DbM Supplememnt - Essential Install September

DbM – THE SUPPLIER FOR YOU

Since its inception in 2017, DbM has been helping dealers provide authentic and exceptional media room and home cinema experiences for their clients. Whilst providing the best solutions and services for DbM dealers, the distributor also offers focussed expansion for its partners, using its vast connections to push partnered products into the market.

DbM is more than just a supplier, it offers its customers a well-rounded service. This is showcased through DbM’s four pillars – unique solutions; design and specification services; demonstration facilities; and commissioning and calibration.

UNIQUE SOLUTIONS

DbM partners with pioneering brands that share its desire to achieve the very best in media room and home cinema performance – solutions that are high-quality, problem-solving, have a good design and offer reliability to the dealer and end user. Within the past year, DbM has introduced seven new brands, Ambisonic Systems, Amina, LG, Lumagen, Nexgentec, SMS and Sonos. These add a fantastic selection of new and innovative solutions to DbM’s existing line up from Barco Residential, Meridian Audio, Trinnov and Waterfall Audio

“The DbM team has experience of what works well together in real-world situations, not just from the figures on the spec sheets,” comments Barry Sheldrick, Sales Director at DbM. “This allows us to work closely with dealers to ensure our recommendations are the right fit for your clients’ requirements. Our deep knowledge enables products from various brands to be combined to maintain performance all the way from the source to the ears and eyes of your clients. The experienced sales team help you to increase the order value and to successfully close the sale.”

DESIGN AND SPECIFICATION SERVICE

DbM recognises the high level of support in design, specification and installation that is often required to ensure a successful installation. The company’s complimentary Design and Specification Service supports project planning and presentation and is well-used by integrators to help in this area.

“We take your client’s requirements and create a bespoke digital design pack covering all aspects of cinema and media rooms, and distributed audio system design,” adds Barry. “By incorporating all our partners’ technologies, the proposal – which provides Standard, Performance and Reference options – include seating positions, speaker layouts, product install details, viewing angles, screen brightness, sound-pressure levels, wiring diagrams, rack layouts. This makes it quicker and easier for integrators to specify the right products for the installation.”

DEMONSTRATION FACILITIES

DbM has created a fully equipped experience centre at its HQ in Cambridgeshire that features solutions from all distributed brands. Regularly updated, integrators can immerse themselves, bring their clients, and gain a better understanding of each brand and product, and how they perform in a live install.

“The facility provides you with the opportunity to see and hear lots of products in various scenarios,” said Barry. “We encourage our customers to bring their client along to help them with the decision process – enjoyment and involvement often act as catalysts for maximising sales opportunities. It also allows you to meet members of the team in person. We may be working closely together on some projects, and that works best if we know each other well.”

COMMISSIONING AND CALIBRATION

DbM experts will visit dealers’ installations to carry out full calibration of video products from Barco and Lumagen, as well as audio products from Trinnov and Meridian. This ensures clients get to enjoy the full potential of their products and systems.

“It’s in our interests that everything works to the maximum of its capabilities,” comments Barry. “With years of AV calibration under its belt, the commissioning service ensures you get the very best out of your AV package, prior to your client handover.”

INSIDE DbM:

Steve May, industry journalist, goes behind the scenes at DbM, and discovers what sets the distributor apart from the rest.

down to their pro audio DNA,” I’m told. “If you want, they can even supply 140dB line arrays,” enthuses Director of Sales, Barry Sheldrick.

It’s quickly apparent that the sheer variety and calibre of brands now handled by DbM is remarkable. The operation has come a long way from its initial partnership, in 2017, with highend projector company Barco.

The range is comprehensive, and unapologetically high-end.

transformational when it comes to large residential applications and the burgeoning superyacht market.

Premium AV distributor, DbM (distributed by Meridian), has every angle covered.

When I turn up at its Huntingdon HQ, it sounds like there’s a band playing outside on the grass.

It turns out to be a pair of Ambisonic outdoor speakers. The US outdoor music specialist is the latest addition to DbM’s product portfolio.

I’ve heard plenty of outdoor options when it comes to all-weather music systems, but few exhibit this level of Hi-Fi authenticity. It’s all

“You’re doing the client a disservice if you don’t tell them that the ultimate performance is available at a price, and that they can have it,” reasons Sheldrick. “If you go into a Bentley dealership, they don’t say, ‘I’m sorry, it’s really expensive. I don’t think you’ll be able to afford it.’ They tell you how brilliant it is. We give integrators the vocabulary to explain why something’s better.”

Another relatively fresh signature is Audio Over IP (AoIP) specialist, nexgentec. AoIP allows integrators to deliver high quality sound and vision over a single network cable,

For me, the biggest surprise in the DbM portfolio comes from Waterfall Audio. Like most, I’m familiar with the brand from its iconic glass tower speakers. Turns out Waterfall Audio has a comprehensive range of very serious inwall speakers for home theatre and media room applications too, in the shape of its pro Custom Series. The line covers L/C/R enclosures, surrounds and in-wall subwoofers.

“Waterfall Audio created this range because everyone was really impressed with the sound pressure level they could achieve from their onwalls,” says Sheldrick. “When they realised there was a demand to make something that had high SPL, they just changed their offering to meet the challenge.”

A demo convinces me that they are indeed a very credible theatre option, able to pressure load a large space and maintain a level of distortion free clarity at high volume levels.

“WE GIVE INTEGRATORS THE VOCABULARY TO EXPLAIN WHY SOMETHING’S BETTER”

It might initially seem odd that Meridian, a renowned loudspeaker maker, would take on another loudspeaker manufacturer to distribute, but it’s actually a canny move. There’s no real overlap between the two brands.

“We wanted to represent them in the UK, because we could see the passion and the engineering skills they have,” adds Barry.

Another speaker option offered by DbM is equally unique, plaster-over speaker specialist, Amina.

Of course, when nothing but truly sublime Hi-Fi will do, there’s always the Meridian DSP9.

A product of its Extreme Engineering Programme, this premium performer sets a new high bar for the brand’s digital active loudspeaker range.

The DSP9 made its debut at Munich High End, but that iteration lacked the final tuning and bass extension of the retail model. I was

granted a demo of the finished product, and frankly, it’s sensational.

There’s a monumental amount of fresh science powering the DSP9, all of which can be boiled down to one great asset: breathtaking musicality. You’ll struggle to hear a finer pair of Hi-Fi speakers.

Integrators looking for high end home theatre are well served too. The Performance demo theatre, with 3.3m screen, a Trinnov processor handling decoding duties and a multiplicity of speaker playback options, is my kind of playroom. It features a Barco projector coupled to a Lumagen video processor and was designed using the DbM Design & Specification service.

A knockabout fight scene from superhero movie, Aquaman, plays off a Kaleidescape server, confirming what a great job the service did.

But there’s more. I’m ushered up to Meridian’s Reference theatre, for a front row experience of Top Gun Maverick. It’s not just Tom Cruise who experiences a sonic boom.

“Everyone will say that they offer service and support and so on, because that’s a given,” says Sheldrick. “But one of the areas DbM is very strong in is pre-sales. Helping integrators raise the value of the sale. A lot of people are still really uncomfortable with the idea of telling someone that something costs a lot of money. We can help remove that barrier.”

Much like Maverick, DbM embraces the extreme. Bathed in light from Barco’s best, and thrilled by pin sharp audio, I’m left to conclude that selling the very finest AV might not be that difficult after all.

If you’re looking to specify the best in sound and vision, it’s almost certainly DbM.

AMBISONIC MAKES THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Delivering a high level of performance in an outdoor space is a totally different challenge to an indoor environment. Ambsionic Systems provides a product range that includes scalable solutions which can be discrete and well-hidden, whilst still delivering impressive SPL levels.

THE AMBISONIC STORY

Founded by industry pioneer, Jeffery Coombs in 2009, Ambisonic is a manufacturer specialising in high-output, audiophile-quality sound reinforcement loudspeakers. With over 64 years’ experience designing professional and high-end loudspeakers—concentrating in ribbon line arrays—the company’s engineering team is renowned for their innovative concepts, breakthrough products and great sounding speakers. Having designed products for the world’s most exquisite venues and theatres for many years, Ambisonic has taken the best of the lessons learnt in that industry and produced a range of high-performance outdoor audio solutions, including custom outdoor soundbars, weatherised line-arrays, triple-bandpass burial subwoofers and more.

D bM AND AMBISONIC JOIN FORCES

DbM announced a new partnership with Ambisonic Systems in May this year to supply the company’s audiophile-quality outdoor loudspeaker range to professional integrators.

“Ambisonic is an established brand renowned for high-quality speaker engineering, thoughtful design and superior audio performance,” says DbM Director of Sales, Barry Sheldrick. “This makes the company a great, natural fit for DbM and we’re delighted to make Ambisonics’ exceptional outdoor audio range, so popular in the US, available now to DbM customers throughout the UK. We’re confident it will be an equally huge hit with them.”

Ambisonic prides itself on providing customers with high-quality products. All speakers are designed to have excellent sound quality, longevity and a simple installation process.

“DbM was the perfect fit for our Ambisonic line in the UK, with their project-driven approach and design expertise, delivering high-quality products and immersive experiences, which can now be delivered outdoors through our high sound, high-quality line of Ambisonic products.”

Comments Jose Coelho, International Business Director at Origin Acoustics, the parent brand of Ambisonic.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

The Ambisonic ALSB106 Bollard 10 is a luxury single unit that houses both a subwoofer and

a mid/high frequency driver array in the same enclosure. The speaker is designed to allow the subwoofer section to be buried in the ground, leaving only the pillar section exposed. The sound from both the subwoofer and satellite emanates from the slots in the upper portion of the pillar section creating a uniform, full frequency sonic experience.

The integrated burial subwoofer delivers the punch, impact and clean, tight bass necessary for an outdoor environment, perfectly complimenting the High-Definition Tweeter. This tweeter can be customised for a 180° or 360° dispersion, depending on your landscaping context. Garden, patio and pool areas will come alive with incredible clarity and detailed sound.

Engineered to provide years of listening satisfaction and pleasure, the ported composite enclosure, and all components are designed to withstand the harshest of environmental conditions. These speakers are available with round or square aluminium sleeves in a silver, black, or bronze finish.

UNDENIABLY MERIDIAN

Meridian is a British Audio Technology pioneer. For more than forty years, Meridian has pushed boundaries, disrupted norms and engineered products that have shaped the industry. As its breaks new ground through research, Meridian will continue to challenge convention to enrich people’s lives and redefine how customers experience sound.

THE MERIDIAN STORY

Since 1977, Meridian has been crafting innovative, elegant, high performance audio solutions. From its flagship DSP loudspeakers with integrated amplification, to its discreet and powerful range of in-wall loudspeakers, the manufacturer delivers easy to install, high resolution audio systems for home cinemas and whole home solutions.

Meridian products are sold by custom integrators and audio specialists in more than 80 countries, worldwide. It also works with many of the world’s leading brands enabling millions of consumers around the world to experience authentic, lifelike and natural sound throughout their homes, and in automotive, and airline settings – ultimately transforming the way people experience sound, wherever they may be.

D bM AND MERIDIAN JOIN FORCES

DbM is the distribution arm of Meridian. The manufacturer started partnering with other brands in 2017 to provide its customers with a wider range of solutions. In 2020, Meridian formalised this division by announcing the rebrand and development of DbM.

“DbM is an extension of the Meridian Audio experience, giving manufactures who share our desire for greatness more options,” comments Katy Bradshaw, Director of Marketing at DbM. “DbM helps our dealers provide authentic and exceptional home theatre experiences for their clients.”

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Marking a new chapter for Meridian, the DSP9 Digital Active Loudspeaker is a masterpiece of product design and audio engineering, technology and performance. The loudspeaker features a brand-new and iconic cabinet aesthetic that showcases a new design signature for the company, and produces outstanding fidelity, dynamics and power for cinemas and listening rooms.

The DSP9 is the second loudspeaker to emerge from Meridian’s Extreme Engineering Programme; a result of years of investment in technology innovations at the extreme edge of audio design. Built around Meridian’s continued research and expertise in producing authentic, natural and lifelike sound, this programme delivers a level of performance never previously achievable from a loudspeaker of these proportions.

It introduces a beautiful new look for Meridian loudspeakers. The company has pushed the boundaries of cabinet design and construction with this product, using the geometry of the ellipse to create a visually stunning aesthetic from every angle that also offers acoustic benefits.

Advanced engineering was used to create the striking sculptured exterior lines and the sophisticated three-dimensional spaces within the cabinet to enhance performance. The curvature of the exterior also minimises unwanted diffraction of the sound produced by the drive units.

DbM DOES THE HEAVY LIFTING

Choose DbM as your supplier and let us do the heavy lifting for you when it comes to design documentation.

DbM recognises the high level of support in design, specification and installation that is often required to ensure a successful home cinema installation. The company’s complimentary Design & Specification Service supports project planning and presentation and is well-used by integrators to help in this area.

“Our Design & Specification service is all about adding value for our dealers,” says Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at DbM. “It makes it quicker and easier for integrators to specify the right products for the installation, freeing up valuable time so they can concentrate on other aspects of an installation.”

The Design & Specification Service provides integrators with a customised, expertly designed, and integrated AV solution. Design

packs are time efficient and are a great way to increase the overall sale value of the project whilst also increasing conversion rates. DbM provides three exceptional design proposals; Standard, Performance, and Reference. Each proposal has a separate client budget in mind, whilst still providing an exceptional audio experience.

The service details the room layout and AV equipment positions, including seating positions, industry guidelines for speaker layouts, product install details, viewing angles, screen brightness, sound-pressure levels, wiring diagrams, rack layouts. To begin the proposal process, dealers simply need to provide DbM with a plan of the room and email it to design@ meridian.co.uk. DbM will provide co-branded drawings of the proposed system layout and an associated wiring diagram as pdf files within 48 hours at no cost.

KEY REASONS FOR USING THE DESIGN & SPECIFICATION SERVICE

• Expertise and Support: DbM has extensive experience and expertise in designing highperformance home cinemas, we’ve helped to deliver over 1000 projects so far. By working with the team, integrators can tap into this knowledge and experience, receiving support throughout the design, installation and commissioning process, ensuring that the systems meet the highest industry standards of performance and reliability.

• Customisation: The Design and Specification Service is tailored to the specific needs of each customer – providing designs that meet the unique requirements of the room it will be used in, as well as the needs of the end user. The three design options aid the conversion ratio along with boosting

Chris Smythe, Design and Specification Consultant at DbM, covers why you should let DbM do the heavy lifting when it comes to design documentation.

the system value in an easy to explain way. This customisation ensures that the system delivers the best possible performance for the intended application.

• Efficiency and Time Savings: By working with us, integrators can streamline the design and installation process, saving time and money. Using DbM dedicated experts in AV system design and integration means that the entire process can be completed more efficiently, ensuring performance on each project.

COMMENTS FROM CUSTOMERS

Anthony Gallon, Clever Association:

“We’ve used the Design & Specification Service on a number of occasions, it’s been great to know that we have the backing of their team whenever we need it. Whether that’s simply because we’re up against it timewise, for a simple sanity-check or for more involved design

assistance for projects that are a little ‘off-piste’. One example being a cinema that we installed in Cannes where we were planning to use multiple Meridian speakers behind the screen surface, in three High Power Array ‘stacks’ for the left, centre and right channels. It was great to be able to lean on the DbM team who assisted with predicted SPL calculations, layout advice and also guidance on reducing the risks of comb filtering in such a setup. Without doubt, the care and attention put into those designs long before any installation works had started on-site, were the key to creating a fantastic sounding room.”

Liam McLaughlin, Progressive Home Technology

“We have an existing client in Hastings who is a big Meridian fan. We recently upgraded some DSP7200SE to DSP8000XE loudspeakers in his living room, putting the DSP7200SE into the surround position. So, when we started his BIG cinema, we headed straight back to Meridian, but this time with their DbM hat on.

We leaned on their Design & Specification Service heavily to help mount a Barco threechip projector vertically in a booth behind the back wall, and point it through a porthole via a mirror, onto a 4.5m wide screen. The team was also invaluable in providing detailed elevations and ceiling plans for the comprehensive acoustic application that went in. I am back soon to put the final touches to the projection setup and calibrate the 9.1.6 audio system. I can’t wait to see (and hear) the end result.”

For more information visit distributedbym.com

THE NEXGENTEC STORY

Founded in 1995, nexgentec was launched because of a lack of interfaces existing that were suitable to allow the high-end marine and residential markets to fully work with Dante audio over IP solutions. The MCP4K, the very first product launched by nexgentec, was warmly welcomed, and soon designated ‘the last missing link’, taking audio over IP truly to the next level.

THE NEXGENTEC STORY

Since then, nexgentec continues to engineer solutions that are always more efficient in terms of application, system design, size and energy consumption. It guarantees not only the best digital sound quality, but also the coolest user experience in terms of features and functions, and can be fully controlled and customised in the proprietary software modules, so it can be used for any equipment in every zone.

Today, nexgentec has made itself indispensable in this niche market, where it is being specified by most shipyards and technology advisers and installed by all the main integrators in Europe.

D bM AND NEXGENTEC JOIN FORCES

In March 2022, DbM and nexgentec established a UK distribution partnership to bring the high-quality range of Audio Over IP (AoIP) products and solutions to integrators working in the high-end residential and superyacht sector.

“Audio over IP is an increasingly popular option for integrators, seeking to offer a scalable, fully flexible and high-performance audio solution on their projects,” comments Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at DbM. “nexgentec is the innovative brand that’s spearheading the AoIP solution, and we are delighted to be able to have partnered with them to supply their exceptional range to our customers.”

DbM supplies the UK and EIRE markets with the full range of nexgentec products and solutions and supports the brand with training to help integrators in the design, specification, installation and commissioning of an AoIP network. The nexgentec range will also be added to DbM’s complimentary Design and Specification Service, which helps integrators specify the right products and solutions for their projects.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

With nexgentec, the dream of being able to deliver large scale, high-performance projects that truly integrate everything everywhere with AoIP is becoming the reality.

nexgentec empowers the IP network for audio distribution using its pioneering implementation and bespoke innovations, including Dante and AES76 technology. Renowned for their reliability and highperformance, nexgentec’s extensive range of digital signal processors, amplifiers and digital and multichannel audio-interfaces work together to distribute pristine audio signals from any source to any zone over a home or superyacht’s network infrastructure.

Patching and routing become logical functions configured in the nexgentec software, not via physical wired links. Loudspeakers can be connected via a single network cable and the nexgentec approach also eliminates the need and limitations of AV matrixes in traditional audio distribution systems whilst always retaining the integrity and quality of the audio signal in transmission. Integrators can also access and control nexgentec powered audio systems remotely, resolving any issues quickly and efficiently, without the need for an in-person visit.

INSPIRED ELEGANCE FROM WATERFALL AUDIO

Established in 1996, Waterfall Audio positions itself in a niche segment of the market with its innovative concept of glass-made speakers. Using sophisticated manufacturing processes for glass cutting, with precision near 100 Microns, Waterfall Audio has mastered the art of glass assembly, designing some truly unique and stunning products exclusively for the luxury audio visual market.

THE WATERFALL AUDIO STORY

Waterfall Audio was founded in northern France by Cedric Aubriot, the current Managing Director. Beginning his passion for audio when he was just 12 years old, Cedric used his desire for creating something unique and beautiful to try his luck and turn his passion into his work.

Cedric focused on building the proper foundations for the first three years –establishing industrial partnerships, developing the Acoustic Damping Tube (ADT) technology and organising the production unit.

The first Waterfall Audio glass speaker was unveiled to the French market in November 1999. Over 23 years after the first sale of a glass loudspeaker, Waterfall Audio is now distributed in over 50 countries and has received many awards worldwide for design and acoustic excellence.

The company’s dedication to performance and elegance results in the team’s dedication to researching new technologies and innovation. When designing a speaker, the team’s focus is on integration, elegance and performance. The innovative use of glass, together with its exclusive technologies, has allowed Waterfall Audio to free itself from using a traditional speaker structure, and instead offer a living piece of art

D bM AND WATERFALL AUDIO JOIN FORCES

DbM entered into a partnership with Waterfall Audio in 2020 when it became the exclusive distributor within the UK market, providing professional integrators access to Waterfall Audio’s glass and aluminium speaker range.

“We started our relationship by being intrigued by the beautiful aesthetic of the Victoria Evo glass loudspeaker, and soon became thoroughly impressed by the depth of engineering that goes into each Waterfall Audio product. They share DbM’s ethos of excellent engineering, stunning aesthetic and outstanding audio performance,” comments Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales for DbM. “We need to know the de facto engineering numbers from the brands that we work with to ensure

enables us to deliver incredible performance every time.”

Thanks to the partnership, UK integrators have exclusive access to the range of on-wall, in-wall and in-room speakers for residential installs. All handmade in the south of France using glass and aluminium, these speakers are simply beautiful to look at and amazing to listen to, particularly when powered by Meridian amplifiers. DbM dealers also have access to the Waterfall Audio Pro Custom Series

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

The Waterfall Audio Pro Custom range offers a high-performance cinema line up with an innovative installation process that literally creates the front baffle wall. Working in conjunction with the DbM Design and Specification service, integrators can be confident in hitting their SPL targets and providing great coverage for each row of seats, along with solid, fast and tight bass.

The range includes:

• LCR500 - the speaker’s very high-power handling means that it is intended for rooms sizes between 40 to 100m². Its total depth (21 cm) is equivalent to the depth of the SUB600S and makes it easy to integrate behind the acoustically transparent screen.

• LCR300 – this speaker is designed for rooms from 20 to 50m². The dynamic capacities of three LCR300 will be best utilised by partnering them with a pair of SUB600S.

• SAT150 - due to its 9.9cm depth, the SAT150 is the ideal in wall surround speaker to be partnered with either the LCR300 or the LCR500.

• SUB600S - the SUB600S allows you to experience low frequency like never before. Its 2 x 23cm long-excursion drivers (32mm) move more air than a traditional 30cm driver and are much quicker.

RS700 – incredibly powerful (a true 2 x 700W amplifier), with a DSP engine customconfigured by Waterfall Audio to deploy performance-enhancing technologies along with protection from overdriving. The perfect partner to get the most out of the LCR 500, LCR300 and SUB600S

Built to order, these speakers deliver breath-taking sound and are the perfect solution for the most demanding movie enthusiasts. The dynamics and power available from Waterfall Audio’s own DSP amps are truly special, triggering amazing feedback from integrators who have used them in installations they have completed.

These speakers are best demonstrated at the DbM HQ in Cambridgeshire. Contact Matthew or Chris to book an appointment – you won’t be disappointed.

INTEGRATED SPEAKERS VS. FLOOR STANDING SPEAKERS

Des Ford, Technical Marketing Manager at Meridian Audio, tackles a key question in the speaker sector.

In an industry where there are high-performing integrated speakers and statement floorstanding speakers, it’s important to understand the key factors that customers should be thinking about when they are trying to decide between the two options.

Aesthetics can easily override any potential differences in performance between the two approaches. Some customers want to revel in the appearance of their loudspeakers and they are keen to give them pride of place. The loudspeakers might be seen as high-quality pieces of furniture and are considered to be ornamental or even sculptural assets to the room. Other customers (and many interior designers!) abhor the idea of floor-standing loudspeakers, equating them to necessary appliances or equipment which should be kept out of sight. To borrow from Le Corbusier, they are simply just part of the ‘machine for living in.’

Naturally, the potential disruption associated with the installation of in-wall loudspeakers can be a showstopper. A room which is being built or refurbished lends itself to having loudspeakers built into the walls or ceiling far more easily than a beautifully decorated and finished space.

There are sometimes occasions when a customer is happy to consider either type of loudspeaker. In these cases, the performance can be compared. Some customers won’t

even be considering in-walls, believing the level of performance they are after is available only from floorstanders. However, we’ve seen cases where such customers have performed a complete volte-face once they’ve heard a system using the very best in-wall offerings.

INTEGRATED SPEAKERS –PROS AND CONS

Integrated loudspeakers keep floors clear and therefore increase flexibility for the position of other items in the room, such as furniture and ornaments. When the loudspeakers are integrated seamlessly into the control structure of the home, everyone in the household can benefit from their performance without having to ‘switch on the Hi-Fi’. Some users really like the effect of being immersed in sound without the obvious presence of large floorstanders; they report that it’s easier to disassociate what they are hearing from the kit that is producing it – always the aim for a good loudspeaker design.

The biggest issue can be the need to build integrated loudspeakers into the fabric of the house. Then, once installed, integrated loudspeakers are not easy to move! A decision that a TV would be better if it were on a different wall is complicated by the fact that the loudspeakers are likely to need re-installing.

FLOOR-STANDING SPEAKERS – PROS AND CONS

It’s usually possible to fine-tune the positioning of floor-standing loudspeakers. This allows experimentation with spacing and toe-in to elicit the best possible sonic image at the listening position. Floor-standers can be moved within a room, or into another room should the need arise. Moving the loudspeakers may mean some work to relocate their connecting cables, but this is usually less onerous than cutting new holes into walls or ceilings.

However, floor-standers may be non-starters due to the not-inconsiderable issue of personal taste in regard to aesthetics; some customers just don’t want to see the loudspeakers. This is particularly understandable for rooms with period décor. There is an old joke about a ‘Chippendale video cabinet’; well, have you ever seen a three-way bass-reflex monitor in a regency style?! Another issue in some applications is that floor-standers are, well, on the floor! If the requirement is for sound to be produced at anything like head-height or above, almost all floor-standers literally fall short. Such use-cases can include the surround speakers in a cinema system, not to mention (obviously) any height channels. Similarly, in rooms where the seating or other furniture blocks the passage of sound to the listeners’ ears, integrated loudspeakers offer the option of getting the sound up into the air.

AMINA’S HIDDEN SECRET

invisible sound for the first time. The stakes were high, and the agreement was simple: if the product didn’t work, the bank didn’t need to pay, and the speakers could remain within the building, never to be spoken about again. After months of meticulous R&D, their hard work paid off. The Amina team successfully created the first fully invisible loudspeakers, and the bank was thrilled with the result.

D bM AND AMINA JOIN FORCES

Combining 23 years of experience with the very latest virtual simulation, practical research facilities and a new European manufacturing facility, Amina Technologies is a leader in invisible speaker technology, delivering its innovative product solutions to a global market.

THE AMINA STORY

Richard Newlove, the founder of Amina Technologies, had a vision for the future – to make home, work and leisure environments that little bit more special, that little bit less cluttered, that little bit simpler to use – altogether helping to make life easier for us all. He recognised how Distributed Mode Loudspeaker technology could find a whole new basis for disguising high performance audio reproduction devices as everyday products – a painting on a family room wall, a projection screen in a board room, a ceiling tile in an office, a hanging banner in a retail store, thus rendering the audio technology itself, completely unobtrusive.

When a German bank approached the company that Amina truly began to push the boundaries of sound technology. The bank wanted a completely invisible product, which would be seamlessly integrated into the fabric of their building. The Amina team rose to the challenge, testing the possibilities of fully

Even though the respective headquarters are just a couple of hundred metres apart, DbM and Amina have a synergy that goes beyond simple proximity. With the recent partnership, the two companies have been able to combine expertise, bringing together DbM’s high-performance solutions with Amina’s cutting-edge invisible audio technology.

Customers are able to have a fully immersive experience that highlights the possibilities of their combined services thanks to DbM’s state-ofthe-art demo space and Amina’s own facility, an extended section of which will open later this year.

Amina considered a partnership essential with DbM as the distributor has firmly established itself in curating very highperformance AV solutions for every part of a client’s home. DbM’s extensive product range provides a complete response to their customers’ needs, whether it be for audio, video, processing, amplification, projection and AV control. With the inclusion of Amina invisible sound, DbM is now able to provide an even broader solution, allowing clients to add incredibly discreet technology to spaces where it does not want to be seen – just heard.

One of the key benefits in partnering with DbM is its supportive technical knowledge, advice, engineering and specification service. From the initial concept to the final installation and beyond, the DbM team collaborates closely with Amina and with customers to develop the best solutions for their needs. With the support of our partners at Redline, operating from Wickford in Essex, its Amina White

Glove installation service provides integrators and customers additional peace of mind that Amina products will be installed, tested and guaranteed by a fully qualified and experienced group of installation professionals.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

The Amina Mobius 5i fully plastered over invisible speakers, which offer incredibly wide dispersion and a low correlation acoustic energy wave to facilitate positive boundary reflections, are perfect for creating high clarity, immersive, room filling soundscapes, even in the most modern open plan spaces.

The ALF100SM ‘almost’ invisible bandpass subwoofer features a very high-performance low profile 10in driver and offers a convenient installation process, a shallow footprint (fits within 4in deep studwork) and delivers impressive, powerful bass through a discreet narrow slot. A powerful fully extended frequency range sound source –moving all the way through to room shaking bass for multi-channel surround sound systems provides a range of 30Hz – 160kHz (- 6db) in a screw-to-stud format for spaces with limited space available in-wall or in-ceiling.

Combine the two and the result is a crisp, clear and incredibly powerful, all-encompassing audio experience allowing the creation of a substantial media listening field or full cinema surround experience without sacrificing any design aesthetic. Both products can be covered with a multitude of surfaces making it one of the most adaptable speakers on the market, providing your client with one of the most elegant spaces imaginable.

BARCO’S ART OF PROJECTION

Barco Residential brings the pinnacle of image and sound technology to the highend home environment. The state-of-the-art Barco Residential projectors are developed, manufactured, and treasured in design centres in Belgium and Norway. They’re designed from the ground up with one goal in mind – to show the best possible images in any setting. From purpose-built lenses and optics to custommade electronics processing and boards, all parts are specially crafted.

THE BARCO STORY

In 1934, Lucien Depuydt started the Belgian American Radio Corporation (BARCO). His ambition was to produce and sell the most hightech radio’s that the world had ever seen. He promoted the radios that he manufactured in his workshop in the Belgian town of Poperinge.

From these early origins, building high-end radios – and, later, televisions – in fantastic wooden cabinets, Barco became the world’s technology leader in ultra-high-end professional visualisation applications – such as Digital Cinema, with over 60% of today’s DLP cinema screens are equipped with Barco projectors.

Nearly 90 years on, Barco Residential has returned to its origins − bringing the best imaging technologies to the world’s finest residences. The brand has once again become ‘Your family’s essential friend’.

D bM AND BARCO JOIN FORCES

Barco Residential and DbM started working together back in 2016, there was a clear plan to ‘demonstrate better’ as showing the integrators the power of Barco is absolutely the best way to showcase the performance and technology.

DbM’s ability to demonstrate multiple projection systems in one demonstration facility really helps our integrators to show their clients just how great projection systems can be. The introduction of LED and Laser (Phosphor or

RGB) light sources along with full DCI projection systems designed for the residential space really elevated the position of projection in the market. The other critical point is supporting the integrators with projection installation design support. DbM has a complimentary Design and Specification service to check projector positioning, throw and offset calculations, provide expected image brightness, laser hazard zones and more.

Barco delivered engineered solutions, something that is very important to the DbM team. We offer engineered solutions which ensure we hit foot Lambert, SPL, viewing and listening angles. Knowing that we can rely on Barco to deliver on their engineering promises is critical for us as a relied-upon partner by our integrators.

The final part of support on any successful project is in the calibration. The DbM team have everything they need to dial in the Barco projectors once the project is ready to be handed over to your client, ensuring the most amazing image quality and the most immersive experience.

Key to DbM’s success is the fantastic demonstration facilities at the HQ in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Since the partnership began, DbM has aimed to demonstrate Barco’s flagship products, leading to its reference theatre currently being equipped with the DCI compliant, RGB laser, Freya projector.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Recently launched to replace the Loki, Hodr is a 3-Chip DLP projector offering 7,500 lumens output, whilst delivering spectacular colour fidelity for an unmatched experience that will delight even the most discerning clients.

Outstanding image quality requires an exceptional light source which is why Barco designed Hodr with a brand-new laser engine, significantly improving image uniformity (95%) over its predecessor. Hodr uses custom

selected lasers to secure that we can deliver DCI/P3 colour gamut. This means that you get huge brightness, incredible colour accuracy and amazing contrast, without compromises.

Hodr features HDR, motorised lenses, and Barco’s unique RealColor processing, which enables simple and accurate calibration to any desired colour standard or white point. Hodr is also one of the first projectors to offer Barco’s new DynaBlack technology improving contrast for both SDR and HDR content. Hodr offers 4K UHD resolution (3,840 x 2,160) for superb image quality. For 2.3x aspect ratio screens, Barco also offer the Hodr CinemaScope with native 5120x2160 resolution, filling the screen without the need to overscan or use an anamorphic lens.

This exceptional projector has recently been installed into the DbM Lounge at company HQ, elevating this already exceptional room to new heights. To book a tour and to experience projection like never before, contact DbM at sales@distributedbym.co.uk

LASER FOCUSED

Barco and DbM tell you what you need to know about laser projectors.

When you partner with the right suppliers and specify the correct projection systems for your home cinema project, you have access to a toolkit of information and resources to get around real world installation challenges. Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at DbM and Bart Devos, Business Development Manager EMEA at Barco Residential sat down to discuss the advantages of laser as a light source and the way to overcome laser hazard zones. Here’s what they had to say.

ADVANTAGES OF LASER AS A LIGHT SOURCE

With projection systems, we always want to have more light output and typically, this meant moving to halogen lamps and then Xenon lamps to get increased light. But, as the light output

increases, so does the heat, which results in the life of the lamp shortening.

When it comes to laser projection systems, we see two types of lasers – one is laser phosphor with a single laser colour, which Barco uses in Balder, Hodr and Njord. As we move up into the DCI range (Barco Residential Freya and above), we have three different colours of lasers (RGB), which gives us the ability to expand the colour space. With regards to HDR content, it is about expanded brightness and darkness, but the colour palette is also increased, which means that you reproduce all the colours that the camera captured.

Laser has a lot of advantages because the light output can be massive. It used to be that a really bright projector would have a maximum of around 4,000 lumens. These days, that’s pretty much where we start, and you can now go up to over 25,000 lumens. But it’s not about having a mega bright picture; it’s just about the projector

being able to handle very large screens or high light environments. As a screen surface area goes up, you need more light output and that’s why these bigger projectors exist.

Ultimately, laser projectors have given us loads of flexibility with being able to work on much larger screens. However, they can, in extreme circumstances, have potential installation issues that you have to overcome –one being the laser hazard zone.

WHAT IS A LASER HAZARD ZONE?

If you’re old enough to recall opening up your portable CD player lid, you may remember being greeted with a little yellow sticker with a picture of a laser on it saying, ‘warning class one laser product’. This was the first time that you might have seen that lasers could be damaging to your eyes.

As the laser light output has increased, there’s a potential in certain scenarios to cause partial or permanent damage to someone’s eyes if you’re within a certain area of the projection systems – this is what is called the laser hazard zone. As responsible distributors, manufacturers and integrators, we need to be aware of these zones and make sure that we are working within the parameters that the manufacturer has provided.

There are two different risk groups - two and three - which have different parameters, areas and safe radius. Depending on the risk category of the laser, there is a space between the lens and then the safe area where you can’t have that placed inside the room. Basically, if a person can get between the lens and that safe area, then

potentially, this can cause damage to the vision of that person.

This may sound daunting, but it’s not something to be scared about and certainly isn’t a reason to not work with laser projectors. It’s just about being aware of this issue and finding a way to overcome it.

Our advice is to ensure that you work with a supplier that alerts you to issues such as the laser hazard zone and provides you with the support you need to specify and install incredible projection systems with total confidence.

Through the DbM and Barco Residential partnership, you are able to send the DbM Design & Specification Service [see page 6 for more information] team your drawings and plans

for the room, so that the team can have as much information as possible to work out whether there is a laser hazard zone. If there is, they will work out what they can do to alter that for you.

Different projects throw up different challenges, but the DbM and Barco Residential teams have never not been able to overcome the challenges in one yet. The reason for this is because a manufacturer like Barco fully documents everything and the DbM design team has the skills and tricks to get around these hazard zones.

To experience Barco Residential projectors alongside other brands such as Meridian and Lumagen, book a visit to the DbM HQ to immerse yourself in true AV excellence.

ULTIMATE SCALING FROM LUMAGEN

Lumagen provides solutions for video switching, calibration, plus deinterlacing and scaling. Together, these allow knowledgeable integrators and enthusiasts to provide the best quality and most accurate video images for their home theatre installations.

Whether you’re looking to scale BluRay for a new 4K UltraHD display, to elevate your experience with studio-quality colour calibration, or to simply want to watch a movie as the director intended, Lumagen video processors will open your eyes. With numerous advanced controls, including Lumagen’s No-Ring scaling, geometry control and 4913-point CMS, your home theatre can reach its full potential.

THE LUMAGEN STORY

Lumagen was founded in 2001 to develop and manufacture low cost, high quality, scaling solutions. Since then, Lumagen has taken the industry by storm and revolutionised the calibration market in the process.

Vision and Vision Pro were the first products that Lumagen launched. They provided a balance between superior picture quality and affordable pricing. In 2004, the company introduced a more advanced digital range. These digital in and out video processors were the first domestic devices to feature parametric multi-point gamma and greyscale adjustments.

In 2007, the Lumagen Radiance range was launched. Since then, Lumagen has continually strived to increase their performance and functionality with constant software

development – with updates such as adding support for 3D formats and 125 point colour gamut LUT adjustments.

D bM AND LUMAGEN JOIN FORCES

Lumagen appointed DbM as a sub-distributor for the Radiance range of video processors in November 2022. The deal allows DbM to meet the demand for integrators to have the ability to process dynamic mapping on HDR content in a more effective way than that which takes place within the projection system.

“We aim to offer the complete solution at DbM,” comments Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at DbM. “We had seen the challenges that dynamic tone mapping presented in our own demonstration rooms, and using content metadata was unreliable, the frame-by-frame approach utilised by Lumagen is the perfect solution. Recognising that Lumagen has been in the business for 20+ years and is a renowned specialist of video processing and video calibration, we knew that they would be the right partner for us. We saw synergy between what we want to achieve for our integrators and what Lumagen offers.”

Integrators purchasing the Radiance range of Lumagen products via DbM will have access to a full calibration service, which will see the Lumagen team visit site to calibrate the system.

“DbM puts performance and customer service at the forefront of its business model,” comments Gordon Fraser, Managing Director of Convergent AV. “The brands it represents,

such as Meridian and Barco, are world renowned for producing reference quality video and audio products. Lumagen has been at the top of the game for video processing solutions for the last 20 years, with the current Radiance Pro platform going from strength to strength as we continue to develop and enhance features and video accuracy.”

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

The Radiance range of processors use Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) processing, so they offer a hardware-based solution. This allows them to be fully programmed by the Lumagen team, meaning integrators have a more reliable and robust platform housed in a compact device with just a 1U form factor.

Regardless of input resolution, the Lumagen processors offer a full suite of resolution enhancement and picture quality improvements, including aspect ratio detection and non-linear stretch. Another massively useful feature (especially considering super lowlatency projectors such as the Barco range) is the video delay option. This feature delays the video signal to the projector, enabling perfect lip-syncing (normally only the audio can be delayed in an audio processor). Small details like this really boost the immersion of a system and draw the viewer in.

The Radiance Pro™ series of video processors enhance the award-winning Radiance video processor family by adding support for 4k60 inputs and outputs, including HDCP 2.2, HDR, and HLG.

TRIUMPH WITH TRINNOV

products for their projects. Dealers can explore the range of solutions from Trinnov at DbM’s HQ in Cambridgeshire, with the DbM Lounge featuring the Trinnov Altitude 16 processor.

“It’s great for DbM and Trinnov to be able to collaborate together to benefit the UK dealer network,” says Tom Garrett, International Sales Manager for Trinnov Audio. “DbM’s commitment to supplying excellent products and Trinnov’s mastery of immersive audio and digital acoustics offers a hard to beat package.”

Trinnov’s diverse team of over 60 passionate people across six time zones shares a deep commitment to audio excellence, bringing hundreds of years of audio engineering and musical experience and extending across all departments of the company.

THE TRINNOV STORY

Before launching Trinnov Audio in 2003, the founding partners began working on fundamental research into high spatial resolution audio in the year 2000, well before today’s immersive audio formats were even conceived. The company name stands for 3D Innovation, derived from a combination of ‘Tri’ and ‘Innovation.’ With a passionate dedication to advancing sound quality, Trinnov brings more experience in the fundamental research and practical implementation of immersive audio than any other manufacturer.

Now represented in 70 countries, with over 10,000 high-performance installations worldwide, Trinnov is uniquely involved in all aspects of audio production.

DBM AND TRINNOV JOIN FORCES

In January 2021, DbM and Trinnov Audio cemented a distribution partnership that allowed DbM to provide its customers with access to the full range of home theatre preamplifiers and processors. “Trinnov is dedicated to providing the highest standard products possible, and it backs this up with continuous research and outstanding customer service,” comments Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at DbM.

Trinnov products are included in DbM’s complimentary Design and Specification Service, which was created to make it quicker and easier for integrators to specify the right

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

The Trinnov Altitude 32 processor features a high channel count with huge processing capabilities to meet the highest technical requirements. It also features exclusive, patented technologies to unleash the full potential of immersive sound, regardless of formats and speaker layouts.

Following in the tradition of the groundbreaking Altitude 32 processor, the Altitude 16 brings Trinnov’s award-winning Speaker/Room Optimizer technology, immersive audio capabilities, active crossovers, and unmatched bass management flexibility to a new, slightly smaller form factor with tremendous value.

D b M AND LG GIVE YOU MORE

LG always strives for innovation, providing ever-improving products to meet all viewing, listening and gaming needs.

THE LG STORY

For decades, LG has invested resources into its audio product development. At the same time, it listens attentively to its global consumer base to deliver higher quality audio experiences. Building on these foundations, the Korean electronics giant partners with other innovating companies to incorporate their expertise into their projects.

The history of LG Electronics has always been surrounded by the company’s desire to create a happier, better life. LG’s philosophy revolves around people, sincerity and sticking to the fundamentals. It is to understand their customers and to offer optimum solutions and new experiences through ceaseless innovation.

D bM AND LG JOIN FORCES

The partnership with LG first initiated between the manufacturer and Meridian in 2017, when it established an agreement to bring high performance audio to more people across the world. During this time, its technology has been used in LG soundbars, headphones and Bluetooth speakers.

Moving on from this agreement, a partnership between DbM and LG developed in May 2022, when LG appointed DbM as the distributor for its large format screen, the MSD3000. At the same time, DbM joined forces with SMS Leddy, a Scandinavian company that has design and manufactured a unique frame and mounting system for a screen of this size.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

The incredible MSD3000 from LG is bigger by a huge 75” than any conventional TV display. Perfect for bright environments, it features 3 in 1 surface mounted diodes (SMD) and fine pitch RGB LED technology to deliver a vivid, punchy image with bold colours and great contrast for large living rooms and open plan spaces. Comprising of 72 individual tiles, the SMDs deliver a superb quality of picture at a wide viewing angle with absolutely no screen burn.

The MSD3000 is available from DbM in a simple, and affordably priced package that covers supply, delivery, installation and support with a long-term five-year warranty package. It can be fitted into living spaces with a unique, free standing or wall mounted solution to provide an attractive aesthetic finish in contemporary interiors.

SMS Leddy is available as an on-wall, free standing or “wall floor” option, providing a great option for cable management, which allows the system to match the client’s decor and also house additional equipment. With options of birch, oak, black and walnut finishes and three different mounting options, the SMS Leddy is a perfect partner for the MSD3000. It comes extensively pre-mounted for easy installation and is ADA compliant.

WORK WITH SONOS

Sonos began with a mission: Help the world listen better. It now provides the backbone to a large number of installations within the UK and is the go-to user interface for millions of clients.

THE SONOS STORY

Sonos (Nasdaq: SONO) is the world’s leading sound experience company. As the inventor of multi-room wireless home audio, Sonos innovation helps the world listen better by giving people access to the content they love and allowing them to control it however and wherever they choose.

Known for delivering an unparalleled sound experience, thoughtful design aesthetic, simplicity of use, and an open platform, Sonos makes the breadth of audio content available to anyone.

D bM AND SONOS JOIN FORCES

In October 2022, DbM expanded its evergrowing distribution portfolio of market-leading

brands by introducing Sonos as a new partner. Appointed as a sub distributor, DbM is making it as easy as possible for its integrators to deploy high-quality distributed audio by offering direct access to the Sonos Port and Amp.

“This new distribution deal is an extension of our adoption of the Works with Sonos™ programme,” comments Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at DbM. “When we got approval for this programme, it soon became clear that if we were to distribute Sonos within DbM, we’d be addressing a market that didn’t have a simple solution to make the life of the integrator easy.

“We provide dealers with the Meridian 218 Zone Controller or 251 Power Zone Controller and a Sonos Port for any project in the UK – ensuring the homeowner can enjoy Meridian’s high-performance audio, whilst using the simple and familiar interface of their Sonos app. For more budget conscious projects, this partnership allows dealers to consider pairing up the Sonos Amp with Amina or Waterfall Audio speakers – while again, still delivering the same user experience.”

Thanks to DbM’s product offering, it is able to combine the flexibility that comes with Sonos with Meridian’s resolution enhancement technologies and incredible loudspeakers –making this the perfect partnership.

“We have enjoyed working with DbM on the Works with Sonos™ programme and it was a natural progression to provide the distributor with a range of products to offer its customers,” comments Stephen Rhead, Sonos Installed Solutions Manager NE Europe. “We believe

that DbM is best placed to distribute Sonos as the team understand the market, recognise the challenges that face dealers and have vast experience in designing high-quality distributed audio systems.”

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Sonos Port allows integrators to bring the Sonos experience to their customer’s existing stereo or receiver and enjoy endless possibilities for multi-room listening. Port allows customers to stream music, radio, audiobooks and more from all their favourite services.

Port is the successor to Connect, delivering richer sound and extending the Sonos platform to traditional audio equipment. Port includes an updated digital-to-analogue converter for clearly detailed sound and a 12V trigger, which automatically turns on your amplifier to more reliably initiate playback. Port also allows you to control content using Apple AirPlay 2 and features a versatile design compatible with a standard AV rack.

DbM also partnered with Flexson who create innovative and practical solutions for every Sonos product. Flexson allows integrators to create the perfect set up for Sonos with a range of premium bespoke accessories, including wall mounts, floor stands, cables and more.

THE MERIDIAN APPROACH – POWERED BY DSP

Des Ford, Technical Marketing Manager at Meridian Audio, explains the power of DSP.

DSP means much more to Meridian than it does to most other audio brands. The three words, ‘Digital’, ‘Signal’ and ‘Processing’ have been entwined in almost everything we’ve done since the 1980s.

As an industry we have experienced the proliferation of DSP in recent times. Most products’ use of DSP is limited to the adjustment of frequency response in some way. And whilst this is a valid approach to offering the functionality of a graphic equaliser, parametric EQ or tone controls, Meridian uses DSP for far more than that.

Every Meridian loudspeaker is a selfcontained audio system comprising of driveunits, amplifiers, digital-to-analogue converters and powerful DSP engineering – all contained within a sophisticated and inert cabinet with a luxurious finish. This design eliminates any electrical interference, noise and distortion that all cables can introduce to the signals they carry. By using digital connections, we open up

the opportunity to take advantage of our DSP technologies without lossy conversion between the analogue and digital domain. The result is a loudspeaker capable of delivering maximum sound-quality, invaluable functionality and added user-controls.

At Meridian, we use DSP to tailor the sound sent to each drive-unit within our loudspeakers. We call this technology ‘Bespoke Signal Mapping’, and it takes the place of the analogue crossover circuits found in passive loudspeakers. BSM performs this task with supreme precision and control.

Our ‘E3 Bass’ technology expands, extends and enhances low-frequency performance, two forms of protection guard against damaging the drive-units, and ‘FFA’ (Full Frequency Alignment) automatically corrects for groupdelay so that all frequencies reach the listener’s ears at the same time.

In addition to the technologies which contribute to audio performance behind the scenes, DSP is harnessed in Meridian loudspeakers to provide integrators and users with features that can be used to overcome issues that are inherent in all audio systems.

One example is Meridian’s ‘Free-Q’ technology, which can compensate for acoustic problems associated with specific loudspeaker placement conditions. When a loudspeaker is placed close to a wall or positioned in a corner, there is a perceived increase in bass output, but the increase is often ‘boomy’ and uncontrolled. We analyse how the bass from each of our loudspeakers behaves when they are used in these locations and, because we know how they should sound when used in free space, we can use our findings to design DSP filtering which counteracts the effect of each type of location. You can select the differing Free-Q settings while listening to music and dial-in the one that does the best job of making the walls disappear!

Another feature which overcomes a problem with many AV installations is ‘Image Elevation’. This helps in situations where the front loudspeakers are installed below the screen being used. To achieve this, we again analysed the sound from our loudspeakers; this time to identify how they sound when positioned at the height of the middle of the screen and compared this to their behaviour when mounted lower in height. Again, we used our findings to engineer a DSP-based solution so that the integrator can dial-in a varying amount of ‘virtual upwards offset’ until the picture and sound ‘snap’ together. Now, of course the sound is still coming from below the screen (our DSP is good, but it can’t cheat the rules of physics!) However, at Meridian, we understand the psychoacoustics

behind how we hear; the human brain ‘wants’ sounds and images to be meshed together – after all, that’s what we’re used to in real-life. Image Elevation gives our perception the helping-hand it’s already looking (and hearing) for!

So, if you’ve read this far, you’ll appreciate that Meridian has chosen to challenge convention in our approach to the design of loudspeakers. Naturally, our aim is to produce the highest possible sound quality from all our products. However, our research also allows

us to break new ground in how we deliver that sound in the real world - both in what happens within the loudspeaker itself, and in the way the loudspeaker works in the installation. The development of our own technologies allows us to offer novel functionality to solve real-world problems faced by integrators every day. What’s not lost on us is that all of this is taking place in the background, while customers enjoy the results, blissfully ignorant of why their playback system delivers an authentic, lifelike and natural listening experience.

DON’T JUST TAKE D b M’S WORD FOR IT…

…Hear what the distributor’s brand partners and customers have to say about them.

BART DEVOS, BARCO RESIDENTIAL

“DbM is everything we as a manufacturer look for in a distributor: a team that’s as passionate as we are about excellent image quality. But not only that: the team is knowledgeable, skilled and trained in a variety of fields. All with one goal in mind: being able to offer the best support and service to integrators and of course the end users so we can all be proud of the magnificent project realisations.”

CEDRIC AUBRIOT, WATERFALL AUDIO

“An important factor for us is that they are a manufacturer of electronics - they understand/ appreciate our manufacturing processes, logistics and philosophy. The sales team know how to sell luxury products, while the marketing team provides us with opportunities. The facility where our products are displayed is superb and they use this space to provide great demos to dealers.”

ANTHONY GALLON, CLEVER ASSOCIATION

“I’m still in shock at just how good the DSP9 loudspeakers are. Could it be the only loudspeaker demo that’ll have the entire room laughing in disbelief!”

PHILIP HOLLAND, IDEAWORKS

“I had a very enjoyable and informative day at DbM live, particularly enjoying meeting with the actual manufacturers themselves, and getting a tour of the DbM facilities. The new Meridian DSP9 was a stand-out, incredible performance in an such an elegant form. The Barco demo was mesmerising #chefskiss”

GARY COTTER, IMAGINE AUDIO VISUAL

“It was an absolute pleasure to be invited as a guest at the DbM open day. Regarding the Meridian DSP9, what a product they have engineered! Beauty and stunning performance in one package. Whenever visiting the HQ, it is impossible not to be intoxicated by the innovation and engineering of products which are hard to resist. Partner this with a host of other engineering led brands and the great team DbM has put together, it’s easy to see a recipe for success!”

LOUISE TARLING, LOUISE TARLING LTD

“We had a great day at the DbM open day with lots of new technologies on show, including some that can’t be mentioned yet. The event began by allocating us into small groups, ensuring we had the opportunity to see and hear the latest offerings from various brands. Ambisonic showcased their new range of incredible outdoor speakers, while Barco introduced us to the impressive Hodr projector. Waterfall demonstrated their Pro Custom range of speakers, and Amina showcased their invisible speakers that can be concealed anywhere, even behind solid marble walls. However, the true showstopper for us was the new Meridian DSP9 loudspeaker, an awe-inspiring listening experiencewith E3 Bass (expand, extend, enhance) technology - and trust me here, you can actually feel the subsonic bass!

The DbM Lounge provided the setting to listen to the astounding sound quality of the Waterfall Elora speakers. Despite just two on-wall speakers and a small sub, the room was filled with rich audio. Additionally, we were treated to a full-on demonstration of the flagship Meridian DSP8000 XEs in the main cinema, as always, leaving us in complete awe as these speakers impress on every level.”

The Pinnacle of Image and Sound