Tag Archives: home theater

How To Soundproof A Room

by on September 6, 2012

There are many reasons to soundproof a room. Maybe you want to block outside ambient noise. Maybe you want to soundproof your home office to block out your kids as they shout and bang into things. Or maybe you don’t want to disturb neighbors as you turn your speakers and subwoofers up. Whatever your reasons, soundproofing a room is useful and can be fairly easy to do.

The simplest solution is to seal up all the openings in a room. If there are any cracks in the wall, be sure to seal them with caulking. If there are any vents in the room, sound-baffling materials such as foam insulation should work. Insulation works for outlets and other small openings in the room as well. Windows also let in a large amount of sound. If you don’t need to use the windows, you can install drywall over it with insulation between the glass and the drywall. If you need to use the window, then hang heavy curtains over the window, and when the curtains are in use, make sure the openings at the sides are as small as possible, fastening them down if you wish.

Soft materials absorb sound much more efficiently than do hard materials. So the installation of carpets is more practical than tile or hardwood floors. There are special acoustic ceiling tiles that help to block the sound between floors. Carpeting or foam wall coverings work well.

Soundproofing not only keeps sound out, but it also improves the overall sound quality of the room. This is important if you are creating a home theater, recording studio, or music room. If you want to have any of these rooms in your house, I would recommend soundproofing the room while you’re at it. You won’t regret it!

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Summertime Fun At the Drive-in

by on June 15, 2012

Last night we went as a family to check out “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” at our local drive-in. The movie itself did not disappoint, as our friendly quartet of zoo animals head to Monte Carlo this time around. An abundance of non-stop action and bright, colorful circus acts absolutely delighted my children. But even more fun than seeing an entertaining, animated film was the fact that we were in our car and the kids were in their pajamas. We brought our own popcorn and drinks from home and made ourselves comfortable while enjoying the cool, fresh air. Listening to the sound coming through the car’s stereo system I was reminded of the drive-in experience of my youth when my parents would bring me to this very same drive-in theater.

By the time I was born, drive-in theaters were on the decline due to rising real estate costs and the invention of VCRs and video rentals. In the height of their popularity in the 1950s and ‘60s, rural areas with acres of wide open spaces were the ideal places for large movie screens and hundreds of cars to gather watch the latest films. In the beginning, the sound was broadcast in various ways, from speakers on the screen itself, then from a row of speakers in front of the cars. Later, the sound was pumped out through small, tinny-sounding speakers that each car could utilize complete with their own volume controls. This is what I remember from my childhood: the scratchy, monophonic sound coming from the (1!) speaker hanging from the car window.

Today the sound is transmitted through an FM station and is piped in right through our car speakers. Gone are the days of worrying about parking close enough to the pole so the speaker can reach…no more messy wires to deal with. The drive-in experience is really quite fun in the summer time. It’s a very convenient option for kids who may not want to sit still for an entire feature film or can’t remain quiet.

Truth be told, I am positive I would have a better quality movie-watching experience in the comfort of my own home. My home theater system, complete with a large flat-screen TV, surround sound and earth-moving subwoofer – not to mention easy access to the restroom and kitchen – is hard to beat. It’s the novelty and nostalgic fun that brings my family back to the drive-in every summer. The things we do for kids.

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Getting Started: Your Home Theater System

by on April 13, 2012

So…you’ve decided you need a home theater.  Where do you begin? Creating the movie theater experience at home can seem daunting. Here are the basics you need to have for an enjoyable watching and listening experience:

  •  TV. You need a big picture, which can mean something different to you depending on your room size, but typically 32” screen at minimum is best. For an updated home theater system you need a flat screen, high-definition television.
  • Digital Media Player. This could be one or more of the following components that plays stored media: DVD/Blu-Ray player, DVR, iPod, Playstation/Xbox, etc.
  • Receiver.  Simply put, this is an essential, core element to any home theater system to amplify audio/video signals from the source and route them to your TV.
  • Speakers. Speakers are crucial to getting a quality audio experience. Typical set-ups involve at least 4-5 speakers or possibly more depending on your room size and what you need to bring rich, theater sound into your home.
  • Subwoofer. The sub is what delivers deep and powerful bass, the low frequency sound that brings movies with special effects to life right in your living room. Depending on your room size and set up, more than one subwoofer may be used to complete your system.
  • Accessories, odds and ends. This means A/V cables, speaker wires, surge protectors, and a universal remote to control your whole system.

What are your options? You could use a pre-packaged, home-theater-in-a-box system for your audio components, which does not include your TV or your media source component (DVD/Blue-Ray, etc.). Typically these systems are easy to set up since the components are designed to work together. However, if you want a high-quality, full surround sound experience, it is better to build your own system if you feel comfortable choosing and setting up your own components.

Velodyne has been in business since 1983, and our company has won many awards for our subwoofer technology. We are recognized world-wide for our superior sound. The subwoofer really is the heartbeat of the sound system and size matters. If you have a large room, you will need a larger driver to achieve deeper bass. If you don’t have a lot of room or would prefer that your subwoofer is portable, there are many smaller subs on the market to meet your needs. You may also choose other convenient options, such as remote control and different pre-sets depending on what you are listening to or watching. However, having the best equipment doesn’t mean anything without proper placement. Read our article about the importance of subwoofer placement to maximize the sound quality in your listening room. Visit our website for more information about our products to find the subwoofer that is right for you.

Are you in the market for a home theater system? Let us know if you have questions about our subwoofer lines. 

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