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System Option THREE

JBL Synthesis HT •Two HT4V front L/R THX speakers •HT4H center speaker •Two S4A flush-mount surround speakers •Two HTPS-400 12-inch THX subwoofers •SDP-5 THX Ultra2 surround-sound processor •SDEC3000 THX digital equalizer •S7150 THX amplifier

Although the Performance and Synthesis systems are offered as 5.1-channel setups, both can be configured for 7.1 channels for an additional charge. More speakers can be added, or the Synthesis' S4Ai THX Ultra2 multi-array flush-mount speakers can be wired to produce two discrete surround channels from each enclosure.

Hudson says that both JBL and Radio Active have "rigorously tested" all options to ensure performance and reliability. "We wanted to make sure the other components work well with our gear," JBL's Neumann explains. "By engineering these things so we know what the heat loads are going to be and what kind of fidelity we'll get from the speakers for a certain price, we've relieved Scott and his people from some of the engineering they might have had to do. These systems are extremely reliable."

The video processor in the DVD player/receiver that comes with the Cinema Vision system automatically scales and resizes images from any source " so the homeowner never has to see black bars again," Hudson says. "That feature really stands out for people when we demonstrate it."

Performance and Synthesis customers can choose from an assortment of HDTVs, including Fujitsu flat-panel models that can be concealed within the walls. Although most of the homes don't have dedicated home theaters, Radio Active does offer several front projectors and retractable screens.