By Alice Gustafson for CE Pro
What does Triad Speakers bring to the custom install market?
Mike Budd (MB): Triad offers an extremely comprehensive range of models, from modest prices up to cost-is-no-object models that can fill very large listening rooms, screening rooms and home theaters.
It takes a very special speaker to achieve these very high volume levels and full dynamics without sacrificing musicality, detail resolution and lack of listener fatigue.
For a speaker to achieve its performance potential out in the real world without compromise, it must be designed and voiced for its particular installation application.
For example, a great sounding in-room speaker gets compromised when wall or ceiling mounted. To avoid these performance compromises, Triad designs and builds different variants of the same speaker model to deliver the same great sound in different installation applications: in-room, in-wall, in-ceiling, on-wall, on-ceiling – and even in-corner.
Our state-of-the-art build-to-order manufacturing process lets us offer more SKUs than traditional manufacturers who must limit their offerings because they build for inventory.
Likewise, when speakers are designed for specific applications, they can be designed for easy installation. Our on-wall speakers’ EZ Mount bracket is a great example.
It is quick, easy and adjustable enough so that even after install, it can be quickly repositioned or realigned up to 1⁄4 inch (6.35mm) in any direction.
What training or technical support is available for the brand?
Andy Jones (AJ): Pulse Cinemas has worked with Triad for over eight years and has a great understanding of the product range.
Our Introduction to Home Cinema Training course covers different loudspeaker types and their suitability within different installations, ranging from a standard 5.1 system to a 3D audio system (Dolby Atmos / DTS:X etc).
Furthermore, our staff are able to discuss specific system designs, establishing which product lines will be best suited for a given project. Additionally, we can assist with technical drawings showing where each speaker should be placed within the room for best performance.
What training or technical support is available for installers to get up to speed with 3D audio cinema creation?
MB: Triad Speakers is in the unique position of being Dolby Labs’ development partner for home Atmos speakers for over three years.
In addition, we have close working relations with DTS and with Auro Technologies, with whom we partnered to demonstrate both Atmos and Auro at 2016 ISE.
These relationships give us a unique knowledge and experience-base which we are happy to share with our dealers to help them understand immersive 3D audio and how best to implement it for specific clients and rooms.
Pulse Cinemas leverages Triad factory support by providing dealers with detailed plan sets and renderings for their 3D Audio cinema projects.
Is this an excellent time for installers to revisit past projects as the new formats become available and offer an upgrade?
MB: Absolutely! 3D audio has ramped up so rapidly over the past 12 to 18 months that any and every serious home theatre job conceived without it should be reevaluated and reconsidered with it in mind.
As an industry we would do our end user clients a real service to educate them about 3D audio and how it might be added to their jobs.
At the least, a few pre-wire or retro wire changes could allow an easy upgrade to 3D audio now or in the future.
This is to everyone’s advantage – dealer and customer alike. The great thing about updating an existing system is that an upgrade to 3D can be done in some cases without needing to replace existing installed speakers.
How should installers approach offering new tech and upgrades?
MB: There are a number of ways. If you have an Atmos demo room, an invite to a private or semi-private ‘All About Atmos’ demo makes a lot of sense.
If you don’t, but have an Atmos cinema nearby, consider inviting your big clients to a movie there to see what the fuss is about.
AJ: Pulse Cinemas is always keen to assist dealers with end- user events; please contact us if you have a specific idea that you’d like to discuss and we can review how we can work with you to make the event a great success.
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