Sunfire Redesigns HRS High Resolution Subwoofer Series to Significantly Improve Listening Experience

Industry-leading luxury subwoofer and home theater audio brand, Sunfire, today announced the redesign of its widely popular, high-performance HRS Subwoofer series. Delivering a dramatically improved listening experience and a boost of serious power, the HRS Subwoofer series utilizes legendary Sunfire technologies to deliver the best and boldest sounding subwoofers from a small but stunning enclosure.

“Sunfire has once again raised the industry standard with the transformation of the HRS Subwoofer series,” Core Brands Audio Marketing Manager Matt Dever stated. “Engineered by Furman technicians, the HRS Series features an all new Toroidal Transformer designed to dramatically reduce noise levels, and improve the overall listening experience for everyone to enjoy.”

Available in 8, 10, and 12-inch models, the HRS series is the perfect option for any size home theater. Exclusive to Sunfire, the innovative Frequency Filtration Design™ (FFD) acoustic tailoring technologies greatly improves accuracy even at the highest volumes and lowest frequencies. The FFD™ also gives HRS subs a remarkable ‘sonic intelligence’ that lets the listener clearly hear and feel all the deep-bass details in their favorite music and movie soundtracks.

Creating breathtaking power with crystal-clear sound, the sub features a built-in 1,000-watt amplifier and advanced driver technology. The 1,000-watt RMS amplifier uses Sunfire’s exclusive Tracking DownConverter™ amplifier to deliver high levels of current with far greater efficiency than conventional amps, for huge, pure power reserves with minimal physical size and cool-running operation. Additionally, the new standby circuitry reduces standby power consumption like never before. If that weren’t enough, the amp’s soft-clipping circuitry also keeps the woofer from being dangerously overdriven or producing obvious distortion, without squashing the dynamic subtleties or compromising its impact during big action flicks.

Much of the HRS series’ powerful performance comes courtesy of the massive, extra-long-throw woofer. The woofer’s ability to make extremely long excursions enables it to displace large amounts of air, producing deep, bone-rattling bass. Additionally, the driver’s large, specially designed surround holds the woofer cone precisely in place as it moves, for the most accurate sound possible. 

For easy-installation and convenience, the HRS provides multiple connectivity options, including RCA inputs/ outputs, speaker level inputs, detachable power cord and international voltage selection for increased installation flexibility with consumer and professional components. This allows the HRS to fit seamlessly into new audio designs as well as existing configurations. Furthermore, line-level inputs and outputs, plus speaker-level inputs let you easily connect this sub to most audio systems, and its variable back-panel volume, crossover, and phase controls help you fine-tune the bass to any particular sound.

What’s more, the HRS now offers a collection of premium audiophile features like auto turn-on circuitry, gold plated connectors, soft clipping circuitry, variable crossover level and variable phase control. “The Sunfire HRS subwoofer is designed in an effortlessly stylish, high-gloss piano black finish that fits flawlessly into almost any room décor, making it the perfect foundation for every great home theater and audio system,” Dever concluded. 

The HRS subwoofers quality control levels have been raised to the highest in Sunfire’s history. Equipped with a one year parts and labor warranty, HRS subwoofers are available now through certified Sunfire dealers. To find a certified dealer near you, visit Sunfire.com/dealer_finder.

Homeowner's Backyard Amphitheater Brings Creativity to the Community

Larger and larger outdoor entertainment systems have been on the rise in recent years, and California is naturally one of the most robust markets for serious installations. One homeowner in Southern California has raised the bar for summer cookouts by thinking pretty far outside the box and turning his outdoor living space into a nearly-commercial level amphitheater with a custom-built 220-inch motorized projection screen (18 feet!), 20 speakers, fully automated landscape lighting and a performance stage with 10 inputs that connect to a mixing board inside. If that weren’t enough, there’s also a 15-foot-tall LED-lit sculpture of a question mark intended to indulge meditation in the front yard. Talk about unique!

“I wanted to create a space where the community could come together, where we could hold events and where my son could really get creative with his friends,” the homeowner said. “The last event we held was a children’s charity benefit where we hosted about 200 people. We had bands play on the stage, and we can broadcast through every speaker both inside and outside the house. It’s been really great, and it allows us to have fun without stressing because it’s so easy to use. Everything is basically plug-and-play, and any adjustments are easy to make with the ELAN g! mobile app on my iPhone or iPad. My son has been using it since he was 6 years old.”

The story starts two years ago when the owner had an ELAN g! system installed inside the home to run multi-room audio and five surveillance cameras. Since then he and his integrator AM House have expanded the system to include automated lighting indoors and in the landscape, where there are six zones split between different levels as the property descends down the hillside, plus the entire amphitheater setup, the spa controls and a total of 20 professional-grade Niles outdoor speakers in multiple zones.

“This is one of the coolest backyards I’ve ever seen, let alone designed and installed,” said Justin Brees, owner of electronics integration firm AM House. “Between the custom-made Vutec projection screen, the super-bright 3600 lumen Optima 1080p projector and the Niles speakers and ELAN control, it’s more like a commercial entertainment space than a backyard. Having a stage to hold performances and play them throughout the entire property was a really cool idea and we were able to make it all very simple to operate with the ELAN system.”

While the homeowner has to be mindful of windy conditions when going to watch a movie on the awe-inspiring 18-foot projection screen, the opportunities for enjoying this incredible outdoor space are nearly limitless. From viewing summer movies and fall football games to arranging concerts and throwing parties, it’s a very impressive yet inviting space for the whole community, or for him and his son to enjoy a quiet night.

“All this is possible because of the stellar job that Jose Bermeo, the main builder on this job, did bringing my vision to life,” the owner added. “I knew what I wanted, and I hoped it was possible, but both Jose and Justin really knocked it out of the park with the execution. To me this is part home improvement, part community building and part gift to my son. And for two years it’s been a work-in-progress because I keep finding new things I want the system to do or new subsystems to integrate, so I’m sure this isn’t the last of it. It might be a unique space as far as technology goes, but for me and my son it’s really a way to fully enjoy the beautiful area we live in with our friends and the community.”

The family controls the whole system through the ELAN g! mobile app on iPhones and iPads, which allows them to set all the lighting levels for the six landscape zones, the volume for the eight indoor zones and five outdoor zones, and to control up the spa and projection system. It’s about as simple as it could be, and that was a core requirement for the project. After all, a party space this cool makes you want to have fun, not tinker with settings and knobs all night.

“I imagine this backyard is the envy of the neighborhood,” Brees added, “and rightfully so! As he said, this is an ongoing project, so I’m sure we'll be adding more cool features over time and that’s why it’s such a good thing we used the ELAN system – it’s easy to expand and easy to use. That’s one of the reasons I stick with ELAN for my business, because it allows my clients to start with a small system and grow it over time.”

The brain of the system is an ELAN controller, and audio is run through an ELAN 16-channel amplifier. There are Niles in-ceiling speakers throughout the home and Niles OS outdoor speakers on the patio and in the landscaping.  The room with the mixing board features four studio monitors. The Jandy spa controls connect seamlessly with the ELAN system, allowing for full mobile control of the temperature, on/off and other settings.

SpeakerCraft Now Shipping Highly Anticipated AIM Series 2

SpeakerCraft, the premier audio brand from Core Brands, today announced that its latest architectural speaker series, AIM Series 2, is now shipping to dealers. The award-winning SpeakerCraft AIM Series 2 incorporates new technologies to deliver a superior home audio listening experience.

“SpeakerCraft AIM Series 2 has been 100% re-crafted to support sophisticated installations and advanced object-based surround audio platforms,” Core Brands Audio Marketing Manager Matt Dever explained. “The re-crafting effort addresses every aspect of the speaker, from front to back, resulting in a sound solution you’ll have to hear to believe.”

The most notable of these technologies is the new patent-pending ARC Tweeter Array™. Inspired by large sound reinforcement installations, the pivoting array is nothing short of groundbreaking. By incorporating multiple tweeters in the line array, AIM Series 2 delivers focused high frequencies farther into the listening area than standard tweeter configurations. The ARC Tweeter Array also enables the crossover point to be lowered, thus increasing the sound pressure level at the critical mid-range frequencies. “The result is that, acoustically, listeners enjoy a much larger sweet spot,” said Dever.  

Available with 5-inch, 7-inch and 8-inch woofer sizes, all AIM Series 2 speakers feature an updated WavePlane™ to further focus the high frequency energy into the listening environment for a cleaner, warmer and richer sound. The entirely new speaker housing design allows the woofer to pivot 30 degrees in all directions, while enabling 359 degrees of rotation for the WavePlane and ARC Tweeter Array.  In addition, the ARC Tweeter Array can be adjusted +/- 15 degrees toe-in/toe-out. The result is virtually limitless directional capability.  

While the front of the speaker gets most of the deserved attention, the back of this speaker delivers game-changing technologies as well. The all-new Acoustic Isolation Technology™ decouples the speaker housing from the surrounding materials, providing a more acoustically repeatable installation and improving sound transference to the listening area by minimizing structural resonance created by the surrounding wall or ceiling. The minimized resonance transfer is achieved using co-molded, lower density compounds, setting AIM Series 2 apart from any speaker in the industry. The speaker can be enjoyed as it was meant to be enjoyed – not colored by the resonance of the material on which it is mounted.

Fully re-crafted, all AIM Series 2 speakers feature a U.S. engineered transducer, motor and crossover. The new curvilinear cone design creates greater bass response, and the non-conductive Kapton formers, copper caps and extended poles reduce distortion. With increased power handling and sensitivity, the speakers deliver an overall cleaner and louder sound.

“The enhanced aim-ability of the AIM Series 2 presents new options for sound design – from home theatre to whole home audio,” Dever continued. “More than ever, sound can be redirected to a specific section of a room, angled toward a seating area or where an audio impact is desired. In addition, integrators can now offer their clients the most uniform coverage ever in any room, along with increased power and frequency response. We’re proud to make installation easier and more flexible for integrators while providing consumers with a superior home audio experience.” 

All models of the AIM Series 2 speakers are available for immediate delivery to dealers. For more information about the AIM Series 2, visit: www.speakercraft.com. 

Core Brands Technologies Help Provide Independence for Wounded Veteran in New Donated Home

Smart homes can change lives. Just ask veteran MSG John Masson and his family, who were recently handed the keys and iPad to their new specially adapted smart home at a dedication ceremony held in Southern Pines, North Carolina.  After losing three limbs in Afghanistan in 2010, Masson was selected by Building for America’s Bravest, a partner program of the Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program, to receive a smart home that aims to ease daily challenges and afford him independence. With new technologies donated from top manufacturers including Core Brands, almost all aspects of the home can be completely controlled through the family’s smartphones and tablets wherever they go.

“This is truly a blessing and it’s changed our lives,” Masson said of his family’s experience in the home. “I’m thankful every day for everyone involved, from the builders and workers on site to the companies that donated equipment and materials, to Gary Sinise himself who helped get this amazing house built in less than 10 months. The technology is fantastic and it helps me do a lot of things much easier, even something that seems simple like changing a DVD. That could be a challenge for me alone, but now through the ELAN g! iPad app and the Kaleidescape movie server I can change what I’m watching without needing to get in my chair and cross the room, saving me time and frustration. I’ll never be able to thank everyone enough, but I’ll continue to do so at every opportunity.”

Among the many accoutrements in the home are retractable cabinets and shelving, automated lighting, window shades and security systems, transfer benches, whole-home audio and video and more. Nearly $130,000 (retail value) of technology equipment was donated and installed, and the brain that ties it all together is an ELAN g! system that gives Masson and his family easy control.

The home includes two large ELAN in-wall touchscreens and an iPad to make it easy for the family to manage three climate zones, 29 motorized window shades, a full Lutron RadioRA 2 system, two doors with electronic locks, security, surveillance, and multi-room audio and video including a professional home theater, affectionately referred to as the man cave. With an Epson 6030 series projector, Vutec screen, five Sunfire CRS-3 ribbon speakers mounted on the wall, two Sunfire SubRosa subwoofers and six additional Niles speakers for surround, this man cave provides the ultimate home viewing experience for the Masson family.

“The man cave is one of my favorite things about the house,” Masson said. “Anything that makes my life easier or more convenient is a huge help for both functionality and my state of mind. It all comes back to the wonderful people who made this all possible, who’ve given me back a lot of freedom to live comfortably. It was challenging to have guests over since I came back in 2010, and that’s something a family needs. Now we can have our family and friends come to the house without worrying about complications or space and I can set up all the music, lights and anything else form my iPad.”

According to Joel Berrettini, the project’s lead technology integrator and owner of IT and Media Solutions, working on this home is the least he could do. “I would do anything for these men, and I will continue to do so as long as the opportunity is available. Providing wounded veterans these homes, to regain a sense of normalcy and independence, takes a lot of partners and a lot of cooperation. The product donations from Core Brands and our other valued sponsors make these homes possible and we cannot thank them enough.”

Using the latest technologies from ELAN Home Systems, Niles Audio, Sunfire, Lutron, QMotion and others, Berrettini designed a system that gives Masson as much control as possible to stay in charge of his home. In fact, Masson’s home will soon be one of the first in the world to use the new ELAN 6x4 HDMI matrix to deliver HD video throughout the home. Berrettini is expecting to install two of the matrices in early 2015.

From installing touchpanels at a height comfortable for John and using occupancy sensors in key areas to a one-button setup to turn on the home theater, fast access and ease of use is the key. Additionally, Berrettini gave John and his wife some peace of mind by setting the system so the kids can only access controls for the lights, media and window shades. Remote access was also a top consideration, which is simple with the ELAN g! system. The family can now use the ELAN g! mobile app on nearly any mobile device to check their cameras, security, lights and HVAC from anywhere in the world.

Berrettini installed the home’s technology with help from local integrator Sandhills Home Theater, who provided unexpected free labor to help speed up the installation.

Masson has served in the US Army in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, in the Indiana Army National Guard, the Ohio Army National Guard and the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and was deployed during  Operation Iraqi Freedom an Enduring Freedom. In 2010, while conducting Village Stability Operations in Afghanistan, Masson stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and lost an arm and both legs.  Thanks to his training, he was able to assist his fellow Medical Sergeant in treating his wounds – actions which saved his life.  He’s received both the Purple Heart meda