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Seymour True Aspect Masking Acoustically – Transparent Screen Preview

See the complete review of the Seymour-Screen Excellence True Aspect Masking Acoustically-Transparent Screen

One of the mainstays of high-end home theater is the ability to place speakers behind the projection screen.

To do this, one needs acoustically-transparent material that passes audio without coloration and projects an image that is faithful to the display its paired with.

Seymour Screen Excellence recently shipped me its TAM-1T masking system configured with Enlightor 4K fabric and a top-down mask. It allows me to place the screen in front of my LCR speaker array and includes a mask that effectively eliminates the black bars in 1.85, 2.35, and 2.40:1-aspect films. The improvement in image quality with this approach cannot be overstated. No matter how good your projector’s black levels are, it won’t compare with a physical mask that completely absorbs all light. By framing the image in its true shape, the perception of contrast goes way up, depth and dynamic range appear far greater, and the picture just floats in front of the viewer.

With my speakers placed behind the screen, sound literally emanates directly from what’s happening in front of me. While my Axiom system does a great job of creating immersion and a suspension of disbelief, having dialog actually come out of the screen rather than from beneath it makes a huge difference.

This is a beautifully-made and well-engineered product. It’s expensive but once you’ve seen its effects, you’ll want it at any price.

See the complete review of the Seymour-Screen Excellence True Aspect Masking Acoustically-Transparent Screen

Chris Eberle

Chris' passion for audio began when he took up playing the bassoon at age 12. During his third year at the New England Conservatory of Music, he won a position with the West Point Band where he served for 26 years as principal bassoonist. He retired from the Army in 2013 and is now writing full time and performing as a freelance musician in Central Florida. As an avid movie lover, Chris was unable to turn away the 50-inch Samsung DLP TV that arrived at his door one day, thus launching him irrevocably into an obsession with home theater. Dissatisfied with the image quality of his new acquisition, Chris trained with the Imaging Science Foundation in 2006 and became a professional display calibrator. His ultimate theater desires were realized when he completed construction of a dedicated cinema/listening room in his home. Chris is extremely fortunate that his need for quality audio and video is shared and supported by his wife of over 25 years. In his spare time he enjoys riding his recumbent trike at least 100 miles per week, trying out new restaurants, going to theme parks and spending as much time as possible watching movies and listening to music. Chris enjoys bringing his observations and discoveries about every kind of home theater product to as many curious and well-informed readers as possible. He is proud to be a part of the Team and hopes to help everyone enjoy their AV experiences to the fullest.

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