Leisure: Show time at Anthem

In an era of prewired, high-tech gadgetry, entertaining at home needn't be limited in scope or technical wizardry. In fact, Dave Nielsen, advanced system designer for Eagle Sentry, a local home electronic component provider, has wired in many an elaborate home theater or sound system for buyers at Del Webb Corp.'s Anthem Country Club.

DVD players, surround-sound speakers and the most gargantuan big-screen TVs have been among the most sought-after components, but a homeowner can purchase nearly any device his imagination fancies, according to Nielsen, and is limited only by available dollars.

"We've seen a massive surge toward this home theater thing over the past five to 10 years," said Nielsen, whose company is a subcontractor for Del Webb. "Before, it was the rich man's toy, now it is the everyday person's toy. Most of the work I do is with families in setting up their family room home theater system."

One such clan is the Eimans, a family of five who moved into an Aria floor plan at the Henderson community last year. Perry and Georgette Eiman bankrolled $40,000 on their basement entertainment-family room, which serves as considerably more than just the popcorn-flavored, perpetual motion-picture machine.

Steven and Gayle Hyams, meanwhile, also opted for a big-screen TV in the living room of their 1,800-square-foot Allegretto home. But in addition, they had every room -- and the patio -- wired for sound. Through their central system, the Hyams can listen to news while soaking in the tub, or play their favorite oldies CD while lounging on the patio.

Neither Nielsen nor the Hyams are aware of the exact wattage generated by the speaker(s) in each room, but as Steven Hyams puts it, "All I know is I can rock the neighborhood."

With Nielsen's help, couples and individuals decide on what equipment serves to realize their visions. The idea of home entertainment -- for many homeowners with the fanciest equipment -- can be likened to a twist on a familiar aphorism: He who lives with the most toys wins the most friendly neighbors.

Eimans look out below

During their 19 years of marriage, the Eimans have moved 11 times, and in most of their residential stops, they've employed some sizable audio and video components. In their less-than-a-year-old Anthem residence, however, they took it to another level -- specifically, one level down.

"In doing it in the basement, we had an opportunity to do a real entertainment area, one where we spend time watching movies together," Perry Eiman said. "It's one thing the family always seems to do together, especially since they have a hard time dragging Dad's butt to the movies."

Since Dad is the busy president of Marnell Corrao Associates, a design and construction firm, Perry Eiman often must confine his viewing habits to the home. But he's spared no expense to make it better-than-the-usual boob-tube experience.

Resembling a hybrid between a tavern's game room and a stereo appliance store's central display, the Eimans' "cellar" houses a wet bar in the back corner; a multi-purpose, circular gaming table in another; a dormant slot machine on the floor in the rear; a pool table; and the entertainment center that towers at the front.

Highlighted by a 65-inch television housed in a nine-foot-high, cherry-colored cabinet, the system has surround-sound speakers (nine total speakers in the room), and all the usual accoutrements -- a DVD player, VCR, and a hearty selection of cable channels.

The Eimans are getting full use out of their personal entertainment capital downstairs since its installation last July.

During the winter holidays, the family fully exploits the room's sports trappings, which allows for pool competition among the couple's brothers and brothers-in-law, all of whom like to watch high-definition images of NFL bruisin' between games of nine-ball and cut-throat.

But the Eimans point out it is their family room. After all, 15-year-old Kristine, 13-year-old Amanda and 3-year-old Jessica "talked Daddy" into buying the system.

With the girls using the system, the family basement is often alive and booming until 5 a.m., hosting the all-night, movie-marathon slumber party, which may also include a few healthy rounds of pool.

All the Eimans agree, though, that their elaborate playroom has not developed into a family obsession.

"The girls and I have always watched movies together," Georgette Eiman said. "Now we do the same thing, we've just changed location. We're no longer upstairs, we're just downstairs."

Hyams know no sound barrier

The Hyams also tell of how they leave their friends dazzled when they show their system's decibel potential. Frequently, the Hyams invite visitors and clients from their native New York City to sample cinematic (and sporting event) tidbits through their big-screen, living-room viewing contraption, which is also equipped with surround sound, a DVD player and VCR. "My clients from New York call it "the party house," Steven Hyams said.

But in the Hyams' case, "surround sound" could have another interpretation.

While their home was being built, Steven Hyams had each room -- along with the patio and courtyard -- installed with speakers. A 50-unit CD jukebox and satellite radio reception were among the audio components included. Then, key pads were fastened on the wall of each room to control the system, and the Hyams' hand-held remote control device made things easier yet.

What distinguishes the Hyams' sound system, however, is its ability to play different sounds in different rooms. While Steven Hyams may be entertaining guests with a living-room Super Bowl party (which he did), Gayle Hyams may be out on the patio conversing with nonpigskin people while the quiet strains of Jose Feliciano can be heard in the background -- through a speaker built in the shape of a rock.

The price tag for all the equipment, which included every last component and speaker, came in close to $30,000.

"We like listening to music and we may want to listen to music in different areas -- it's nice not to carry a portable radio around the house," Steven Hyams said. "And you want to listen to it this way -- it's flowing through quality speakers, and if I want to have a party, the music's there, flowing through the whole house."

Gayle Hyams added, "We love it in the bedroom as much as we love it when we sit outside ... at this point in our lives, it's necessary because we've gotten so used to it."

Further, the Hyams' system exemplifies what can be done by remote control. According to Nielsen, the couple could, if they wanted, heat their pool by pressing a button on a key pad, or even turn on the home's heating from a remote location

"When we built the house, we decided that it was going to have everything," Steven Hyams said. "And I've always been a toy person. I always used to say, `He who has the most toys when he dies, wins.'"S U N D A Y , M A R C H 4 , 2 0 0 1

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