This time of year, many people look for gifts to augment their TV sound. Soundbars can be a good way to do this. However, soundbars can be the good, bad and the ugly if you go to one of the big-box stores as some of these speakers actually sound worse than the TV. At Aire Theater Designs, we only sell QUALITY stuff. Below are our GOOD, BETTER and BEST soundbar options for the season.

GOOD: Polk Audio 5000 series soundbar. The $399.99 option creates natural sound with deep bass that blows away the sound from your TV.

•  2 full-range drivers in center speaker
• 120 watt wireless subwoofer w/6.5" driver

BETTER: Sonos PLAYBAR soundbar. This $699.99 option provides a wide field of sound with very detailed accuracy. A GREAT option for movies and music.

•  Immerse yourself in sound with a 9 driver complement consisting of 6 drivers and 3 tweeters
• Access to Sonos's streaming services. Listen to MILLIONS of songs easily with your phone, iPad or computer as a controller. This is the world's best jukebox!
• NOTE: You can add deep, impactful bass with the addition of Sonos's wireless SUB subwoofer. Price :$699.99

BEST: Definitive Technology SoloCinema XTR soundbar. This $1599.99 option has no-compromise performance and build quality. Their claim is "great for the price of good"!

•  6 high-quality full-range drivers + 3 X exclusive aluminum dome tweeters
• 200 watts of amplification for soundbar
• Aluminum enclosure to minimize resonance
• 250 watt wireless subwoofer w/8" high-excursion driver for DEEP bass

 Here are some links:

http://www.polkaudio.com/surroundbar-5000-instant-home-theater/d/1210C3384

http://www.sonos.com/shop/products/playbar

http://www.definitivetech.com/products/solocinema-xtr

 Looking where to buy a soundbar, San Diego? Call San Diego's leading dealer for soundbars and Sonos, Polk Audio and Definitive Technology. We'll happily get you on the right path to good sound.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo.

About 23 years ago, home theater changed with the advent of Dolby Digital. This format allowed you to hear sounds behind you and added deeper, lower bass to your favorite movies. This format allowed us to hear movie soundtracks in a way that was almost like being in the theater. Since then, the "Internet" became popular, we've landed vehicles on Mars and the stock market has gone from 3004 to 17000+. However, the surround sound landscape remained relatively stagnant. However, we now have access to the biggest improvement in home theater in 23 years...Dolby Atmos!

In a nutshell, Dolby Atmos gives you height and multidimensionality that you can only get in the best theaters. If you already have a surround sound system, we can give you this spectacular new format with the addition of an Atmos-capable receiver and a few new speakers. Here's a link to Dolby that details all the particulars:

http://www.dolby.com/us/en/technologies/dolby-atmos.html

We love movies so we will be retrofitting our showroom for Atmos shortly to let you hear the difference that Atmos can make in your home. Love movies too? Come visit San Diego's home of the latest technology (and soon Dolby Atmos) at Aire Theater Designs. P.S. Our Dolby Atmos theater is live and kicking! We are by-appoinment-only so feel free to give us a call, schedule an appointment and hear how a combination of Yamaha Aventage, Definitive Technology and Dolby Atmos and your ears can improve your life.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo.

We just wanted to put out a quick note about the Sonos options for whole-house audio and surround sound. Every time we install one of these set-ups, we are always blown away by how good the systems sound at the price point. If you're not familiar with Sonos, this product:

1) Provides basically the world's best jukebox with millions of songs that can be easily accessed through your iPad, iPhone, tablet or computer.

2) Provides fantastic wireless solutions to let you listen to music anywhere in the home. See the above picture as an example...there is no way to get wires to that TV. However, Sonos' wireless technologies provide an entire world of music options without the need to run wires.

3) It sounds GOOD!

Check out our Houzz page for some more specifics on the Sonos products.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/16885292/After-ATDSonos-surround-sound-and-a-VERY-clean-look-contemporary-home-theater-san-diego

Love music? We do too! Call San Diego's leading Sonos dealer and experience how Sonos can enhance your life through music and movies..

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

The term "Home Automation" gets thrown around a lot these days when people are talking about technology. Here's a simple example of what Aire Theater Designs can do with home automation and you:

Right before you get home from work you push a button on your phone that says "Coming Home". This in turn:

1) Turns on your outdoor lights and interior walkway lighting.

2) Turns on your air conditioning (which is great with our recent weather).

3) Turns on your favorite Pandora radio station.

4) Pops up with a view of your home on security cameras so you can make sure all is safe before entering the house (and that your kids have cleaned their rooms).

A home automation system like this also allows you to further control all of your house systems such as:

Home Entertainment: Control your home theater, whole-house music and all rooms of audio/video from any area in the house. Never juggle ten remotes again to make things work. Total Control allows you to use ONE remote to control everything in the house!

Lighting Control: Want to push one button at night to turn off all the lights in the house? No problem. How about coming home from work to a completely lighted home? Yup. Want your lights to turn on during the evening hours and to turn off in the morning? With Total Control, all of these lighting situations are easily solved with the touch of a finger.

Security: URC Total Control allows you to monitor your home from anywhere in the world on your computer, tablet or phone. Feel comfortable knowing that your house is monitored securely and easily.

Shade and Curtain Control: By partnering with Lutron, our home automation systems by URC Total Control and RTI allow you to adjust the shades and curtains anywhere in the house with a single button push. Combine simple control with elegant shade solutions in different colors and styles.

Sound interesting? If you're looking for home automation in San Diego, contact an ATD representative today with questions and let So Cals home automation leader show you how we can enhance your life and decor through technology.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon, Alpine, Blossom Valley, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Universal remotes and home automation are serviced in Murrieta, Temecula and Wildomar. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

Sometimes in life we take things for granted. I have to say that after living in San Diego for 35 years, I take the weather for granted. I realized how good we have it here when I moved from San Diego to coastal Northern California. Once you do this and you spend week after week shrouded in fog, you will never spend a sunny day inside again.  Right now, we have two perfect things to keep you outside. One is Niles Audio...the other is a sale!

Niles Audio is a leading manufacturer of QUALITY audio products including outdoor speakers and amplifiers. For the month of June they are offering 15-25% off most of their outdoor audio and speaker packages. This includes:

 Speakers that look like rocks (RS6 in Sandstone)

Speakers that look like planters (PB6 in Weathered Concrete)

Speakers that look like speakers (OS6.5 in White)

This also includes speakers that blend into the landscaping (see picture at top of article...Niles version GS4 with GSS10 buried subwoofer).

Would you buy a Mercedes or a BMW if you could get 25% off? Niles Audio is regarded as a quality product in this same vein. If you are ready to spruce up your outdoor experience, Niles is ready to help...at a discount. Our client Tyrone just set up a few in his backyard for a party and was blown away by the sound but also by the experience. A party ain't a party without tunes. Let San Diego's leading dealer of outdoor speakers and audio enhance your summer get-togethers and save you some bucks.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Murrieta, Temecula, Fallbrook, Bonsall and Wildomar? We're there!

 Episode landscape speaker pictured above in different settings

Hello Folks!  Daniel Salisbury, ATD’s Installation Manager, is here to once again inform you of an absolutely SENSATIONAL product. The product I’m dying to tell you about is the EPISODE LANDSCAPE SERIES speaker system. How many times have you heard outdoor speakers perhaps in a friend’s backyard or at a restaurant and thought, “This sounds OK but it just doesn’t compare to an indoor system like we have in our living room. I wish this sounded like the system in our house.”  I, for one, have asked myself this very question many, many times.  Fortunately, we now have the solution. UPDATE: Check out our Youtube page HERE that provides video reviews of outdoor speakers, audio/video systems and much more.

The Episode Landscape Series has 2 different satellite speaker sizes: 4” and 6” (ES-LS-SAT-4-BRN & ES-LS-SAT-6-BRN) which conveniently can be mounted in multiple ways: on the ground, surface mounted under eaves, or even mounted TO A TREE! These speakers are shaped and colored to perfectly blend into the environment and they are built with high quality parts and construction.

Remember that awesome full bass I mentioned earlier?  The Episode Landscape Series System has a 12” Subwoofer (ES-LS-BSUB-12-CPR) that gets paired with the satellite speakers. This sub is a beast!  Don’t let its size scare you though. The bulk of this subwoofer is meant to be buried, leaving only the subwoofer's earth-tone dome to be left visible. UPDATE: There is now a 10" landscape subwoofer AND an 8" landscape subwoofer option. Use these in areas where you don't need DEEPCRAZY bass or where you don't have a lot of square footage to cover. Models are the ESLSBSUB8 and the ESLSBSUB10.

Now to top all of this with the jeweled crown of the system...The subwoofer and speakers are powered with a Crown amplifier (CDi1000) capable of pushing out 1000 watts of ridiculous power.

All this mumbo-jumbo aside...I have never heard any other outdoor system that comes close to sounding as good as the Episode Landscape Series system sounds.  Don’t just take my word for it though.

Our installer Mark: "It was like being in a high-end car with a crazy good sound system, but you are standing in your back yard.  The best outdoor speaker system I have ever heard!"

Our musician friend Eric: "W-O-W."

Our client Phillippe: "Wow."

Our client Brian: "Sold."

Do yourself a favor and let me give you a LIVE DEMONSTRATION of this system right here in our office!  You will not be disappointed. Summer is here! The sun is out! Let clear, full music flow in your backyard! Hope to see all of you in here real soon. Want to get a listen? Give us a call and let San Diego's leading dealer of Episode outdoor speakers and audio enhance your summer parties and environment with killer tunes.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista CA, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff CA, Torrey Pines, Alta Del Mar, Carmel Mountain, Carmel Valley, Coronado, Fairbanks Ranch, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Home by Shea, Pardee, Lennar or other builders? We can help!

One of the popular topics lately in the audio/video world are soundbars. These pieces are a contraption that acts as an all-in-one stereo that you hook up to your TV to get better audio. If you go to your local electronics store, you may hear some bad things about soundbars as many of the entry-level models literally sound worse than your TV. That is not a great deal. If you are a client of ours, you know that we firmly believe in value and presenting you with great products for the money. For this reason, we are proud to present Definitive Technology's latest soundbar offering because it sounds great AND it is $200.00 off for a limited time!

The details on the SOLOCINEMA STUDIO:

"It features true 5.1 decoding from Blu-ray and on-screen displays and menu thanks to HDMI, true center channel (most of its competitors, including from high-end competitors, are only 2.1 channels), included high-performance wireless subwoofer, Bluetooth with AptX and AAC, remote control of center channel and sub levels without needing to step into menus, and audio quality good enough that many of our Custom Integrators use it as a music zone too."

Here's a link that goes over the particulars:

http://www.definitivetech.com/products/solocinemastudio

If you're tired of asking your significant other, "What did he say?" when watching TV, you need this soundbar from Definitive Technology. This special runs from May 4th-June 7th. Want to get a listen? Give us a call and let San Diego's leading dealer of Definitive Technology enhance your free time with music and movies.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo.

Sonos PLAY5 and Bose Soundtouch30

It's time for an Aire Theater Designs FACE-OFF! Our two contestants have entered the ring. In this corner:

Standing in at 17.1" tall, introducing the Bose Soundtouch 30 Wi-Fi music system!! (Applause and clapping)

aaaaaand in this corner, we have the premium wireless solution from Sonos, introducing...the Sonos PLAY5!!!! (Applause and clapping)

Our main focus for this face-off was audio quality. We initially tested the systems with Lindsey Stirling's "Phantom of the Opera". After playing the song on both systems, the winner was very apparent. The Bose system absolutely won the first battle. The Soundtouch 30 had a much fuller, richer sound than the Sonos. We also noticed that the lower mid-range sounded more natural on the Bose. Whereas the Sonos sounded forced, the Bose played all of the notes cleanly and without any hint of distortion. Our Install Manager Danny said, "I love this particular track. On the Sonos, it sounded OK. On the Bose...I got goose bumps."

Our second test was with Shai's "Comforter". This track is an excellent test of bass. Again, this battle was no contest. The Bose handled the deep bass notes at the start of the track handily. The Sonos PLAY5 had quite a bit of distortion on these same notes when we turned the volume up to about 70% on both units.

There are some benefit to a Sonos system. If you are planning on using Sonos for its variety of music sources and apps, it can easily be integrated into any stereo system via another Sonos unit (the Sonos CONNECT). Sonos also has more choices of music services including Rhapsody, iHeart, iTunes MOG, Sirius and others. To sum up our face-off.

Benefits of Bose Soundtouch: MUCH better sound, easier to use, can be programmed into universal remotes.

Benefits of Sonos system: Can be integrated into existing sound systems and has more music services. 

Want to talk to an expert about Sonos vs. Bose and the differences between today's WiFi music systems? Contact an ATD representative today with questions and let San Diego's leading Bose and Sonos dealer show you how music can enhance your life.

Torrey Pines Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon, Alpine, Blossom Valley, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. House by Lennar, Shea or Lennar? We can help. We also serve Torrey Pines, Alta Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Carmel Mountain, Coronado, Fairbanks Ranch, Cielo, The Bridges, The Lakes and The Crosby

When does 3 = 6? When you buy some new Martin Logan speakers, that's when! One of our favorite speaker lines, Martin Logan, is doing some crazy stuff for the big game. When you purchase selected speaker pairs along with a subwoofer, they are throwing in a FREE center channel and pair of rear speakers. This is an $800.00 freebie and 6 speakers for the price of 3!

Our clients Doc and Jeannine just added Martin Logan's amazing sound to their house. The author (yours truly) opted to put these in his home. Here's what they're doing to get Martin Logan into your house.

These are incredible sounding speakers at fantastic deals! If you can't see the Super Bowl in person, at least have your house sound like you're there. This Martin Logan sale runs until February 2nd, 2014 or while quantities last. Want to get a listen? Give us a call and let San Diego's leading dealer of Martin Logan show you what good audio sounds like.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County including Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Olivenhain, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo.

Bose did it again! Their holiday promo was so successful they have decided to offer it again for the big game (that's the Super Bowl for people that don't follow football...football, that's a leather ball that's shaped like an egg for people that REALLY don't follow football). Bose is offering specials that can save you hundreds of dollars on many of their best set-ups. This Winter promotion starts January 19th and goes through February 1st. Some of their specials are:

Bose Lifestyle 535 Home Theater system with premium jewel cubes. Regular price $3299.99 NOW $2799.99!

Bose Lifestyle 525 Home Theater system with standard cubes. Regular price $2499.99 NOW $2099.99!

Bose Lifestyle 135 Home Theater system with premium soundbar. Regular price $2499.99 NOW $2099.99!

Who doesn't like stereos that are easy to use, sound fantastic, look great and are ON SALE? Contact an ATD representative today with questions and let San Diego's leading dealer of Bose products show you how Bose can enhance your Super Bowl experience.

http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/home_theater/home_theater_for_your_hdtv/index.jsp

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon, Alpine, Blossom Valley, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo.