Crestron brings great surround sound to home theaters and board rooms
Last December, Crestron released the PSPHD, a high definition professional surround sound processor, under its new product line Procise. Now they’ve paired the PSPHD with the PROAMP-7X400, a 700 watt 7.3 channel amplifier. We spoke with Crestron’s Global Product Sales Specialist David Silberstein to get more details on this amazing system.
What was the motivation behind the Procise Line?
It came from our dealers, who told us that clients wanted commercial installations. CEOs walk into conference rooms with audio equipment and, often, the sound isn’t even stereo, let alone surround sound. The CEO has surround sound in his home and in his car, and so he wants it in the office as well. This is a case of the residential market driving the commercial market, and our dealers soon found they needed different products to match.
So, we started PROCISE, a PROfesional and preCISE product line that offers commercial-size power and flexibility. The PSPHD is seamlessly matched with the PROAMP-7X250 or the PROAMP-7X400, uses three surround sound processors and, of course, the Audyssey suite of technologies. It is really different and, as a result, our commercial business is expanding exponentially.
Three surround sound processors?
That’s right. Remember, we want this product line to be as flexible as possible. It is a 7.3 amplifier and each sub has a discrete output. That allows us to configure some pretty unusual situations. For example, people like very thin speakers. I mean TVs are thin, why would you put fat speakers next to thin TVs? Thin speakers, though, don’t go very deep. So, we can cross the front channels pretty high, say 150 htz, and send all the rest to a couple of the subs. The third sub will still get the really low stuff, but this helps the overall sound quite a bit.
We are finding lots of other uses, too. Think of presentations. We can take a surround sound presentation, add the microphone and channel it through the back surrounds. This is so much nicer than setting up a separate PA system. But the possibilities are endless.
Can you give me a concrete example?
Sure. One of our clients is a video game publishing house. They are constantly playing, testing and evaluating games. Using the PSPHD, the game designers can come in, show the game in full surround sound, play it and explain the finer details all on the same system. It is all perfectly balanced and sounds great. Cinema schools use it so professors can talk while the movie is playing. Boardrooms can run video conferencing, conference calls and meetings all at the same time with each microphone having its own individual level control. It is really something special.
What was the biggest surprise for you once this hit the market?
I think it was the response we had back in the home market. Suddenly, some of the our best customers were asking for demonstrations, loving the possibilities and having them installed in the home. One customer purchased eight!
Things do come full circle. I hear you’re also an Audyssey advocate.
You probably heard that from one of our dealers. It is true; I am a bit of a fanatic. It all started when we were building the Crestron Experience Center. The Center has to sound great; it showcases all of our technology. Audyssey MultEQ was amazing, such a timesaver. Anyone who has spent lots of time making rooms sound great, can appreciate how much guesswork is eliminated simply by using MultEQ. I love it.
I heard a bit more than that, something you do in your training sessions.
Oh, that. When I set up for training, I spend about an hour taking between 12 and 15 measurements. During the training, I usually do three measurements, just to teach it to our dealers. Finally, I make everyone compare the difference between 15 measurements and 3. You should see their faces, they can really tell the difference and everyone goes away knowing to take more measurements.
I did a world tour last year announcing the new line. I was in all kinds of hotel conference rooms—each one different than the last. Audyssey MultEQ made each one of them sound great. I would have been lost without Audyssey.