Featured Artist System: Jamie Kennedy, Actor/Comedian

One of the best parts about exhibiting at industry events is the opportunity to meet people from all walks of technology, media and entertainment life. At a show earlier this year, amidst the buzz of launching our new Prime Series speakers and PC-2000 subwoofer, we had the chance opportunity to meet and run a home theater demo for actor Jamie Kennedy.

Jamie admitted he had a system at home but felt it wasn’t delivering much in the way of impactful performance. With action and thriller movies especially, the sensory excitement just wasn’t there. One of Kennedy’s recent credits includes a starring role in Tremors 5: Bloodlines, which offers no shortage of seat rumbling subwoofer action. He has also starred in the Scream series, Enemy of the State, and Malibu’s Most Wanted, and he is an accomplished voice actor, stand-up comedian and producer, with a new NBC TV series on the horizon.

Going back to the demo, we queued up the Guardians of the Galaxy prison break scene on a Prime Tower 5.1 surround sound system with a PC-2000 subwoofer because it’s filled with gunfire, broken glass and great low-frequency effects. When it was done, Jamie’s jaw just dropped a bit and he remarked, “This is how people should be watching movies.” After admiring the PC-2000s girth for awhile, he thanked us for the demo and went on his way.

Apparently, the track left an impression, because when he got home, Kennedy made the decision to upgrade his personal home theater to a Prime 5.1 Bookshelf system anchored by the PC-2000 he had admired longingly. Jamie took a break from his comedy tour and the shooting of his new one-hour drama, Heartbreaker, to discuss audio and his newfound love for bass.

Questions And Answers:

What surprised you to hear after listening with your new system?

The clarity of the audio and the range is unparalleled. You never really understand what’s missing until you start hearing background details you never knew were there in movies you’ve seen a hundred times. Plus, if you’ve never felt the rumble of a subwoofer during an action movie sequence, you’re really missing out on one of the best sensory experiences entertainment has to offer.

How has SVS impacted your overall home theater experience?

It’s like being at the movies, but at my home. It completely elevated what used to be a passive activity into something that grabs my attention and doesn’t let me turn away. As an actor, that’s how you want people to feel, like they’re being pulled in and can’t turn away.

What would you tell a fan who doesn’t know much about audio but wants a home theater?

Having a killer audio system will impress your friends and it amps up the experience if you ever have viewing parties or movie nights. Everybody has a great TV but an audio system that moves you, that’s something special. It is important to take the time to set it up right the first time because small things like placement can have a big impact on the performance.

What is your favorite Jamie Kennedy and non-Jamie Kennedy movie for killer audio?

JK movie: “Kickin’ It Old Skool” because of the large dance sequences.
Non JK movie: “Chappie,” because robots are cool