how to sell technology.” Bryan Gorog, CEO BCG Concepts Los Angeles, CA
Ron Callis, Jr. (left) CEO of One Firefly, Bobby Dodge, Northeast DM for ProSource and Joey Kolchinsky, OneVision.
Jim Kershaw and Rick Lozano of Creative Marketing Associates at the Tributaries booth.
Mike Teolis President of Colorbeam Lighting.
SUMMIT REPORT continued Said Parasol’s Ted Bremekamp, ” It has been great to see the Prosource organization and exhibition grow. Over the past few years, the exhibition floor has really grown leaps and bounds. This year in Nashville especially, the energy on the show floor was palpable. “It was a surreal and fantastic experience to be a vendor this year. The Parasol booth was busy from open to close as we caught up with members we’ve known for years - many of whom sent new members to see us. In fact, we signed our 100th dealer at the show! It was a raving success! “The Prosource relationship has been an amazing springboard for Parasol. It has given us great access and visibility to many of the best integrators on the planet.”
“I knew if we didn’t take this step that we’d never get beyond the chaos so many in our industry experience. OneVision understands the client/integrator experience, knows how to co-lead my team through change, and ultimately has strong command of where this industry is going. I don’t know how integrators can keep doing what they do without the scale, knowledge and resources that OneVision provides.” Matthew Cwiokowski, CEO Avidia Northbrook, IL
“The Parasol team has been impressively responsive and collaborative as we’ve integrated our companies together. Leading with service and offering our clients 24/7/365 assistance really sets us apart in the sales process. Having a service like Parasol in your offerings provides an easy opportunity to discuss service expectations with clients, reducing the amount of “emergencies” and improving our teams quality of life outside of work.” – Aaron Cowden, Fusion Audio + Video
Angus Bryan, BrandsMart USA with Eric Schwartz, Catapult Communications.
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From left to right: Candice Jackson, Wipliance; Robert Haecker, TRIPhase Technologies; Bryan Naquin, Acadian Home Theater & Automation; Greg Simmons, Parasol; Henry Clifford, Parasol/Livewire; Brandon Willmott , Parasol; Ted Bremekamp, Parasol; Josh Gray, TRIPhase Technologies; Lee Travis, Wipliance; Ryan Heringer, Sound Concepts.
Noah Kaplan and Camila Ballario of Leon Loudspeakers.
Michael Caballero of IC Realtime.
SUMMIT REPORT Member Engagement Initiative
Moving Forward ProSource Insider magazine sat down with Tim Bashford, Director Field Management, to discuss the latest member engagement initiatives in 2019. ProSource Insider Magazine: What’s the latest on the member engagement efforts from the ProSource team? Tim Bashford: The DM team is engaging our membership on multiple fronts in 2019. We just ended our Summit with higher attendance YOY and we are planning to increase attendance next year as we move Summit to the Venetian in Las Vegas, March 8 – 11, 2020. We have two more large events on the 2019 calendar. We just wrapped up the Spring Meeting supporting our P RO and Power members. These members are given ample opportunities for networking, idea sharing, along with vendor meetings and amazing audio and video demos. At the end of July we sponsor our 2nd annual Business Best Practice session featuring opportunities for our members to get educated and reeducated on accounting practices, operations, and KPIs. The DMs support all the regional Tech Summits throughout the year and we finish strong with Major Market Town Hall Dinners in October. These are our vendor- hosted events in top 20 markets across the country providing the platform for our executive team to listen and for our members to share their 2019 business successes.
Line dancing the night away at the Saturday night party in Nashville.
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PIM: Have you been visiting vendors with members? Tell us about it? TB: Yes, we have been. Hats off to our vendors for inviting and hosting our members at their HQs for best practice business sessions. These meetings are not focused on selling members their product, but to provide the members opportunities to work on and to better their business and provide business coaching through keynotes and workshops. Dave Workman said at Summit that ProSource wants our membership to work on improving their business and our vendors are providing the platform to execute on that 2019 initiative.
PIM: Where do rep firms feature in all of this? TB: We are engaging the rep firms as DMs individually. This is where the rubber hits the road with ride-a-longs, support of line shows, and Tech Summits. The DMs are increasing the group brand engagement at the local level with our rep firm interactions. These are all chances to bring members together with members and members and vendors together.
PIM: Any further plans for 2019? TB: On May 6th the DMs launched eight weeks of individual Member Business Reviews (MBRs). This is another point of member engagement as the DM speaks one-on-one with each member in their territory. Topics include collection of Non-Group Brand sales data, the annual reviews of VR payments and counseling members on the new solutions we have brought to them such as MAHCA and CI 2.0.
The Control4 Smart Home.
Alan Guyes, Olivia and Matt Hartberger of AudioTronics.
C U STO M I N T E G R AT I O N P R O G R A M
White-Glove Service with our Concierge Team
Get the Perks and Benefits of a DISH Partnership The Custom Integration Program provides integrators with exclusive benefits like on-site surveys and installations, a dedicated support team, and account management on behalf of customers.
D I S H . C O M / C U S TO M I N T E G R AT I O N
HEARD ON THE STREET Dealers Speak Out on the ProSource Summit In Nashville! “For us, education was the best takeaway from Summit. We were able to spend time with so many other dealers and bounce ideas off each other. Our favorite course was the Power of Key Metrics with Paul Starkey and Steve Firszt – it was awesome to find out that we’re delivering on some of the key metrics they discussed to help us know we’re heading in the right direction.” – Daniel Craig, President, Absolute AV Design
“My first ProSource event was the Summit in Nashville this year, and it far surpassed my expectations. I had an incredible time connecting with other dealers, as well as the manufacturers’ reps. I was able to connect personally with several people who I’ve stayed in touch with since, to discuss industry best practices. I also found my time at the Town Hall to be very valuable and had many great takeaways from the open discussion.” – Ryan Canterbury, Innovative Sight & Sound
“As first time attendees to the ProSource Summit we were impressed by how much thought and planning went into the Summit to make it well worth our time. The entire event from its different lectures to Town Hall meetings to the show floor was well put together and gave us exactly what we were hoping for throughout the weekend. Can’t wait to go to the show next year in Vegas!” – Brad Larkin, President and Founder, Argenta
“Summit was incredibly informative, from classes to sharing ideas with other dealers. We are so looking forward to Las Vegas Summit next year.” – Jason Lehrer, President, Connect Tek
District Manager Lani Godfrey on the Lighting Initiative
What has surprised me is that our members have a much more natural fit with the lighting specifiers than some might have originally thought. Our members are able to work with general contractors, developers, designers, homeowners and even electricians; there is a natural synergy to these conversations with the ProSource dealer member. Our early lighting fixture adopters are already ahead of the game and the road is already being paved by ProSource dealers such as Zion in Orlando, Atlanta and Austin, Maxicon in Miami, Pave in Nashville and Southeast in Charleston. I think you will really see Florida ramp up their lighting fixture efforts, but my other markets are also forging a strong footprint. Including lighting fixtures for the endusers in the dealer tool kit as just a pure business add-on. The first opportunity to sell as a specifier providing the benefit of specifying the right fixture and sharing in the profit. This is similar to how our members are embracing the service verticals in our industry and growing their businesses.
“We really appreciated the opportunity to come out to Nashville for Summit.
We talked to a lot of people including other integrators so the experience was great for us. Here are some of our biggest highlights: • Lighting Control - We have been talking to Colorbeam but got some good options with WAC Lighting and American Lighting that we will be looking at. I will be send my clients’ info over to the ‘Light Can Help You’ gent as he is building a large home in July and we are discussing the options. Those guys were impressive. • K lipsch - We are excited to consider such a great company with a great name. It’s nice to see them focusing on the CI channel with ProSource. • ProjX360 - We love the discount they are giving and we are almost 100 percent sure we will do business with them. Just a matter of getting everyone on board and the timing.” – Brian Beck, President, Surreal Systems
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“Thanks to the tight, balanced sound of the Kendall towers and the clarity of the 3-way design, the quartet sounded present in my house with a punch to the drumming that has that “live” feel to it, and that “band on a stage” sound was present.” –Mark Henninger, Editor, AVSFORUM
Kendall 5.1 system with Story Center Channel, 2 Beacon Surrounds and Windsor 12 Subwoofer
KENDALL SYSTEM UNDER $2,800
High-performance without the High Prices. We build KLH products to reflect our tradition of high-fidelity, high-performance speakers, subwoofers and home theater systems at affordable prices. Our entire line of speakers have exceeded professional and consumer expectations, and are consistently reviewed as truly impressive. These speakers have woven Kevlar® drivers with cast aluminum powder coated baskets, braided tinsel leads, anodized aluminum tweeters with linear response faceplates, custom designed crossovers, solidly constructed 3/4" MDF cabinets with real
wood veneers finished with beautiful grilles that have no visible fasteners for a flawless appearance. All are backed by an industry-leading Warranty of 10 years on speakers and 5 years on subwoofers for years of worry-free enjoyment. These speakers need to be heard to be believed, and we have an endless combination of systems that will make you swear you’re at a live concert venue or your favorite movie theater. Visit us at klhaudio.com
Welcome New ProSource Vendors
DISH Network DISH provides smart home service and in-home solutions to create an amazing entertainment experience. Nuvo Nuvo by Legrand is dedicated to engineering innovative products for multi-room audio. Our passion for music is matched only by desire to deliver it with brilliant quality.
Middle Atlantic Products Middle Atlantic Products is part of the AV Division of Legrand and has manufactured exceptional support and protection products to mount integrated AV systems since 1979. Artnovion At Artnovion, we are driven by our passion for acoustics and performance. We push the boundaries of acoustic engineering to create trendsetting and high performance products. Future Ready Solutions Future Ready Solutions was created to assemble the best brands in connectivity for system integrators and installers that service residential and commercial integration markets. Thorens Thorens is writing a new chapter in their long history of legendary turntables. With a complete line of tonearms and phono preamps, Thorens continues their devotion to performance audio. Luxul Luxul is the leading innovator of simple-to-deploy professional grade IP networking solutions. Designed for use in both residential and commercial environments, all Luxul products include free lifetime support and a three-year limited warranty. On-Q From foundation to fully integrated home technology solutions, On-Q provides innovative, practical home technology and structured wiring products, systems and solutions designed for the 21st century home. KLH KLH offers premium, award-winning floorstanding, bookshelf, and home theater speakers. They also offer subwoofers and headphones, as well as a full line of custom architectural speakers.
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PROJECTION PERFECTED.
EPSON PRO CINEMA 4050 4K PRO-UHD1 3-Chip Projector with HDR
• Unique Epson 4K PRO-UHD Projection Technology • True 3-Chip 3LCD Projector Design • Precise 10-Bit HDR2 Color Processing • Advanced 12-Bit Hardware-Based Image Processing • Extreme Color Gamut4 – Full DCI-P3 Capable • 3-Axis Motorized VRX 15-Element Glass Lens Technology • Outstanding Color & White Brightness3 up to 2,400 Lumens 4K Enhancement Technology shifts each pixel diagonally to double Full HD resolution. Resolution is Full HD in 3D Mode. HDR performance available with select devices. For more information, see www.epson.com/hdrcompatibility Color Brightness measured per IDMS 15.4. Additional colors and picture modes tested. 4 Entire DCI-P3 color space can be displayed in Digital Cinema Mode only. 1 2 3
EPSON PRO CINEMA 4050 Under $2,500
The Annual State of the Business and Vendor Awards kicks off to a packed house by the San Antonio Children’s Chorus singing the national anthem.
The 2019 Spring Conference in San Antonio featured a wealth of talented speakers, incredible demo rooms and lots of good old-fashioned networking events where members and vendors exchanged ideas on how to move the industry to the next level.
Power member meeting in full swing. Oops! “We should have used better tape!”
ProSource Team from Left to Right: Tim Bashford, Samantha Summerville, Sherry Dantonio, Nicole Riddle, Susan Hinojosa, Brandy Langle, Rick Huggins, Jessica Paskon, Robert Dodge, Lani Godfrey, Dave Workman, Andy Orozco.
The Wine/Bourbon Tasting Reception was a hit with Dave Keller, Legrand; Steve Weiner, ListenUp and Ernie Coulter, Control4.
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From Left to Right: Robert Dodge, ProSource; Andy Orozco, ProSource; Doug Cole, URC; John Marchionda, SnapAV; Dave Workman, ProSource; Lee Travis, Wipliance; Tim Bashford, ProSource, enjoy the outdoor reception.
Marc Fisher, Origin Acoustics raises $110,000+ in donations for Make-A-Wish in 20 minutes!
Wish Kid Nate and his family with his super hero Batman selected the winners of the Lego contest.
It used to be simple: An inexpensive wireless router would instantly outfit your home
with reasonably consistent Internet access. Today, the automated residence has rapidly evolved into a complex web of Internet-connected devices continuously communicating with each other. As we have become increasingly dependent on these devices as a part of our daily lifestyle, the demands on the home network have changed. A robust network offering uninterrupted
connection is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity.
Introducing Access Networks Wireless powered by Ruckus
New products to include: Wireless Controller
Access Points
• • • •
• • • •
Includes 8 licenses & 4 years of Access Networks support Similar dealer cost to Ruckus ZD1200 Dealer protected margins Specifically created for the Residential market
1 outdoor and 3 indoor models Not available online Similar dealer cost to existing Ruckus models Standard, Unleashed and Cloud versions
The Premier Network Solution Provider in the Industry With Over A Decade of Custom Residential Network Experience, Partnering with Access Networks Makes Our Team Your Team.
www.accessca.com
VENDOR AWARDS
Video Vendor of the Year—Samsung Ryan Chicoine, Jan Rykus, Stephen Scotti, Amy Fyfe, Dave Workman, James Mayo, Phil Cohn, Dave Das, Andrew Sivori, John Affriol, Hussein Mohammed.
Audio – Electronics Vendor of the Year – Sound United (Denon, Marantz) Scott Hagen, Dave Workman, Kevin Zarow, Ted Thompson, Michele Varro, Tom Link, Bronson Gannon, Mike Dyer, Collin Grant, Paul LaPlaca, Mike Hickman.
Headphones – Vendor of the Year – JBL Kelly Wells, Lyle Smith, Dave Workman, Johnny Williams.
Audio – Digital Content/Streaming Devices – Vendor of the Year – Sound United (HEOS) Dave Workman, Kevin Zarow.
Projector and Specialty TV Vendor of the Year – Sony Nick Kokkinos, Frank Sterns, Dave Workman, Kevin O’Loughlin, Gary Frankel, Josh Sy, Will Chin-Lee, Tom Hall.
Audio – Speakers Vendor of the Year – Klipsch Paul Jacobs, Alvin Klement, Matt Schuler, Alan Jurgens, Dave Workman, Jill Escol, Katie Frazer, Tommy Jacobs, Vlad Grodzinskiy.
Specialty – Accessories – Vendor of the Year – AudioQuest David Penrod, Matt Hegt, Dave Workman, Krista Haughey, Shaun Schuetz.
New Vendor of the Year – Araknis Networks Dave Workman, John Marchionda.
Specialty – Custom Integration – Vendor of the Year – Screen Innovations Tabi Quick, Jim Koenig, Michael Williams, Dave Workman, Specialty – Technology – Vendor of the Year – Elan DJ Singleton, Blake Vackar, Ryan Conway, Dave Workman, Jeff Costello, Ryan Gustafson. Bruce Mungiguerra.
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Overall Vendor of the Year – Harman Murray Huppin, Chris Trojnar, Patrick Gaffney, Todd Westfall, John Collier, Dave Workman, Lyle Smith, Kelly Wells, Jim Garrett, Johnny Williams.
RESIDENTIAL SOLUTIONS www.legrandav.com
INSTALLER INSPIRED. Mounting solutions and accessories for AV technologies that assist in installing and interacting with flat panel displays, projectors, monitors, cameras, speakers and other AV components.
FOR YOUR IMAGE. Da-Lite provides the highest quality projection surfaces and coatings specific to each projection application with ambient light rejection (ALR) technology and 16K-ready surfaces.
SIMPLY CONNECTED. Luxul is the leading innovator of simple-to-deploy professional grade IP networking solutions for use by custom installation professionals.
WHAT GREAT SYSTEMS ARE BUILT ON. Middle Atlantic Products is your trusted infrastructure foundation for ultimate system reliability, longevity and performance providing rack, power, thermal and cable management solutions.
DESIGNED BY AUDIOPHILES. INSTALLED BY PROFESSIONALS. Nuvo is known for premium performance and superior quality with awardwinning speakers and professional whole home audio solutions.
THE BACKBONE FOR TODAY’S CONNECTED HOME. On-Q brings homes to life with structured wiring, connectivity and smart lighting controls that improve safety, comfort and convenience.
DISCOVER BEAUTY IN MOTION. QMotion brings ease and art to the experience of light with the power of integrated, advanced shading and lighting controls that balance natural and artificial lighting.
DESIGNED TO PERFORM.
THE ART OF AUTOMATED LIGHTING FOR LUXURY SPACES. Custom integrators, designers, and homeowners enjoy Vantage’s precise lighting controls, stunning aesthetics, and unique user interface experiences.
TRANSFORMING SMART HOMES TOGETHER
™
© 2019 Legrand AV Inc.
SANUS is the market leader and innovator in TV mount and AV accessory solutions. Our award-winning products delight customers and save installers time and money.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE THE LATEST FROM OUR VALUED PARTNERS
ELAN Intelligent Touch Panels Turn smart home control into the intelligent home, with face recognition and voice control built into the 8" and 12" touch panels for exceptionally intuitive and personalized control. Auto-discover/auto-configure installation upgrades any ELAN gSC or g1 system.
Séura Ultra Bright Outdoor TVs Equipped with 1000-nit brightness, the Séura displays offer an impressively clear picture even in sunlight. Carefully calibrated to optimize brightness and contrast throughout the day, Séura’s Adaptive Picture Technology™ and advanced HDR and 4K UHD capability provide the perfect picture from game day to movie night.
AudioQuest PowerQuest AC Power Filters
Bose Family of Smart Speakers and Soundbars
These power filters are packed with safety and performance features, including Non-Sacrificial surge protection, advanced filtration, application-optimized AC outlets, and captive AudioQuest power cords. PQ3 provides eight outlets: two High-Current, two 4K/8K Video-Optimized, and four Ultra-Linear; the smaller PQ2 offers six.
The new Bose speakers deliver built-in voice control from Amazon Alexa and puts millions of songs, playlists, and more at the tip of your tongue. And with Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® compatibility, you can wirelessly stream whatever you want, however you want.
SurgeX Online Double Conversion UPS Solutions
Parasol
These solutions offer a universal rack/tower design with hot swappable internal batteries. Its true sinewave output provides rock solid, steady power with no interruptions and zero transfer time. The extended runtime capability provides backup power protection for up to 8 hours.
Parasol is a fast growing 24/7 remote support company, powering the happiest integrators on the planet. Built for integrators, by integrators and delivering unparalleled customer service through a global network of certified dealers. Got Parasol?
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CONTROL MODULE
ELECTRONIC ACTUATORS
A Home Automation Star is Born Introducing the MantelMount Robotics Drop Down & Swivel Television Mount
MULTI-AXIS HUB
SMART HOME READY
AVAILABLE DRIVERS
With its elegant design and superb engineering, the MantelMount Robotics MM860 resolves the issues of mounting a large flat screen TV high on the wall or over a fireplace. Just turn on your TV and watch it lower and swivel silently to your favorite preset in one swift, fluid movement. Enjoy the comfort and clarity of eye-level viewing, the way the TV was meant to be watched.
INTERNATIONAL PATENTS PENDING
The MM860’s recessible housing allows for flush-to-wall TV storage. Configurable vertical and horizontal travel limits prevent your television from ever touching the wall or mantel. The Temperature-Sensing Monitor automatically returns your TV to its home position if an unsafe temperature is detected. For the custom integrator, the MM860 works with all popular home automation control systems. Its onboard web server offers simple browser-based configuration and one-click firmware updates. DHCP is enabled right out of the box, with the MM860 easily identifiable on the network.
Another Game-Changing Innovation from MantelMount!
INQUIRIES: 1-800-897-9755
For more information, visit www.mantelmount.com/dealers.
MANTELMOUNT.COM
© 2019 MANEHU PRODUCT ALLIANCE LLC.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
THE LATEST FROM OUR VALUED PARTNERS
URC TDC-9100 10" tabletop touchscreen Ideal for residential and commercial installations, the new URC controller features an integrated charging base and built-in audio video intercom for room-to-room communication. The brilliant, high-resolution LCD displays vivid images of the highly-customizable Total Control 2.0 graphic user interface – plus live video from door stations and surveillance cameras.
LG Cinebeam HU85LA Ultra Short Throw Projector The HU85LA can produce an image up to 120", with the brilliance and clarity of 4K UHD. The HU85LA is designed for style, requires minimal space to operate and can project a stunning life like picture on any flat surface, be it a wall or your favorite screen.
Acoustic Innovations Online Layout Generator The online layout generator allows you to create custom chair layouts and quotes in real time. Offering a wide range of configurations and price points, all their seats are custom made in NC. Register to see retail and ProSource pricing and save any layouts.
JVC DLA-NX9 8K e-shift Home Theater Projector The world’s first 8K e-shift home theater projector capable of 8192 x 4320 image resolution. This premium, custom install projector features a 100mm diameter all glass lens with full aluminum lens barrel, new 0.69 inch native 4K D-ILA devices, and 2,200 lumens brightness; delivering the sharpest home theater image available today.
Harman: Mark Levinson 5000 Series Was created to deliver all of the performance and quality expected from Mark Levinson while implementing state of the art features and efficiencies gained from decades of superlative audio engineering. With a new design, leading edge technology and premium components, 5000 Series delivers the extraordinary performance synonymous with Mark Levinson.
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Centricity Complete Care Centricity service contracts are an extension of you and define your customer experience even after the sale, building brand loyalty and repeat customers. With Complete Care by Centricity, dealers partner with the leader in service and protection for over 35 years. Take complete care of your business now.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
THE LATEST FROM OUR VALUED PARTNERS
Salamander Designs Always at the forefront of interior design and high quality, contemporary furniture options, Salamander Designs is unveiling two deep and highly detail finishes with unique character and style. Seattle, a contemporary style with vertical grass texture in gray rift oak and Lancaster, a rustic, country atmosphere, resembling rough-sawn barn board.
D-Tools System Integrator (SI) Online Software Caters to the unique and diverse needs of systems design and installation firms. SI helps manage key aspects of an integrator’s business: including sales, comprehensive system design, project documentation, and project management, to streamline business processes, leading to improved operational efficiencies and increased profitability.
Epson Pro Cinema 6050UB 4K PRO-UHD Projector Delivering an immersive 4K experience and featuring 2,600 lumens of equal color/white brightness, a dynamic 1,200,000:1 contrast ratio and Epson UltraBlack technology. The PC 6050UB delivers detailed, crystal-clear images with an incredible range of color.
IPoint Platform Is a single platform that can deliver a powerful workflow for your entire team. The platform creates perceptive solutions that solve everyday problems and offer procedural wisdom to help businesses increase profitability and reduce chaos through organized workflow, processes, communication and documentation.
Origin Acoustics Bollard Landscape Loudspeaker and the Marquee Home Theater Collection
Klipsch Professional Series Landscape Satellite and Rock Speakers
Origin Acoustics, the leader in Architectural Audio Products, is ecstatic to present two new lines of loudspeakers unheard of anywhere else. These speakers are exclusive to Origin Acoustics and the company says there’s nothing else like them on the market.
Featuring an extra-wide-dispersion Tractrix® horn to fill any environment with great sound for powerful, balanced sound in every listening position. Subwoofer options include full, half-burial and rock designs. ProSource members can save 25% off their landscape order. Contact your DM for details.
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PRODUCT SHOWCASE
THE LATEST FROM OUR VALUED PARTNERS
American Lighting Trulux®
Sony A9G series OLED Displays Available in 55", 65" and 77" class sizes that are powered by Picture Processor X1 Ultimate and with a new, more install-friendly design. Sony’s best processor ever works alongside Pixel Contrast Booster technology to deliver unbelievable picture quality. Bright, vibrant colors, absolute black and stunning contrast.
Trulux® RGB + Tunable CCT tape light is the ultimate linear lighting option. Alternating RGB & Tunable CCT long-life LEDs can do it all with full-spectrum RGB color effects and 2700K to 6000K selectable white. Provide intense color saturation, transition effects, and fade to white lighting effect for limitless color combinations in a wide variety of installations.
Atlona Rondo 448 Distribution Amp One Firefly Review Champ The Review Management Platform for Integrators. Online reviews are one of the most effective marketing strategies you can use to gain new customers and grow your business. Try it today for $99/month with no contacts or obligations.
Is an 1x8 HDMI distribution amp for 4K/UHD/HDR sources and displays. Like its 1x2 and 1x4 siblings (Rondo 442 and Rondo 444), the Rondo 448 offers EDID management features and is also HDCP 2.2 compliant. Up to eight Rondo units can be cascaded.
Tributaries Vega Hybrid Fiber Optic HDMI cable
MantelMount MM860 Smarter-Home Mount
Is certified by DPL Labs for 18Gbps; reasonably priced lengths from 10m to 50m. Power provided at the display-end using the included USB 5V cable and 120VAC adapter. For easy pulling, display-end has a micro HDMI connector and adapter. Cablepulling/connector-protector tool included.
This new version retains the advantages of earlier MantelMount automated models, but its electronics are now located in an easily accessible modular unit on the Lifting Arm. It also has IR compatibility and an On-Board Web Server.
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PRODUCT SHOWCASE
THE LATEST FROM OUR VALUED PARTNERS
Coastal Source 10.0 3-Way Ellipse Bollard Speakers High performance sound in a simple and clean style that blends with all outdoor environments. The Bollard line incorporates patented Plug+Play cabling system that ensures superior performance, reliability and speed of installation. Poor quality connections, out of phase polarities and shorted connections are a thing of the past.
Leon Speakers Ente SoundTile for SONOS AMP® Brings art and music together to create a plug and play zone of Sonos unlike any other. Each modular SoundTile contains two channels of reference-grade audio, local power by the SONOS AMP®, and a perforated metal grill with limitededition, screen-printed art.
Da-Lite Parallax Stratos 1.0 Screen The freedom to design Ambient Light Rejection screens up to 16’ in height in tensioned electric and fixed frame options, with a high value ALR surface that rejects up to 80% of ambient light with 1.0 gain for standard throw projectors (1.0:1 minimum throw).
WattBox 150 Packs maximum power into one controlled bank and two outlets. WattBox 150 is the smallest IP-controllable, UL Certified power product that’s compatible with the industry’s leading remote management system, OvrC. Through the OvrC dashboard, dealers can reboot devices to keep systems running smoothly and efficiently.
Focal Limited Edition Spectral 40th Anniversary Loudspeaker
Anthem ARC® Genesis Room Correction Software Experience a whole new level of room correction technology and convenience with Anthem’s new ARC Genesis software that supports Mac and Windows. ARC® Genesis is backward compatible with many Paradigm, Anthem and MartinLogan products that are ARC or PBK compatible.
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To celebrate their 40th Anniversary, Focal has created an exciting and unique new loudspeaker. Blending some of the company’s most iconic and successful past designs, and imbuing these with new technological innovations, has lead to the creation of a truly global loudspeaker.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
THE LATEST FROM OUR VALUED PARTNERS
QMotion Qbasic+ Shading System Adds up to be the most innovative manual-to-motorized premium shade in the industry. With its break-through design, upgrades to motorized options can be done in minutes without the need of changing fabric or major bracket reinstallation.
DISH The Hopper® 3 Middle Atlantic C3 Series Credenza Combines modern aesthetics with a sleek, low-profile design that fits seamlessly beneath a TV to house cable boxes, routers, steaming devices and more. Available in 1, 2, or 4 bays in bold, new finishes or classic contemporary options. Each credenza features built in power and thermal management.
Get to know the DVR that does more: The Hopper® 3. It offers seamless integration with IP integration with major control platforms, voice integration with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Josh AI, and Netflix accessible with the click of a button. The MultiView feature divides a TV into 4 quadrants, creating a sports bar experience at home.
SANUS Outlet Shelf Turn nearly any outlet into a sleek shelf that saves space and reduces clutter. Ideal for Sonos One™, PLAY:1®, smart speakers and other devices up to ten pounds, the SANUS Outlet Shelf seamlessly integrates small speakers and smart devices into the home.
On-Q IP-based Drivers Simplify integration of our radiant and adorne RF Smart Lighting Control Systems with four new IP-based drivers. These prewritten drivers allow the LC7001 Whole House Lighting Controller to work as a bridge that can communicate with Control4, Elan, URC, and RTI systems.
Vanco Evolution EVEXKVM2 4K HDBaseT Extender
Nuvo Wireless Subwoofer Kit
The KVM transmits audio and 4K video via HDMI as well as complete KVM (Keyboard-Video-Mouse) functionality via USB 2.0 ports over a single Cat5e/6 up to 230ft with Power over Cable (PoC). The EVEXKVM2 is a unique plug and play extender solution for any device that needs to be controlled with a keyboard and mouse.
Designed to simplify installation, it allows dealers to easily add a Nuvo 8", 10" and 12" Powered Subwoofer to almost any system, wirelessly. Nuvo Wireless Subwoofer Receivers can be connected to one transmitter, enabling up to four powered subwoofers to connect wirelessly to one surround receiver.
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Petite & Powerful, with 3.5� Woofer! Indoor or All Weather model.
All Weather
Indoor
SOLUTIONS MEET PERFORMANCE NEW
Manufactured to the highest standards of quality and performance, the new Installer Series by MartinLogan is a line of affordable, high-performance, ultra-low-profile custom installation in-ceiling and in-wall speakers. Featuring titanium dome tweeters and mineral-filled polypropylene drivers, each model comes with a remarkably robust mounting-lock system and paintable microperf, bezel-free grilles for a nearly invisible installation. Two all-weather models extended usage to high humidity areas. Pre-installation brackets are available for all models and square grilles are available for select in-ceiling models. For more information, please visit martinlogan.com
15 MINUTES with
SHERRY DANTONIO
ProSource
We caught up with Sherry Dantonio recently to learn more about a new initiative she has started called ProSource Working Groups.
Douglas Weinstein: Sherry, tell us about your concept of member working groups and what’s behind your vision. Sherry Dantonio: The Working Groups are comprised of 8 to 10 members in non-competing marketplaces who meet via phone once per month for 60 to 90 minutes and discuss relevant issues that impact their businesses. I currently have two groups up and running, with one group running for over a year and a new one formed in Q1-19. Currently the Working Groups are limited to Power members, however the DM team will be rolling out Working Groups for CI members in their Districts sometime this year starting with Rick Huggins, West Coast District Manager. The best candidates are business owners or general managers who have the availability and desire to commit to a 60 to 90 minute phone call once per month to discuss relevant topics. If you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to me or your District Manager.
“The Working Group is a great way to connect with common questions and problems that business owners within our space deal with on a constant basis. This group allowed us to share ideas that were successful and create new ones to increase productivity and profit. We were also given industry insight to properly plan our business spending for marketing and to streamline productivity. The by-product from these discussions and ideas are the camaraderie that is created with the other successful organizations within our industry. I am honored and fortunate to be a part of it.”
– Jim Shapiro, Audio Video Intelligence, Easton, MA
A few examples of past topics: RMR • How do you manage RMR (Parasol, OneVision, • Self-Managed, Others)? • How to implement an RMR Program in your company? • Tips and Challenges. Maintaining Company Focus • How to focus staff as your company grows? • Narrowing down your mix of offerings to promote excellence.
Morning Efficiencies • How do you manage mornings? • How does the product get to the jobsite? • What services and tools do you use in your local market? • GPS Tracking, Product runner, Uber, and others. Lighting • Preparing to enter the category and getting started. • Should you hire a lighting designer? • Quoting properly to ensure success.
Direct follow-up after the sale • Customer service, phone calls, touch points after the sale.
• How to capture an opportunity that has not been followed up on.
System take-overs / System adoption planning • Organizing and planning for success and profitability. • Tips and Challenges. Examining efficiency and project management • Facilitating clear communication between warehouse,
“The Working Group has been a good opportunity to have a focused conversation between peers. Most importantly, we as the members get to set the agenda, so we get to ask the questions we want answers to. A lot of these conversations in our area happen infrequently and casually; this is a focused time on the calendar for company leaders to discuss business details with non-competing businesses.”
purchasing, project management, install and sales.
• What systems are being used successfully?
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– Mike Silver, Acoustic Architects, Miami, FL
ASTRAL 16 Movie Magic, from the comfort of home!
Just as a maestro elicits the best from every member of an orchestra, the Focal Astral 16 directs any home theater installation with the control and proficiency to deliver the ultimate performance from the finest high-fidelity loudspeakers. Employing Pascal Audio Class D amplifiers, Astral 16 provides 16 individual channels of 192 kHz audio filtering, equalization and bass management, as well as acoustical correction into 12 amplified speaker outputs and 4 additional pre-amplified balanced outputs. This incomparable device is your ticket to an immersive journey of sight and sound, the ultimate home theatre experience.
THE PERFECT MATCH
300 series
Electra series
Kanta series
Sopra series Focal.com | Distribution by Focal Naim America | Contact us for more information : 1 800.663.9352 / info@focalna.com
You make it happen. We’ve got your back. Samsung 5-Star Solutions is designed to help with the products, partnerships and programs you want and the resources and support you need. Now you can prepare your customers for the future with our best TV ever, which delivers real 8K Resolution1 and 8K AI Upscaling.2 To learn more, visit our dedicated custom installation site: www.samsung.com/custominstall Upscales to 8K Resolution (7,680H x 4,320V/33.2 megapixels). Native 8K content based on current 8K streaming, connectivity and decoding standards. Future and certain third-party standards not guaranteed or may require additional device/adapter purchase. Complimentary HDMI 8K 60Hz upgrade included (contact customer support). 2 Utilizes AI-based formulas. 1
©2018 Samsung Electronics America, Inc. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
QLED 8K TVs See today’s content intelligently remastered in stunning 8K detail.