This month, the Sound & Vision Custom Install Network features Phoenix Home Theater, an Arizona-based, CEDIA-certified custom installation firm. PHT specializes in home theaters and home automation, and boasts over 2 decades of experience in the industry. We spoke to PHT head Bob Koopman about the company's work in custom installations.

Describe your home theater design process. Do you first focus on the acoustic layout, the furniture, the gear, the wiring? How do you begin?

Well, first of all, we interview the client, and then we'll have several follow-up meetings to really nail down exactly what they want to do. We usually get an interior designer involved next to find out what the client wants in terms of the overall aesthetic. I believe our job is to give them the best sound and vision that we can do, but also to make the room look incredible. So it's got to fit their particular style or preferred theme, such as a Tuscany-style home or theater. Whatever the client wants to do, we do.

We used to have an interior designer as part of our team, but now we hire that out, or else we'll work with the client's own interior designers. We actually look at the cabinet work, the furniture, the carpeting, the wall treatment, ceiling details - everything that goes into a large theater. We believe that makes for a whole team approach.

Does the size of the job matter to you?

We're basically open to anything that we feel will represent the best of what we do. We won't just take a job because it's available. We've done $3,000 surround-sound systems, and we've done half-a-million-dollar deals. While the client is interviewing us, we're also interviewing the client. It's not the size of the job that excites us, but the taking of the long view: "Will this turn out well?"

Is there a sort of job that excites you?

More the complex ones. We really like to create a system that ends up looking gorgeous when we're done. We always say we're not finished until the client says, "Wow!" If the client ends up just saying, "Well, good job, guys," it's a real letdown for our team. We really want the client to be over-impressed, like they actually get more than they were ever expecting to get. That makes the day worthwhile for us.

Gearwise, what have you been working on or with lately?

We're just switching to a new company called Savant. We do some pretty intensive home-automation jobs. We also work on a lot of the bigger theaters in [the Phoenix area], where we're doing 150-inch-plus screens, those we call ultra-wide screens.

In Arizona, how is the current economic climate affecting your business?

Well, people are certainly shopping a lot more carefully, but that's not to say there isn't work out there; there's still work to be had. People are being more cautious and spending their money more wisely, but we're actually staying pretty busy these days. I always say that people will invest in audio/video as long as you give them a good reason to, but you don't just assume. It's not like the old days where people were just interested in any level. People want quality workmanship these days, and I think we offer that.