For The Love of Music
On April 29th, despite dreadful weather, guests from all over the greater Philadelphia area gathered at our flagship Montgomeryville, PA showroom for our Music Matters Spring 2023 event. This was our first Music Matters event in four years and we are grateful beyond words for the turnout. We truly love these session-style, workshop oriented events because they provide us with the opportunity to share our tips, tricks, industry secrets, and expertise with you all to enjoy in your own home. Not to mention, we get the chance to mingle with like-minded music lovers and share the experience of listening to music on incredible music systems.
The afternoon brought a multitude of presentations, spanning topics from room acoustics to the ever-expanding frontier of digital media. But most importantly, there was music! What follows is a summary of the sessions, some of the music played, and the gear used. Check it out, and be sure to watch our video for some scenes of the day.
Session 1: 50% of the Movie is in the Music? Yup, And We'll Show You.
Presented by: Seth Snyder, Premium Audio Co.: Integra, Klipsch, Onkyo, Pioneer, Elite
George Lucas once said that sound and music are 50% of the entertainment in a movie. Some even say it's as much as 80%. Sound is what makes you jump out of your seat, dive for cover, or reach for your box of tissues – and you’ll hear exactly why. Discover the evolution of cinematic audio while being the first in the country to experience Integra's new flagship 11.4 channel AV network receiver with state-of-the-art features and advanced technologies. As CTA’s Smarthome Integrator of the Year, World Wide Stereo is proud to be selected as the exclusive launch partner of this AVR and the reviews so far have been awesome.
The Gear:
- Integra DRX-8.4 11.4 Channel Home Theater
- Focal 5.4.4 1000 Series In-Wall Dolby Atmos System with 2 x Sub1000 Subwoofers
- Audio Control RS 1000 Subwoofer Amplifier
- Kaleidescape Strato Movie Server
- Sony VPL-VW915ES 4K HDR Laser Home Theater Projector
- Stewart Filmscreen 125" Screen
- Apple TV
- Savant Control System
- REM4000 Universal Remote Control
Movie Scenes:
- Drive
- Baby Driver
Session 2: Acoustic Treatments: Do They Make a Difference?
Presented by: Thomas Graham, Vicoustic, IsoAcoustics, Focal, Naim
The listening experience – both amplified music and speech clarity - is impacted by reflected sound and noise caused by reverberation and room acoustics. No room is sonically perfect. When done right, acoustic treatments can turn a muddy sounding room with poor midrange definition and erratic bass response into one that sounds clear. We can show you how. From speaker configuration, room treatment, vibration isolation, and the impact of adding a sub, to a few small tips and tweaks you can employ today. Guests got to hear the difference for themselves with plenty of surprising A/B demos. This session proved for attendees that room treatments and sound isolation products are not snake oil. There were plenty that walked into the demo as naysayers and walked out as believers.
While World Wide Stereo offers full room treatment design and installation as a complete service and solution, we also demonstrated the impact of "quick wins" in the form of IsoAcoustic products. A quick accessory add-on to any system, using Gaia isolators instead of speaker spikes provide tighter bass, improved soundstage, and improved clarity and openness. IsoAcoustics provides solutions not just for speakers and subs, but for audio components and turntables. Removing parasitic vibration releases new levels of sound clarity and openness when used with amplifiers, monoblock amplifiers DAC’s, CD players, turntables and more.
The Gear:
- Vicoustics Acoustic Solutions - Sound absorbing and diffusing panels and products for Hi-Fi rooms, home cinemas, home studios, and commercial use.
- IsoAcoustics Audio Isolation Products for home audio, Hi-Fi applications, and professional use. (Gaia III Isolation Feet)
- Focal Aria Series Speakers
The Playlist:
Session 3: Finding Your Speaker Soulmate - The Speaker Shootout
Presented by: Shawn Thome, World Wide Stereo
We all hear and react to sound differently – there's a science and an emotional component behind how the brain interacts to music. So imagine this: the world's finest speakers, all in one place, side by side in a sonically pristine and tuned environment. We'll demo the difference, guide you on what to look out for, and let you be the judge. We’re taking you on a journey from good, to better, to spectacular. This is the ultimate speaker demo, with a curated playlist. Sit back and enjoy.
The Gear:
- Focal Utopia Maestros powered by McIntosh MC611
- Focal Vestia No 4 powered by a McIntosh MC152
- Bowers & Wilkins 801’s powered by McIntosh MA9500
- Bowers & Wilkins 602’s powered by Arcam PA240
The Playlist:
- Queen – Don’t stop me now
- Pink Floyd -Money
- Marcin – Kashmir
- Mumford and Sons – The Cave
- King Curtis – Memphis Soul Stew
- Skrillez – Rumble
- Boz Scaggs – Thanks to you
- The Bee Gees – How deep is your love
- Marian Hill- Down
- Elton John – Rocket Man – Atmos Music DEMO
Session 4: Taking the Confusion Out of Music Streaming Services & Sources
Presented by: Ben Morrow, World Wide Stereo
Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Apple Music - oh my! Demystify and discover the ease of music streaming, from music services to sources. Does hi-res make a difference? And what is spatial audio? You will leave this session with an understanding of how to take your listening experience to new levels... and why Dolby Atmos is no longer just for movies.
The Gear:
- NAD C399 Stereo Integrated Amp / DAC
- Focal Vestia No.3 Floorstanding speakers
- Denon Home 250 Wireless Streaming Speaker
- Sonos Era 300 Wireless Streaming Speaker
- Bluesound Pulse 2i Wireless Streaming Speaker
- Sonos Amp
- Marantz Cinema 40 9.4 Channel 8K Home Theater Receiver
The Playlist:
- Rolling in the Deep (Adele cover) by The Piano Guys – Spotify
- Rolling in the Deep (Adele cover) by The Piano Guys – Qobuz (for comparison purposes to illustrate the difference in bitrate between the services)
- Hotel California (2013 Remaster) – Eagles – Tidal HD
- Smooth Criminal – 2Cellos – Apple Music
- Riders on the Storm – The Doors – Amazon Music HD Unlimited (great Dolby Atmos music demo)
