Home Theater Services Testimonials

	ACCUCAL HOME THEATER SERVICE TESTIMONIALS
	The following are typical testimonials from our clients for our ISF calibration, THX calibration, design and consulting services.
	I had BB do a free calibration (Premier Silver) and he did not set up an ISF mode. He simply adjust colors in the service menu and adjusted the gamma on the THX mode. The TV looked terrible after that. I had Jeff Meier calibrate it and it was 100x better. Best Buy calibration was free but a total waste of time. - lees23 AVS Forum

	If anyone is on the fence about getting a calibration for their VT50, look no further than Jeff Meier. He calibrated my VT50 yesterday, and all I can say is WOW! Jeff has the equipment, the knowledge, and most important, the ability to bring the most out in your display. Skin tones are real and lifelike, and the amount of detail in the picture is amazing. Even my wife, who normally doesn't pay a whole lot of attention to the quality of the television picture, could not believe the lifelike skin tones. I, like pretty much everyone else on this forum, had plugged in various settings from other owners, and got what I thought was a pleasing picture. I guess I didn't realize how far from optimal those borrowed settings were. It reminded me of the allergy commercial, where everything is hazy until you take their product, then everything becomes crystal clear. I was the first stop on Jeff's latest tour, and I could not be happier. Jeff is a pleasure to spend some time with, as he has a vast knowledge of not only calibration, but a wide variety of other subjects. When he left, I felt like an old friend was leaving, even though we had never met before. I highly recommend Jeff. -ruegway AVS Forum

	Another plus for Jeff Meier and Accucal. I had him calibrate a Grand Wega for me years ago when he lived in Houston. Since then, I've had him over for several calibrations. Each time, Jeff eagerly will engage in discussion what he's doing and why, and any potential issues that require resolution. All of the advice that Jeff/Accucal have given me that's been useful. The work Jeff does says a lot. The work Jeff won't do says even more. - Jeff would NOT even touch an Insignia LCD I had purchased on sale for my father. My Video Essentials eye-balling of it was the best he could do. He wouldn't take money to do it. Jeff will not work on a device that he does not feel will meet his standards after working on it. The Insignia died a year later, and I replaced it with a 50" Panny VT-series Plasma, partially as an apology for getting him such a POS previously. - My Epson 1080UB initially was mounted at the back of my small dedicated room. He suggested a ceiling mount to bring the brightness to where it should be, post-calibration. My calculations were based off of some stuff I read online, which was not entirely accurate for my calibrated projector. - My Kuro Elite Pro-151FD had permanent image retention, and the screen was replaced in warranty. While the new screen calibrated out beautifully, its blacks were elevated and there was nothing that could be done. Because of this, I ended up selling the set (and gave full disclosure/calibration info on doing so) and picked up a Panny VT25. - After moving to Austin, Jeff re-calibrated my BGCorp 5.1 setup as a 7.1 setup with in-wall rear speakers. He verified my Epson kept its calibration after a couple of years, and got the room sounding wonderful. While he was there, he said he might as well calibrate the new VT25. The VT25's image now rivals the Kuro Elite I used to have, with better black levels, since my FD151's black levels were mildly elevated. - I recently had the opportunity to purchase a JVC DLA-HD100. Jeff recommended against purchasing the projector, since he's had experience with LCoS machines having issues on the used market and recommended going for a DLP. (which, reading AVSForum, was sensible) However, I did not ultimately follow Jeff's advice this time - The gentleman who owned the projector let me try before buying it, and I decided to go ahead. The seller noted that blues and greens were pushed and there was no way to improve upon it, per a local ISF calibrator. I had confidence that Jeff would be able to improve it, and made the purchase. In spite of me not following his advice, Jeff didn't take it personally at all, and said he'd be happy to have me ship him the projector for him to work on it. The same day the projector arrived, he informed me that I did in fact get a good machine, as demonstrated by his calibration report. The projector was shipped yesterday and I eagerly await its return tomorrow. That being said, I'll have a perfect condition Epson 1080UB calibrated by Accucal in the for sale section soon. As the adage goes, the results speak for themselves, especially when it's work in the audio/video field. But more-so than that, Jeff has a professional, yet affable personality that's backed up with years of experience, an analytical mindset, and a love of what he does. Every display I've had him calibrate, especially my projector, has elicited wows from friends and family. More recently, a digital artist friend apologized to me after we watched a movie together. "I thought it'd be like what other people call 'home theaters' - you really do care about accurate colors, don't you? I'm sorry that I expected less." Sometimes, it seems, guests are eager to speak for the results, too. -Geoff S., TX

	Jeff Meier calibrated my Panasonic 65VT25 on Thursday night and all I can say is...WOW!!! Great guy, EXTREMELY knowledgeable, willing to explain everything to you, and does an EXCELLENT job. He even found issues with three of my Axiom speakers (which I am sending back to have repaired under warranty). Jeff is phenomenal at what he does!!! The picture on my 65VT25 is the best I ever seen on it (2D and 3D)...He is HIGHLY recommended!!! Worth every penny!!! - Matt, AL

	Jeff Meier calibrated my Sony 1000es 4k projector with great results. He also gave me excellent advice during an extensive theater renovation. A true professional and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommended! G-Rex (AVS Forum)

	Jeff Meier has calibrated 2 of my systems (both video and audio). The results in both systems exceeded my expectations! He also helped me select the right audio gear for my basement system. Last year, I did my first ever audio upgrade in a car-navigation head unit, component speakers in the front, coax in the rear deck, small sub in the trunk, and a 5 channel amp. The system sounded "okay," but I thought it had potential for more. I sent Jeff an e-mail and asked him if he'd be willing to hear it when coming through on his tour (I didn't know if this is something he would do). He said sure, he would have a listen. We met a month later and he used his gear and ears to dial in the EQ, distance delays, etc. and now my system sounds AWESOME! - Don, IL

	I had Jeff Meier of AccuCal do an audio and video calibration of my system, and the system's performance is now jaw dropping. Not that it wasn't nice before, but it is amazing the difference a good calibration makes. Jeff dialed in the colors on the Lumis perfectly (prior to calibration, skin tones had a major drift towards green and blue, and grayscale had really drifted towards green), and it is stunning what perfect color looks like on this rig. He also tweaked the light output a bit as my lamp has lost about 50% of its lumens as it has accumulated hours. The sequential contrast measurement of the system was close to 38000:1, which is outstanding for a projector of this brightness and actually better than what Sim2 specs the Lumis. This projector is just unbelievable and worth every penny, IMHO. Jeff also did some audio tweaking with the Classe SSP-800's parametric EQ and adjusting the subs, and got my room response much flatter. I was running the subs much hotter than they should have before, and there were a number of peaks and valleys in the 100-300 Hz range. With the EQ and adjusting the subs output, he was able to get the room sounding terrific. I enjoyed my room before, but man, the audio/video experience in it now is just mind-blowing. Again, if you guys ever need a calibration (and I would highly recommend it for anyone with reasonably good equipment, and definitely for anyone with a front projector), I would strongly recommend you contact Jeff for a calibration. You will not find a better, more professional/knowledgeable, or nicer tech to tweak your system. I think a couple of other users here have used him and similarly raved. - Brian Sturgeon (blu-ray.com moderator)

	"In December 2010, I had the pleasure of having Jeff Meier calibrate my JVC RS20 projector, and the results were superior (as you might expect, given the many glowing reviews you've read). But what was unexpected was Mr. Meier's reaction when he learned that my projector required factory repairs a mere two weeks later, which consequently changed the Gamma, Color Temp, and CMS-----he said he would return and recalibrate the projector at no charge! Even though he had no other business in my area, Mr. Meier made a special stop during his next southwest tour and spent more than three hours making my projector again look the best that it can be. When's the last time you encountered someone like that?" - Steven K., TX

	Jeff has visited my home to calibrate multiple displays. His knowledge and professionalism is top notch. I highly recommended Jeff to anyone that truly wants to get the most out of their high end equipment. Jason Sharpe - Leroy, IL

	Jeff Meier (umr) at AccuCal is an ISF magician. He has taken my video to the next level - one of the most breathtakingly glorious pictures I have ever seen. It beats my calibrated Pioneer Elite. It beats the Sim2 Lumis I demoed. It is absolutely stunning and transfixing. This is due in no small part to Jeff's exhaustive work last night, tweaking the grayscale and color to perfection. It is also due to the fact that my RS-20 is apparently a "Royal Flush" of a projector (thanks Alan!) - possibly the sharpest 3-chipper Jeff's seen (DLP included), outstanding uniformity, and nearly 50,000:1 on/off contrast with the iris fully open, the highest he's measured. I have seen a number of RS-20's over the past year and none have blown my socks off. This time it was different. My jaw was on the floor with my blown-off socks. If this is what the RS-35 is capable of, then we are in for a real treat. Jeff is now considering an RS-35 for himself after seeing my unit. I've had calibrations done on numerous displays in the past, but Jeff's work is singular. Alongside his extensive experience and knowledge, he packs a $25,000 spectroradiometer. He is extreme. He is thorough. No wonder major Hollywood studios and post-production houses go to him. If you want to tap into the full potential of your projector and experience all its glory, you owe it to yourself to let Jeff at it. - Peter Chang (IMAX Cinematographer)

	I had my RS20 calibrated by Jeff Meier (umr) yesterday. It was well worth it. My RS20 never looked better. Everything is improved and I never thought it could look this good. Jeff also went over my audio and found a bad tweeter in my center channel. He left instructions for me on how to calibrate it back into my system once I have it repaired. Jeff really knows what he's doing and works miracles. He wouldn't leave until everything was operating top notch and I was fully satisfied. He spent 7 hrs. perfecting everything and it shows. I highly recommend Jeff for any system.- Ken Smith

	Jeff visited my home to calibrate my Lumis this Sunday. Once he is done, Its like I have a brand new projector….. I now have the projector set up such that the picture is the way it should be. The calibration was fantastic and Jeff and some neat gizmos to do the calibration, for example a 24000 dollar Photo research Rig. He is very professional and really knows his stuff. I have requested Jeff to visit me every time he is in Houston. - Ash Sharma

	I would go with Jeff Meier. He comes to CA every now and then. He has written his own software program. Jeff did the most amazing job on my Lumis. I had it calibrated before by a top notch guy and it look great but I wanted to see if Jeff could make it better. He did! Very underpriced too IMO.- Jeffmac

	I had the great pleasure of a visit yesterday from Jeff Meier who did a calibration of my Pioneer 150FD plasma and also a calibration of my Sony VW100 (Ruby) projector and audio system. As nice as I thought the D-Nice reference settings made my plasma look, Jeff took that to a whole new level and also very nicely explained what he was doing so that I was able to learn a lot. While I have seen ISF calibrations done in the past and sort of knew what to expect, Jeff is much more thorough than I have ever seen in the past and I learned that it is not only a matter of having the proper equipment (and knowing how to use it), but there is also a good bit of judgment involved in just knowing what the picture should look like, particularly on darker scenes where the equipment cannot do as good a job. Although not specifically relevant to this topic, the job he did on the audio system was also amazing. There really was a lot more to that than I was aware of and Jeff found many issues with my setup that he was able to correct (including 1 speaker that was miss wired from the factory) and many other settings that I had incorrect. Also not relevant to this forum topic, the job he did on my Sony front projector was amazing. - Scott Shearer

	I have used AccuCal (Jeff) to calibrate two displays: a Sony 34" HD CRT some years ago and a Pioneer Elite 150 plasma this week. Jeff has the correct (read "high precision, high cost") tools to measure and allow adjustment for all the items of concern: color (primaries and secondaries), grey scale, gamma, etc. Jeff has a robust business and sees many, many types of displays. Thus he not only has the benefit of knowing how to use these tools but in my case was very familiar with my display and as such could efficiently find out what needed to be adjusted and then made the necessary adjustments. The changes he made for me were large and positive. For example, I watch a lot of DVDs (SD and HD) that have low light scenes and the benefit of the changes he made was instantly recognizable. I can now see color and detail in scenes that just wasn't there before Jeff's changes. (An example is the hair covering professor McGonagall wears under her cap in the welcoming scene early in HP movie #1. It is a very small detail but after watching this movie numerous times this is the first time I could see the covering, its pattern, and the colors making up the pattern.) These low light differences coupled with changes to overall color and sharpness brought out, in my opinion, what this plasma is capable of and made the total viewing experience look right; hard to communicate what "right" means but you know it once you are able to see it. I also asked Jeff to take a "listen" to my audio system since I thought it just didn't sound right. Once again, because Jeff had the tools and the knowledge, he was able to fix a major low bass issue, a reverse polarity problem in my subs, eq for the entire system, and total sound level per speaker. I had attempted these fixes myself since my receiver and subs have built in test tones and self-calibration capabilities but I knew things weren't right and I couldn't take it any further. What's nice about the way Jeff works is you can graphically see the audio issues and how they are being corrected in real time. You can certainly hear the difference once he is done and, similar to the video corrections, the audio changes for my system were large and positive. Although Jeff is very efficient, it is clear he loves what he is doing. This translates to not only taking the time to get the job done correctly but also to being more than happy to interact with the customer and share his thoughts on what he is doing. He is very clear about ensuring his calibrations are to "standard"; however, he also understands that there is such a thing as personal taste. He will demonstrate to the customer where personal taste is a good thing and where it may not be such a good thing but he is very willing to work with the customer. Without hesitation I would use AccuCal and Jeff again and recommend him to anyone looking for audio and video calibration services. - JT Houston, TX

	I had Jeff do my upstairs system (PRO-FHD1) last year and my downstairs system (PRO-150FD) last week. He also calibrated both associated audio systems. Highly recommended. - JFR0317 AVS Forum

	"After waiting months to get on his schedule, I finally had my AV system calibrated by W. Jeff Meier of AccuCal last Thursday. This is a report on the improvements to my system (to both video and audio) that were wrought by his deft touch. To start off, my AV setup consists of: Display Sony SXRD 70" 1080p television Audio Anthem AVM50 pre-amp/processor/video-scaler Bryston 9BSST amplifier Speakers 5 channels (Definitive Technology) Mains - BP7000SC (w/ built-in powered subwoofers) Center - CLR3000 (w/ built-in powered subwoofers) Surrounds - BPVX/P (w/ built-in powered subwoofers) Outboard Subwoofer Velodyne DD-18 Components Sony BDP-S1 Blu-Ray Player DirecTV HD20-700 DVR Oppo 970HD DVD Player XBox 360 Nintendo Wii Improvements to video – I had plenty of time prior to Jeff’s arrival to tweak the settings of both my TV as well as the video processor in my Anthem AVM-50. I bought the Avia calibration disc, followed this and other threads closely, faithfully implemented the recommended settings and thought I achieved a pretty good picture. Was I EVER wrong? With a critical eye, Jeff was able to achieve a dramatically better picture consistently across all my sources. He employed a variety of tools including professional equipment, custom software and access to service menus to achieve the optimum image - deeper blacks than I thought my TV was capable of delivering, an overall pop to the picture that is hard to explain (some called it a 3-D effect) and optimum colors. I consider myself a fairly skilled person technically, but after watching Jeff’s work, I realized what I have been missing during my past attempts to tune my system. Obviously, I did not have access to all the high-end technical tools that Jeff has at his disposal. More importantly, I lacked the critical eye and an immense knowledge of the interplay of all the settings that make up an image. There is no way a typical consumer like me could attain this knowledge simply by reading technical material, or by purchasing a commercial calibration disc. There is no substitute to the professional experience that Jeff has had accumulated by tuning hundreds of systems in a variety of conditions. Remember, he is applying optimized solutions that he honed over years of working in this area. There is more art to this craft than science (it is at least 50% each). Improvements to audio – My system is more complex in the audio area than in the video area because of an acoustically challenging room, need to integrate an outboard subwoofer with the built-in subwoofers in Definitive Technology speakers and due to the general inflexibility to move speakers/subwoofer around to optimal locations. Even with all these limitations, what Jeff was able to achieve with my audio is nothing less than stunning. I have invested quite heavily into a reasonably high-end audio and I have been unhappy with the quality of sound and lack of integration prior to Jeff’s arrival. Jeff methodically worked the system until integration has been achieved between all the components and there is a true balance to the resulting sound. I have listened to high-end audio in dedicated home theaters in my friends’ houses, some ostensibly calibrated by professionals. Nowhere in a home setting did I hear the dramatic sound that I hear in my own system now. There is stunning detail to it, surround sound is truly enveloping, bass is all-encompassing, voices are crystal clear, I can go on and on. I always knew that sound is at least as important, if not more important, to true home theater experience as video. Most people don’t realize it, but what draws you into the experience in a movie theater is mostly sound. Now I know that stunning realism could be achieved in a home setting – it does take somebody of Jeff’s caliber to achieve it. Tuning audio is not a trivial matter because as complex as video is, audio is inherently more complex to calibrate due to variables such as room acoustics, integration between components and speaker placement that come into play. It is indeed rare to find a calibrator such as Jeff that is equally adept at both audio and video. Audio is almost an after thought to most people – I just wish that more people realize how big a difference that properly tuned audio can make to either a home theater or music listening experience. I am really beside myself at the sound quality of my system now and am dragging out old DVDs and CDs that I haven’t watched or heard in years just to hear the nuances of sound that I never heard before. General - Jeff is a consummate professional and would not rush the results. He took all day to calibrate my system with a scientific, methodical approach that only a trained engineer can bring to bear (there, a shout out to all the engineers on the forum). Jeff’s pricing is very competitive and his fee is probably the most well spent ever as far as I am concerned. I would pay that much just for the knowledge I gained by picking his brains while he was working on my system. As I said before, he is a consummate professional and you will be richer for the experience at the end of the day. I apologize that this post turned out to be a lot longer than I envisioned when I started writing it, but I wanted to convey the truly spectacular experience that a properly calibrated AV system could deliver in a home setting. Take it from me folks, you really don’t know what you have been missing until you have a professional of Jeff’s caliber tune your system. " - venpra - AVS Forum

	"We recently had Jeff Meier ISF calibrate our A2000 to a stunning new level neither I or my wife thought possible with this model. The improvement in picture quality was dramatic and has to be seen to be believed. The overall clarity, detail, focus, and color balance were greatly improved giving the picture a more three dimensional appearance. Black level and shading is also better. Facial tones post calibration were also significantly improved giving them or more natural look and texture. With good source material Jeff was able also able to eliminate “the green tinge to face” issue that has plagued my A2000 which neither I, the 2 Sony techs that looked at my set, or 2 other ISF calibrators were successful at doing. The other calibrators concluded that my A2000 had a decoding error which was the cause of the green artifact. Jeff did find that my A2000 had a green push before his calibration but with his custom software and talent he was able to fix that without upsetting the color balance. The green tint still does manifest itself sometimes on TV broadcasts but is probably the fault of the source in most instances. I have not seen any green artifacts on any of my DVDs that I have viewed so far. In fact Standard Definition DVDs are improved giving the best ones an almost HD quality look that I describe above. The picture on DVD is so much cleaner looking too. One of Jeff’s tricks is to eliminate noise without sacrificing detail. In fact, shading and detail are better now post calibration. Jeff was also going to do a full calibration of my audio but found that my old M&K sub woofer is defective so he only did a partial audio calibration which did improve the balance and tonal quality of the sound from my THX Atlantic Technology surround speaker system. He made some excellent suggestions for a replacement subwoofer and a new receiver too. I will have him come back for a full audio calibration on his next tour to our area. Can’t wait! After having work done by several other ISF calibrators it is most apparent that Jeff has a special talent for ISF calibration and also knows the SXRD technology like the back of his hand. He is a really nice guy too and explained everything that he did in detail to me. If you considering ISF calibration, or even thinking about it, Jeff Meier is the one to do it. The improvement post calibration was worth every penny and then some. Even my wife is very impressed with what Jeff did to our A2000 and she normally she doesn’t care about these types of things so this is the highest compliment possible." Bob - San Francisco

	"I also had Jeff calibrate my 70" ... and words cannot express how much more enjoyable it is to watch this set. ... He will stay for as long as necessary to get it done right and in the process you will learn a lot about it. Jeff is a very interesting and intelligent guy. You'll find your time spent with him is very captivating. Get on his list and go for it. I waited a few months for him to come to my area and I'm glad I did. We recently moved into this house and I decided to scrap my old audio system and start over. But, my family room is a bit of a challenge. 18' x 17' with tile floors, lots of windows, and a brick mantle. The Niche was just big enough for this 70" beast and there was no place to put floor standers or on walls so I decided that I would go with Thiel in ceiling. Best speaker for in ceiling IMO. But, Jeff cautioned me on potential problems due to my room acoustics and suggested to forget the Niche and use a different wall that would allow me to get some floor standers. I never really considered that since I was trying to achieve a nice clean look (mostly for the wife). But, when I brought up Jeff's suggestion (after all, he is the professional ), she agreed. Blew me away and I jumped on it before she could change her mind. So, I am on a mission now to find me some nice floor standing speakers. Looking at Dynaudio and Focal for now. I think I will be much happier in the end thanks to Jeff. ...he is a priceless resource when it comes to selecting new gear. He's tested and heard almost everything. Great unbiased opinions. When I get my new gear I plan to have Jeff come back and calibrate the audio. I'm sure it will be well worth it. Jeff has the eyes and ears to compliment his technical equipment. He goes beyond just interpreting charts and graphs. It's his eyes and ears that help him excel beyond the abilities of most calibrators from what I read here and saw for myself. So, if you wonder what makes Jeff so special at what he does, it's talent not just his tools. " Kevin - San Diego

	"Simply put... I went from "this looks pretty good" to "WOW.. THIS is why I bought an HDTV". No, it's not quite as good as the higher end 1080p sets out by Samsung right now, but for the time at which I bought it (when the HLP's first hit the scene)... this thing looks great! I can finally bust open about 20 DVDs I have been wanting to watch but putting off watching until I had my room calibrated. Jeff also did the basic audio calibration of my room and again, all I can say is "WHOA!" Watching the "echo dance" (at least I think that's what it's called) from "House of Flying Daggers" nearly made my heart stop. I've never heard an audio demo THAT good... and I've been to AES and NAMM plenty of times. To hear that on my Paradigm Reference speakers, HSU Sub and B&K AVR507... well... I was nearly speechless. To sum it up calibration is TOTALLY worth it when done correctly. The fact that Jeff was a joy to have in my home and was of like minds in being an A/V enthusiast was just icing on the cake. He ended up leaving around 5:30 that night... and I will definitely have him back if/when I end up with a front projector in the theater room. Thank you, Jeff.... you took my room from being just a converted bedroom to a THEATER ROOM and for that, I can't thank you enough!" Jeff - Missouri City

	"OK, I've been AccuCal'd... As the turtles in Finding Nemo would say, "Totally awesome, duuuuuuuuuuude..." Great job on the video and superb job on the audio...totally satisfied. My bulb is indeed near the end of its life as confirmed by its low light output...we calibrated using the old bulb based on Jeff's (ed.) opinion that it shouldn't make much of a difference when I put the new bulb in. Left some suggestions regarding settings to change once the new bulb goes in. I actually had the reverse reaction than what I was expecting...I thought the picture would be darker than I was accustomed to after calibration but the reverse happened (probably b/c of the low light output of my geriatric bulb. According to Jeff (ed.), my grayscale default was very accurate right out of the box, but my gamma was off...which he adjusted. a good test for me was a scene in u-571 when the sub is descending in a depth charge scene to collapse depth, and beyond. previously i was able to see false contouring/banding...it is no longer there. I've never had a set calibrated before, but it was clear that Jeff (ed.) goes above and beyond the call of duty and his depth of knowledge and understanding of the technologies involved is quite impressive...no, he didn't give me a discount for making such a statement..." BenDover - AVS Forum

	"....I have been getting my displays ISF calibrated for nearly ten years now. In that time I've used 3 or 4 techs, and have also taken the ISF training course at Runco HQ in Hayward. Jeff is -- far and away -- the best ISF-tech I've ever dealt with. He has superb technical knowledge of both the sets he works on and the computer software he writes to help him optimize his calibration technique. Above all else he is a genuinely nice guy who is extremely easy to work with, one who's never heard the term "prima donna". A lot of these guys think they're doing you a favor; Jeff always treats you as a valued client. ..." brt3 - AVS Forum

	Last night UMR (Jeff Meier at Accucal) calibrated my new 70XBR2, and there is a dramatic improvement in picture quality. Pre calibration, it was the typical Sony blooming reds and ruddy skin tones; and that bright slightly unnatural shade of green in every foliage image. Beyond the color issues the image was over-sharpened and somewhat blocky looking. Even in HD, faces looked sort of flat and clay-like. UMR brought in his equipment, his patient systematic analysis of each input, and his artist's eye -- and the results of the calibration are phenomenal. I've owned a succession of Sonys, and I've never seen such accurate, natural skin tones. There is now a smooth, luminous, three-dimensional quality to the image that is reminiscent of the best plasma displays. Black is very black and the dark portions of the images are noise-free and full of visible detail. Every substance and texture -- wood, leather, fabric, food - looks just as it does in life. I'm in heaven -- this is truly Christmas in November. There is no doubt that UMR is the Stradivarius of Sony calibration and if you can get him to calibrate your display, do it. He understands these displays at the molecular level and he willingly answered every question I had. For someone like me who has spent hundreds of hours on the Internet researching every aspect of these displays -- it's totally amazing to have a super talented and knowledgeable expert with extensive hands-on experience with all the major brands and models tell you everything you ever wanted to know. I was thrilled to learn that he genuinely likes the 70XBR2 and thinks that it is an excellent product. After he calibrated my display, he brought out his reference DVDs: Charlotte Gray, Toy Story; and the HD-DVD of Phantom of the Opera. He pointed out several aspects in which the image produced by my 70XBR2 is superior to the Qualia. And he should know: he has calibrated more Qualias than anyone else. The pre-calibration settings on my display were out of the box. (The set was delivered on Friday; I turned it on and left it on all weekend and didn't tweak. I was extremely lucky to get an appointment with Jeff on Tuesday) I've promised not to divulge Jeff's proprietary settings, but I will say that he had to realign the panels and remedy a significant blue shift. One aspect of the calibration process that I found really interesting is that many of the correct settings are completely counterintuitive. When he gave me the printout for my three inputs:Toshiba HD-A1 DVD player, Denon 3910 DVD player, and DirectTV H20, I was really surprised by the numerical and qualitative choices he had made. There is no way I would ever have reached those settings using a subjective tweaking process. However, the bottom line is that the display looks absolutely stunning. After he left, I stayed awake all night watching my favorite old DVDs and enjoying details I've never seen before. Jeff also calibrated my surround sound system and the improvement there is even more dramatic. My audio equipment is old, mid-priced stuff and and he was able to give me specific recommendations for new components that will update and improve audio performance without having to replace the entire system. In my opinion the best accessory you can buy for your XBR2 is a good professional calibration -- and UMR (if you can get him) is the true master of the art." MsVana - AVS Forum

	"...I'm really shocked how much of a difference hitting D6500 can make. Jeff (ed.) had a ton of before and after graphs that he walked me through while working. The whole time he explained what he was doing and walked me through the graphs. My set was much worse to start with then I could have thought, but ended up tracking just about perfect. After that he spent about an hour on my audio. I had thought it might be a waste because of the room the equipment was in, but that turned out to be quite the opposite. I had always liked my setup, but it never had the punch I thought it would. Jeff (ed.) stabilized my levels and got the sub to respond properly as it had a lot of drop-off before. Listening to Toy Story 2 before and after was sweet. It sounded like the setup that my local tweeter had with much bigger speakers. He left with me being so much more impressed by my setup. It was more then worth the money as he was hear for about 5 hours. I am quite happy with the results and although I hope I don't lose my will power and splurge on more electronics for awhile I will definitely get Jeff (ed.) to come back if I do." drhill - AVS Forum

	"I sympathize! I treated my room extensively prior to moving in based on nothing more than faith based on what I read in this and other forums. (Broadband bass traps on every wall juncture that I could, absorbers at first reflection points, and diffusion at second reflection points and on rear wall.) I also used TrueRTA and Room EQ Wizzard pretty extensively. Played with locations of subs, phase between units, etc. etc. etc. Easily spent over 100 hours on this. Last weekend I had Jeff Meier of AccuCal (a professional audio and video calibration guy out of Houston) come to my home. He got far more done in that half day than I ever would have. He moved the subs around, we moved a small sub I had in another room into the theater, he moved the mains and toed them in differently, and then he dialed in some PEQ. The difference was staggering: far better imaging, tone much better, and far less boomy. (I learned a lot in the process.) It was, easily, worth the cash. ..." - Brucemck2 AVS Forum

	" Jeff from AccuCal in Texas was up here in Ct. on one of his calibration tours. He worked on my Qualia 006 TV as well as my Denon 4806 hooked up to my Klipsch 7.2 Ultra2 speakers. I know very little about audio so I can't add too much but I will tell you the little I did get from him. He said that the Audyssey I originally used was pretty decent. Because he could not fully adjust this program he used his advanced equipment to manually set everything. He set the speakers to small and the crossovers to 80hz. He then dialed in the center channel and bass first. Then he worked on the other fronts and surrounds. I noticed two very nice results. My center channel (dialogue mostly) was no longer getting lost in the effect sounds coming from the other fronts. Secondly, the side surrounds are much more prominent creating a much improved sound stage. Of course my bass had dropped out quite a bit when using Audyssey and now the full punch is back. He is a class act and a great guy to boot. My Q looks amazing too. If you are fortunate to get this guy to visit you, you will not be disappointed!!!" RonB63 - AVS Forum

	"Jeff visited my Qualia today........ I'm a very happy camper. I have had TV's ISF'd in the past and nothing compared to what he did today. Not only does the video look great, but the audio is much better. Well worth the time and money. Without a doubt, if he is in your area let him do his magic. Thanks Jeff!" bitzerj - AVS Forum

	"I had Jeff (ed.) calibrate my Sony 50" XBR1 SXRD along with my audio set-up that I thought sounded quite good after auto set-up and Audyssey EQ engaged on my Denon AVR-3806. Jeff (ed.) played a movie clip from House Of Flying Daggers at near reference level. The bass was very overpowering and no sense of a linear sound field. It took him 3hrs to bring my audio system up to superior performance, something my Audyssey wasn't doing. He manually EQ'ed all my speakers, set crossovers for all speakers using sophisticated test equipment and software programs, plus distances and levels. We played House Of Flying Daggers again and it blew me away. The soundstage was incredible, dialog and effects from my mains & center speaker sounded very real with awesome dynamics and low level detail. The biggest difference was my LFE channel, finally set with a proper crossover and volume. The soundstage is seamless with no gaps between channels, Jeff (ed.) produced a convincing 360 degree sound field in my living room. Audyssey room-eq is now off on my 3806 and will never again be engaged. I feel that I have a truly reference rig now that Jeff (ed.) has done his magic. " ThePrisoner - AVS Forum

	"...My first impression of Jeff (ed.) was, wow, this guy's got a ton of equipment! 3 or 4 satchels full of "stuff". LOL. Letting someone into my home that I never met, that's from TX, to work on my TV took a leap of faith because I was thinking if he **** (ed.) the TV he's gone, never to be seen again and I'm SOL with the tv and set back a few hundred bucks as well! Especially since I'm clueless about the technical aspects of the calibration. Jeff (ed.) dispelled my fears within 5 minutes. He works with a high degree of integrity and is a perfectionist. That perfectionism paid off. WOW! The set is awesome now! What a difference setting up this tv correctly makes.... Dvd's are now spectacular, watched Two Brothers last night and the color and detail of the tigers is just amazing! HD is spectacular! Had some friends over last night and they couldn't stop saying WOW! Had a bball game on from ESPN HD and my one buddy commented that that he doesn't watch bball but, would watch it on this set just because it looked so good. Then I switched to a DVD with an explosion scene and my other friend mentioned that it seemed like the fireball was jumping out at him LOL. I would recommend anyone with this set to get it calibrated, worth every penny.... As far as the audio cal, I wasn't so enthusiastic. I couldn't have been more wrong! Jeff (ed.) spent a significant amount of time adjusting the speaker levels and sub. What I thought was a decent sounding system using the Yamaha YPAO is now outstanding. I couldn't believe the difference. The 2500 gives a lot of room to adjust the speaker levels manually, which Jeff (ed.) took full advantage and those adjustments paid huge dividends with my system. The sound from movies coming from HBO, Cinemax etc. were mediocre at best pre-cal, now the audio is phenomenal. Audio was always pretty decent with dvd's before the cal and now I can hear sounds coming from my surrounds that I didn't have before (my dogs even notice it, LOL). What a huge difference having the sub set correctly as well. The audio and video from Cheryl Crow, Papa Roach and The Mavericks from my dvr are just a pleasure to watch and listen to. Cd's are awesome as well. No more audio calibration skepticism from me. Anyone looking to have this set (JVC D-ILA) and their audio calibrated (don't down play the audio cal, huge difference), I highly recommend Jeff (ed.). He explains everything as he's going thru the calibration and welcomes questions in the process. It's a pleasure knowing that there are people out there working with a high degree of knowledge, skill and integrity." bluevelvet86 - AVS Forum

	"What the calibration did for me, in a nutshell, was correct my system in ways I never imagined, nor could I have ever pulled off on my own. I compare video settings I used to use to my calibrating settings, and everything starts making sense. Even in dark scenes, objects are now properly shaded and colored. Details come through in the dark grays and blacks. Bright scenes no longer wash out. In one very pictorial scene, the blues of the water, the greens of the grass, the yellows of the hay, the reds of the fire, and the whites of the sky, all come through gloriously. Now I switch back to my old settings, and the difference is even more apparent; even to my gf. Sound wise, I knew there were areas that my system was lacking. But I didn't know what exactly, and I didn't know how to fix them? A thorough audio diagnostic illuminated my system's weak points, and how they can be fixed. Where I thought I was happy before with my 7.1 speakers, I am now blown away and have nothing to linger on or complain about performance wise. Overall, it made such an important improvement, that whenever considering my A/V budget in the future, it will always include a calibration as well. The next time I setup any type of home theater or media center for myself, I'd rather lower the value of some of my equipment to compensate for a proper professional calibration, than not get one at all." Final Heaven - AVS Forum

	"Jeff Meier, calibrated my Bravia yesterday....Anyway, the biggest problem I had was flesh tones that ran to orange/red. I couldn't correct it, but Jeff (ed.) did. The flesh tones now look great, no more reaching for the remote to put a band aid on it. Jeff (ed.) told me my pre-calibration contrast ratio was 281 to 1, now he measured it at 1221 to 1. The blacks are much better now. In addition, how he did this I don't know, the shadow detail is better as well. When I watched 4x3 material before Jeff (ed.) the black side bars looked a little bluish/charcoal, now are a very dark charcoal. They are still not jet black, like the bezel, but much closer to true black .... In my big home theater room he said he could improve my sound performance. ... He brought some very high tech equipment and made some major changes to the EQ I was using. I complained to Jeff (ed.) about unclear dialog and the lack of directional impact on the surrounds. My original EQ was set by use of the Pioneer Elite's (VSX 49TX) built in set up system with it's supplied microphone. Jeff (ed.) found a substantial drop off in the frequency response of the center channel speaker in the 500-1500 hz range. Right where lots of the human voice is. ... If you have your set done, having him do the audio as well is well worth the reasonable cost." egrady - AVS Forum

	“The set is wonderful. Thanks for the advice you gave us and the time you took to get the set calibrated properly. After watching you with the set up the SXRD, I changed a few things upstairs on my older 50. You identified a few things in my set up that were not optimal. I had made the same (or similar mistakes) upstairs. A few changes and I was able to get a much better picture…. You have done a great job for us on both sets.” - Bob H. Sony XBR1

	"Jeff (ed.) calibrated my 006 Monday. He made a great set even greater. I really appreciate Jeff's professionalism and amazing knowledge of the process of calibration. I definitely thought it was worth the expense. We all have a lot of money tied up in our equipment. I'm the type of person that needs to know that everything is working at it's peak preformance.(Audio/Video) I was there for the calibration. Although much of what Jeff (ed.) did(Audio/Video)was above my knowledge, it was enjoyable to learn more about my System. Plus Jeff (ed.) is a neat guy and enjoyable to talk to. I have a Denon 3910 DVD player and I have satellite. Jeff (ed.) changed my DVD hook up into the 006 from HDMI to Component and set the DVD to 480i to allow the 006 to up convert to 1080i. This improved the picture noticeably." TANKFULL - AVS Forum

	"I am even more happy than I was at the beginning! My HT was finally finished a couple of days ago. I had Jeff (ed.) from AccuCal throw down an ISF calibration on my H78 last night. The results are nothing short of spectacular. This PJ has got some major CR as well, measured at 2314 pre-calibration. The gamma needed the most work, it was a bit off. It looks unfreaking believable at this point. I'm using a 118" Screen Innovations 1.3 Theater Reference screen. Sources are a Pioneer DV-59AVI, Panasonic DVD-S97, Dish DVR-942, & Xbox. Big props to Jeff (ed.) & Optoma, highly recommended..." Patrick TX - AVS Forum

	"My best guess is that I was about 75-80% there, he took it to 98-99%. Also he fine tuned my audio 7.1 and it sounds as good as the 006 looks." Neo2005 - AVS Forum

	"I own the HL-S5687W and I must say that after Jeff did his magic I would put this set against any on the market today. It was very good before, it is now exceptional! The grey scale is much improved, and it really makes a huge difference in the color rendering of the set. He tweaked the primary and secondary colors to near perfection. The gamma, as shown above, is very good and much improved as well. I'm a CGI artist so colors are very important to me. Before the calibration there was definitely a blue push to set, even in movie mode. Now, the skin tones are dead on, greens are truly green and the blues a now under control and look wonderful. The blacks are the best part. I thought they were very good before the calibration. Now, the amount of detail is truly amazing. I've never seen this level of detail on any other set. This was my first professional calibration and I expected some improvement but I never expected what I see now. The difference is hard to believe and shows that this set is capable of so much more when setup by a pro such as Jeff. He spent a fair amount of time on the set getting everything as close a possible and his dedication to perfection is inspiring and very much appreciated. I really enjoyed the experience and Jeff is a true professional and a heck of a nice guy as well. If your on the fence about getting the HL-S's calibrated, don't be. It is worth every penny, and like me, you will not believe the difference!... ...The set was very good, as everyone knows, before calibration. But, after calibration it's like seeing a whole new set. I highly recommend getting a calibration if you want to get to the next level in quality and Jeff is the man to get it there. I'm very, very pleased with the results!!" - trgraphics - AVS Forum

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