The Arctic Audio showroom features a simulated home theater.
Home Theaters In addition to providing excellent sound quality, Arctic Audio is also a home theater and smart home expert. With Shafer’s knowledge of automated screens, lighting and shade control, any space can be transformed in a comfortable home theater. Arctic Audio’s showroom contains a fully outfitted 11.4 home theater system, equipped with a 4K Laser projector showcasing crystalline image quality and lighting placed perfectly to complement the screen. One thing Shafer has noticed is that it’s not just the $600,000 dollar houses that are getting home theaters. Now he is seeing younger professionals buy lower margin homes and still installing entertainment systems as this technology becomes more attainable. Acoustic Engineering A unique service that Arctic Audio provides to elevate audio experience significantly is acoustic engineering. “The room is 50 percent of your listening experience,” Shafer said. Arctic Audio partners with local acoustic and recording professionals to adjust any room for its optimal sound quality. This process utilizes various acoustic solutions that predictably absorb and scatter sound waves. Each solution is implemented to help the room bring out the best from a customer's speakers.
it’s just muddy, harsh and fatiguing to listen to,” Shafer said. “You want to hear the sound directly from the speaker drivers, then you want the sound to go away. Unless you have something to absorb it, it's not going away.” In a properly tuned room, sound is less reverberant and more controlled. Voices become distinct and you can hear every nuance. Arctic Audio is the only business in the area that can tune a home theater by ear. Every space has unique acoustic profiles that can’t be measured with electronic tools. Shafer's team is able to tune any room so the audio system is perfectly set to the space. The size of the room, flooring and furniture all can have an effect on the theater’s sound quality. “In terms of home automation, I challenge you to think of anything that you would like to have done technologically that we can't do. It really is to that point where whatever you can think of, it can be done.”
Arctic Audio 3045 Main Ave, Fargo, ND 701-298-2998 arcticaudio.com
TECH TIPS Rod Shafer offers his insight into getting the most out of your audio/visual setup. “Things like the Sonos Beam, put that under your TV and you've got great sound. The built-in speakers behind the TV bounce against the wall, which sounds indistinct. It's nice to have them facing forward because it makes a lot of the speech clearer for people.” “If you're budget-conscious, Sonos is a great place to start because it allows you to piece on and put it throughout the entire house.” “Typically, if speakers are good for music, it's going to be just fine for theater. Sometimes speakers are okay for theater, but might not be the best for music.”
“When you have 11 plus speakers firing in a room, it can build up sound waves and echoes such that pretty soon 31