Taking Care of the Audio

I’m sitting in one of two screening rooms at the Theory Audio Design/Pro Audio Technology Experience Center in Lake Forest, CA, having just heard the single most powerful soundbar demo I’ve ever heard in my life, when owner and president Paul Hales makes a curious proclamation: “I don’t want Theory to be known as a soundbar company.” Curious, because the core of Theory Audio Design’s home cinema sound systems is built around three different soundbar offerings, designed to match 65-, 75-, and 85-inch TVs, with a unique style that relies on custom-extruded aluminum chassis and Apple-esque industrial design.

Whether you’re building a 3.0-channel Theory system or a full-blown 5.2.2-channel Atmos system complete with on-wall and on-ceiling surround and overhead speakers, one of those soundbars is almost certainly front and center. So, to my ears, him saying