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Inside Former New York Giant Amani Toomer’s $50K Home Theater
Had the Giants not made it to the Super Bowl, Toomer still would have enjoyed the action, albeit from the seats in his newly renovated man cave. Designed and installed by Todd Anthony Puma of The Source Home Theater Installation & Design, the system features top-notch equipment from Paradigm, Anthem, Wolf and Screen Innovations.
Toomer wanted the space complete in time for the Super Bowl, in case the Giants didn’t make it. To save time, Toomer asked Puma to handle everything. “I chose the furniture, painted the walls, in addition to selecting and installing the equipment,” says Puma. Two weeks and $50,000 later, the 30-by-15-foot space was finished.
A big part of the process was auditioning the audio equipment. “For this room, above all else, I wanted a surround-sound system that made me feel like I was right in the middle of the action,” says Toomer. “That’s the one thing I’ve never loved about surround-sound: I’ve never felt like I was actually there. I’ve always felt like I was almost there. I don’t want almost. If I’m watching a game, I want to feel the attack.”
Photos: Inside Former New York Giant Amani Toomer's $50K Home Theater
To get to this level of quality, Toomer visited Puma’s home to audition several audio setups. “We listened to three different systems,” says Puma. Toomer ultimately selected Paradigm speakers and subwoofers and an Anthem MRX 700 receiver, noting that the arrangement sounded “fuller and less trembly” than the other systems. Puma used the MRX 700’s room correction settings to “tune” the audio system to the room.
SI Black Diamond Zero Edge Screen
Wolf Cinema Projector
Paradigm Studio 100 Speakers
Paradigm CC-690 Center-channel Speaker
Paradigm Studio Sub 12 Subwoofer
Anthem MRX 700 Receiver
URC MX-600 Remote
To make the experience even more dynamic, Puma tied the Backlighting System to the audio system so that when the sound becomes more aggressive, like during an action scene in a movie, the colors become more intense. During subdued, romantic scenes, the colors automatically become more subtle.
Lutron dimmers, which are controlled by the URC remote, also enhance the viewing experience. A “football” setting, for example, turns off the lights by the screen, but softly brightens the light by Toomer’s seat so that he can take notes while watching the game. Sports, movies, music and games are fed to the system by a variety of video games consoles, a high-def cable DVR, Apple TV and Marantz Blu-ray player.
Click here for Inside Former New York Giant Amani Toomer's $50K Home Theater.
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Article Topics
News · Slideshow · Displays · Projectors and Screens · Audio · Speakers · Video · Home Automation and Control · Control Systems · Lighting · Home Theater · Installation · Super Bowl · Celebrities ·About the Author
16 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
$50k for that? he needs to get his money back… and hire an actual Theater expert, so many basic mistakes made in this room its not even funny. Im no experts but I have studied and researched and so on and I can honestly say that there isnt one thing that he did right in this room… What a waste.
The LED lights behind the screen operate during viewing and change color per the audio soundtrack?
Ouch…personal foul. 15 yards.
If you work out of a condo you shouldn’t be able to pass judgement on anyone’s work.
If you don’t have a website you shouldn’t be able to pass judgement on anyone’s work.
If I can google map your company and see the front door of your house you shouldn’t be able to pass judgement on anyone’s work
If you post your resume at the end of a CE Pro post you shouldn’t be able to pass judgement on anyone’s work.
He worked harder for a 50K job than most do setting up 3 separate demos.
Alan you stink.
I guess I struck a nerve.
Yes I do have an office in my home . I also have a separate warehouse.
We have employees which include a Crestron Silver Certified Programmer as well as Lutron Certified Programmer.
We have been incorporated since 1984.
I have a Cedia Electronic Systems Designer Certification. Perhaps you don’t know how hard it is to get this Certification.
It takes Years of experience and knowledge.
A number of my friends are among the highest respected in the industry.
I am often called upon for advise.
You think I shouldn’t pass judgment based on where I live or work out of?
When I read CePro I expect to see professional installations. To me this was an installation from someone with limited experience.
A number of our clients are high profile professionals as well as Architects and Designers who demand the best.
Oh by the way we do have a web site.
I apologize if I offended you.
The biggest mistake of all, is the LED color lighting around the screen. Sure it looks cool, but haven’t they heard of contrast ratio. The only way to trick your eyes on the perception is with Flat Black around the edge!
Maybe the installer did advise the client on what would be the right way to approach this job and the client decided against the installer’s advice because it was more important to get the job done in time for the playoff games?
By all accounts Puma is a very good installer.
I do know for a fact that Todd Puma, the installer, was working under a very tight deadline with this project. Also, Toomer uses the room to do more than watch movies and sporting events. He’s an avid gamer ... hence the over the top lighting.
Robert,
You may be right and with nothing to gain by offering my comments or expertise I will leave it at that and let your readers decide for themselves.
In the past I have read negative comments about an posted installation and really liked the installation. As a result I have added my positive comments. I’m a professional who after many year likes to see good quality installations.
After EVERY installation we have a job meeting to discuss the project. It’s not uncommon to fine tune our proceedures and impliment them on future jobs.
Not a day goes by that I don’t learn something new and that’s what has kept my enthusiasm so hot for our profession.
Hi Alan, I understand, and it can be disappointing to read negative comments on the site. You did own up to your comments, which is something many people don’t do.
Ideally we know there are things that should be done to a home space to ensure a system can perform to its potential. If you look at the theoretical ultimate home theater story I just did you’ll notice that I emphasized room design from Tony Grimani for proper acoustics and video calibration from Joel Silver to quality images, but we know the reality of the market is that often times installers have to compromise a job to please the client. Those back stories rarely see the light of day and without that back story an installer can be unfairly criticized.
The main concern I have here is that a “professional” sold this guy equipment that has no business being in this room. The equipment is only as good as the environment it is in, so putting a very expensive projector in a basically white room makes no sense when a $3000 projector would look just as good. If he was on a deadline or battling customer objections - that is fine, just don’t write a story on how great it is when in fact it is mediocre at best. Without proper colors and acoustics, there is little reason for the equipment choices - oh except for the THOUSANDS of dollars that the installer pocketed be selling more than was necessary. I would put one of my $15 media rooms up against this room ANY day and the average person (not you) would have a hard time justifying the 4X cost of this one.
From looking at the guys site, the only pictures has has are of TV installs with LCR’s and some in-ceiling speakers. Perhaps this was his first “theater”? Not even an “about me” section”
@Chad—Since this was for the TV show “Man Caves” I would bet there were some time restrictions and perhaps other requirements put on the installation by the producers.
I doubt this guy pocketed much on this job. Toomer is a great guy until he has to actually pay for something. Then its a different story. Seems these athlete types all want everything for free. Room looks nice but doubt it performs too well.
@Jason
It still does not excuse the fact that the equipment choices are wrong for the room. A professional should not compromise quality and doing the right thing for the sake of an unrealistic timeline or other objections.
I can’t get very excited by Amani’s home theater.
The components are nice but the room is all wrong.
The screen appears a bit to high.
The floor looks like light stained wood. I could be wrong it may be carpet.
If the floor is wood then it just creates unwanted standing waves.
It appears that all the surfaces are hard and will certainly affect the acoustics in a negative way.
The light colors of the room reflect the light and create distractions.
Whats with that UGLY white plate to the left of the Center Channel speaker.
Ouch… Get rid of it or at least change it to black.
Sorry if I’m a little hard on this one but when I look at an installation submitted to CE Pro I expect to see a professional project.
Alan Poltrack
Video Installations Plus, Inc.
Cedia Certified Electronics System Designer