Value Meets Performance Our Picasso systems start at $4999 for a complete system. I think it's fair to say that assembling a home theater for under 5K is pretty easy these days. The obstacles you run into depend on who's assembling the system. For people who work with average to decent gear, say at Best Buy, putting together a complete 5K system has endless combinations that would certainly please most people. In other words, you'd probably get a nice system but how would you know that it's the maximum performance for 5K?

At AVA, we know about maximum performance because we work around it every day. The 6 figure Ultimate Masters system is as good or better than anything on the planet. Hearing it is an awesome experience that brings with it one small problem. You now know what truly excellent picture and sound is and the vast majority of gear that is actually affordable to the average person falls short. It's not as big a problem as one might think.

Even when assembling a "blank check" type AV system, the marriage and synergy of all the components is critical to performance. In other words, no matter how much money you have to spend, you can't just throw a bunch of gear together and expect everything will be perfect. There is an art to system design. Certain components make magic together and some just don't get along. How the system is put together and how it is placed in the room are further keys to true performance.

Defining Excellence The finest systems in the world share certain characteristics that immediately tell our brain they are good. The sound is neutral and dynamic. The soundstage is wide and deep. Bass is earth-shattering yet delicate when necessary. Video is free of artifacts, color is accurate, and blacks are deep yet reveal shadowy detail cleanly. These are but a few characteristics that must come together perfectly to create the most impressive theaters.

So, how do you make a 5K system sound like a 100K system? You don't. I love how many manufacturers describe a product like it's the best money can buy and yet they make four more models that cost more dough. In automobiles, for instance, speed and luxury cost big money. A Ford Mustang GT is a fun ride but you won't mistake it for a ride in a Bugatti Veyron. You must compromise some level of craftsmanship and performance to hit a more modest budget. You should NOT compromise quality, fun, and excitement.

The Picasso System:

Fun and excitement are what home theaters are all about. It's got to have big, dynamic sound and it has to have a beautiful picture. And, it has to be a breeze for everybody in the family to use. With one of the world's finest systems as our reference standard, we've sifted through dozens of brands of speakers, electronics, cables, TV's, and control products to bring together a select few components that deliver maximum performance for the minimum investment.

The Picasso System is a turn-key system that includes everything you need to get up and running:

Control: We start with a control system that makes it simple to use. For this, we specify Prodigy by Crestron. See out Prodigy section of the website for detailed information on this powerful system.

Receiver: The receiver is the heart of the system. We use a 7.2 channel receiver by Integra that also includes really useful features like a separate distribution zone for house music, Pandora radio and Sirius/XM. On the video side, it acts as a hub for all your high definition sources featuring plenty of HDMI and lower resolution inputs as well as high quality scaling to the video display.

Speakers: People think speakers are the most important part of any surround system. While there may be some small grain of truth to that, the real key is balance amongst all the components. Likewise, balance within the speaker system is critical. We use the ever-popular in-ceiling architectural speaker in the Picasso system and we match all the speakers for a consistent sonic signature all the way around the room.

Subwoofer: Gotta have a killer sub! These are hard to do on a budget. Some produce big sound but have no control for accuracy. Some have tight, clean bass but are wimpy in the volume department. Few lower priced subwoofers deliver satisfactorily in the volume and accuracy department. We love the Sonance 12" in-room sub and we think it really rocks the Picasso system while maintaining a level of control and refinement that makes it ideal for musical enjoyment.

TV: Our favorite 50" plasma gives you a clean picture that LED's and LCD's just can't touch. The fact is that tracking motion is where LCD-based designs fall short and that's a big deal. Also, we think most people prefer the black levels of plasma as well. Plasma delivers a superior picture but you won't see TV companies pushing them as hard since the LCD-based product makes them more profit. Ours includes a thinline wall mount and a recessed back box for all the cables to hide out in.

Cables, Etc: This is really a big key to performance and we package high quality Liberty interconnects and speaker cable with the Picasso package.

Odds and Ends:

-Save over $1500 versus buying the items individually.

-Professional installation is available for an additional charge. The amount will depend on your room accessibility, equipment location, and other factors.

-Upgrades/ Substitutions You can customize the Picasso system to your specific needs and save money while doing it. You may want to add surge protection or upgrade to a larger TV. You may even want to substitute the TV for a front projector and screen. Ask your salesperson for a list upgrades and substitutions that have been configured for the Picasso system.