There's a Big Problem in the Home Theater Hobby...

[OzzyMandias]

But you need a $250, 000 Home Theatre to watch Barbie...and Madame Web

[nidoaudioyvideoEcuador]

Once you pass certain amount, you're paying not only for sound quality; you get into industrial design, cabinet and parts exotic materials, finish, exclusivity, etc...

[akin_dipo]

Good to see you at MWAVE!
I think the SVS room was a good showcase of a budget-friendly setup. The equipment there was definitely attainable for most people and it sounded great. Also, it is probably easier to tell the difference with pricier speakers if you are just listening to music. In a home theater setting with 8-12 speakers going full blast, definitely much harder to differentiate

[LeeLee-fimx]

Agreed. When speakers are uncalibrated, it's pretty easy to tell the differences between them, especially in the top end, but once they are calibrated to achieve a flat response, it's harder to tell them apart. Maybe at higher spl levels do the more expensive speakers differentiate from other due to higher power handling, less compression and distortion.

[djparra]

It’s absolutely true. I have heard several very expensive theaters ranging from Wisdom audio/Trinnov, Kef/Yamaha Seps, and Sonus Faber/McIntosh. These were $100k-$250k theaters and aside from the projector, my $7k ($10k including furniture) set up keeps up and even best the others in some areas. Thankfully I did all that research first to realize I can achieve near the same outcome for a 10th the cost (all gear sound hand).

[DarrenKrusi]

Martin Logan still the only speakers to break my brain with how they create their sound

[dwayneharris]

I would like to walk into a room like that to see system in a normal household man cave with system that would cost about eight thousand dollars total for a 5.1.2 something reasonable in a normal home.

[markdance]

I went to my local audio store, tested a range of speakers, walked out with a great 7.2.2 package from Monitor Audio with a mid range AV by Sony total cost around 4.5k and have loved it ever since . It’s the best package at just delivering great sound at that price point and that’s more than enough for my front room cinema set up .

[bkrhino]

It is all about the disposable income that you want to invest in your experience. Speakers are only as good as the components supporting them. I went to AXPONA and enjoyed going from room to room. People just need to decide what they are after in their experience.

[davonfranklin]

Great video Kpace. I feel the same way about most home theater systems. A really good setup with proper treatments will result in similar outcomes regardless of the company you purchase your speakers from.

[HomeTheatre]

There comes a certain point where more money doesn’t mean better performance and certainly not a better price to performance ratio.

[tobyhines]

My limit is 500 bucks per speaker, for the mains up from 100$. 6+ years ago I went with SVS Prime LCR and 4 satellites 2 PB-1000s for 7.2 Setup now it's 5.2.2. I'm very happy ☺

[stephenmcgauley]

It was awesome meeting you at MWAVE! And youthman hit the nail on the head. Also have to consider all the rooms are pretty huge compared to our home theater spaces. So they need more large speakers to pressurize the space and impress us hardcore theater nerds. But yeah totally diminishing returns. I upgraded my projector from a Jvc rs400u to a full 4k Jvc rs2000 and no average non theater nerd friends that have come in my room knew I ever changed the projector.

[kaneserver]

You might of just heard accuracy, on top of which a person could add their own flavour (with eq) to tailor the sound to exactly how they want it.
I guess this should be the goal!
The other thing is take one of these setups, put it in the room of every one in the comments. Level match no eq it will sound different in each room.
Now do this with each different manufacturer, some variable or other may cause what you hear with each manufacturer to differ, now we have a case for a preference.
Now add looks, design, build quality, speaker type, in wall, on wall, ported sealed, what works best for the room, brand recognition etc etc etc

You then see there are multiple differences to these things that sound the same.

Great conversation starter Kpace. You deserve the engagement on this one!

[alxking]

I’ve only been to Audio Advice Live in 2022. It was the first year and I had a good time hearing what reviewers were hearing but price IS a factor to me. My personal evolution of home theater over the years has been giant. It started in 2001 with a $400 msrp AIWA stereo and turntable, then a 5.1 JVC HTIB for $300 in 2003 when I bought a Mitsubishi 55in projection television. I was the first to go HD in my circle and I loved it. Now it’s 4K 77in OLED with Klipsch speakers, a MAJOR upgrade for myself. I am happy with my current setup and honestly this is probably endgame for me. Sure, the higher priced stuff may be prettier and fancier but it’s just me enjoying my home theater. I’m fine watching a movie or playing a game with what I have.

[gtoutdoors]

Movie Theaters are still way different. I used to work at Irvine Spectrum Regal 21 but it was Edwards 21 when I worked there in 1998. They have remodeled a few times upgrading the sound and RPX screens are the best now. Imax is their premier screen and sound. AMC the theaters that opened up in the last 5-8 years are better but newer always better. If I had to guess total theaters in America I would say maybe 50% have true Dolby Atmos setup. AMC in Bonita by Chula Vista I could see all the Ceiling speakers.

[Zoranurai]

I hear you man.
At some point the speaker is just bought for having the product, not enjoying the experience. It’s like expensive jewelry.

Whether that is for personal validation or to tell their circle about owning 75k speakers (most people in fact don’t care about that person owning these hyperspeakers).

Even if you overanalyze your sound, just get studio monitors.

[LLNYRN]

Yeah.
Try setting up one of those systems in a New York City Studio Apartment.
You'll be chase out of the building by your Landlord and Tenants with torches.

All kidding aside.
The Audio/Video Realm has become more of a "Niche" Market in the last decade or so. Gear used to be so widely available and affordable. Being able to achieve even the best of Sound quality for under $2K. Many of these Audio/Video events hardly take the "budget" consumer/hobbyist into account anymore. Not like the Golden Days of the 70s/80s when I began purchasing equipment in My youth. Most, if not all the Youtube Channels tend to be geared towards High-End now. As are these events.

Being in My early 60s now, I can't even see Myself buying gear above $3k. I find it nonsensical to Me personally. Not that I'm disparaging others who can within a higher income bracket.

Great Video.

[bboyspawn]

im a budget spender. i will eventually upgrade my klipsch reference setup up to the reference premier 2s. I have listened to those and I can clearly here the difference between what i have. I have a 5.2.2 moving to a 5.2.4 with a max of 7.2.4. That will be the end of my journey. My current setup at reference level is loud and can run you out of my living room. I do want to here the difference in Kaleidescape to see if I can tell a difference with a normal budget home setup. But as much as I love music and home theater I cant justify spending 5k + on 1 or 2 speakers. It must a phenomenal difference in sound and clarity.

[whitecrowuk]

Yeah I watched it and was like nice cinema room… like you can go to cinema and get the same . Those setups were missing one key ingredient- they didn’t feel like home theaters at all. Show me small room that people typically utilize with 7.1.4 setup, speakers that not massive that can’t fit in regular spaces and get it to perform and then we’re talking. Otherwise it’s not getting close to cinema sound in home setup- it’s basically creating cinema.
100% what you’re saying I agree