Hi-End Audio
Control4 Certified Showroom
Lake Norman’s only Control4 Certified Showroom is now open!
Control4 Certified Showroom. SoundVision, LLC has opened a new showroom in Mooresville, North Carolina.
The showroom features a mangerie of home automation, audio, video and lighting options. Visitors can experience 3.2, 5.2 and 9.2 audio systems. Also included in the 3100 square foot showroom is a fully functional podcast studio. The space took just over a year to upfit. SoundVision LLC has been a Lake Norman home technology provider since 2010. The showroom is suplemented by a 2200 square foot warehouse that includes Service and Engineering departments.

Unique to SoundVision is the ability for visitors to experience a multitude of listening experiences. From Martin Logan electro stat and Bowers and Wilkins towers, to residential in-ceiling, commercial and outdoor grade speakers. Indoor and Outdoor televisions, media and a home theater as well as a Hunter Douglas window treatement center are all featured at the new space.
Learn more about Control4 https://www.control4.com/dealer/soundvisionllc11-28117/mooresville-nc/
With one touch, dim the lights, play music, turn up the heat, lock the doors and arm the security system. Check in on your home from your smartphone, no matter where you are. Press a “Goodnight” button that will put your house to sleep, turning off all lights and locking all doors. With Control4, your options are virtually limitless. A Control4 Certified Showroom is a hands on experience for the home automation technology.

SoundVision’s Technical Designers are now accepting appointments. Apointments can be made by calling (704) 696-2792 Ext 1 or submitting a request online https://www.svavnc.com/contact-us/
SoundVision offers a variety of options for home technology. Read more about the technology of the ectrostatic speakers on display at Martin Logan.com. https://www.martinlogan.com/en/electrostatic-esl-theory

Sony is also a featured partner!
In addition to multiple Sony television and OLED displays, a 4K Sony projector can also be experienced in the SoundVision theater.
Product highlights
- X1™ processor for projector brings you the best of Sony’s image processing
- Advanced SXRD panel for outstanding contrast
- Dynamic HDR Enhancer brings a wider contrast range scene by scene for striking and realistic picture quality
- Digital Focus Optimizer for more accurate focus
- 350,000:1 dynamic contrast with Advanced Iris makes every scene spring to life
- Motionflow™ provides smooth motion for both 4K & HD resolutions1
- High brightness of 1,800 Lumens
- Advanced Reality Creation for upscaling and sharpening images without sharpening picture noise 2
- Enjoy the latest 4K content1 services with HDCP 2.2 compatibility on both 18Gbps HDMI inputs 4
- Input lag reduction ensures faster response time for gamer
Sony 4K Home Theater with a FullSwing Golf Simulator
Sony 4K Home Theater with a FullSwing Golf SimulatorThis Lake Norman theater project began as a custom new spec home. SoundVision systems designer Zach Simpson was able to integrate theater design and a golf simulators because of the builder’s flexibility, quality and design capabilities. Lighting and audio were integrated as well. We were able to engage valuable vendor partners like Cinema Tech and Full Swing Golf simulators. Learn more about Full Swing Golf: https://www.fullswinggolf.com/ The theater features two projectors. The first is a 4K Sony laser projector for the golf simulator. The latter being a Sony 4K home theater projector. The Martin Logan models used in the theater included ElectroMotions, Edge and Helos and two DYN800XD subs. The theater is a full 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos audio system and features a 130″ Screen Innovations motorized screen. This provides the viewing experience, while the FullSwing Golf Simulator features it’s own dedicated screen. Our team enjoyed breaking in the golf simulator with the homeowner. Let us know if you would like to design your dream home theater! https://www.svavnc.com/contact-us/This home was designed as fully integrated Control4 panelized lighting system. David Stevens of David Stevens Construction of Sherrill’s Ford, North Carolina was the builder for this home and was awesome to work with. The homeowner was kind enough to offer a letter on our behalf to the CEDIA awards community for consideration in the event we wanted to pursue an award category. In addition to the theater project, the home was also outfitted with a wi-fi network, surveillance system, 7 zones of audio and multiple Sony 4K TV displays. By using a dealer like SoundVision, our homeowner can look forward to a custom service experience. In the event a piece of his new equipment should need to be serviced, we will work directly with the manufacturer on his behalf for potential warranty claims. Whereas, most big box and online providers will only offer a 30 day warranty because of return restrictions. |
Learn more about Sony projectors:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/projector/vpl-vw695es
Learn more about Martin Logan audio:
https://www.martinlogan.com/en/category/our-speakers
Lossless Audio! Streaming Steps it Up!
The music you play is as important as what you play it on and what you play it through. The truest, cleanest, highest bit rate content will produce the best sound under all the right conditions (connections, components, calibrations). While analog may be the “original” music format, access can be a challenge (turntables aren’t exactly portable). So, how can you enjoy truly lossless audio in this digital world?
Compressed is Compromised
We want our music and we want it now but, are we willing to compromise on quality? And are we willing to pay an added fee -on top of a base subscription- for higher quality? Those answers seem to be yes, but to a certain point. While a smartphone paired with a quality set of earbuds can produce a rather impressive sound, we understand that digital content is “compressed”, like a zip-file, and that we’re missing out on some of the depth in the track. Imagine the image produced on a standard definition TV vs. on a 4K LED. Portions of the music that have been deemed “undiscernible” to the human ear have been stripped. This may be acceptable for casual listening on-the-go or during your workout at the gym, but not when you want to really experience music. That, however, is about to change.
Frustrated by prohibitively expensive subscription fees, rocker Neil Young is on a mission to make available top-quality digital sound at a reasonable cost for the masses. He is preparing to launch a high-quality streaming music service, Xstream, which is based on a technology developed by Orastream. It will be an adaptive streaming service that changes with available bandwidth. His feeling is that the higher bit rate will provide a more authentic analog sound vs. the more “squared-off” (more compressed) bit-rate which loses, in some ears, the essence of the music. While the technology behind the service is amazing in that it is capable of complete high resolution playback, Young himself expressed doubts that smartphone chips could adequately decipher the high-quality files.
Another service making a splash onto the streaming scene is Tidal. Tidal is the first subscription streaming service to offer both High Fidelity music and High Definition music videos. Their lossless audio plays well with Apple devices and Android systems, as well as on a PC or when integrated in a wide range of hi-fi network players. To really appreciate the difference, they offer an audible demonstration of Lossless 1411 kbps (kilobits per second) music, as compared to the Vorbis 320 kbps of Spotify (desktop version) and iTunes’s AAC 256 kbps*. It’s worth a listen.
Popular streaming service Spotify is also reportedly testing the market for lossless audio. The service tier referred to as Spotify Hi-Fi would be competively priced between $15-$20/mo. Great news for those who want to access a vast library of music on a quality sound system.
If you’re one who enjoys hearing every note that every instrument plays (and who doesn’t?) which, until recently has meant analog, then these new streaming options are music to your ears. What you play it through (your hi-end audio system) is another story, and one in which we at SoundVision are eager to assist!
*As reported by Tidal
Additional References:
How to Build a Hi-end Listening Room, Part 2
We’ve talked about speakers and the importance of proper speaker placement, as well as acoustics and dimensions of the space itself in our first installment. Part 2 delves into what drives the sound.
The Components
Amplification is at the heart of your system, driving sound to each channel. Unlike your Home Theater’s AV Receiver that houses an all-in-one pre-amp, amplifier and processor for surround sound, hi-end audio systems have dedicated amplifiers, often one per channel. A more sophisticated set-up will have 2-way or 3-way amps that support each speaker. A pre-amp serves as the input device. It will convert signals from all audio sources such as a turntable, tuner and streaming devices to the signal that the amp wants. It’s imperative that the amplifier be matched to the specifications of the speaker to provide optimal output. SoundVision can guide you through your choices and design to your preferences and budget. One of our favorite audio lines is Marantz. They offer an impressive range of components and have recently launched a new line aimed at the serious music lover, the Premium 10 Series. The design and engineering of the 10 Series is extraordinary and an excellent choice for a hi-end listening space.
The Connections
We know from setting up our home theater or media room that HDMI Cables are required to pass 4K. Audio has similar requirements and, like video, quality cables are recommended for a solid, clean connection. That doesn’t always mean the most expensive, just of good quality and appropriately sized for the application. We can calculate the appropriate gauge cable that will deliver the necessary wattage to the speaker as required, based on the distance. For connectors, gold connectors are preferred over silver or other metallic and locking connectors are a good choice where equipment is not to be moved frequently.
Having clean and sufficient power is critical. Every system needs a name brand, purposely built, surge protector. Surge protection will filter out spikes and dips, removing artifacts from your power. Insufficient power can make the amplifiers put out harmonics that will “color” the sound and create distortion, producing an unclean sound.
The Critical Commissioning
Once the system has been designed and components selected, the next step is installation and commissioning. The system will be “tuned” to the room so that the room does not distort the sound. As audio pros, we will test the room’s characteristics, reverb, etc. We aim for a flat frequency response by adjusting equalization (EQ), gain structure and speaker placement.
The Content Controversy
“Old-School” tells us that a turntable’s needle against vinyl is the purest form of music. It can be argued that the harmonic distortion created introduces a mild alteration that is perceived as warmth. The pops and crackles the needle yields evoke a “vintage” sense that some find pleasing and authentic. However, according to Mark Slee of Facebook, “In terms of fidelity and accuracy of sonic reproduction, CDs outperform vinyl in significant ways. With that said, there are sonic artifacts and emotional attachments with vinyl that many people find pleasing. This creates a preference for vinyl – which some would describe as better, but this is a subjective quality as measured by the ear of the beholder.” With turntable sales up 16%, there’s apparently some ears out there that agree.
The higher the bit rate of the audio, the more accurate the audio. Analog is uncompressed and true to form. Overly processed audio, on the other hand, can mask or cancel parts of the music, eliminating the ability to hear everything as it was mastered.
All things being equal, the more information a format can transmit, the better the sound will be. For the best experience, the sound transmitted should pass through quality cabling and components and be listened to in a space that is purposefully designed to capture every nuance. Are you ready to hear what you’ve been missing? Let our team at SoundVision help design or retrofit your personal listening space and experience music as the artist intended.
Additional Resources:
What bitrate is needed to sound like analog FM?
Vinyl Vs CD/Mp3: Insights into Music Formats & the Metaphysics of Our Music
24/192 Music Downloads…and why they make no sense
Is the sound on vinyl records better than on CDs or DVDs?
Sony Music Goes Back to Vinyl Records[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
How to Build a Hi-end Listening Room, Part 1
I sat in a dark room. I listened to a song I’d heard a hundred times before but heard things I’d never heard. That’s the definition of an Audiophile-quality Listening Room. While our world of listening has transformed dramatically over the last several years, all that matters is what you, the listener, wants to hear. The math and science are real, as are the hi-end audio components. The rest is personal.
The Speakers
Simply put, loudspeakers convert electrical impulses into sound. Depending on the dimensions of your room, as well as your listening preferences, a well-designed audio system will transmit the desired range of frequencies (note that this is not necessarily the widest range). Some swear by 2-channel, with speakers positioned at a calculated distance apart and at an optimal distance in front of and facing the listener for a true, 2-dimensional listening experience. The 2-channel system creates a virtual sound stage. When professionally set-up and calibrated, the listener is able to close his/her eyes and identify exactly where, on the “stage”, that musician was positioned. Unlike viewing a movie, there is no need for various sounds (music, voice, special effects) to “follow” around the room, so rear speakers or a full surround sound system are neither needed nor desired. In fact, some find it unnatural for instruments to be heard behind them. The perfect speaker system, in the perfect acoustically treated room, will reproduce the sound as authentically as possible. However, while science can measure all facets of sound, the listening experience is quite personal and our passion for particular brands is rather cult-like. We, of course, have our favorites.
Martin Logan sees audio as both real and imagined. Inspired by the art of emotion, like the Expressionist masterpieces, the Expression ESL 13A delivers a highly expressive audio experience. While inspired by design, its recognizable profile is more about sound than art. The tall, slender “blade” of its MicroPerf stator technology allows for almost twice the exposed electrostatic diaphragm surface as a traditional panel. Combined with the newly-designed rear-firing subwoofer and 13-inch wide XStat CLS Transducer, the result is a uniform, harmoniously blended audiophile-quality experience. The American speaker manufacturer also receives rave reviews for its MartinLogan Motion 40 Floorstanding Speakers. Hometheaterhifi.com concludes that it is a “luxury product for a modest price having a strong musical voice to go with a beautiful, well-made cabinet.” Check out these videos to learn more about this incredible line of speakers.
The Room
Equally as important to the components is the space. The ideal listening room will be free of ambient noise and any other distractions. Acoustic treatments will absorb the noise of the HVAC and rattling of water pipes. Doors can be acoustically treated as can floors and ceilings. The space will be free of harsh lighting, filled only with soft, relaxing light and there will be no video. This combination of exceptional components producing nearly flawless sound and the distraction-free environment, will allow the listener to hear subtle artifacts in the music that were previously unnoticed.
The room’s furnishings and physical dimensions are essential to the experience. The proper room requires some soft surfaces, opting for fabric furnishings over sound-reflecting leather. The height of the seat back is recommended to be below the listener’s ear level, allowing unobstructed hearing without reflection. The single seat should be positioned in what will be known as the “sweet spot,” as determined by the engineer’s calculations. The calculations for the room itself are of the utmost importance. To determine an acoustically accurate room for optimal listening, audio engineers employ the Bonello Graph, or acoustic amoeba, a method of calculating the ideal room ratio of dimension and volume, explained here by AcousticFields.com.
Do you want a dedicated space to experience all that the music has to offer? Hearing is believing! Let’s set up an in-home consultation and schedule a demo. And stay-tuned. Part 2 will cover amplification, calibration, connectivity and content. Listen to the music! Really….listen.
Additional Resources:
Ideal Room Size Dimensions and Ratios for Audiophile Listening
Ideal Room Size Ratios & How To Apply The Bonello Graph[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]