Home Theater · Residential
Sound is half the movie. I put the speakers where they belong and tune them so you can hear every word.
From $2,500
Most people are surprised how much of the movie they've been missing. Real surround sound puts voices at the screen, effects around you, and with Dolby Atmos, sound overhead. I install in-wall and in-ceiling speakers so nothing sits on the floor, hide every wire, and tune the system to your room so dialogue is clear without riding the volume button.
Residential only: homeowners, home builders, and basement finishers.
What you get
Here's exactly what you get when I handle your surround sound. No surprises, no corners cut, and the place left cleaner than I found it.
Straightforward pricing
| What | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 in-wall surround | $2,500–$4,000 | Speakers, receiver, subwoofer |
| 7.1 / Atmos with dual subs | $5,000–$9,000 | In-wall and in-ceiling |
| Installation labor | $100/hr | Wiring, mounting, calibration |
The first number is speakers around you, the second is subwoofers, and the third, if there is one, is speakers overhead. So 5.1 is five speakers and a sub. 7.2.4 is seven around you, two subs, and four in the ceiling for Dolby Atmos.
More isn't always better. A well-placed 5.1 in a family room beats a badly placed 7.1.4 every time. I'll tell you what your room can actually use.
Start with the three across the front, especially the center. Nearly all of a movie's dialogue comes out of the center channel, so that's the last place to cut the budget. Match the left, center, and right so a car driving across the screen sounds like one car.
In-wall and in-ceiling speakers have gotten very good, and they keep the room clean. Towers and bookshelf speakers still win on pure performance per dollar if you don't mind seeing them. Either way, plan on a real subwoofer. It's what you feel.
While I'm pulling speaker wire for the theater, it's the cheapest time to add a pair of ceiling speakers in the kitchen or on the patio. That's how a lot of whole-home audio systems start.
Tell me about the room and I'll send a straight quote, usually within the hour.
Gallery
Photos marked “My work” are my own installs. The rest show the style of room, so you can point and say “that one.”
Good to know
Straight answers on this one. Anything else, just text me.
A 5.1 in-wall surround system with a receiver and subwoofer runs about $2,500 to $4,000 in equipment. A 7.1 or Dolby Atmos system with in-ceiling speakers and dual subwoofers runs about $5,000 to $9,000. Installation labor is $100 an hour and I quote it itemized before starting.
In a dedicated room with a flat ceiling, yes. Overhead speakers make rain, aircraft, and crowds sound like they're actually above you. In an open great room with a vaulted ceiling the effect is weaker, and I'd put that money into better front speakers and a second subwoofer.
Usually, yes. I fish speaker wire through finished walls and ceilings and cut only the speaker openings. An attic or unfinished space above or below the room makes it easier. I'll walk the routes with you before I cut anything.
Good ones are close, and they disappear into the room. For the front three speakers in a dedicated theater, in-wall or freestanding speakers at ear height still sound best. For surrounds and Atmos height channels, in-ceiling is the right tool.
Almost always it's the center channel: too small, set too low, or tucked inside a cabinet. A proper center speaker, set to the right level and distance, fixes it. That's part of every calibration I do.
Where I do this
Local pages with what I actually run into in each town: wall types, HOA rules, new-build quirks.
While I'm out there
Free quote · No pressure
Tell me what you're picturing: a theater in the basement, a TV over the fireplace, cameras, a network that finally reaches the whole house. I'll get you a straight quote, usually within the hour.