October 2021

Home Theater And Home Entertainment
This issue has a balanced mix of content addressing
audio electronics knowledge, technology reviews and more.
Editorial By J. Martins

  This edition of audioXpress offers a balanced mix of content addressing audio electronics knowledge, technology reviews, speaker building and measurement, and our latest market update report focused on home theater, and associated residential technologies.

I always find curious that some audio-centric publications choose to label themselves "two-channel" focused and refuse to address anything that falls outside that artificially created sweet spot. I understand the reason for that self-imposed restriction originates from the (limited) perception that home-theater speaker audio designs and integrated AV receivers that are dominant in the space — not to mention the dreaded home-theater-in-a-box products — compromise high-fidelity by design. I believe that perception to be misguided. Many great audio companies and many more installation professionals have already proven that's not the case. And we should not underestimate the fact that audio systems surrounding a living room TV was always part of valued home entertainment experiences for many families.

Because home theater is directly associated with a combination or integration of audio and video components for enjoyment of movies and audiovisual content, that has nothing to do with the ability of an audio system to be able to generate "fidelity," and neither does multichannel.

We evolved from single-source mono to stereophonic recording and reproduction, and naturally embraced multiple-channel formats to better accommodate different types of content. Multichannel designs don't need to compromise superior two-channel music reproduction when desired. Anyone who knows the residential custom-installation market understands that high-end stereo is very much part of that. In fact, volume sales for many high-end audio brands are channeled through the residential integration channels. There's a reason why many renowned audio brands are respected in both two-channel and the most sophisticated home cinema installations — and that includes some of the most famous North American audio manufacturers. On the European side, we can find some of the most respected brands active in both fields, while some even extend into studio monitors, reference cinema sound, and very high-end designs, all with commendable results.

The home theater and residential installation topics were planned for this October edition, directly targeting the edition that should be distributed at the CEDIA show, as it happened in 2019 in Denver, CO. That year, in the first Installation Market Update feature published by audioXpress, we essentially focused on commercial applications. In 2020, we focused on residential installation, home networking, and new products for entertainment and personal workspaces, as companies were refocusing on those applications segments. This year, the second year reflecting the restrictions caused by the global pandemic, audioXpress appealed to multiple manufacturers to submit information about their latest products and solutions intended for CEDIA Expo 2021.

This report, has largely benefited from those efforts, helping us to better project the market trends going forward, even if, as we wrapped this Market Update feature, most major manufacturers and exhibitors were forced to withdraw their onsite presence due to safety concerns. We weren't surprised by the decisions of most companies and professionals not to attend a trade show at this time. But the realization that we will probably have to wait until 2022 to witness relevant industry events, reminded me how important these industry reports are. Without a fully featured show, it's more important than ever to identify and underscore the trends. I think this report does that.

However, there are two important trends that I did not address directly. One I just mentioned here and is the importance of object-based audio formats and content pushing home entertainment to new exciting heights (literally). The second is how home theater is changing with streaming services and Smart TVs — essentially a connected display with built-in media players and network streamers. According to Strategy Analytics' Connected Home Devices report, global sales of Smart TVs grew by 7.4% in 2020, and household ownership in North America has surpassed 70% in 2021. More than a display, Smart TVs are a gateway for home entertainment, and increasingly they are shipping with support for wireless speakers, and object-based audio reproduction. This represents a huge opportunity for the audio industry to address.

J. Martins
Editor-in-Chief

Subscribe To audioXpress Magazine
Click here to subscribe to audioXpress magazine.