CASE STUDY REVIEW A N E S S E N T I A L I N STA L L P U B L I C AT I O N
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2021
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CASE STUDY REVIEW A N E S S E N T I A L I N STA L L P U B L I C AT I O N
2021
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GETTING IN TOUCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Daniel Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Beatrice Lee, beatrice@allthingsmedialtd.com
SALES DIRECTOR
Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com
GROUP AD MANAGER
Claire Talty, claire@allthingsmedialtd.com
PUBLISHER
David Kitchener, david@allthingsmedialtd.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Mark Weller, mark@allthingsmedialtd.com
ACCOUNTS
susan@allthingsmedialtd.com
Essential Install magazine, Suite 14, 6-8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Chatham, Kent ME5 8UD
CONTENTS 2 EDITOR’S COMMENT We love case studies!
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6 LUUXX
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Helter-Skelter home cinema
SOCIALS
10 CONSEXTO
/INSTALL_MAG /ESSENTIALINSTALL Whilst we make every effort that everything printed in Essential Install magazine is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur. All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.
The name is cinema, home cinema
14 GES DIGITAL Beautiful Baufritz
18 TWENTYTWO INTEGRATION Wonderful Wiltshire smart home
22 BESPOKE HOME CINEMAS The force is strong with this one
26 PRESTIGE AUDIO Digging deep at Spring Ponds
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
CRAZY ABOUT CASE STUDIES This magazine produces a number of supplements throughout the year, but EI has to confess that the case study compilation is a favourite. Creating a showcase for the industry to show what it can do is a real pleasure and getting to visit some of the sites is a blast too. Our whole team never ceases to be impressed by the work done in our industry and it gets harder each year to pick just half a dozen to feature in this special end of year publication. So a big thank you to anybody who got involved with a case study this year - or any year for
02 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
that matter, its one of the most popular part of the magazine and website, so keep the invites coming and EI promises also to keep an eye out for any suitable projects popping up across social media and on the AV grapevine. What makes a great case study? Well good images definitely help of course, but the human story behind the projects is what really takes them to the next level. We like our case studies to live in the real world, so love to hear about what went wrong and what challenges were met and solved as much as the stuff that went smoothly. As EI writes this intro it’s the day of the EMEA CEDIA Awards, this year held at the Science Museum in
London and the Smart Building Awards have just taken place at the end of the first day of the returning EI Live! Both these events provide a vital networking opportunity, but most importantly act as a crucible to fire interest and awareness of our sector, so EI encourages anyone that can get involved, to do so, the events themselves are also always a great way for the industry to let its hair down, something that has been in short supply of late. So we hope you enjoy this small selection of case studies and get in contact if you have a project you want featured.
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
HELTER-SKELTER HOME CINEMA Install company Luuxx created this stylish and high performance home cinema to a challenging brief and unusual room layout. Within the architecture of a 250-year-old
Luuxx’ Michael Glarvey explains, “Two years
mansion in the Lake District, Luuxx has created
ago, we got a call from the Marshalls who, with
a convertible high-performance home cinema
their children having flown the nest, thought it
environment involving folding rear and side walls.
was time to upgrade their home with decent
Working from home two days a week, a professional couple invited Yorkshire custom installation company Luuxx to integrate reliable Wi-Fi and multiroom audio within their spacious eighteen century mansion. However, this was just the start of an adventure for Luuxx and these ambitious and imaginative clients. Two years later the couple asked Luuxx to take on a new idea, which called for custom creativity beyond the conventional installation of cable infrastructure, access points and ceiling speakers. For the next phase, they wanted to be able to transform a large Georgian room into a high-performance home cinema environment at will.
06 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
Wi-Fi access and multi-room audio. On paper the project seemed routine but once we got beneath the floors and walls, we faced a whole new ballgame. “With older houses you never know what’s waiting for you under the skin, and this one was no exception. Some ancient insulation had atrophied and become rock solid, which meant we needed four engineers to chisel out 70 metres of channel between three floors to get the cable to the APs and speakers. “We installed ten Ruckus Unleashed 510 APs supplied by distributor Habitech according to their heatmap plan, and, in parallel, eight
The space would be a games room with
zones of audio: seven of them comprising pairs
floor-to-ceiling windows, and at another
of Sonance VP62Rs in the kitchen, library, office
moment become a dedicated, acoustically
and snug, in the dining room, basement gym,
optimised cinema.
and also in the master bedroom upstairs.”
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY Michael continues, “The Marshalls were
was possible in high-end cinema
really happy with the work: the system sounded
design. So, we invited them to
great in every room and the Wi-Fi proved to be
our demonstration facility, and
bullet proof. As we had stayed in touch, they
that did all the talking. But the
asked us to come up with a solution for Phase
biggest challenge of all for Luuxx
2 – a different challenge altogether.
was to recreate the experience of
“They had always wanted a home cinema but had no clue how it could be built into their plans for a dual-role space. They had earmarked a large L-shaped room on the ground floor for a versatile entertainment area accommodating a pool table, an adjacent bar, a party venue and a dedicated cinema space in one. “This was all very doable with a little creative thinking, but then they hit us with the ultimate in abstract planning: a spiral metal slide would descend from the floor above to the centre of the space, conveying the Marshalls and their guests between floors along a pretty hair-raising gradient whenever the fancy took them. So, our planning not only had to include a convertible high performance cinema environment but also a fairground slide, right in the middle of the space.”
a high-end dedicated space in a convertible format. “We were dealing with a very tall room over 3.5m high with floor-to ceiling windows at one end and an adjacent bar area, which somehow had to be included to create the fluid entertainment space the client was after. “ So, we studded out the space, approx. 6.7m x 3.6m in dimension, and installed CinemaTech panels to create an acoustically optimised environment. At the window end and on the open left-hand flank, which included the curving slide structure, we custom-built folding shutter doors and a swing out wall, incorporating CinemaTech treatment, to cover the window and close off the space at
THE L WORD: A ROOM WITHIN A ROOM
the end of the slide. “This swing wall houses the left side
Michael says, “Because the client is in the
speaker of a 7.2 Wisdom Audio system
developer trade, he’d had the slide built and
comprising P4i in-walls and twin S90i subs,
height channels, but we decided with the client to keep that for a future upgrade.” To design the system, Luxx worked with
we had the drawings almost immediately. But
colour-coded with the decor, which was created
speaker brand Wisdom via Habitech to define
before we could incorporate the cinema, we
in the appropriate period style by our interior
the speaker types and locations for optimum
needed to let the Marshalls experience what
designer. The environment is wired for Atmos
performance in the space.
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CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021 07
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY Michael admits, “It was a bit of surprise when they recommended mounting the S90i in-wall subs, which are over 7ft long, horizontally in the top corners of the screen wall. However, it works like a dream. This was the first time we’d used Wisdom, but have deployed their speakers many times since. They’re very high-end but no more difficult to install than a £200 in-ceiling – bar the big transmission line subs of course.” Drawing near to completion, Michael explains, “We finished the cosmetics while the Marshalls were away, so rather like ‘DIY SOS’, they returned to the completed job, and were totally overcome by the experience, admitting that secretly they’d had doubts whether we could pull it off to the level they’d experienced at the demo. “In fact, they said, the performance surpassed the demo and their wildest dreams: they love the way we’ve turned a very ambitious aspiration into reality. They’ve since become personal friends, which is very satisfying for a service business like ours. We’re also grateful for the fantastic support given by Habitech and continue to rely on the team’s partnership according to project demands.” Luuxx luuxx-group.co.uk
Essential Cinema Kit List • Ruckus Unleashed 510 Access Point • Sonance VP62R • Wisdom Audio Insight P4i In-Wall Speaker • Wisdom Audio S90i In-Wall RTL Passive Subwoofer • Wisdom Audio SW1 subwoofer amplifier • Arcam AV40, 7.1 Dolby Atmos AV Processor • Arcam PA720, 7 Channel Power Amp • Arcam PA410, 4 Channel Power Amp • JVC-DLA-N7 Native 4k Cinema Projector • Projecta PRO-FF-ACOUST-HDTV-366 HD Progressive Acoustically Transparent screen • CinemaTech (Room Treatment) • Middle Atlantic Rack • SCP Cable
08 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
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Behind every great cinema there is wisdom...
From the rack to the room Wisdom Audio’s beautifully discreet system architecture proves that it’s not what you see that makes high-end home cinema magical, it’s what you don’t… Reserve your private Wisdom Audio experience at Habitech
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
THE NAME IS CINEMA, HOME CINEMA This very special home needed a very special cinema, of course and thanks to the efforts of install company Consexto, Trinnov and some of the best kit around, it got one complete with a slick James Bond theme. Benoit Munoz, Marketing Manager at AV
automation and AV expertise with production
processing specialist Trinnov, explains, “Some
design and skilled engineering.
What was the client’s intent for this particular project?
of our clients and partners are simply next level,
Benoit adds, “Not only featuring impressive
this last October we had the chance to visit
designs and craftsmanship, this cinema is
this amazing cinema in Portugal from our local
something unique in its James Bond theme as
partner Consexto.”
well as its spectacular sonics, with of course our
Martin collector too! So, we wanted to have
beloved Altitude32 behind it. Q would have
those things combined in this cinema without
been proud of this 007 style cinema!”
being too notorious, it needed to be classic
This experienced installation company has been in existence for 10 years combining home
10 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
“The customer is a big fan of movies especially the James Bond collection, and he’s an Aston
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
and luxurious, but without hitting your eyes too much. I think we achieved that, as when you enter the room you immediately identify with the Bond movies.”
Which challenges did you face completing this cinema? When you want to achieve luxury, you need to use
Is this why you picked the Altitude32?
What was your experience with the calibration?
There are many reasons, but in this particular
You can have the best amplifiers, the best
case, I think there’s no other kind of processor
speakers, etc but if you don’t have a good
than Trinnov where there are no set labels on the
calibration and a good processor, you
outputs! Here I just connect 1 to 32 and then
will have an uncontrolled and confused
I will configure each channel to each speaker
sound experience.
role and those kinds of speaker roles are
When David (Meyerowitz, Technical Sales
different depending on the seat configuration.
Manager) from Trinnov came to help us calibrate
For example, when we activate the preset
the cinema, the customer was here as well, so,
for 11 seats, the front speakers become the
they could discuss his expectations in terms of
because it has three different configurations of
surround speakers for the front row. With such
sound. After the calibration, we did a test with,
seats (3, 7, or 11) so to have those different
dynamic processing, the channels can be one
and the customer was delighted. I think it only
speaker layouts and configurations we needed
thing or another depending on the preset
takes a minute into any movie scene to hear
something that could adapt all these in real-time.
we saved.”
what a difference it makes.
some materials which are not the best options in terms of acoustics and soundproofing, by selecting those kinds of materials you need to use digital room correction. As well, this room is unique
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CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021 11
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
What was your experience with Trinnov’s support team? Trinnov supported us on-site not only when we built the project, but also during the design and final installation phase, the few times we needed software updates, the Paris team was also very quick to reply
What was the client’s reaction? When he’s here the customer uses the cinema every day, constantly watching movies, even the James Bond collection that he knows so much! For him having a private theater is a completely different experience from simply watching a movie. David Meyerowitz of Trinnov is also keen to share his thoughts on the project, saying, “Im very lucky to do what I do. I had the privilege to fly in to help our customer Consexto with the final commissioning and calibration of this stunning project. Audio calibration is the final step in these amazing engineering projects and it is so much more than just the cherry on top as João Vitoriano alludes to in this interview. David continues, “Home Cinema means different things to different people but having a product, like the Trinnov Audio Altitude32, that delivers class leading multichannel audio performance and speaker/room optimisation, whilst allowing the integrator to be so creative
and realise the dream for the end customer, is why it’s so often the go to product. “The flexibility of our bespoke TrinnovOS software platform allows customers to utilise the outputs in any way they wish and change this with the press of a button. Having this flexibility and performance is key to delivering the very best residential and marine AV experiences. When you are at the cutting edge of the market with class leading product and work with the best integrators this is what is possible.” Consexto consexto.com
Essential Cinema Kit List • Projector – Barco Loki Dual Laser • Front Speakers – JBL EVEREST 67000 • SUBs Front and back – JBL S2S • Side and Back Surround – JBL SCL3 • Atmos – Stealth LRX83 • Subs Side – JBL SSW4 • Pakedge WR1 • Kaleidescape 4K Strato • Kaleidescape Vault • Trinnov Altitude 32 Cinema Processor • Playstation4 • Mark Levinson Amplification 532 x 3 • JBL Amplification 8300 x 3, 4600 x 2 • AudioQuest Niagara 7000
12 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
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Courtesy of Consexto
Meet another award winning member of the family From the start, our focus has been on enabling a new level of performance for private theaters, creating those unique cinematic experiences for clients to share with loved ones.
Njord
Njord is designed for the true cinephile who desires accurate images, consistent DCI/P3 color performance, and a uniform and bright image as intended by the movie director. Njord delivers an unbelievably bright and detailed image with spectacular color fidelity for an unmatched experience that will delight even the most discerning clients.
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
BEAUTIFUL BAUFRITZ
Picture courtesy of Baufritz UK Ltd
UK based installer GES Digital used an array of attractive products and a KNX base to deliver the aesthetics and control needed in this stunning new build by German eco house creator, Baufritz. In the business of home and commercial automation systems since 1997, GES Digital is one of the most experienced installers of smart building systems in the UK. Company MD, Iain Gordon, explains, “We cut our teeth shopfitting for some of the UK’s and Europe’s biggest operators. From leisure, to retail, games arenas to interactive TV studios, we covered just about everything. As the business and the market developed, we also moved into delivering smart home and audio-visual systems right across the UK. During this journey the KNX system and brands like Jung have been a mainstay of our offering.” As for this particular project Iain explains, “We help deliver a large number of projects for Baufritz. On this project, known as Woloszczuk, we came on board to deliver a modern smart home system to match the cutting-edge design and eco credentials of this beautiful home. “The project was won based on a pre-agreed pricing schedule set in place in advance for two years. We also had to demonstrate our ability to see a very large
14 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
project through to completion. And in doing so, won all the ancillary elements of the project. This included CCTV, access control, AV, garden works and a host of interesting and unique ideas.” Iain adds, “The brief was flexible to start, but as time progressed, the client drilled down into their chosen elements which we had to come up to speed with very rapidly in order to meet their needs. Thankfully the KNX system and in particular Jung helped us do that.”
THE HOME
of Neoclassicism.” Its creators say House Woloszczuk is designed as a merging of these two distinctly different architectural styles. The home has in excess of 8000 ft.² of living space over four floors. Designed in vertical sections, each floor is conceived as a terrace or platform, meaning that the house does not have a conventional basement, but a lower ground floor with direct access to the back garden. At the back the interior of the house opens up with a threestorey atrium connecting all social areas. As you
Baufritz Specialises in creating ecologically valuable houses with individual design of highest quality. Ralf Pflugfelder, Architect for the project, explains, “The site is attractively located in the vicinity of Richmond Park. Houses in the crescent have substantially increased in size and have a distinct character. Existing houses have been replaced by new and larger houses and although there is no singular or coherent architectural language, there is a precedence for Tudor Revival and various forms
progress up through the house it takes on an increasingly private and enclosed character. The atrium, which takes inspiration from a ballroom, delivers the sense of space and height needed to accommodate all four floors.
THE PROJECT A project of this scale obviously must be planned meticulously, the home has a total living space of 8762 ft².
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
Picture courtesy of Baufritz UK Ltd
Iain explains, “That does not necessarily mean hours poring over the drawings, but it does mean considering every element in order to ensure that the brief is met and, wherever possible, exceeded to allow for the inevitable last moment requests for wholesale change or additional provision. All of which, thankfully, we were able to meet.” The size of the project is fully appreciated when it is realised that it took four men eight weeks to fully cable the property. However, highly detailed multi-page cable charts with clear indelible labelling, provided confidence and a clear guide to get the work done. Coping with the size of the property and the complexity of the control needed, Iain was glad to have on site two trusted manufacturing partners. He explains, “As the system has done previously for 17 years, using KNX gives us the assurance of flexibility and adaptability, which is inherent to the very nature of the system. Jung has been a favoured provider with our business for over 15 years and the range has evolved from the F30 controller through to the current F50 on the KNX front end with some fantastic improvements. “Using the KNX control backbone and JUNG allowed us to offer beautiful colour displays with rolling information, as well as discrete and subtle
automation without the need for any display, but still making sure the house does exactly what it’s supposed to when it’s supposed to do it. Jung’s LS range of attractive accessories and sockets are used throughout the home from data outlets to 13A UK BS approved sockets. All harmoniously suited to give a stunning symmetry to everything that is on show.”
THE CHALLENGES
Woloszczuk presented a few key challenges that meant the KNX control system and Jung needed to be expertly deployed to deliver the correct result. Iain takes up the story, “The seven split levels of this project posed some incredibly challenging routing issues. When you have over 150 lighting circuits and 50+ external venetian blinds, there is a lot of cable to consider and no homeowner gives up space for cable risers and cabinet locations easily. “Using multiple distribution locations with custom built cabinets to accommodate both circuit protection and KNX system components, made the project much more manageable. The ability to hide these in wall access panels, behind a door for instance, made the positioning much easier and with the added benefit of reduced material and installation time for cabling too.”
Picture courtesy of Baufritz UK Ltd
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CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021 15
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
This cutting-edge home did not just require the most modern automation inside, but outside as well. Iain says, “Working alongside landscaping contractors provided challenges with garden lighting, automatic lawnmowers, and rainwater harvesting for irrigation, all part of the scheme. However, through careful communications and a can-do attitude, everything was achieved.” The home also required a multi-room audio system, which took a turn mid project from an expected ‘standard’ solution to a very esoteric and beautiful Bang & Olufsen (B&O) system. Iain says, “Fortunately, the above mentioned cabling, included some very robust provision which included network links along with speaker lines so with very little adaptation, we could run the B&O network to the BeoLab audio products without any limitations. That and we became B&O dealers in the process!” What really defines companies like GES Digital is delivering exactly what the
project requires, but then adding extra value beyond expectations. Iain explains, “No two projects are alike. What was really positive on Woloszczuk was that the client had knowledge and a strong idea of how they wanted things presented. Something as important as the app which controls the whole property via the KNX system, had to be ‘menu smart’, in short, intuitive and easy to use with clear navigation in order to achieve total control for the whole property. “Normally, we make good basic provision, but with this project, getting even the app right was a challenge and took several months to tune perfectly to suit the customer’s needs. That said, we do pride ourselves in going that extra mile, and there was no change in cost for this client and the menu, even in our humble opinion, is really superb.” GES Digital gesdigital.com
Picture courtesy of Baufritz UK Ltd
Picture courtesy of Baufritz UK Ltd
Essential Cinema Kit List • All electrical accessories and wall outlets by Jung – LS WW • Cables from Helukabel, iDacs, Belcom • DB’ and circuit protection by Hager KNX • KNX Cabinets by ABB • SMI blind interfaces – ABB • 0-10v control actuators – Gira • Dimming and switching actuators – Theben • Presence detection – BEG • App – Gira • Switches – Jung F50 LS WW Intercom – 2N • Audio – B&O • Amplification – NAD • TV Room – B&W M1 P1 • TV Control – Savant PRO CCTV • HikVision camera’s • NVR – Adpro AI system
16 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
WONDERFUL WILTSHIRE SMART HOME Andy Jack, co-founder and director of TwentyTwo Integration, gives EI the inside track on this impressive and award-winning project. Starting with the impressive and very stylish
chip LASER DLP was made with seconds of
fashion by first providing power to signal
home cinema, Andy explains, “Given a
a Blu-ray starting! The projector was installed
processing equipment, and then providing
complete blank canvas and shell of room within
outside of the room, firing through a porthole.
power to the amplifiers.
the basement we were able to take complete
This maintained the visually aesthetic and
“When shutting down the AV system, the
control over the finished cinema and we were
eliminated noise interference within the room.”
sequencer turns off the system in the reverse order
able to introduce HTE our acoustic treatment
Andy explains that for this home cinema a
therefore minimising potential complications
partner to the interior designer on the project
Digital Projection projector was paired with a
and equipment damage in the rack and equally
to agree the colour scheme and furniture for
Lumagen Radiance Pro Series 4K UHD scaler
importantly avoid damaging the speakers due to
the room, this has then allowed the room to be
to provide reference level video and colour
the signal processors being powered off while the
acoustically designed without compromising
performance once it had been ISF calibrated.
audio power amplifiers are still running. Describe
either the aesthetics or where the acoustic treatments are placed. “We knew the client wanted a reference Dolby Atmos experience, so a 7.1.4 speaker
To give the real home cinema movie
the acoustical considerations.”
watching experience a constant height, a
Power of course needs control, so the
variable width screen from Screen Excellence
acoustics of the home cinema of course needed
was also specified.
to be right, but not at the cost of the design
solution was designed the system around
Protecting the home cinema equipment
Wisdom Line and Point Source speakers for
and promoting consistent high-performance
the best performance for clarity, dynamics
was
also paramount, as Andy says, “We
performance Andy says, “We included acoustic
and consistent sensory experience and we
ensured correct power management by utilising
wall panels that form the main design of the
built our own backboxes to house the in-wall
intelligent
products.
room. Aesthetically all the panels look the
loudspeakers and subwoofers.
We installed an AC power sequencer which
same, but behind the luxurious fabric, each
For the best in video we demonstrated
provided AC power to outlet groups one at
panel is hand crafted employing a wide range
single-chip DLP and three-chip LASER DLP
a time. This allowed us to ensure equipment
of thicknesses, slots and holes. The complete
projection to the client and the up sale to three-
would be powered up and down in an orderly
acoustic panel system is cleverly mounted on a
18 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
power
management
vision for the room. This swish cinema matches style and high-
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY will show for example that an 800W amplifier would be required to hit reference 105dB at this distance. In conjunction with Wisdom the team also reviewed all speaker and sub placement to ensure correct positioning. There were a few challenges to overcome and in particular the arrangement had to be mindful of the design of the wall panels and how they could clash with speaker placement. The original plan was to have two large Wisdom S90i In-Wall subwoofers but after performing calculations of the intended design it was found that the system could get a much lower db offset if this was changed this to four smaller versions. Andy adds, “We also moved the screen down flexible yet rigid structure which in turn creates an air gap for excellent bass frequency control.
Andy adds, “Maurizio Conti and his HTE team designed the acoustic treatment system,
“The panels included both single panel
fabricated the wall panels and SilentRise and
fractor and defractors which diffracts the sound
SilentSteps and sofas. They were also invaluable
waves, scattering them in new directions.
in translating and communication of the design
Further to this we also had a number of mid/ high panels. These slotted panels provide treatment of mid to high frequencies within the room. To complement this, we had mid/ low panes which are a multiple bored panel and provides treatment of mid to low frequencies. “In addition to the beautiful wall panelling, we incorporated door coverings, a projector niche/port hole and a shelf to house the clients PlayStation 4 Pro games console all to further enhance the design. Of course, all materials used are key contributors to the audio performance.” An engineered two-tiered SilentRise and SilentStep system was also built to provide optimum seating positions with soft LED lighting incorporated in the stair risers, which in
intent to the client’s interior designers. They bought alot of passion to the project! Taking
every
aspect
of
performance
into account, Andy explains, “Reverb was considered at great length as we understood from previous experience it can have a huge impact on the finished results. Within the acoustic design we included a number Rev/ Cut
to better perform with the front LCR speakers particularly for people sitting in the front row. The side speakers were moved slightly forward and up so not clashing with the acoustic panel joins and finally the height speakers initially were two close together so the space was increased to maximise the sound stage. “The challenge we had that did not become evident till nearer the end of the installation was a low level rattle that was caused by the AC ducting clashing with metal joists that supported our ceiling speakers. This very low-level noise was picked up during the commission phase
panels which feature an EcoFiber filled frame to
whilst setting audio levels using the Datasat
reduce room reverberation. “To ensure we had
LS10 Dirac calibration.”
minimised reverb we ran the Impulso app to
The team resolved this by building a barrier
get some time measurements in the room and
between the left hand rear Atmos speaker and
we have achieved 0.25 of a second, which we
the AC duct.
are extremely happy with especially when we
Other challenges included accommodating
consider that only the walls and risers have been
the PS4 games console that the client had
treated in the room.
asked for at the 11th hour. In order to facilitate
“Additionally we ran pink noise through the
this it was necessary to redesign a panel to make
turn was integrated into the Lutron HomeWorks
centre channel and took measurements at the
a niche for it to sit in. The knock-on effect of this
QS system.
first row at 4m distance from the screen and
was the scaler had to be moved to same area as
Bespoke seating was also commissioned
we achieved 98dB with a peak of 101dB using
the projector. The final challenge was setting the
so comfort is assured with the feel and fabrics
Wisdom L8i. We crossed referenced these
right Bitstream on the PS4 – an option very well
every time the home cinema is used.”
results using the following this website which
hidden in the menus!
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CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021 19
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
LIGHTING UP THE REST OF THE HOUSE This newly built 15,000 square foot luxury property is situated on a 53-acre country estate and as well as the cinema incorporates formal reception rooms, nine bedrooms, a kitchen, indoor swimming pool, and an underground garage, as well as extensive gardens. The client was eager to use a Lutron lighting control solution, having previously used Lutron at another property in the United States. The customer wanted unified control of both interior and exterior lighting, as well as automated blinds, and seamless integration with HVAC and security. The solution needed to be robust,
Andy says, “To minimise cable runs due to
Turning to the residence’s exterior, HomeWorks
the limited plant area, we strategically housed
QS enables flexible control of outdoor lighting in
dimming panels in voids behind joinery and loft
the property’s extensive gardens.
spaces. The flexibility in Lutron wiring and panel sizes are what made this tactic possible.” Palladiom keypads, with their clean lines and minimalist style, were the right choice for using throughout the home. Palladiom also met the client’s request for keypads with larger buttons, so that he could easily see what was being pressed. A total of fifty-three of the home’s rooms have the Palladiom keypads. The client also wanted simple temperature control, as opposed to touchpads. The Palladiom
thermostat
met
that
request.
simple to use and aesthetically complement the
Designed to match Palladiom keypads, with the
modern, clean interior of the property.
same sleek, low-profile appearance and finish,
Although a large home, there was limited plant areas outside of the basement. In addition, the client had extensive formal gardens that
Palladiom thermostats were installed in 16 of the home’s rooms. Lutron Sivoia QS roller blinds were chosen
In order to avoid running an excessive amount of 230V cable for the lighting in the formal gardens, DALI was specified. For easy maintenance, DALI drivers were placed in sunken waterproof enclosures with 24V outputs to the light fittings. The outdoor lighting is controlled by the astronomic timeclock that tracks sunrise and sunset. The lighting is divided into zones, including two terraces and a barbecue area, that can each be also manually controlled. In addition, HomeWorks QS has also been integrated with the home security system, to switch security lighting on and off and turn on interior lights in the event of an alarm. With this comprehensive scheme it’s not a surprise
to provide natural light control throughout the
company picked up a Lutron Excellence Award
HomeWorks QS was chosen as the solution
residence. The bedrooms feature blackout
in 2019 for the home’s lighting scheme.
which incorporates 350 circuits with lighting
blinds with fabric from Lutron’s Atelier
control via a mixture of dimming technology,
Collection, while sheers manufactured with
TwentyTwo Integration
including DALI, DMX, phase-control, and 0-10V.
third-party fabric adorn the family room.
twentytwointegration.com
needed to be lit.
Essential Cinema Kit List • Digital Projection: 4K Highlight Laser 3 Chip Projector • Screen Excellence: 356cm wide motorised screen • Lumagen: Radiance Pro 4In2Out (inc 18Ghz in/out cards) scaler • OPPO: UDP-205 UHD Blu-ray player • Datasat: LS10 processor • Datasat: RA7300 7-channel 300W RMS amplifier • Wisdom Audio: 3 x L8i – line source/planar magnetic hybrid speaker • Wisdom Audio: 4 x P4i – point source/planar magnetic hybrid speaker • Wisdom Audio: 4 x P2i – point source/planar magnetic hybrid speaker • Wisdom Audio: 4 x S90i – RTL subwoofer • Crestron: TSR-310 Handheld Touchscreen Remote • HTE: Full compliment of room treatment panels • HTE: Bespoke sofas • Lutron: Main and accent lighting • Furman: Power control and conditioning • Autonomnics: MMS5 – Mirage Media Server • Apple: Apple TV 5th Generation 32GB • OPPO: UDP-205 UHD Blu-ray player
20 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
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The gift that keeps on giving
Plus four channels This feature increases the capacity of the processor to a total of 20 discrete channel decoding and Optimization. Converting the S/PDIF Optical output to the ADAT Format, Trinnov unlocked the full potential of the Altitude16. This update comes free of charge to all Altitude16 owners. By adding an ADAT/Analog converter to their system, Trinnov customers can add extra subwoofers or channels to their system to increase its performance.
www.trinnov.com
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
THE FORCE IS WITH BESPOKE HOME CINEMAS A Star Wars fan in Country Durham is revelling in a home cinema experience that is spectacularly ‘out of this world’. Bespoke Home Cinemas describes the journey. projectors are head and shoulders above any other brand of a similar price-point which made them an integral part of our solution.” A visit to our showroom in Leeds gave the family the opportunity to test a range of options for themselves and they were impressed by the picture quality of the Sony VPL-VW760ES laser projector. As part of a complete renovation, involving technology, décor and design, the existing projector was removed and replaced in the 8.5 m x 4 m ground floor cinema. Now, the family are treated to a crisp, lifelike picture thanks to the 4K native resolution and true 4K HDR upscaling capabilities offered by the Sony. The homeowner’s movies are brought to life Given a free-hand to showcase our skills,
the family home was in need of an upgrade,
with extraordinary, cinematic detail as a result of
Bespoke created this dream movie-watching
we progressed quickly to identify what exactly
the projector’s advanced laser light source and
space, built on the excellence of native 4K
would best suit the client and his family.
the same 4K SXRD panel technology found in
projection technology from Sony.
Watching movies is a shared experience that
Sony’s professional cinema projectors. A good
“A mutual love of all things Star Wars began
they all enjoy, and we knew that many hours
match for this dark and compact cinema room,
our conversation with this client,” explains
would be spent in the room, so delivering a
the efficient laser light source delivers consistent
Gifford Malcolm, Director at Bespoke. “Once
premium quality experience was at the core of
brightness and vibrant images, providing 2,000
it became clear that the main cinema room at
our design. In our view, Sony native 4K laser
lumens for high brightness performance.
22 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
AGILE PERFORMANCE When the homeowner is watching sport or fastmoving action scenes, 4K Motionflow reduces blur and maintains brightness, so none of the quality is lost. The image is brought to life with TRILUMINOS colour, designed to provide rich, inky blacks and more tones and textures than some other projectors, whilst Exclusive Reality Creation technology analyses and enhances Full HD content to deliver a better experience than the homeowner’s previous home cinema set-up. At the same time, the compact, quiet and minimalist design fits nicely and unobtrusively into the sleek, contemporary room. The result is precise, immersive colours, exceptional image quality and an unforgettable experience – perfect for adrenaline-fuelled action movies, superhero blockbusters and, of course, epic space operas. The projector also supports the recently launched IMAX Enhanced content platform. The Sony projector was integrated into a wider technology solution throughout the room, which included Marantz amplification as well as an upgraded Trinnov processor, a Kaleidescape movie server and Control4 automation. Audio is provided by Artcoustic speakers in a 9.2.6 configuration. Meanwhile,
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CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021 23
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
the homeowner’s existing double chaise longue chair provides the front row seating, whilst four luxury cinema chairs were added towards the rear of the cinema for comfort and style. The imaginative lighting in the room is a Star Warsstyle showstopper. Using 2,500 LED lights, we created a cutting-edge display that imitates the lighting of a light sabre complete with audio sound effects, when activated. Seriously cool, seriously Star Wars, another state-of-the-art home cinema delivered by our team. Bespoke Home Cinemas
Essential Cinema Kit List • Sony VW760ES native 4K laser projector • Ultimate 3.0m acoustic screen • Ttinnov Altitude 16 processor • 3x 5ch Marantz Power amps • 1x Artcoustic 1000 power amp (subwoofers) • 3x Artcoustic Spitfire 8-4 (LCR) • 4x Artcoustic SL 4-2 (Surrounds / Front Wides) • 6x Artcoustic Architect PAS (Atmos) • 2x Artcoustic Control3 subwoofers • Kalediscape Strato 4K • Control4 EA3 processor and lighting
bespokehomecinemas.co.uk
24 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
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Home cinema entertainment at its very finest Bring your favourite sports, gaming and movies to life on the big screen with native 4K clarity, MotionflowTM technology and X1TM for projector for exceptional HDR performance.
Distributed in the UK by
You won’t miss any of the action.
www.invisionuk.com
VPL-VW290
VPL-VW590
VPL-VW790
www.awe-europe.com
VPL-VW890
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
PRESTIGE AUDIO DIGS DEEP AT SPRING PONDS Joe Carri, Commercial Director at Prestige Audio, provides the detail on this impressive project which recently picked up the Smart Building Award for ‘Best Home Cinema Over £50K’. The property is a new build that stands on the
way it performed. The Control4 smart home
sources regularly which include Sky Q, Apple TV
grounds of the client’s former residence. The
system is easy to use. It controls our heating,
and a Kaliedescape system. All of this is done
old house was demolished to make way for a
lighting, electric blinds, music, TVs and gate entry,
automatically at the video selection stage, via
four-bedroom family home spread across three
security cameras and outdoor music system.”
customised programming.
THE PROJECT DETAILS
projector preferred by the client, balancing
floors. The property is 850² meters including a double garage and basement. The basement
Joe explains, “A BenQ PCL50KH was the
For the cinema, a full demonstration session at
performance and budget. The projector was
area and a dedicated cinema. The ground floor
Pulse Cinemas gave Joe the chance to explore
also married to a Lumagen Video Processor
holds a kitchen with adjoining breakfast and
priorities and arrive at a plan that suited the
allowing for significantly faster switching
family room, a study and a media room. The
property. The cinema needed to be able to
between sources. It also allows for fine tuning
property also has landscaped grounds (6 acres)
showcase multi-channel, (Dolby Atmos 7.1.4)
and more accurate video calibration on colour
with a patio area where a NEAR exterior audio
but also stereo output and in cinema mode
contrast and is better for HDR too. We also had
system has been installed.
needed to have loud and punchy bass. Added
the BenQ ISF calibrated.”
has a wine tasting room, games room, utility
The customer says, “Now that we have
to the plan were some acoustic treatments and
The speakers were set out by Dolby
moved in, the results are impressive. Our cinema
a star-scape ceiling. Prestige carried out all of
laboratories recommendations apart from
is ‘epic’ and outperformed our expectations.
the works installing the stud work to house the
including two subwoofers, instead of one and
The result exceeded the performance of the
speakers and support the wall fabric as well as
doubling up on the side speakers.
demo systems we listened to. We use the
the acoustic treatments.
Joe explains, “We installed 2 x sides
cinema room regularly and love the space. We
The first part of the design was ensuring
speakers on both left- and right-hand walls (one
added another mini cinema in our living room
that all eight seats would have unrestricted
for each row). Additionally, the right-hand wall
with a motorised TV that disappears in the wall
views of the screen. This resulted in specifying
is further away from the listeners than the left,
when not in use.
a four-metre screen due to the available
because of the inclusion of a bar area, but we
“To top it all off, we added a state-of-the-art
space. The screen has automated masking as
had more than enough delay in the processor to
outdoor music system that surprised us by the
the clients likes to switch between different
accommodate this.”
26 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
The Media Room AV remains completely hidden until needed
Lots of measurement and calculations were of course used to make sure the cinema was optimal right throughout the process, (including Dirac Live) however Prestige Audio are big believers in experienced eyes and ears to take a project from ‘correct’ to really bespoke. Once the cinema was ‘finished’ Prestige Audio spent an entire day tuning it to suit the customer. When it came to client demo time, the team did a two-channel demo, without all the calibration and then with, just to underline how their expertise had taken the system to a different level. Joe explains, “The Audiophile in the family got up and walked up to the middle of the screen to see if the centre channel speaker was on, it wasn’t, he smiled! That’s why we do what we do! “Then a full cinema demo with content they knew well. This really was the ‘mic drop’ moment in the cinema install, the look on their faces was exactly what we had been striving for, they loved it. When they first came into the
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room, they said that they only had a few minutes for us to show them the cinema, as they had to be elsewhere. Close to an hour later, former appointment forgotten, they were still in awe and enjoying what we had created.”
THE REST OF THE HOME The team also created a multi-function media room with a 5.1.2 audio system and large screen TV (65in Samsung 4K OLED). Joe explains, “The biggest issue we had to face in this area was that the client wanted all the AV hidden away. But unlike many media rooms, where even if the equipment is ‘hidden’, you can still tell that it is there, this room had to look just like an ordinary living room when not in use and leave no trace of what is available if and when the family want to use the AV. The customer was really happy with the final result, you cannot tell there is a 5.1.2 audio system partnered with a 65in TV available at the touch of a button.”
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On the exterior audio, Joe enthuses, “This area of the project delivered what we believe is one of the best exterior audio systems in the UK. The clients had a very specific idea of what the audio systems should sound like with lots of power, plenty of controlled bass and an even level throughout. Again, we were able to open their minds to systems and designs they were not aware of. We offered good, better and best options. With the client choosing the best option, we used the NEAR brand to build a three-zone exterior audio system worth and extra £20K on the project.” The home also has Lutron automated window treatments and lighting throughout. Lutron’s QS Sivoia blinds were specified. This was to tailor to the many different sizes required, ranging from half a meter up to over three meters. Whole house audio visual systems were also installed providing viewing and audio entertainment in many zones. Currently, the
CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021 27
ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY
The cinema get loads of use, for movie time and party time too!
video distribution feeds seven zones, with an additional feed going out to the cinema rack,
Essential Cinema Kit List
allowing UHD sources from the central rack
Cinema Room
External Speaker System
to be displayed. Various sizes of Samsung
• Control 4 – 7in In Wall Touch Panel
• Control 4 EA-1 Control Processor
QLED TVs have been fitted across the zones.
• BenQ PCL50KH
• 10 x Near LB8T all-weather Loudspeakers
Sources here include Sky Q, two Sky Q mini
• Cinamorph Cylindrical Lense
• 2 x Near 10in Subwoofer – In Ground
boxes, Kaliedescape and Apple TV. Audio
• 2 x Near 7XL Power Amplifiers (70v Line)
zone matrix amplifiers. This feeds 13 zones of
• Screen Research 3.8 m Wide Motorised Side Masking 2.35:1 Projection Screen 4K weave
audio directly driving Origin Acoustic speakers
• Apple TV 4K
Media Room
in all areas except hallways, the media room and
• Kaleidscape Strato 6TB
• Samsung Q950 65in QLED TV
the cinema.
• Blustream UHD Video over IP Receiver
• Future Automation Split Motorised Cover
The Control4 system also extends offering
• Maestro M9
• Blustream UHD Video over IP RX
automated and manually controlled access
• BGW VXi8.8
• Blustream Audio return Balun Set
to all the homes’ functionality right across the
• James M1000 Subwoofer Amplifiers
• Kaleidescape Strato Player
property. A ubiquity Wi-Fi system covers the
• 3 x James QX806BE LCR Loudspeakers
• AudioControl Concert AVR 9
whole house offering reliable performance at
• 6 x James 52Qow LCR Loudspeakers
• 3 x Sonance LCR .5S
the budget the client wanted for this part of
• 4 x James QX320 Height Loudspeakers
• 2 x James 62 ASX
the project.
• 2 x James M122 Subwoofers
• 2 x Paradigm CI Elite E80-R
• Fortress Seating (Matinee Chaise Longue/ Matinee Cinema Seat)
• Paradigm Seismic 110
Prestige Audio
distribution is provided by two Control4 eight
• Outdoor Wireless Access Point
prestigeaudio.co.uk
Control4 delivers the automation element of this wide ranging project
28 CASE STUDY REVIEW 2021
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