Installer Stories: Ray Coronado, Socalht.com, Los Angeles, CA
“After calibrating MultEQ Pro you should have little doubt that the customer is hearing anything except his or her speakers: no room or furniture distortion, just audio.” — Ray Coronado
Ray Coronado, Socalht.com, Los Angeles, CA
Installer and audio enthusiast Ray Coronado has been serving the Los Angeles area for years. His experience with MultEQ Pro Software ensures his installations are the best possible, no matter where his clients want the system — from busy living rooms to dedicated listening spaces.
He reflects on his experiences:
How did you start in the home theater industry?
I got interested in home audio and home theater 20 years ago. I was building my own surround sound systems and loved hearing enveloping movie sound. My interest progressed from there: I learned as much as I could about the industry and how to get the most out of the gear. The more involved I became in audio and home theater, the clearer it was to me that installers and dealers were giving users lots of incorrect and misleading information. I saw a niche to consult and show people how to optimize their equipment.
What’s your experience with equalization and room correction?
Before using Audyssey, I experimented with different equalization
techniques. I played around with parametric equalizers and I’ve always been
a big proponent of room treatments. But automatic room correction was
hardly on anyone’s mind ten years ago. I had to go so far as to invest in a
Lexicon MC-12, which was one of the only A/V Processors with any kind of
built-in room correction software, to try it.
When did you learn about Audyssey?
Five years ago an Audyssey rep at a trade show offered a Sound Equalizer demo to a few friends and me. We were in a less than optimal room and the speakers were at different heights and orientations. I was skeptical that any kind of electronic calibration could overcome these problems. But the difference I heard when MultEQ was implemented was night and day. It made the speakers seamless and the soundstage huge, and alleviated so much of the bad sound. I’ve been an Audyssey believer ever since: most, if not all, people with home theaters can benefit from Audyssey room correction.
What systems benefit most?
Audyssey is a boon to entry-level receivers because MultEQ can help get systems to nearly 100% of their potential so simply. But dedicated listening spaces with equalization or acoustical treatment can also benefit.
Why did you become an installer?
I believe in Audyssey products and technologies. Most people do not understand the majority of what they’re hearing in their seating position is not the speakers, but the room. Audyssey can solve these room problems very efficiently and successfully. I wanted to help my clients get the most out of their systems by using Audyssey equalization.
What kind of rooms do you typically deal with?
I consult and install systems in family rooms, living rooms and dens. My clients want a home theater experience, but sound absorbers, bass traps and other acoustical treatments aren’t aesthetically or financially practical. The only logical choice for them is something like Audyssey, which turns out to really improve their system.
How do you use MultEQ Pro software in your work?
Before I implement MultEQ Pro, I study the room and take into account my client’s needs. Electronic calibration can make a profound difference in a bad room, but sometimes you can’t beat physical correction. In one case, my client had a subwoofer he couldn’t hear from his main seating position. He would constantly turn up the bass, but still couldn’t hear or feel it from that seat. Instead, the bass blared and boomed through the rest of the house. We moved the subwoofer to a better position and then ran MultEQ Pro. After the physical and electronic changes, he could finally watch and hear movies properly. He said his overall experience was better and he could use the sound system without his wife complaining about the noise!
Any other memorable installations where MultEQ Pro made a big difference?
Another client had a small (16′ by 9′) dedicated home theater. His screen was large but his speakers were right against the wall — not ideal for such a small space. Once we calibrated his system, the room sounded like it grew twice as wide and long. We switched MultEQ on and off and the results were so dramatic. He was blown away.
What do you see as the major benefits of Audyssey technologies?
Audyssey can ensure that customers have an overall good audio experience. After calibrating MultEQ Pro you should have little doubt that the customer is hearing anything except his or her speakers: no room or furniture distortion, just audio.
Customers want to know that they’ve spent their money well and that they’ve made an appreciable difference in the sound of their system. The more you can optimize and give customers the overall experience they want; the happier they are going to be. That is the level of satisfaction required for me to ensure I am their choice when they want to upgrade. Audyssey DSX has really excited a lot of customers and people in the industry. But if customers never fully experience their systems then their passions (music or movies) might never grow. I look forward to long relationships with my clients and growing their systems along with their growing love of immersive sound.