SEATCRAFT EQUINOX SOUNDSHAKER POWER HOME THEATER SEAT REVIEW
So a few years back I did a Review on Venetian Home Theater Seating from Seatcraft. We had added Aura Pro Bass Shakers which were run by Dayton APA150 Amps. Family and guests alike were all impressed with them. Recently we took delivery of a newer Home Theater Seating design from Seatcraft called Equinox. These come with a Backrow option which have a 7" riser built-in. We were able to retire the riser we built and painted which made our previous seats 4" taller. Now I never have to recline the front when we only have a couple of us sitting in the back row. So what else makes these new seats so special? Let's get to work and find out...
We get some impressive new features but also get to keep what we like about the Venetian Seats. Ambient Light Control makes movie watching easier to immerse yourself. You also get powered recline, powered headrest and powered lumbar. Combine that with them being Top Grain Leather 7000 and it is definitely a challenge to stay awake during some slower movies. Luckily they include Soundshaker technology but we will get to that a little later. These chairs also come with USB charging for tablets, smartphones or other devices. You also have a Memory button to preserve your favorite position. And let's not forget the Home button which returns the entire seat back into its default position. You literally feel like you are driving around in a luxurious car with fancy seats. Lumbar and Head powered support allow you to seriously dial in your most comfortable position.
Speaking of riding in cars and Soundshakers we were able to do Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Many scenes you are in the car with them as they're driving to various locations. Great soundtrack but you feel like you are in the car with them. Hooking up the Soundshaker system was super easy. There's the cable under each chair that connects from the transducer to the master cable which connects all the chairs and the Amp. Once connected you need to hold the sync buttons (on both transmitter and Amp) for a few seconds (until they blink) and then make sure you have music on. This will allow them to connect. Keep in mind during a movie sometimes they start flashing because there may not be any LFE at the current moment. This is normal. No worries once an explosion or something with bass happens they kick right in. Also the location of the transmitters which are connected to your receiver's or pre-pro's LFE Out need to be somewhat close or in the same room as the Amps. I just placed mine in the equipment rack on the other side of the room and they work fine. I will say the dial setting from 1 to 10 does make adjusting very easy. I am around 6 or 7. The chairs do feel awesome and really do help keep your heart racing with intense cinematic moments. The Transducers are located in the perfect sweet spot and the effect is felt throughout the entire chair. It feels 4D like!
So receiving and setting up the chairs... Unless you pay for "White Glove" delivery here's what you can expect. They come in on pallets. They're not super heavy but having two people definitely makes life easier. They come with the backs and seat not attached. As you set up your rows you slide them on and then connect the Head and Lumbar cables. Color coded to help you not screw up!
They are very easy to assemble. Instructions come with each chair. One thing to keep in mind is the dimensions of them as you may have to squeeze them down your basement like we had to. The Backrow main chair (has left and right arms) was the toughest. We had to take off the door and the door jamb. It was well worth it though once I had them fully assembled and ready to go.
So Andrew Singas was the person I dealt with from 4Seating. He had told me about a couple that had spent a couple hours in their showroom trying all the chairs there. Their conclusion was the Equinox to them by far were the most comfortable chair in the entire building. They even told another couple walking in not to waste their time and just order the Equinox. Andrew was very nice and responsive to any of my questions. His direct number is (562) 393-5122. Tell him a nice hello from JoeRod.
So in summary we’ve been using the McIntosh MX170 with the new Soundshaker System which came with our new Equinox chairs and we’ve been blown away with the results. They obviously work with any receiver or pre-pro but the 170 with its pinpoint accuracy and dynamic powerful LFE it’s like they were made for each other. Just the other night we had a guest over who hadn’t seen Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and the effect was really cool. Each time it showed them driving to various locations they made it feel like you were in the backseat with them. Total immersion! Horror movies really add a punch too with each scare. Dr. Sleep you felt each heartbeat! Action the same effect. And yes they are adjustable (1 to 10) so you can dial in your sweet spot. Even more important is the head to toe comfort you experience from the chairs. You could easily recline all the way and call it a night. More importantly though you can adjust your head to the perfect level of the screen while also making adjustments for your lower back. They are almost too comfortable! With built-in hidden arm storage for various accessories like Tablet Holders, a Wine Glass Caddy, Reading Lights, Neck Pillows, Wireless Charging Tables and not to mention Remotes the Equinox Home Theater Seat is the perfect answer where head to toe technology comfort meets Full Cinematic Immersion! Seatcraft's Equinox should be the Front and Backrow of Home Theaters for many years to come...
EQUIPMENT USED FOR ALL OR PART OF THIS REVIEW:
Sony VPL-VW995ES, Stewart Studiotek 144 ST100 16:9, McIntosh MX170, NVIDIA Shield Pro, Apple 4K TV, Datasat RA7300 Amps X 2, DirecTV 4K, Oppo UDP-203 4K Player, Darblet DVP 5000S, Samsung UBD-K8500 4K Ultra Blu-ray player, Furman Elite-20 PFI, Monster Power HTS 5100, DENON DVP-602CI Video Processor (for DirecTV), DVDO iScan DUO Video Processor (for DirecTV), Value View 3D glasses, Antec Component Coolers, Speakers: MARTIN LOGAN ILLUSION Center, IMPRESSIONS (Left and Right), VANQUISH (HEIGHTS & ATMOS & Top), AXIS (Backs), Subwoofers- Martin Logan BalancedForce 212 EQUINOX SEATCRAFT Home Theater Chairs with SOUNDSHAKER TECHNOLOGY, Remote: Harmony 1100, HARMONY ELITE. Cables: Audioquest & Monster Black Platinum shorter HDMI cables top to bottom. And two 32 Audioquest (Cinnamon & Forest) HDMI cables.
For more information on the Equinox Seating click below:
Special thanks to my Family and Friends for helping test the seating and for their continued love and support of my "hobby." Half the time I feel like David Duchovny's character Hank from Californication with writer's block but Jaclyn (pic above) and our twins always seem to help inspire me to find the words... I look forward to "What's next" in 2020 and beyond.
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JoeRodHomeTheater.com
3/01/2020
Backrow Link
Cigar/Candy Host accessory edition added to bottom of Review. See what us non smokers love using them for...
The Seatcraft Cigar Host easily grew on us from day one. Whether we are using it to hold our favorite candy like Skittles, Peanut M&Ms or Jaclyn's favorite Mike and Ikes or to simply hold up our popcorn bucket they are tough to live without once you get used to them. The good news is they also don't block the cupholder from pretty good size cups. The largest may have to rest at a slight angle but it will still not impede the cup holder's purpose. And of course if you allow smoking in your media or theater room you can always use them for their intended purpose of hosting cigars. Call my good friend at 4Seating Andrew Singas at 562 393 5122 and he will take care of you. The best upgrades in the theater involve your seats and more importantly your comfort and convenience. The "Candy" Host elegantly handles both of those. They look stylish and definitely complete your theater seating experience.
Cigar Host for Home Theater Seating
This product was designed specifically for Seatcraft home theater seats, and may not fit as intended on other chair brands.
▪ Billet Aluminum Finish
▪ Universally Fits All Cigars
▪ 360° Rotation
▪ Sturdy Base
Thanks again to my lovely Wife and we are also excited to announce we are expecting... This November!
