Father’s Day is a couple of weeks away and if you’re stumped for what to give Dad, we have some gift ideas from our team at AVD. Present the man in your life with a gift certificate for a fully-equipped “man cave”/media room. Or give him one of the items suggested here. And, as man does not live by home electronics, automation and integration alone, we’re offering up some additional thoughts as a way to honor Dad this month – or anytime.

What man cave/media room would be complete without a big-screen TV? Bob Copeland recommends Sony’s new XBR 65A1E OLED Display. John Veloza suggests pairing that with surround sound that works in multiple locations like the Sonos system. Brad Smith suggests one of the Leon Soundbars to be mounted with the TV. Add a subwoofer, says Bob Riddle, and he likes JL Audio. Richard Mullin says an all-in-one remote is essential and recommends the Universal Remote Control. Bob thinks the Savant Pro Remote is a must have for ease-of-use and the coolness factor (just enough to make it fun).

What would our team members like to be gifted – related to business and not related?

Bob Copeland: DAC for Sonos Connect and time with family.

Richard Mullin: Apple TV and a pair of tickets to the new Odyssey cruise ship with dinner aboard.

John Veloza: A Control4 System and an Apple Macbook Pro.

Summer will be here before you know it. Since the season is so short in New England, we want to make the most of it when we spend time outdoors. The trend to entertain outside gets stronger every year with improved technology and products. Here are 10 tips to enhance your outdoor A/V experience.

1. Wireless audio can be your new BFF if not exposed to the elements.  Soundcast has weatherproof wireless  speakers that we would recommend. They are portable and battery powered so you can even take them to the beach! While we always prefer a hardwired connection for quality audio, wireless systems are great for getting music outside temporarily, without a lot of planning or structural wiring.
2. Plan for permanent fixtures when building or renovating. The more speakers the better! It’s important to plan for permanent outdoor electronics. For example, you need to install pool speakers before the concrete is poured, and conduit will need to be run to any permanent outdoor video displays.
3. Look for speakers that blend in. In the beginning rock speakers were all the rage, but there are more advanced speakers now that can be hidden among plantings. Compact speakers designed with flexible mounting options are increasingly popular because you can place them in trees, bushes, or virtually anywhere.
4. Allocate the proper space for in-ground subwoofers, which produce great bass outdoors.
5. Invest in a waterproof, rugged iPad cover or remote for outdoor control.
6. Never use indoor gear outdoors. You can’t simply take your TV outside, install it and expect it to hold up to the elements. That is one reason why we like the products from Seura, especially their Storm series. Splash is made to be waterproof! Install the largest size screen you can accommodate for maximum viewing pleasure.
7. Wow your guests with an outdoor movie theater, complete with a weatherproof screen and drop down projector. Just remember that appropriate housing is important.
8. Run video wiring to several locations so that you can put video in one or more spots should you decide to add another screen, or move your screen, in the future.
9. Add outdoor wireless access points to boost your signal for continuous Wi-Fi coverage outside. Or talk with us about some of our advanced network solutions.
10. Light it right to set the mood and add to your home’s safety. We can program lighting for various activities, like watching TV outside, a late night dip in the pool or soak in the hot tub.

It’s not too late to get your property ready for summer. Get in touch with our System Design team. And don’t forget all the other elements that go into fabulous summer entertaining: a great play list, comfortable seating, an outdoor kitchen and, most important of all, family and friends.

What’s a better combination than music and wine? Join Audio Video Design for our inaugural Boston Design Week event at M. Steinert & Sons at the Natick Mall on April 7, 2017 from 5 to 7 p.m. and find out! Play with the amazing Steinway Spirio™ piano and listen to the Steinway Lyngdorf S-Series Sound System. Sip a fine selection of wines, nibble delicious hors d’oeuvres and mingle with music lovers, design aficionados, wine connoisseurs and design industry professionals. Thank you to our media sponsor Boston Design Guide, a trusted and comprehensive resource guide featuring the “best of the best” in the home design industry.

The knowledgable staff from Audio Video Design and M. Steinert & Sons will be on hand to demonstrate the Spirio™ and the S-Series speakers. Learn about room correction and how the shape and dynamics of a space play a large part in what you actually hear in terms of echoes, reflections and absorption of sound.

We’ll also be giving away door prizes, including a set of speakers valued at more than $500.

Registration is required to attend through Eventbrite.

M. Steinert & Sons is located on the second floor of the Natick Mall near Neiman Marcus. 1245 Worcester Street, Natick, MA 01760.

Have you ever heard of room correction in reference to audio equipment? You might be surprised to learn that with most audio systems, more than half of the sound you hear doesn’t come from your speakers alone. The shape and dynamics of the room, including your furnishings, play a big part of what you do hear in terms of echoes, reflections and absorption of sound. In the past that meant placing your speakers in the best spot acoustically, but not necessarily aesthetically.

Enter the Danish engineers at Lyngdorf who have created the most advanced and user-friendly room correction system on the market. More than twenty years of research have gone into this stylish integrated stereo amplifier that identifies the characteristics of your speakers and the influences of your room, and then takes the room out of the equation. With built-in RoomPerfect™ room correction, you hear exactly what the music is supposed to sound like, not the way your room makes the speakers make it sound.

This award-winning amplifier is the audiophile’s friend. A fully digital component, the TDAI-2170 has flexible upgrade modules that use the RoomPerfect™ technology. It is easy to set up and use, and enhances all speaker systems.

Good News for Design Enthusiasts

“I like it because with RoomPerfect™ you can place the speakers where they look best, not necessarily where they sound best,” says AVD president Brad Smith. “That’s why interior designers and architects should like it, too. And the sound is shockingly good.”

No more worrying about minimalistic spaces with echoes or rooms with a lot of upholstery absorbing too much sound. Applying RoomPerfect™ calibration allows homeowners and designers to position speakers in a way that best reflects the style of a room.