Featured Reviews

GiK Acoustics has been one of the most popular online dealers of room acoustics for their quality products at no-nonsense pricing. They've consistently met and exceeded their customer's needs by providing products that they often didn't even know that they needed. Once again they are doing the same with the introduction of their new Screen Panel. Obviously designed for a studio setting, we think there are more than one Audioholic that would be interested.

For a very reasonable (in this category) $799 (currently $699 on preorder) the AS-EQ1 sub EQ is their new standalone room correction system. A joint venture with Audyssey Labs, a name that is becoming synonymous with room correction, the AS-EQ1 offers computer interface, dual subs, and some very interesting aesthetics. For those that want an easy to use room correction system, the AS-EQ1 is just what the doctor ordered. It's built to work with existing technology without overriding anything, it is easy to setup and maintain, and it lets you know exactly what it did via pretty graphs.

I very rarely say anything unequivocal in a review. Hold on to your hats 'cause I'm gonna to do it now. The GiK Tri-Traps will improve the sound in your room. They will. It doesn't matter the speaker or the amp. The DVD player or the processor. The Tri-Traps will help curb your bass problems. Are they a panacea? Will the fix everything? No, of course not. But ask any acoustical expert and you'll find that corner bass trapping is high up on their list of "first steps to a better sounding room."

Acoustics. Next to your speakers, your room is probably the biggest contributor to the quality of the sound. We here at Audioholics care about acoustics as we understand that it is one of the major factors affecting your listening experience. The Auralex Room Analysis Plus gives you the ability to not only get recommendations about treating your room, but a report based on ACTUAL MEASUREMENTS! And it doesn't cost thousands of dollars either.

ReadyAcoustics offers the Chameleon Frame to dress up acoustics panels so that your wife will actually let you have them. This is a DIY paradise!

Many people think that the secret to a great home theater is great gear. And when you ask them what that gear consists of, it will usually be a display, speakers, components, and cables. But the ingredient that can often make or break a home theater is the room itself. My room is an excellent case in point, which is why I chose to bring in the good folks at Auralex.

The proprietary Velodyne subwoofer correction system is included in all the higher end Velodyne subs as well as a standalone unit called the SMS-1. Anyone that has done much research about subwoofers has undoubtedly run across the SMS-1. A 1/3 octave smoothed, on-screen graph in real time makes adjusting and parametric eq’ing a subwoofer an exercise even the most technologically challenged can excel at. There are very few additions to a full surround system that have the impact of a room correction system. You’ll wonder how you ever got along without it. And with the addition of the Mic-5, you now have the ability to correct for multiple seating positions creating a better experience for everyone. While the Mic-5 add-on may be a bit pricy for the average consumer, I can see it as a very good investment for an installer or perhaps a group of friends that can split the cost. It is nice to be able to correct for a sweet spot, but multiple seats takes it to a whole other level.

Ultimate audio performance within the listening area starts with the loudspeakers and the room. How the Installer gets the loudspeaker system to integrate within the listening space is what can make or break even the best assembled audio systems. In our article Better Sound Through Active Room Correction (recommended reading before reading this review) the important metrics of loudspeaker placement and selection, room acoustics, and how to best integrate all of these variables using the new Audyssey Pro MultEQ enabled processor for the ultimate theatrical experience in the comforts of your home was discussed. We now expand upon this with a formal review of the Audyssey MultEQ Pro sound equalization processor.

Being an official Audioholic comes with a couple of drawbacks. The first of which is that you are required by Audioholic charter not to believe in many of the tweaks out there. Magic rocks, cable risers, wooden volume knobs, batteries anywhere in your system but in your remote… What is a bona fide Audioholic to do? Well, after treating your room, the next “tweak” is an EQ for your sub. At least it is for me. I’ve wanted one of these for a long, long time. When Clint mentioned in passing that he needed someone to review the Onix R-DES, I practically tackled him.