We are pleased to announce the launch of the first HDBaseT™3 matrix product to the market
Using HDBaseT™3 technology, these powerful HDBaseT™ matrix support uncompromised 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 resolutions over distances up to 100m over a CAT6A. The new HMX88-18G and HMX44-18G come into their own with advanced audio features specifically designed for maximising the integration of AV sources in the modern home. Enhanced audio routing is achieved through the integrated audio matrix. This enables the audio from displays (via HDMI ARC or Optical S/PDIF), and all other sources to be embedded and routed through the system at the users discretion. The inclusion of a 1Gb Ethernet channel allows for LAN serving to all HDBT outputs / zones as required, IR and RS-232 pass-through, advanced EDID management, and PoC provide the ultimate flexibility.
The combination of these technology features enable our installation partners the ability to create a truly immersive AV experience throughout the home.
NEW
HMX88-18G
8x8 HDBaseT™3 AV Matrix
• Uncompressed / unconverted 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 to 100m
As we put together this issue, the fact that EI Live! 2024 draws ever nearer starts to occupy our thoughts on an increasing scale.
It always marks an important waypoint in the year when we prepare our first previews of the show, which of course you can sample in this issue, but keep an eye on the website for updates right up until the show opens on September 18-19 at its firmly established home of the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre. This year’s event promises to be a landmark occasion, offering unparalleled opportunities for professionals within the smart building, luxury AV and home automation sectors.
The Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, known for hosting world-class events, provides the perfect backdrop for EI Live! and for the first time this year, the prestigious Smart Building Awards as well. This move to a new venue underscores the growth and importance of the Smart Building Awards, reflecting the dynamic nature of our industry and the importance of supporting excellence right across the sector.
WHY VISIT?
Why should installers mark their calendars and ensure their attendance at the show?
Firstly, it serves as a comprehensive platform to explore the latest innovations, products and solutions driving the smart building, home automation and luxury markets. The exhibition floor will be bustling with leading manufacturers and service providers showcasing cutting-edge technologies that are set to redefine the future of intelligent buildings and highperformance entertainment experiences.
For installers, the show is more than just an exhibition; it’s an invaluable educational
experience. Attendees will have access to a wealth of knowledge through a series of insightful seminars, workshops, and live demonstrations. These sessions are designed to enhance your technical skills, expand your knowledge base, and provide actionable insights that can be directly applied to your projects.
Moreover, the networking opportunities at EI Live! are second to none. Whether you are looking to forge new business relationships, connect with industry veterans, or discuss collaborative opportunities, the show provides a vibrant environment to meet and interact with peers. The collective expertise gathered in one place makes it a breeding ground for innovation and professional growth. EI has spent loads of time out on the road already this year and has seen some truly remarkable progress across loads of sectors in our market, so this year’s show is set to be a real barnstormer.
Adding to the allure of EI Live!, this year the prestigious Smart Building Awards are yet again set to take place during the show, but this year at the same venue! Recognising the best and brightest, the awards ceremony offers a unique opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable achievements of our peers and inspire future advancements. Special arrangements such as shuttle buses from the Village Hotel to and from the awards venue will be in place. The exact location of the Awards will be the Inspire Suite on the floor above the main show floor.
EI Live! 2024 is an unmissable event for installers and industry professionals. It represents a unique convergence of knowledge, innovation, and networking that can propel your business and career forward. So, put the dates in your electronic calendar, tell your friends, put a note on the fridge, whatever works for you, just make sure you register and attend! See you there!
eiliveshow.com
GETTING IN TOUCH
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Daniel J Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com
SALES DIRECTOR
Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com
GROUP AD MANAGER
Claire Talty, claire@allthingsmedialtd.com
PUBLISHER
David Kitchener, david@allthingsmedialtd.com
STUDIO MANAGER
Mark Weller, mark@allthingsmedialtd.com
ACCOUNTS
susan@allthingsmedialtd.com
Essential Install magazine, Suite 14, 6-8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Chatham, Kent ME5 8UD
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The editors and publishers do not necessarily agree with the views expressed by contributors, nor do they accept responsibility for any errors in the transmission of the subject matter in this publication. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that everything is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur.
In all matters, the editor’s decision is final. Editorial contributions to Essential Install magazine are welcomed, and the editor reserves the right to alter or abridge text prior to the publication. All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.
ADDING VALUE EVERYWHERE
Almost two decades of success in commercial and residential AV gives us the versatility to support your projects in residential, marine, retail, hospitality and beyond, in spaces large or small, no matter how complex the challenges.
A proven track record of brand and technology introduction ensures that the solutions provided are uniquely featured and backed by industry leading system and technical support.
In these ways we help our partners to stand out, flourish and grow.
More than the sum of the brands we proudly represent, CUK supports our partners with complementary services including system specification and design, RP22 design support, acoustic modelling, commissioning support, and training.
Niko Rocker
Handcrafted in Belgium and made using today’s technology and materials,it celebrates authentic, vintage design.
Niko Toggle
Niko Toggle references one of Niko’s original Bakelite® toggle switches, launched in 1928, and gives it a contemporary twist.
Moss Technical
t:
ALL
THINGS
MEDIA LTD (ATM) TAKES INTEREST IN SSUMEDIA LIMITED (SSUM)
Expanding the reach and offering of both entities, All Things Media Ltd, owner of Essential Install, ECN and DCNN trade titles, has taken a shareholding in multi-media innovators SSUMEDIA LIMITED (SSUM)
After partnering with SSUM on several key projects, including the promotion of EI Live! a new relationship has been forged which sees ATM take a major interest in SSUM in order to forge an even stronger proposition for both companies.
With the fast pace of change in the way companies within the smart home and luxury AV worlds communicate, there is a need to provide a crucible of multiple avenues that service the needs of the whole industry. SSUM draws on 20 years of experience garnered by founders David Fell and Ben Davies at the sharp end of the smart home industry. The directors in the new collaboration will be David Fell, Ben Davies, David Kitchener and Ian Kitchener. With Essential Install offering the industry’s leading print magazine, website and live show experience with EI Live!, the company has been looking at ways to offer even more ways for businesses to connect and communicate. After partnering with SSUM on several key projects –including the promotion of EI Live! – a new relationship has been forged which sees ATM take a major interest in SSUM in order to forge an even stronger proposition for both companies.
Offering stunning photography, videography, engaging vlogs and podcasts, SSUM’s services will now be offered alongside the editorial and live show platform provided by Essential Install to deliver an unprecedented multi-media powerhouse to the smart home and luxury AV markets. SSUM services will also be offered alongside other ATM brands, including Electrical Contracting News (ECN) and Data Centre & Network News (DCNN). Cross pollination promotion and team building within this new organisation will offer a new opportunity to the market to carry their important messages to every corner of where the industry gathers to interact and learn.
New multimedia offering has been announced
SSUM ssumedia.com All Things Media allthingsmedialtd.com
PEOPLE WILLING TO SPEND OVER £21,000 TO SECURE A SMART HOME
Samsung has released the latest data from its Smart Home Buyers Index 2024 (SHBI) – demonstrating the strength of the market opportunity for developers and homebuilders – with 79% of people surveyed saying that they want a smart home.
What’s more, they’re willing to pay an average premium of 7.7% on the average UK house price of £282,776, a value of around £21,774. With the smart home market predicted to show a compound annual growth rate of 11.66% between 2024 and 2028 and generate projected revenues of approximately £8.6bn in 2024 alone, it’s clear that this movement is only gathering pace.
Financial concerns were chief among those looking for a smart home. In addition to the 63% of people who wanted cost savings through technology, around 70% of respondents highlighted energy efficiency as a key motivation in using smart technology, with 84% wanting to save money on their energy bills.
This interest in energy-efficient devices and appliances was supported by Samsung’s analysis of search volumes, where searches for smart energy appliances rose nearly 60% from April 2023 to April 2024.
The focus on energy efficiency should be welcome news for an industry that is gearing up for the current UK Government’s Future Homes and Buildings Standards, which requires that new homes built from 2025 produce 75% to 80% less carbon than homes delivered under previous regulations.
This comes into effect in 2025 and those homebuilders and developers that incorporate the appropriate future-proofed technologies, can support people in their quest for energy efficiencies and cost savings in the future, particularly as newer technologies become available.
After energy efficiency and cost savings, home security was the biggest reason people were looking to integrate smart technology, with 75% of people wanting peace of mind and to safeguard their homes with connected security features such as doorbells or cameras.
Samsung samsung.com
Interest in off the peg smart homes is rising
UNIQUE SOLUTIONS
We specialise in home cinemas and distributed audio systems that deliver exceptional quality and unparalleled performance.
DESIGN & SPECIFICATION
Our complimentary design & specification service provides integrators with a customised, expertly designed, and integrated AV solutions.
DEMONSTRATION FACILITIES
We specialise in designing high-end audio-visual systems for luxury homes and residential spaces.
COMMISSIONING AND CALIBRATION
Providing expert calibration and commissioning services, we ensure your systems are set up for optimal performance and user experience. Book your experience at sales@distributedbym.co.uk
WIN A KRIX MX-20!
As part of the company’s 50 years in the business celebrations, the company has launched an exciting opportunity to win an MX-20.
Krix is thrilled to continue celebrating its 50year anniversary with the company’s largest ever giveaway! The ‘Win an MX-20’ competition is offering one fortunate winner the opportunity to experience the abilities of the ‘state-of-theart’ Krix MX-20 home cinema speaker system.
The MX-20 provides a true commercial cinema experience at home, but can substituted for other Krix products to the value of an MX-20 in any global region.
The entry requirement is in 50 words or less, describe your ultimate Krix dedicated home cinema and give it a name that resonates with your cinematic vision. To enter visit www.krix. com.au/winmx20 and complete the entry form. All entrants will receive a 10% off discount code for the brand new Krix merchandise store, the Krix Collection.
The competition is already open for entries but does not close until Sunday, October 6 2024, at 11.59pm (AEST)
The winner will be announced on Saturday, October 12 2024 at the StereoNET Hi-Fi & AV Show, Melbourne, Australia.
Gary Krix, Managing Director of Krix, says, “Krix’s 50th anniversary is a testament to our commitment to innovation and engineering in the audio industry. We’re thrilled to continue our celebration with this extraordinary giveaway, and we eagerly anticipate announcing the winner at the StereoNET Hi-Fi and AV Show where Krix will be exhibiting again.”
Participants must be 18 years or older and the competition is open to legal residents of
VICOUSTIC ANNOUNCES MAJOR NEW FACILITY
Vicoustic, a leading innovator in sustainable acoustic solutions, has inaugurated one of the world’s most modern acoustic treatment factories in Portugal, marking a major milestone in its commitment to environmental responsibility.
Vicoustic officially opened its new facility in Paços de Ferreira, Portugal, during a grand event that welcomed partners from 28 countries. This cutting-edge factory significantly boosts Vicoustic’s production capabilities, enabling
Australia, France, United Kingdom, Hungary, Israel, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Netherlands, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and United Arab Emirates and void where prohibited by law. Participants must also ensure their subscription to the Krix newsletter is active and confirmed by the date of the drawing.
Krix www.krix.com.au/winmx20
the ongoing development and manufacture of eco-friendly acoustic panels and sound booths made primarily from recycled materials.
The 2024 Vicoustic Convention served as the platform for the grand opening, attracting business partners from around the globe. Attendees toured the new facility, observed the acoustic product manufacturing process, explored the R&D labs for sound testing and previewed a new product range.
The construction of this modern industrial complex reflects Vicoustic’s commitment to enhanced production efficiency and environmental stewardship. The facility incorporates sustainable practices, such as solar panels, reduced consumption and minimised waste through the reuse of leftover materials for packaging.
Vicoustic’s commitment to sustainability is exemplified in its production of acoustic solutions using recycled materials, including VicPET Wool, made primarily from oceanrescued plastic bottles. This innovative material is used in the company’s Virtual Material Technology (VMT) acoustic panels and the interiors of VicBooth soundproofing booths.
Vicoustic vicoustic.com
A big give away celebrating 50 years of Krix
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NEW INNOVATION PARK ANNOUNCED FOR ISE 2025
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) has announced a brand-new Innovation Park for ISE 2025. Centrally located in Congress Square, this initiative is set to take place on every show day from February 4-7, 2025 which organisers promise will be an unmissable opportunity for startups to showcase breakthrough business ideas and connect with industry leaders. Innovation Park will include a dedicated Investors Lounge as well as a Pitching Stage programmed on all four days of the show by start-up venture capital experts Plug & Play.
Innovation Park will be the epicentre of entrepreneurship at ISE 2025. This new and dedicated space is crafted to support and amplify the efforts of startups – those companies in the early stages of operations with a unique product or service offering, who are looking to scale up quickly. Providing an opportunity to expand their capabilities through valuable connections with ISE’s professional audience key features of Innovation Park include an Exhibition Area space with promotional pods to showcase the latest innovations, a Pitching Stage managed by Plug and Play, one of the world’s leading early-stage venture capital firms, the Innovation Park Pitching Stage offers startups a platform to present their innovations. The area will
also include an Investors Forum, an exclusive event designed to offer investors and startups additional exposure and opportunities. This initiative also promises a Matchmaking / Networking Lounge to facilitate strategic connections between startups and potential partners. There will also be a Startup Networking Evening Event allowing startups to build relationships in a relaxed atmosphere.
Applications to take part in Innovation Park are now open. For an investment of 1.500 EUR, successful startup applicants that meet the criteria will be given a turnkey 6sqm promotional pod to showcase their innovation and access a high-quality professional audience.
ISE iseurope.org
KNX UK NATIONAL CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE SEPTEMBER 5
KNX UK is excited to announce its upcoming National Conference, a pivotal event designed for professionals in the building automation, construction, building design and electrical engineering industries, set to take place on Thursday September 5 at SAMA Bankside in London.
This year’s conference will offer a dynamic and interactive agenda aimed at equipping attendees with the knowledge to thrive amidst changing regulations and technological advancements. Notably, the event will provide critical insights into PSTI and RED Compliance and KNX IoT. Organisers say this one-day event promises a rich program filled with expert insights, practical applications and strategic guidance in the rapidly evolving world of building automation.
Featured speakers include Jesús Arias on the global expansion of KNX IoT and Alex Buchan CEng., who will provide crucial updates on PSTI and RED compliance affecting all levels of the supply chain within the UK and EU markets. Other guest speakers include Harry Doling of Umbra Shading and the KNX UK Chairman, Iain Gordon.
Attendees will benefit from CPD opportunities, product demonstrations, and discussions designed to enhance understanding
and proficiency in implementing KNX technology. The 2024 National Conference is a platform for manufacturers, distributors, integrators, and consultants to connect, share insights and explore collaboration opportunities. Organisers encourage industry stakeholders to engage in project forums, discussions with KNX experts and get handson experience with the latest KNX innovations during product demonstrations.
The event will also celebrate standout innovations and contributors within the KNX UK community, highlighting their achievements and inspiring future excellence.
All attendees will enjoy a free lunch and refreshments throughout the day, with a licensed bar available to facilitate networking in a relaxed atmosphere.
KNX UK is committed to delivering a conference that not only provides essential industry knowledge but also fosters an environment of growth and advancement for professionals across the board. We encourage all members and industry stakeholders to attend this transformative event.
KNX UK knx.org
For more information on the conference agenda and to register, please visit our website at https://knxuk. org/2024/06/13/stronger-together/
AUDIOCONTROL APPOINTS TWO DISTRIBUTORS FOR THE UK MARKET
AudioControl has announced the appointment of two distributors for the UK market. Custom AV Distribution and Aldous Systems will present the AudioControl product lineup, including advanced Dante-enabled multi-zone amplifiers and home cinema receivers, processors and amplifiers to integration pros and home theatre specialists across the UK.
Founded in 2014, Custom AV Distribution (CAVD) supplies architectural AV products for residential applications to technology integrators across the UK. CAVD represents some of the finest residential AV manufacturers from around the world, providing a headquarters and showroom in Marlow where prospective clients can experience the latest technologies. CAVD offers extensive
training and system design support services to their customers across the UK.
“We are thrilled to have been selected by AudioControl to distribute this iconic brand to dealers across the UK,” explains Jamie Pullen, Director at CAVD. “AudioControl is a provider of best-in-class multi-zone and home cinema entertainment products, and adding this respected brand to the CAVD portfolio demonstrates our commitment to the CI channel.” Based in Aylesbury, UK, Aldous Systems was founded in 2002 and is a distributor of premium technologies for residential and commercial applications. Serving professional installers, Aldous Systems offers networking, security, building control, audio, video, and structured cabling. Aldous Systems places an emphasis on training and support services, providing both online and in-person training resources. These services leverage the advanced technical background of the Aldous team to support integrators as needed through each project.
“We are excited to bring AudioControl multizone audio and home cinema solutions to our integration partners across the UK,” says Aldous Systems owner Jason Aldous. “AudioControl has been a highly respected audio manufacturer known for creating innovative, award-winning products that support installation pros for nearly 50 years. We are confident that these outstanding solutions will be a perfect addition to our product mix at Aldous.”
Jamie Pullen (R) James Trumper
Jason Aldous (R) Jeff Murray
ENTER THE IMMERSIVE WORLD OF INFRASONICS
SMSG50, 50-inch Active Infrasonic Subwoofer
Beyond the audible range and the limits of traditional subwoofers, infrasonic frequencies add a new dimension to the experience of home cinema immersion. For years Ascendo Immersive Audio has been perfecting their delivery, overcoming huge technical and performance challenges to create a range of infrasonic subwoofers that generates pressure waves as low as 5Hz, reproducing the hidden frequencies and harmonics in your film and music content you don’t hear but feel all around you. In this way, Ascendo defines the difference between merely listening and being there!
Infrasonic models include THE 24 SUB (24-inch driver), THE 32 SUB (32-inch driver), THE 50 SUB (50-inch driver) and the THE 80 SUB (80-inch driver).
Further information: 01423 358846, info@karma-av.co.uk, www.karma-av.co.uk
THE AWE VILLAGE IS BACK AT EI LIVE! 2024
AWE is back for EI Live! 2024 with a host of exclusive previews and exciting products on show for the first time!
The AWE Village offers visitors an interactive opportunity to see, hear and learn about the latest innovations from AWE’s premium portfolio of distributed brands, some of which will be revealed nearer the time. From high quality audio, visual and home cinema systems, through to control and automation solutions, installers can discover what’s new for residential projects from world-leading brands including: Adeo, Bowers & Wilkins, Classé, Denon, Epson, HDAnywhere, HEOS, Hisense, LG, Marantz, Panasonic, Sanus, Silent Gliss, Sony, Stealth Acoustics and URC.
“The AWE Village will be a buzzing space to discover new products, be inspired and network. Come and meet the team in our café! Visitors will not only see a wide range of new products from our leading brands, but representatives from the manufacturers will be alongside the AWE team to give advice, answer questions and provide live demonstrations during the show,” says Stuart Tickle, Managing Director at AWE.
NEW PRODUCTS
There’s plenty to get excited about at the AWE Village – as well as new product announcements visitors will experience the first showing of the new Marantz M1 streaming amplifier at a trade show. Born from decades of Marantz heritage and engineering expertise, this new generation of wireless streaming amplifier provides 100W per channel of high-quality, low-distortion amplification, delivering pristine sound to a wide variety of speakers. Marantz M1 has you covered for a wide variety of high-resolution music streaming, with support for HEOS, AirPlay2, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, HDMI eARC and onboard Dolby Digital+ processing.
For the first time since AWE announced its partnership with Stealth, visitors can see the new line-up of Stealth Invisible Speakers, including the brand new next generation LineaRadiance speakers, only available from AWE. These come with a 20-year warranty and have a new and improved design, build and
sound quality that must be heard, if not seen! Stealth will be showcased at the entrance of AWE’s Networking Café, a space to enjoy a coffee meeting with the AWE team of experts.
TWO PROJECTION DEMO ROOMS
AWE distributes Sony and Epson projectors, both of which are market leaders. Each brand will have a dedicated projection booth showing off their latest and greatest products. Come and meet with the representatives, find out about their models, and compare the outstanding image quality with the competition.
Both demo rooms will be supported with an Adeo projection screen, speakers from Bowers & Wilkins and amplification by Marantz.
AWE VILLAGE SQUARE
The bustling heart of the AWE Village, this is where visitors can get hands-on with AWE distributed brands.
In the AWE TV Gallery space, visitors can view the latest TV line-ups for 2024 from LG and
Sony. The line-up from LG includes the LG OLED evo G4 Series, featuring five screen sizes up to 97in and evo C4 Series with six screen sizes up to 83in. The latest models feature an incredibly powerful α9 Gen3 AI Processor upgrade, increased brightness and colour accuracy, as well as amazing clarity and detail.
Visitors can also explore the benefits of URC Total Control including the brand new TRC-1120 handheld remote, the latest TDC5100 five inch tabletop touch screen, and hugely popular HDA Amplification. URC starts as an entry-level, simple-to-install home automation platform ideal for single rooms but has all the building blocks to fulfil the largest and most complex of installations.
Bowers & Wilkins will feature highly in this area, with the latest Class D digital amplifiers showing alongside the unbelievable ISW-8
in-wall subwoofer, and a wide portfolio of inceiling, in-wall and floor standing loudspeakers.
Hisense will also showcase its range of UST projector TVs here, perfectly positioned on Kinetik KLIF UST Projector stands. Reaching up to 2400 ANSI lumens at peak brightness and featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 to further enhance clarity on a screen size from 90in up to 130in, the Hisense PX2-PRO delivers an impressive, yet affordable home cinema experience.
Automated window treatments by Silent Gliss will also be on display, and for racking and mounting requirements there will be a range of the hugely popular professional solutions from Sanus on show.
VISIT THE AWE VILLAGE
The AWE Village will be a bustling hub for custom installers to explore high-performance, high-impact technologies for every high-end home installation. If you’re planning a visit to EI Live! this September, make a stop at the AWE Village top of your list.
TFC IN THE DRIVING SEAT
A chance meeting at British GT led to a giant auction prize for Together for Cinema.
While Durgesh Sinh, founding Director of Nucleus AV, and James Trumper, Director of OneAV, were watching the Silverstone Classic, they were introduced to DTO Motorsport. A year passed, and then DTO contact the pair to discuss some AV requirements for their office and workshop space. The conversation highlighted a missed opportunity, one that they could help with. After a few more conversations DTO can boast a fantastic resource and Together for Cinema was able to auction money-can’t-buy prizes for its latest charity auction.
DTO Motorsport exists to make the very best motorsport drive experiences, driver training programmes, and race coaching possible. The company has established itself as a trusted name in the industry, bringing expertise, passion, and dedication to creating the very best motorsports experiences.
“We got talking to the team at their office and workshop space,” Durgesh recalls. “As we chatted, we realised that their warehouse space was really under-utilised but could become a vibrant space with a little help from some AV
equipment. We chatted together with our good friends from OneAV and before we knew it, we had come up with a plan! We designed a fantastic space for them in the warehouse, plus upgraded their reception and office spaces.”
Nucleus AV is an installation company with a difference. Working on high-end, luxury projects, Nucleus AV can provide solutions for all aspects of modern living. From initial client brief right through the design and construction phases, working closely with the client, architects, interior designers and construction team to provide a bespoke high end uncompromised solution.
Once Nucleus had teamed up with One AV, Durgesh and then One AV company director James Trumper came up with a solution. The pair would refit a disused area of the warehouse as part of a sponsorship deal. DTO Motorsport would benefit from new equipment situated in multi-use and welcoming areas for clients plus an ongoing support package. In return, Nucleus and One AV would have their logo included in the team’s livery and benefit from a number of track days with DTO.
“OneAV supplied 160in LED display and HDANYWHERE MHUB 8x8 PRO 2.0 Video Matrix,” OneAV’s Chris Pinder explains. “Audio distribution and amplification was taken care of with the HDANYWHERE MZMA. There are HDMI Extenders for remote source inputs, Bluesound Node for Music Streaming, DTECH Cabling Solutions and multiple KEF speakers including LS60 Wireless Active Speakers. It’s a super high-tech solution.”
Nucleus Supplied two 110in LED Video Walls and a 55in display, and all the installation work, which include creating decorative recesses for these to be installed within.
The really exciting part came when Durgesh and Chris realised that they could squeeze even more goodness from their new-found partnership, as Durgesh continues.
“We realised that our allocation of race experiences could do some real good if they were auctioned at Together for Cinema’s Million Pound Dinner. These days out are so special and it’s a real buzz, so we hoped it would raise a decent amount of money.”
The space has added real benefit to the DTO warehouse, they hosted an event for the beginning of the 2024 F1 season, not just a watch party but also incorporating the company’s stock of super cars!
“It’s really interesting to see the difference a decent understanding of the power of AV can offer,” Durgesh continues. “Before the sponsorship deal there was the understanding that hosting events could be a benefit to the company, but until they had the space to do it in, it just couldn’t happen. The addition of sound and video equipment has given them the opportunity to host watch parties, provides interactive backgrounds for the cars, plus gives the social media team a fantastic space to post from. It’s a real game changer in terms of how they can now utilise their office spaces.”
The biggest change has been for Together For Cinema. Auction prizes for events supported by companies like Nucleus and OneAV provide much needed awareness and funding for TFC projects. With the money raised by the generosity of Together for Cinema supporters makes a massive difference to the lives of children across the country and provides a safe and fun environment for their families in times of stress.
“It’s so rewarding to be involved with Together for Cinema,” says Durgesh. “I love that it’s a charity that is actually using our industry skills, it really connects you to the cause. There was so much generosity on the night that we were able to double up the prize and donate two track days to the highest bidders, so the charity benefits and we get to feel really special doing something good for such a great cause.”
“For One AV and Nucleus to kindly donate one of their DTO Motor Experience day ‘credits’ was hugely generous,” concludes TFC Founder, Ian Morrish. “But for them to agree, on the night, to add a second was fantastic and helped raise much needed funds for Together For Cinema. We’re so grateful and I’m sure the auctions winners will have a truly fantastic day!”
VICOUSTIC: SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN!
Tom Hawes (Senior Sales Specialist) and Simon Gibbs (Head of Sales) recently took on a fact finding mission to Vicoustic HQ. They discovered a company working at the cutting edge of acoustic treatment, able to deliver all their knowledge directly into your AV and smart home projects.
All installers are aware that acoustic treatment for AV projects, such as media rooms and home cinemas, is a vital part of delivering the best performance. Many are also aware that acoustic treatment can work wonders for less obvious spaces, such as an echoey dining room or kitchen. However, it’s a challenge to find a partner with the knowledge and the products to deliver solutions that can be easily fitted into projects, combined with the support to make sure the right choices and installation approaches are used. However, we feel we have the answer to these issues in Vicoustic, a company that not only understands the technology but also meets the challenges facing installers.
Tom explains, “Vicoustic is an innovative acoustic treatment company. They make acoustic panels for residential and commercial markets, focusing on improving the acoustic environments in which people work, play music and watch films. “They offer a really versatile, real-world, and extensive range of acoustic panels for multiple applications and aesthetic priorities. Ever since Pulse Cinemas started working with the brand back in 2017, we have been hugely impressed by the knowledge within the company and also the constant progress that the company has made to keep improving its offering.”
This progress includes recently opening one of the world’s most advanced factories for the creation of acoustic materials and treatments.
Tom reveals, “On our recent trip, Simon and I enjoyed a full tour of Vicoustic’s new building, which houses a new production facility for improving production capacity and speed of delivery. This building also incorporates new offices, training areas and reception spaces to welcome integrators and distributors. We met with Cesar Carapinha, CEO; Per Larsen, Vice President; Ekaterina Carapinha, CFO; and Carla Afonso, Marketing Director.
“We were able to visit key areas such as the company’s in-house acoustic chamber,
which is a cutting-edge facility that can convert from a reverberation chamber into an anechoic chamber, allowing both diffuse field and free field conditions to be achieved. This gives the acoustic engineers the ability to test and develop a huge range of different products, meeting a growing range of use-case scenarios that dealers encounter. This impressive space has features such as a 4-ton motorised mechanical wall which can be placed in different positions, making it possible to study any product sample at precise frequencies.”
The Vicoustic team outside the company’s new state of the art facility
The company celebrated the opening of this new facility recently during the ‘Vicoustic Convention’, which served as a platform for the grand opening, attracting business partners from around the globe.
Tom continues, “Clearly, the company has invested heavily in its ability to continue to innovate, allowing for increased production speeds so dealers can benefit from quicker delivery times. It will allow for larger storage capacity of products, boosting the logistics the company can offer. Ultimately, Vicoustic has positioned itself to develop a wider range of products and deliver them to market faster and more efficiently.”
SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
In a world where environmental concerns are increasingly important for many customers and the industry in general, Vicoustic has been active in this area as well.
Tom explains, “Producing acoustic solutions in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way has been at the forefront of Vicoustic’s mind for quite some time. In 2017, Vicoustic began a new path in the acoustic design world with its development and production of a new, sustainable raw material, VicPET Wool. The company delivered the first product line using this material, Vicoustic VMT. VicPET Wool is a non-woven textile with superb acoustic performance that is predominantly made from ocean-recovered recycled plastic bottles. Through extensive research and testing, Vicoustic fine-tuned this material, which can now be found across a range of the company’s products. This includes acoustic panels and clouds such as Flat Panel VMT, ViCloud VMT Flat, ViCloud VMT 3D, VicWallpaper VMT,
Vicoustic’s commitment in this area has directly led to the recycling of 250 tons of plastic, equivalent to around 22 million standard PET bottles (500ml), from the start of production with this raw material until the end of 2019. The commitment to making products in an environmentally friendly way is also being extended across the whole of the Vicoustic product line and is an integral part of future product development for the company. The goal is to replace all foam-based products with VicPET Wool and be a leading example for the use of sustainable materials. The new facility also incorporates sustainable practices, such as solar panels, reduced consumption and minimised waste through the reuse of leftover materials for packaging.
Sustainability is not limited to manufacturing. Vicoustic’s aim for a greener product is also evident in the quality and durability of the company’s creations, designed to have a long and lasting life.
Tom reveals his thoughts on what some of the key lines from the brand are right now, “The VicPattern Ultra Wavewood is the most iconic panel from Vicoustic. With its unique design, it is a popular choice, along with the Cinema Round, DC3, and VMT panels, which can be custom printed to fit in with any aesthetic ambition or colour palette. Dealers can call or email any time to find out more and, of course, visit the Pulse Cinemas showroom in Stansted, where we have an extensive range of Vicoustic panels on display showing just what the range can do.”
Pulse Cinemas pulsecinemas.com
Vixagon VMT, the VicOffice line, and the new GEN_VMT line.”
JBL CINEMA SOUND
SO EASY TO ENJOY
Stylish, intuitive, scalable and attainable, JBL’s new Modern Audio (MA) Series of AVRs delivers class-leading performance and lifestyle ease of use to a wide range of projects, says CUK MD Stuart Thomson.
In the early 2000s CEDIA ran an ad campaign in the high-end retail media. Featuring cosy home settings, it pitched the promise of ‘making the most entertaining and useful home-electronic systems feel like part of the family’. Over two decades on, that pledge to make advanced AV technology easy to live with and enjoy remains the key value proposition from CI to its customers. Which is why JBL’s new MA Series of stylish, user-friendly, high-performance AVRs will be a natural choice for so many applications.
SCALABLE HIGH PERFORMANCE THAT COMES WITH THE NAME
Developed by JBL engineers at Northridge, California, the feature-rich MA Series spans a range of competitive price points (£499, £699, £999, £1,399 and £1,899 Inc VAT). All five AVRs from the MA310, MA510 and MA710 to the line topping MA7100 and MA9100 are equipped with Class D amplification, Dolby Atmos and DTS decoding (including DTS:X), high resolution 192kHz 24-bit DACs, a generous choice of input sources, ARC and Bluetooth smartphone pairing, all complemented by rising power capabilities and channel counts from 5.2 to 9.2 as you move up the range. Above the entry model, the lineup offers 8K video processing and connectivity (HDMI 2.1), HDR10+ and Wi-Fi for network streaming via the likes of Apple AirPlay, Chromecast and Spotify. In addition, the 7100 and 9100 models are DIRAC Live ready and are compatible with all major automation systems.
Given JBL’s reputation for pioneering innovation and superior sound quality since the earliest days of cinema sound, the technical development of such a highperformance product family was never going to be a challenge for the engineering team, but this wasn’t enough for the first range of fully featured AVRs to carry the JBL badge. They had to be easy to enjoy.
JBL SOUND MEETS LIFESTYLE DESIGN
JBL has deployed the marketing nous behind its globally successful smart speaker ranges to deliver new levels of lifestyle convenience to the AVR market. Working with focus groups involving thousands of end-users, a vast team of industrial/UI designers has fine-tuned design aesthetics and operational simplicity. Reflecting new user priorities, the traditionally intimidating array of menus, front panel and remote buttons is replaced by the sparsest, most ergonomically efficient and logical control layouts, mirrored on all models and designed make access to all the features as intuitive as possible. The streamlined MA Series gives your customers the controls that they need, at their fingertips, when they need them.
Set-up is as simple. Using the free-of-charge EZ Set EQ mobile app for iOS and Android, users can calibrate the system to match their space in minutes.
NEW WAYS WITH COLOUR
And when modern décor is invariably neutral and accessories like games consoles are often white, it’s no surprise that JBL’s research revealed a customer preference for a lighter/darker colour choice. Hence the slimline MA Series is available in both white (latte) and black (expresso).
EASY ACCESS TO CLASS-LEADING AUDIO
Leaping straight from the CI playbook, the new JBL MA Series AVRs deliver high performance with the freedom of simplified operation, all wrapped up in gorgeous aesthetic and ergonomic design. To borrow another line from that original CEDIA ad, they will indeed supply ‘the best that home technology has to offer –and make it easy to use’.
To explore capabilities for your future projects and talk to us about help with system design and specification, please contact:
Engineered by JBL at Northridge, California, the new MA Series AVRs combine great sound with the most intuitive control
A BRIGHT FUTURE AT FARNBOROUGH
As anticipation for this year’s EI Live! show grows, preparations at the show’s home of the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre are beginning. Here we present just a few of the highlights visitors can look forward to. Keep an eye on the Essential Install website for show news right up until the show (September 18-19), as well as Part Two of our Preview in the September issue.
The first big news out of the blocks for EI Live! 2024 was announced on July 10 as HDA revealed a special Keynote is taking place in the Inspire Suite on the floor above the show at 11 AM on the first day of the event, September 18. The Keynote will introduce exciting new uControl devices, a redesigned and rebuilt uControl Remote and a transformed uControl App.
HDA Managing Director Chris Pinder, along with some special guests, will take to the stage to present and run through the much-anticipated uControl system’s functionality, final specs and core technologies, as well as deliver an overview of partner brand integrations, pricing and shipping information.
Chris says, “With most of the UK CI community attending EI Live! 2024, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to get the uControl message out to as many installers as possible.”
STEINWAY & SONS MODEL S SOUNDBAR
The Steinway & Sons Model S Soundbar redefines soundbar performance, delivering extraordinary clarity, outstanding musicality, and exceptionally powerful bass. Made from machined solid aluminum panels, available in immaculate high gloss black with gold details, and with signature strings at the sides, the Model S Soundbar is as beautiful as it is timeless, built to last for decades.
The ci series incorporates cutting edge technologies and audio quality from the world-renowned PMC studio monitors that have been responsible for countless hit records and movies, in the ultimate slimline, high-performance on-wall and in-wall loudspeakers.
• SLICK, EFFORTLESS INSTALLATION
• STUDIO SOUND QUALITY & RELIABILITY
• BEAUTIFUL BEZEL-LESS DESIGN
• NO DISTURBANCE TO ADJOINING ROOMS
• VAST, EVEN SOUND COVERAGE
• DEEP, PRECISE BASS AT ALL LEVELS The ci140 and ci140sub are on-wall designs. The other models are in or on-wall, thanks to the
Qikfire™ fittings, bezel-less grille and stylish cabinet sleeve.
HDA originally announced the uControl Remote project at ISE 16 months ago. But the Malvern-based tech firm is keen to stress that uControl is much more than a remote handset.
Chris explains, “We’ve been working towards this day for a long time and we’re excited to relaunch uControl in a big way. The remote will feature prominently, but expect more than just a handset. I promise we’ll reveal some unexpected and surprising details about the uControl product range, which has significantly advanced since its last outing.”
Throughout the two-days of EI Live! 2024, on Stand 11, HDA will host various live hands-on demos, and the uControl product engineers, developers and designers will be on hand to answer any questions.
Those details again: the Keynote presentation will start at 11.00 AM on September 18, day one of the show in the Inspire Suite. There will be clear signage on the day, so make your way into the venue, take a seat and enjoy this very special presentation. For those unable to attend, the Keynote address will be available to stream on uControl.world/keynote.
Webro Cables & Connectors will use EI Live! (Stand 45) as the platform to officially launch its new Speaker Cables in Pull Boxes.
Available as 16/2 and 16/4 Pink Speaker Cables in 150-metre and 300-metre pull options, these specially designed boxes are made tough to withstand the rigours of transportation and site.
Pulled straight from the box, they’re easy to use – as opposed to having to use cable jacks.
Complete with robust carry handles, these pull boxes are highly mobile and sport a striking design. Storage is simple too, whether on site, in the van, or on shelves they stack neatly.
CPR-compliant to Euroclass Eca and made exclusively in Low Smoke Non-Halogen (LSNH), Webro’s boxed speaker cables are available from stock, and are ideal for AV and custom install projects.
For those who prefer it, Webro 16/2 and 16/4 Pink, Violet & White Speaker Cables continue to be supplied on 100-metre, 200-metre, 250-metre, and 500-metre bulk reels. These sit alongside the 12awg and 14awg Speaker Cable lines.
Commenting on their appearance at EI Live!, Shane Caswell, Business Development Manager for specialist cables says, “We enjoyed a successful show last year, crowned with a Smart Building Award. We’re even more excited about this year’s EI Live! with the launch of the Speaker Cable Pull Boxes, which complement our fast-growing range of premium AV & CI cable & connectivity solutions.”
Webro offers over 3,000 products across multiple sectors, CPR compliant where applicable, available as cut lengths, and despatched on next day deliveries.
Sonos is back for EI Live! 2024 with its biggest presence to date. Visitors to Stand 93 will see the full line-up of Sonos solutions for home cinema, media rooms and multi-room audio installations. Sonos also returns as headline sponsor for The Smart Building Awards, which takes place alongside the show at the Farnborough Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 19 September (more details about this later).
Installers will have the opportunity to hear and see the latest home cinema solutions from Sonos, including a 7.1 set-up with a Sonos Arc soundbar, Sonos Era 300 rear-speakers and Sonos Sub. Paired with the Sonos Ace headphones – new for 2024 – installers will appreciate how this powerful set-up can now deliver a personalised surround sound experience for individual listeners.
As well as the home cinema experience area, the Sonos stand will showcase the full range of products for professional installs from
multi-room audio to media room packages and outdoor installations – including Sonos Amp, Sonos Port, Sonos Outdoor Speakers and the Sonos architectural range of speakers.
There is a dedicated meeting area available on the stand for installers to find out more about Sonos for Professionals and a team of experts will be on hand to demo products and answer questions throughout the event. Stephen Rhead, Sonos Professional Manager for the UK and Ireland, will also be available to discuss the business benefits of becoming a certified Sonos installer.
Stephen says, “We’re excited to be returning to EI Live! this year with our comprehensive portfolio of audio innovations and support for professional installations. We’ll be demonstrating a new approach to home cinema and media room projects, providing installers with more sell-in opportunities and clients with more listening freedom and flexibility. There will be new products on show, as well as a preview of upcoming innovations – so make sure you stop by the Sonos booth and talk to us about what’s new!”
You can also catch Stephen discussing ‘What’s Next for Media Room Audio?” in the Technical Theatre on Wednesday September 19 at 14:50-15:25. This ‘fireside’ discussion will explore the new demands of audio in the home, how clients are consuming TV, gaming and music audio and why the professional industry must adapt to stay ahead of the trend.
Sonos says it is committed to empowering professionals and enabling them to deliver exceptional audio solutions. Visit Sonos at EI Live! On Stand 93, to find out more.
IMP is looking forward to showcasing its high-quality AV and home cinema offerings on Stand 35. Darren Brown, Managing Director at the distributor explains, “IMP will be exhibiting the latest products from our suppliers including the New Tondo range of controls from Vimar, the new Multiroom streamer from trivum and the new MA range of AVR’s and Studio 2 Box speakers from JBL.” The company has also recently opened its Customer Experience Room, a new showroom that impressively demonstrates many of the company’s brands including JBL, Vimar, and trivum.
Rako, Britain’s smart lighting controls manufacturer, will be showcasing its all new app – with a user-friendly interface combining keypad layout with channel controls, it’s now easier to adapt and save scenes. Users can also adjust colour temperature and back by popular demand, the ability to upload images has been reinstated, making it quick and easy to identify the Room you wish to control.
On Stand 23, Rako will be sharing its latest product development with the RAK8-S, this new RAK product provides a simple and cost-effective solution for larger Rako
Sonos will have its largest ever presence at the show and will also sponsor the Smart Building Awards
Lots to catch up on from Rako at the show
Take your listening experiences to new heights.
The all-new 8” ln-Ceiling Speakers by Sonos and Sonance feature completely new acoustic components, offering natural, room-filling sound with discrete installation.
Pre-order now at your distributor
projects where multiple circuits of the same load type are installed. Also on display will be the innovative RLED30CV4+ LED dimmer, this wireless, constant voltage adjustment LED dimmer offers. This RGBW and tuneable white control, all conveniently managed on one channel. The single channel control capability will significantly simplify installation and the way the lighting control is set-up for specifiers and installers as the outputs can be configured as either RGB, RGBW or Tunable White via Rasoft Pro.
As always, Rako’s elegant and stylish keypad ranges, including Modular, Classic, EOS and the award-winning EOS Portrait keypads will be on show in seven premium finishes to suit contemporary or traditional interiors. Did you know that Rako’s keypads can be matched with Heritage Brass electrical accessories as well as cabinet and door hardware? Installers will be able to see how the keypads and accessories complement each other seamlessly on the Rako stand.
“It is great to be back at EI Live!, the show gets bigger and better every year and we are excited to connect with industry colleagues and share our latest developments in dimming technology,” comments Paul Wafer, Director at Rako. “Tunable lighting isn’t just a trend, it’s a transformative avenue for integrators and homeowners seeking enhanced wellbeing. We take pride in delivering solutions that simplify the lives of specifiers and installers as they deliver reliable and sleek lighting solutions that resonate with their customers’ desires for quality and comfort. Visit us at Stand 23 to learn more about our product range and hear what’s coming next.”
On Stand 111, Snap One will invite visitors to experience the key benefits of seamless product integration and the full range of business opportunities available through its leading OvrC remote monitoring and management system, which turns 10 years old this year, and award-winning Control4 home automation platform.
“EI Live! presents a huge opportunity for visitors to grow their understanding of the Snap One ecosystem and learn the many advantages of product integration with OvrC and Control4,” says Mark Reynolds, Vice President and General Manager EMEA at Snap One. “We welcome visitors to take part in our on-stand training sessions focusing on our key technologies, applying best practices which will help to make their lives easier, more efficient, and more profitable by fully harnessing the power, control and management capabilities afforded by OvrC and Control4. Together, we can simplify daily tasks, consolidate controls, and deliver better customer experiences for a wide range of activities and needs.”
Attendees can get to grips with the latest advances in OvrC, an essential operational utility for use on every project, regardless of the installed equipment.
Among the key recent
enhancements are configuration through OvrC of Araknis 2.5 Gbps routers, up to 10Gbps Layer 3 PoE++ switches, and indoor/outdoor Wi-Fi 6 solutions, simplified setup through OvrC for Binary MoIP distribution of 4K60 video content, offering video tiling for up to 16 sources, and reduced video compression for 10G-capable networks. Visitors can also see how OvrC integrates with the WattBox brand of power conditioning, power management and surge protection devices to minimise service calls for clients, as well as how the Luma Surveillance brand can save time on deployment and promote end user peace of mind through being NDAA compliant and easily monitored and maintained through OvrC.
Also central to Stand 111 will be a Control4 experience zone. As well as seeing how Control4 integrates seamlessly with OvrC for remote system configuration and maintenance, visitors can also take a deep dive into all the latest hardware and software innovations. These include the UI features of the Control4 Halo and Halo Touch remotes, improvements to CORE controllers, customer empowerment tools, Vibrant Linear Lighting with colour control, Apple Music integration, Luma Bridge which seamlessly integrates Luma Video Streams, whilst enabling video playback within Control4.
Other technologies from the Snap One ecosystem on display will be the recently launched Episode Radiance system, the world’s first outdoor solution to power audio and lighting through a single two-conductor wire. Episode Radiance is a robust 70-volt outdoor bollard-style speaker and LED light module that can be attached to a speaker or mounted as a standalone lamp for both spot and ambient lighting needs. The latest architectural loudspeakers from Episode and Triad brands will also be on the Stand together with Triad Soundbars and racks from the company’s Strong brand.
DEDICATED TO TRAINING
Across both days of EI Live! Snap One will be hosting three free-to-attend training sessions that will provide the Control4 experience and dedicated product training sessions on Stand 111. These bite-sized sessions will cover OvrC and its positive impact on Networking Best Practices, Luma and how a surveillance solution can be configured quickly and securely through OvrC and Control4, plus what’s new with Control4 and how to optimise your install times. More information will be shared in the lead up to the show.
EI LIVE! PEOPLE
Every year the show is delighted to welcome experts from around the globe keen to share their knowledge in the Technical Theatre and during other important learning opportunities throughout the show. This year organisers are delighted to welcome Keynote speaker and EI regular columnist, Jason Knott.
The editor of stateside Essential Install equivalent Ce-Pro for many years, Jason is now Data Solutions Architect And Evangelist at D-Tools and will speak at EI Live! detailing some of the surprising trends affecting the market based on hundreds of thousands of actual proposals and contracts.
With the event just around the corner, EI spoke with keynote speaker Jason to get some insight into his presentation taking place on Wednesday, 18 September.
Jason, for anyone that doesn’t know you, please can you provide some background on yourself? It’s hard for me to fathom, but I have been involved in the smart home industry for 34 years and counting. Back in 1990, I became the editor-in-chief of a trade publication called Security Sales, which had as one of its primary focuses, the professional installation
of residential electronic security and home automation systems. Ten years later in 2000, I became the editor-in-chief of CE Pro, a publication and website devoted strictly to informing integration companies concentrating on the professional smart home industry. For several years, CE Pro and EI were sister publications under the same ownership. Last year in 2023, I took my current position at D-Tools, the leading end-to-end business management software solution for integrators worldwide.
What made you join D-Tools after all the years running CE Pro?
The transition to D-Tools was a natural fit for me because the company has the identical mission to CE Pro, which is to help integrators run better businesses. At D-Tools, one of my roles is to take the aggregated data that is gleaned from the thousands of D-Tools users to identify important industry trends related to profit margin, pricing, number of proposals and contracts/installations, service revenue, change orders, sales closing rates, types of equipment being installed and much more. We then take that important information and create free reports for the industry that help guide integrators, manufacturers and distributors to prepare for the ever-changing shifts taking place in the market.
What will your keynote at EI Live! concentrate on?
I can’t wait to speak to the integration community at EI Live! in September. My presentation is going to be fun and interactive in a ‘quiz-showstyle’ designed to keep everyone guessing a la Who Wants to be a Millionaire? I am calling the session: ‘Is It B.S. or Reality? What Data Is Revealing About Your Business’ because I suspect many in the audience will have trouble recognising if my questions are true or false. Among the topics I will be quizzing everyone on will include labour pricing, discounting
Business and learning experiences pack out the show-floor
NEW MA SERIES AVR s
Stylish, intuitive, scalable, and attainable, JBL’s new Modern Audio (MA) Series of AVRs delivers classleading performance and lifestyle ease of use to a wide range of projects.
Developed by JBL engineers at Northridge, California, five affordable feature-rich models offer high-resolution AV processing, scalable power capabilities and channel counts from 5.2 to 9.2, combined with levels of lifestyle convenience new to the AVR market. Legendary JBL cinema sound has just become easier to access and enjoy.
To explore capabilities for your future projects and talk to us about help with system design and specification, please contact:
Fast, intuitive access to feature-rich capabilities
Effortless setup through the EZ Set EQ mobile app for iOS and Android
Gorgeous aesthetic and ergonomic design in white or black
practices, sales close rates, the product mix in projects, profit margins, and much more. EI Live! attendees will come away with specific takeaways to help improve their sales results, project performance, and ultimately bottom-line results.
So, with all this insight, what advantages does using D-Tools provide the CI Integrator?
The session is certainly not going to be a sales pitch about D-Tools, but since the data is drawn from more than 100,000 proposals and 30,000 signed contracts between integrators and their customers in D-Tools Cloud, it is hard data that can be relied upon to use as a benchmark comparison. Integrators who are not currently using D-Tools software might realise their performance and efficiency can improve by adopting the software solution if their company metrics are not as strong as the baseline data shows.
How does D-Tools achieve this?
D-Tools is able to achieve this because we have more than 8,000 users from more than 90 countries using the D-Tools System Integrator and D-Tools Cloud software. The D-Tools Integrated Product Library provides integrators with access to detailed specifications for over a million products from over 400 companies and more than 1,300 brands participating with integrator-level pricing. In the UK alone, distributors Habitech, Invision, Pulse Cinema, Avoke, DbM, Exertis UK, AWE, ADI and Northamber are partners, with more coming onboard.
What are the future plans for the platform?
The software is updated every month with new features and improvements all geared to help integrators implement an end-to-end workflow – from sales to system design, installation and on-going service. Recently, the company made
its single-license version called D-Tools Cloud Solo free to all integrators. Also, the company is expanding support for UK integrators by having its integrator-level pricing available in Euros and Pounds, as well as bringing on more and more UK brands and distributors.
THE SMART BUILDING AWARDS ARE BACK FOR 2024!
A new venue is announced for this year: the Inspire Suite directly above the main show floor.
Following a successful 2023, the Smart Building awards are returning for 2024. To accommodate the growing interest in the event, a new venue has been announced. This year’s ceremony will be held at the Inspire suite at Farnborough international exhibition and conference centre, the same venue as EI Live!
As in previous years, winners will receive extensive coverage across various media platforms, including print, EI magazine, digital platforms, newsletter and website, as well as a dedicated smart building awards newsletter.
The awards dinner, where the trophies will be presented, will take place on September 18, between the two show days at EI Live! 2024.
The Smart Building awards strive to be the most representative, inclusive, and up-to-
date awards initiative in the AV/Install world, maintaining the brand and seal of industry approval for years to come.
The judging process is carried out by an independent panel of judges.
Entries are welcomed in multiple categories. Loads more information is available on the dedicated website, and the closing date for entries is August 2.
The show is also a hub for discussion and industry networking
TECHNICAL THEATRE PROGRAMME
Every year the show presents a full programme of expert speakers and discussion panels covering some of the industry’s key areas and subjects. This year is no different of course; once you have registered for the show, visit the Technical Theatre area of the website where you can plan for and register for the presentations that catch your eye!
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 18
10.40 – Unlock Your Profit Potential & Build A Thriving Business
Presenter: Wim De Vos, Genesis Home Technology Architects, Origin Acoustics EMEA
Synopsis
In this 20-minute presentation, Wim De Vos will share his expertise on how installers of home technology can maximise their earnings by leveraging current trends and best practices. With a focus on innovation and profitability, Wim will provide actionable insights and strategies to help installers thrive in the growing home technology industry.
Key Takeaways
Identify High-Value Services: Wim will highlight the most profitable services that installers can offer, such as smart home automation, home security, and high-end audio/video installations.
Upselling and Cross-Selling: Learn how to effectively upsell and cross-sell complementary products and services to increase average order value and boost revenue.
Building Strong Relationships: Discover the importance of fostering strong relationships with clients and how to leverage these connections to generate repeat business and referrals.
Staying Ahead of the Competition: Wim will discuss the latest industry trends and how installers can stay ahead of the competition by embracing new technologies and innovative business models.
Measuring Success: Understand how to track and measure the success of your business, including key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for evaluating profitability.
Presentation Highlights
Real-life examples of successful installers who have leveraged these strategies to grow their businesses. Practical tips and tools to help installers implement these strategies in their own businesses. Note: Over a cold beer Wim is available for to address specific questions and concerns.
Conclusion
By the end of this presentation, installers will have a clear understanding of how to unlock the profit potential in home technology installation. The objective is to leave inspired and be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to drive growth, increase revenue, and build a successful business in the ever-evolving home technology industry.
11.10 – Introducing Performance Facts For Audio Equipment In Residential Installations
Presenter: Steven
Carter, Senior Manager, Business Development EMEA, CEDIA
Synopsis
The CEDIA/CTA R10 standards group is developing a crucial criterion called Performance Facts (CEDIA/CTA-RP1) for residential installations. Similar to nutrition labels on food, this recommended practice
will provide essential information about audio equipment.
Phase 1 focuses on audio products, supporting Immersive Audio Design (RP22) and other installations. The aim is to categorise information into crucial, important, and useful facts, encouraging manufacturers to present data uniformly. This initiative benefits homeowners with objective performance, integrators with clear product usage guidelines, and manufacturers supplying the essential data that integrators need to effectively design using their products.
12.00 – From Electrician To Home Tech Installer
Synopsis
Supported by ADI and Snap One, this discussion covers the question: how do you make the transition from electrical contracting to smart home integrator? What does the journey look like and what support should you take advantage of along the way? Jeff Hayward, host of the Integrated Home Podcast, talks to a panel of contractors who are now integrators to find out what others can learn from their experiences. The panellists include Kyriacos Androu, Founder of The EAV Way Limited and install company Electricus Audio Visual. Kyriacos has over 15 years of experience in providing innovative and customised solutions for home, development, and commercial properties. He is a certified electrical engineer, Control4 programmer and designer, as well as a home cinema design workshop graduate, with expertise in technology architecture,
lighting design, mechanical and electrical design and security consulting and design. Also on the panel, Greg Smith, Director at Penkhull Electrical, one of Staffordshire’s premium electrical contractors. Penkhull Electrical is a long-established, highly responsive electrical contractor, supporting the commercial and residential communities in and around Staffordshire. The company applies its technical expertise and industry knowledge to transform spaces using intelligent electrical solutions. The team are also Control4 certified system integrators, helping clients create bespoke spaces through the power of automation. From retrofitting high-performance electrical wiring to designing and installing bespoke systems for new developments, the company specialises in bringing clients’ visions to life through technical innovation.
13.10 – Video Over Ip Or HDBaseT – Who Will Win The Race?
Presenter: Aiden Jones – Technical Director –Blustream
Synopsis
As the world of video distribution forges forwards with new capabilities and standards, this session will take a look at the two competing technologies – video over IP and HDBaseT. Aiden will discuss how the advancement in HDMI distribution and control has changed the landscape for residential integration.
14.05 – Advise On How Integrators Can Work More Closely With (And Gain The Trust And Respect) Of Design Professionals
Presenter: Darren Barker, Design Director, Cinema Luxe
Synopsis
Architects and interior designers bring unique value to projects beyond their professional skills—they have the trust and ear of the client, significantly influencing decision-making and budget allocation. Historically, custom integration (CI) installers have struggled to gain the respect of the design industry, often feeling like the two fields are at odds with differing visions for the client’s best interests. However, building this trust is achievable through willingness to compromise, adapt, listen, and advise without ulterior motives.
In this TED Talk-style presentation, we will explore effective strategies for integrators to collaborate and build long-term partnerships with design professionals. Learn how to align technology sales with interior design seamlessly, resulting in higher-value projects with fewer objections. Discover practical tips for creating synergy between integrators and design professionals, ultimately benefiting all parties involved.
14.50 – TBC
Presenter: Stephen Rhead, SONOS
Synopsis
TBC
15.35 – Equip Yourself With Skills And Insights To Meet The Growing Demand For Smart, Empathetic Assisted Living Solutions
Presenter: Paul Foulkes, UK Country Manager, Theben Automation
Synopsis
Paul explores the transformative potential of ambient assisted living technologies, and how smart home systems can significantly enhance the quality of life for the aging population providing a lucrative new market segment for integrators. Equip yourself with skills and insights to meet the growing demand for smart, empathetic assisted living solutions.
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 19
10.40 – Unlock Your Profit Potential & Build A Thriving Business
Presenter: Wim De Vos, Genesis Home Technology Architects, Origins Acoustics EMEA
Synopsis
In this 20-minute presentation, Wim De Vos will share his expertise on how installers of home technology can maximise their earnings by leveraging current trends and best practices. With a focus on innovation and profitability, Wim will provide actionable insights and strategies to help installers thrive in the growing home technology industry.
11.10 – Smart Home Assurance: Elevating The CEDIA Brand And Establishing Certified Members As The Go-To Smart Home Professionals For The Construction Industry
Presenter: Steve Moore, industry veteran, founder of installation company SMC and currently running Connected Consultancy, a business growth planning and support company for B2B sales strategy.
Synopsis
CEDIA has developed a Smart Home assurance scheme for housebuilders, establishing CEDIA members as the leading Smart Home Professionals. This scheme supports housebuilders and property developers of all sizes in ensuring proper wiring for their projects. This initiative is a crucial part of the
strategy to enhance the visibility of the CEDIA brand, ensuring homeowners maximise their technology use while providing significant value to our installers.
Interested in learning more? Join us for this insightful session!
12.00 – The Outdoor Entertainment Opportunity: Discussion Panel
Sponsor: Snap One
Synopsis
Where is the opportunity for home technology that lives outdoors? What new technologies are making a serious play in these spaces and what new partnerships and skill sets are needed for integrators to take advantage? Alex Jones, Director at Potters Home Digital, and also from The Smart Home Garden, an operator with extensive experience in this area and Jason Girardier, Senior Sales Manager UK Ireland & Nordics, Snap One, discuss how to create new business in this emerging sector. The discussion will be chaired by Jeff Hayward, host of the Integrated Home Podcast.
13.10 – Selling Technology Through Interior Design
Presenter: Darren Barker, Design Director, Cinema Luxe
Synopsis
One of the toughest aspects of selling custom integration (CI) technology is helping clients understand its value and impact on their projects and lifestyle. Many clients mistakenly perceive these systems as overly complex, leading to scaled-back specifications. However, integrating technology with interior design creates a more relatable and desirable proposition, increasing the client’s willingness to invest.
‘Selling Technology Through Interior Design’ is an open discussion on the benefits and best strategies for aligning technology sales with interior design. Discover how this approach can lead to higher-value projects with fewer objections, ultimately enhancing client satisfaction and project outcomes.
13.55 – Labour & Profit Analysis
Presenter: Jason Knott, Data Solutions
Architect And Evangelist at D-Tools
Synopsis
One key to maintaining profits in an integration company is to recognise your true cost of labour. Unfortunately, some integrators don’t know their breakeven labour rate, let alone how much they should be charging to earn their desired profit margin on labour. This session will step integrators through the process of calculating their breakeven labour rate and show how D-Tools software can help boost labour profit.
REDEFINING OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT SPACES WITH EPISODE RADIANCE
As the outdoor entertainment sector continues to grow, the need for stylish, effective, sustainable and simple music and lighting technology solutions that enhance rather than overpower an outdoor space has never been more acute.
Homeowners want to be able to enjoy their outdoor spaces, entertain with ease, and move seamlessly between indoor and outdoor living. Integrators are increasingly being tasked with making these ambitions a reality, with minimum inconvenience to the homeowner.
Indeed, integrators are well placed to transform these outdoor entertainment spaces, thanks to a growing choice of technology options that can make any outdoor space welcoming and comfortable.
Chris Mitchell from Connected Installation in Cheshire is one integrator with experience of outdoor projects and the challenges faced when trying to meet a client’s goals for a project. Having explored the various options on the market, Chris is now a big advocate for Episode Radiance from Snap One. This impressive allin-one bollard-style music and lighting solution removes many of the pain points associated with outdoor installations, for both integrators and their clients.
“Episode Radiance is a great outdoor option,” explains Chris. “The client often wants lighting and audio for their garden. With Radiance we have a light that always works, in a style that all clients are comfortable having around their seating area, and that produces crystal clear sound.”
While bollard-style lighting is the norm in high-end properties, the addition of audio is proving to be something of a gamechanger. The dual functionality of Episode Radiance is a big time-saver for installers as it only requires one, easy-to-fit two-conductor burial wire to produce high-quality audio and the perfect ambient lighting for entertainment. As clients increasingly want a simple solution with minimal impact on landscaped gardens, Episode Radiance is again ticking multiple boxes.
Installation is further simplified as the full range of bollards within Radiance are designed for 70v amplification. Selectable 70v tap settings allow for detailed tuning and balancing of the sound at each bollard, which means the individual volume can be set while the entire system is adjusted as a whole.
This simplicity doesn’t mean the units lack power, however. The bollard speaker allows for a 360o radiating sound signature compared to the more focused directional sound signature of today’s landscape product offerings. The subwoofer utilises a 10” long-throw woofer mounted in a completely sealed cabinet, and, for a lifetime of dependable entertainment, each model is finished in a UV protected finish and IP66 certified.
Chris adds: “When operating them, even at 50%, Episode Radiance delivers rich and detailed audio. It’s the perfect ambience as
background music for a conversation, or simply to relax to and enjoy in the garden. It’s got a great, clear balance to it. At the same time, if you wish to turn them up a bit for a social gathering, they have a depth that makes them ideal for barbecues and parties.”
Chris has already used Episode Radiance on multiple projects, both residential and commercial, with more in the pipeline. “They’re the perfect solution,” he says. “They’re sturdy, weather resistant, and perfect for both residential and commercial projects. We’ve just completed an extensive installation at The Colony, a multi-purpose venue for businesses and events in Wilmslow. Here, we’ve fitted Episode Radiance to add the perfect soundtrack and mood lighting so users can fully enjoy the outdoor areas where they can relax, socialise and network with others in extra comfort.”
The Episode Radiance range not only meets customer expectations, but it also enables integrators to make the most of new possibilities in landscape installation and control, combining audio and lighting into a single easy to install and control solution that customers will love.
Existing Snap One partners can learn more and purchase Episode Radiance at Welcome to Online Ordering (control4.com). To apply to be a partner please visit NewPartnerApplication (site.com). Additional information about Snap One can be found at snapone.com.
HOW TO BECOME A SMART HOME INSTALLER
If you are begining your journey into the smart home world, find out how CEDIA can keep you on track.
As a growing industry, the smart home profession is becoming a mainstay of trade roles. Smart home installations are pivoting towards energy efficiency, automation and security, with new products emerging every day. From IT issues to burglar alarms, customers’ needs are developing, which offers lucrative opportunities for smart home professionals. If you want to build a career in smart home automation, start with these essential steps.
EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE INDUSTRY AND THE SKILLS YOU’LL NEED
To gain experience in the industry, you’ll need to research user problems and the corresponding technology available. Be mindful that smart home tech is always changing – but customer service is at the core.
This puts the emphasis on troubleshooting, helping customers use their smart home products beyond the installation. You’ll need to be open to learning, which is where the CEDIA Academy can help.
GET YOUR SMART HOME CERTIFICATIONS
The most successful smart technology installers have the certifications to back it up. Once you’ve established your niche, you can explore the qualifications available including:
• Cabling and infrastructure (CIT)
• Integrated systems (IST)
• Networking specialist (ESC-N)
• Designer specialist (ESC-D)
Don’t forget, you can build on existing qualifications. For example, an electrical contractor might want to advance into an IST. Every CEDIA certification is brand neutral. This means you’ll be qualified to work with anything from Alexa voice assistants to Schneider Electric lighting controls.
You can also state that you’re CEDIA-certified, giving homeowners total confidence in you to install their smart home systems.
BUILD YOUR NETWORK
With qualifications in smart home solutions under your belt, it’s time to build your network. The right contacts will put you in touch with the best stakeholders. These may be companies to join, or suppliers, designers and clients.
Better still, a solid network will give you insights into the industry. You’ll discover different types of installations and new smart home devices. This may open up opportunities for new markets or cost savings – ideal for keeping your home installation business profitable.
Not sure where to start? CEDIA runs events throughout the year, from its local Tech + Business Summit to the famous CEDIA Expo. Network with respected professionals in the field and build a name for yourself.
Want to know more about how to become a home automation installer? From wi-fi and security to home cinemas, you can better yourself with a CEDIA qualification. Start from scratch or build on existing skills for competitive advantage. Find out more at www.cedia.org.
Designed to dovetail with Focal speakers, the Naim CI Series comprises the CI-Uniti 102 streamer/ amplifier and matching mono and eight-channel amp platforms, the CINAP 101 and CI-NAP 108.
Integrators choosing Focal for residential or commercial projects will further enhance speed of deployment and system performance by making them Naim powered. Their clients will enjoy the highest quality audio streams for cinema/media rooms, garden or distributed audio from a brand pairing globally recognised for fidelity and prestige.
solutions architect evangelist at D-Tools and ex- editor-in-chief at U.S trade title CE Pro, offers some thoughts on economic planning.
In the unpredictable world of business, economic downturns can be challenging. Although many custom installation companies cater to ultra-high-net worth individuals and thus are often insulated from the fluctuations of the business cycle, the lessons learned from recessions like the one the UK just emerged from can help integrators adopt business practices that should carry on even during prosperous times.
Here are five effective business strategies that British integration companies hopefully adopted during the recent recession and they should make permanent.
MANAGE YOUR CASH FLOW
One of the primary challenges of business is financial instability. Integrators must focus on maintaining a healthy cash flow by closely monitoring their finances. This involves creating a comprehensive budget, reducing unnecessary expenses, and negotiating favorable terms with suppliers. Additionally, building a financial buffer by setting aside emergency funds can provide a crucial safety net. Emphasising prompt invoicing and diligent follow-up on receivables can also
bolster liquidity. Cash flow management can also mean addressing your recurring revenue. Coming out of last year’s recession, it is a good opportunity to look at your service agreements and monitoring agreements to see if there is an opportunity to increase rates.
FOCUS ON STAFF RETENTION
The labour pool continues to be very tight, so this is a good time to look at your wages and benefits for your existing staff so you can retain them and not have to worry about hiring. Most employees expect a salary increase every year, and the rampant inflation in the UK in 2022 and 2023 has made that expectation even stronger. But employee retention does not always have to be about wages. Additional benefits such as remote/hybrid work, more vacation time and one-time cost-of-living bonuses can make a meaningful difference.
DIVERSIFY YOUR OFFERINGS (OR NOT)?
Just like with investing, diversification can minimise risk, but does the same hold true for integration? Perhaps. During the recession, did
you look into adding new technologies such as wellness, EV charging/power management and lighting fixtures to bring a new category of equipment to your clients? Or did you do the converse and go back to your core business last year when times were difficult to reduce possible inventory outlays? There is no right or wrong answer.
BOOST EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY
What is your employee utilisation percentage? If you don’t know, you should. Employee utilisation is a key performance indicator (KPI) that indicates what percentage of your employees’ time is being billed to customers. If you are paying a technician for an eight-hour day, you want to be able to bill as much of those eight hours as possible. Among the ideas to consider are pre-loading vehicles the night before and letting employees take the vehicles home with them so they can go straight to the jobsite in the morning. D-Tools Cloud and D-Tools System Integrator (SI) include time-tracking modules to that can aid in this endeavor.
STRENGTHEN CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Customer loyalty is a lifeline for small businesses. During the economic slowdown last year was a good time to reinforce your strong relationships with your customers. How? By offering personalised services and implementing a mechanism for customer feedback you can enhance customer satisfaction. Effective communication, both online and offline, is crucial to keep customers informed about any changes in the business and to assure them of continued commitment to quality and service. Veteran integrators have likely weathered multiple recessions in the past and will probably experience several more economic downturns over time. By prioritising financial resilience, embracing innovation, and strengthening customer relationships, integrators can navigate any future economic uncertainties and position themselves for long-term success. Adapting a proactive approach ensures that you not only endure future recessions but also emerge more resilient and competitive in today’s postrecession landscape.
CYP EUROPE: LEADING THE WAY
The CYP Europe team introduces some important updates and company news for 2024 any beyond.
As technology evolves, so do the needs and expectations of our industry. That’s where CYP comes in. We specialise in the design and manufacture of cutting-edge Residential and commercial AV solutions. Our diverse and innovative product range includes both 1Gb and 10GB AVoIP solutions, a myriad of Matrix products and accessories, switches, scalers, extenders and format converters and much more, all meticulously crafted to enhance and simplify the signal path between sources and displays across various AV technology platforms.
What sets us apart from the competition is our unwavering commitment to quality, innovation and customer satisfaction. At CYP Europe, we don’t just create products; we create solutions that transform how AV technology is experienced!
A LONG HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE
For over 35 years, CYP has been at the forefront of AV innovation. Our journey began with a simple yet ambitious goal; to deliver high-quality AV solutions that exceed industry standards. Since then, we have built a strong heritage based on quality and reliability. Our state-of-the-art research and development laboratory and production facility in Taiwan and the UK have been instrumental in our success, allowing us to control every aspect of product development and manufacturing process, ensuring the best quality products are provided to our clients across the world.
Over the decades, we’ve continuously evolved, adapting to new technologies and market demands. This relentless pursuit of excellence has seen us launch numerous groundbreaking products, each designed to address the real-world challenges faced by our customers. From the earliest AV signal distributors to the latest 4K and fibre solutions, our products have consistently set the benchmark for performance and reliability.
At our headquarters in the UK, our dedicated team of tech experts work tirelessly to test and refine products, ensuring that every item we produce meets the highest standards of quality and innovation. This long-standing commitment to excellence has earned us a trusted reputation in the industry and a loyal customer base that spans the globe.
A BIGGER IMPACT
CYP Europe is thrilled to announce the appointment of Marc Waple (pictured right) as new Managing Director, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing journey of growth and innovation. Marc brings with him decades of experience in the AV sector, coupled with a visionary leadership style that is already being warmly embraced. His expertise and forward-thinking approach promise to propel CYP Europe to new heights. We are confident that Marc’s leadership will drive our company’s continued success and expansion in the European market. We look forward to the exciting future ahead under his guidance.
“I am proud to lead our team at CYP as we revolutionise digital connectivity. We have many new products and initiatives that we will be introducing over the coming months as well as new commercial partnerships we will be unveiling very soon. We are committed to creating innovative audiovisual solutions that help people and organisations communicate and collaborate effortlessly. Our focus on quality, reliability, and cutting-edge technology ensures that we exceed the expectations of our customers and partners.” says Marc.
Additionally, we are excited to introduce Sa’diyah Malik as our new UK-based Marketing Manager. Sa’diyah will play a crucial role in enhancing our brand reputation and supporting our distributors and dealers across the EMEA region. Her strategic insight and innovative approach to branding and marketing will be instrumental in amplifying our presence and fostering stronger relationships within our network.
EXCITING INNOVATIONS ON THE HORIZON
At CYP Europe, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in AV technology. We’re thrilled to hint at an upcoming product that is set to revolutionise the industry. While we can’t reveal too much just yet, this innovation will offer unprecedented flexibility and control, making your AV setup simpler and more efficient. Stay tuned to our social media platforms for the latest updates and exclusive sneak peeks of this exciting new development.
MORE EXCITING NEWS
In addition to our innovative new product offerings, we are delighted to introduce an enhanced warranty program designed with our customers in mind. Effective immediately, all CYP Europe products will come with a new enhanced five year warranty. There are many key benefits to this new warranty, however, most interestingly is the start date. The product warranty now commences from the date of installation to the end client. “We know that our integration partners across the world like to rigorously bench-test products before installation and we feel that their clients should not be penalised by the time this process can take, so the CYP warranty starts when the final installation is completed at the client’s location, it’s that simple.” says Marc. This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to reliability and customer satisfaction, ensuring that our customers always have the support they need.
As we look to the future, we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. With Marc’s visionary leadership, our rich heritage, and our unwavering commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, CYP Europe is poised for a bright future. Stay connected with us for updates and insights as we continue to shape the future of AV technology.
CYP Europe cypeurope.com
DBM AND BROWNHEN SOLUTIONS DELIVER HIGH PERFORMANCE AUDIO TO MEDIA ROOM
With the support of DbM, BrownHen Solutions transformed a small unused box room in a family home into an incredibly powerful cinema room that is used to enjoy movies, music concerts, sporting events and TV.
A husband and wife duo had purchased the five bedroom property near Glastonbury. At one end of the house is an average sized 4.3m x 3.7m room, in which the previous owners had installed a pull-down screen, speakers in the corner and beanbags, and had used it as a home cinema.
The new owners liked the idea of having a cinema space, as they regularly invite people over to watch films and sporting events, but they wanted a more advanced set-up. They immediately knew that they wanted the space to allow for 10 people, but they weren’t sure of any other aspects or what could be achieved.
With this in mind, they approached BrownHen Solutions to present ideas on how this unused room could be transformed into a 10-seater cinema room.
BrownHen Solutions invited the client to visit their demo facility to discuss the brief, explore what was possible, and experience various options. The integrator presented a proposal with three different price points. During the meeting, the team demonstrated various speakers, lighting, blinds, acoustic panels and control.
Having explained that the audio is one of the most important elements in creating an immersive home cinema experience, the client selected Meridian DSP speakers as they recognised their superlative sound quality.
With Meridian surround sound selected, other aspects of the cinema room were proposed. With the challenge of fitting 10 seats into a room of this size, BrownHen Solutions worked on several iterations of design and utilised DbM’s Design and Specification
Service to finalise the design. Detailed CAD drawings were produced by the integrator to enable the carpenters to construct the seating platform, false front wall and the coffer ceiling prior to first fix and subsequent install stages by BrownHen Solutions.
The size of the room also presented BrownHen Solutions with a challenge for acoustic treatment as they were not able to reduce the size of the room any further with bulky treatments. However, the client appreciated the importance of good acoustic treatment and after much deliberation and advice, the integrator came up with a solution that was approved by the client. Sound insulation was installed in the front wall and within the seating platform to increase acoustic mass. An automated blackout blind was added to the window, which also provided slight absorption.
With the client wanting artwork on the back wall to give the impression of a larger room with more seating, no insulation could be added to the rear of the room. Acoustic measurements were taken at each step of the way to ensure the right RT measurements were being hit.
“The Design and Specification Service provided us with ideas for what treatment we needed and ultimately, helped shape our decisions,” comments Jools Browning, Director at BrownHen Solutions.. “We found it incredibly useful on this project as the acoustics were vital in ensuring we would provide a great sounding space within this small room.”
The room features a 5.1 audio solution, which includes three Meridian DSP520 in-wall loudspeakers for the LCR channels. The DSP520 in-wall loudspeakers inherits the latest technologies from Meridian’s floorstanding loudspeakers including FFA - Full Frequency Alignment and Image Elevation, providing incredibly lifelike and spacious sound. These powerful, full range in-wall solutions require only a 100mm mounting depth and produce wide sound dispersion over the listening area. Enough space was left around these speakers in case the client decides to upgrade to the Meridian DSP640.2.
BrownHen Solutions utilise the DSP capabilities of the Meridian Room Correction and Image Elevation to enhance the audio performance even further and provide a precise listening experience.
“We used Meridian Room Correction to calibrate the room — making a good space sound great,” adds Jools. “Before doing so, the client had come in for a demo. Once we had calibrated it, they came back in and after playing them a clip, they asked us what we had done to the room and expressed that it sounds like a completely different system — there was a massive improvement in the subtleties and level of immersion.
“The Image Elevation feature in the speakers also proved beneficial in this project. Due to the distance between the seats and screen, it was not possible to have a centre speaker behind an acoustically transparent screen. With Meridian’s Image Elevation feature, we could place the speaker below the screen and have its sound image match perfectly with the on-screen action, creating an immersive movie experience.”
A Meridian UHD722 HDMI Processor and G65 Surround Controller are also part of the solution. The UHD722 HDMI Processor links all HDMI sources with the Meridian systems in the space. It can coordinate up to seven sources and has the capacity to split the HDMI DataStream from a selected source into separate audio and video signals, giving the homeowner the option to choose for a video signal to be sent to one or two display devices, whilst the audio is directed out of the unit itself. The G65 Surround Controller integrates Meridian Room Correction, True Time and other revolutionary technologies that Meridian is famous for, to ensure superb performance for movies and music alike.
“In my view, the choice of Meridian massively contributes to the quality and immersive experience,” continues Jools. “The project demonstrates that you can achieve great things with DbM, even with a relatively modest budget.”
Once the room was completed, the client said: “Wow! Our new cinema room is utterly fabulous. I must confess, I was wary of the idea of squeezing a proper cinema concept into a relatively small space. I thought the visuals could be overwhelming and the acoustics virtually impossible. The design adopted and the equipment specified is sheer genius. The experience is totally immersive, and I love the fact that we can hear the subtleties of speech, as well as the jaw-dropping, through-body bass when needed.”
ELEVATING FLATSCREEN TVS, INTEGRATED TVS AND MONITORS
James Thomas, Senior Product Manager, LG Home Entertainment, provides an overview of the current market and possible areas of growth for the future.
It’s a long-held consensus that we’re living in a golden age of television. We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to streaming platforms. And when it comes to TV model options, there’s a wealth of choice for consumers in the modern smart home and luxury AV market.
It’s an exciting time. The standout features of today’s sets are reshaping the luxury flatscreen TV and monitor market.
In the luxury AV and home cinema market, OLED TVs remain the model of choice. OLEDs have great image quality thanks to self-lighting pixels delivering incredible contrast and maintaining detail in light and dark areas of the screen. OLED TVs’ deep blacks and vibrant punchy colours, which LED TVs are typically unable to match, take at home viewing to the next level. Adding to this, LG’s 2024 models are its brightest ever, meaning in-home theatre set ups are more impressive than ever. It’s one of the reasons that LG has remained the world’s number one for OLED technology for the past 11 years.
In home-theatre set up is also seeing a demand for the self-emissive LEDs, which give bright and brilliant picture quality, with
no corner dimming or image distortion –much like the LG Miraclass. These models are distinctive and provide eye-catching contrast. They can also be quickly and seamlessly integrated into theatres, thanks to a compatibility with Dolby technology.
But we’re also seeing the growth of new models. There’s an appetite in the market for TVs that can be ‘hidden in plain sight’. Manufacturers are working on rollable displays, and transparent TVs are also meeting this demand. These are exactly what they sound like: televisions that turn transparent when switched off. These incredible models are considerably less imposing in a room and provide consumers greater freedom to curate their living spaces. There are also compelling uses for these models beyond the smart home and luxury market. These devices could be used by retailers to innovate shopping displays. LG’s OLED Transparent TV, for instance, is a sleek, transparent screen expanding the possibilities of what consumers and business alike can do with their space.
If that seems a bit science-fiction, we’re also seeing further adoption of AI capabilities in television. It’s something that TV manufacturers have been doing for a while. For viewers, this means better upscaling of lower resolution content. The technology also helps to reduce
noise, and ‘remaster’ old content into HDR. LG’s AI Director Processing analyses a director’s colour palette for each shot in a movie. This works to enhance colour expression, and ‘sharpen’ an image to make it more refined. AI will also play a role in smart home technology – which has already become a cornerstone in modern home theatres. Voice assistants, automated controls, and integrated systems are innovating the home theatre experience.
These new AI features should make TV screens useful beyond entertainment. One end goal could be that TVs become a hub for controlling other smart home devices. Another option is that they could provide telehealth tools.
In short, the luxury AV market and hometheatre world is constantly evolving. It’s an exciting time for consumers looking to build a dedicated entertainment space or combine technology with personal taste. These new models also offer new opportunities and potentials to businesses, for example in revolutionising retail displays or changing office spaces.
BIG SCREEN ENTERTAINMENT IN CI
Lucia Maguire, MD, TVD Group, examines the TV landscape for the install community, urging dealers to go larger and more specialised.
In the ever-evolving world of AV technology, the demand for larger display screens has surged dramatically over the past decade. This trend is particularly evident in the custom
installation sector, where resellers and installers are witnessing a marked shift towards bigger and better displays for home cinemas, entertainment areas, and even outdoor areas and gardens.
This trend for bigger has been prevalent across all three parts of the TVD Group; TVDB2B, integrator TVC Technology Solutions and our TV brand, Mitchell & Brown. For the latter, we have recently launched our largest 4K UHD models to date in TV screens up to 85in.
In 2010, the typical UK household TV screen size was around 32in. Fast-forward to 2020, and this average had jumped to 55in and continues to grow. This growth is not limited to indoor settings; outdoor displays have also seen an uptick, with many consumers opting for 75in or larger screens to enhance their garden entertainment areas.
Industry data supports this trend. According to a report by Futuresource Consulting, the sales of 65in and larger TVs have increased by more than 80% over the past five years. This shift is
TVD’s Bolton Experience Centre is open for installers to see products in the flesh
Multiple TV mount solutions across the Vivanco and Titan brands covering Flat, Tilt, Motion & Full Motion ensures you have a product suitable for all TV’s up to 85”.
• Ultra slim profile in home position
• High max wall distance
• Robust double arm construction
• Horizontal level correction
• Quick & easy installation
• Smooth motion
• Cable management
Seamless Connectivity From One Elegant, Compact Device
driven by a combination of consumer desire for a more immersive viewing experience and advancements in display technology that make larger screens more accessible and affordable.
Of course, one of the primary factors contributing to the increased popularity of larger screens is the significant reduction in cost per inch. Ten years ago, even the price of a 55in TV was prohibitively high for many consumers. Today, thanks to advancements in manufacturing technologies and economies of scale, the price of larger screens has dropped considerably.
The introduction of more efficient production methods, such as the use of QLED technologies as featured in many of Mitchell & Brown’s premium models, has played a crucial role in reducing costs. These technologies allow manufacturers to produce larger screens without a proportional increase in production expenses.
At the larger end of traditional domestic screens, the price per inch of a 75in TV has decreased by nearly 50% over the past five years. As a result, resellers and installers can offer their clients larger screens at a more attractive price point, providing real impact for very little increase in overall project cost.
Moreover, offering larger screens as part of your installations presents numerous benefits, both for you and your clients. One of the most significant advantages is enhanced viewing experiences as larger screens provide a more immersive experience thanks to a higher screensize-to-viewing distance ratio, engulfing more of the viewer’s peripheral vision.
EXTERIOR OPPORTUNITY
The growing trend of AV in outdoor living spaces further underscores the appeal of larger screens. These displays are perfect for creating an impressive garden entertainment area. Weather-resistant models such as Samsung’s fabulous The Terrace TV have proved very popular among installers as they are durable and look great.
From a business perspective, larger screens, particularly special purpose models such as High Bright screens or Samsung’s innovative MicroLED the Wall (on demonstration in our Bolton Experience Centre) come with much higher margins. By offering these as part of your custom installations, you can increase your revenue while providing clients with a premium specialist product that they can’t simply compare prices with massmarket internet merchants. The same is true of our Mitchell & Brown TV models, which are exclusive to independent retailers and installers.
The shift towards larger display screens for CI perhaps needs a caveat in brand and model selection. Specifying large, widely available, retail-centric TVs may be fine for lower-end installs, but in the premium sector, where customers expect itemised project bills, it could be a recipe for dissatisfaction if they see the unit much cheaper elsewhere.
Large-screen TVs from specialist brands like Mitchell & Brown and premium specialist models from mainstream players such as Samsung are trends that resellers and installers in the UK custom installation AV sector should embrace wholeheartedly. Book a visit to TVD’s Bolton Experience Centre, which incorporates Samsung Showcase North, Mitchell & Brown TVs and several other CI AV brands, and we can demonstrate why.
We have recently opened our showroom Tuesday-Friday, 9:30am-3pm, for walk-in access to integrators, AV project managers and businesses looking to improve their AV output, with our on-hand experts ready to walk you through all our available technological enhancements that could significantly benefit your business.
Alternatively, if you would like a more personalised appointment or to discus your project, simply book online by visiting our Experience Centre page.
WILDWOOD PLUS: CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING
In the dynamic world of smart home technology PR, Wildwood Plus stands out as a beacon of innovation and excellence. This year, the well-regarded marketing agency celebrates a remarkable 30-year journey since its inception in 1994 by Tanya Houston. The milestone was recently commemorated with a grand summer party on May 9th at the historic Pelham House in Lewes, East Sussex, attended by 130 clients, media representatives, industry friends, and colleagues.
A JOURNEY FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Tanya Houston reflects on the early days of Wildwood Plus with nostalgia and pride, “I started Wildwood as a sole trader in the back bedroom of our home in Southwater, West Sussex back in 1994 – I can’t believe that is three decades ago,” she says. What began as a one-woman operation soon flourished, with Jeff
Hayward and John Houston joining the team to manage the growing business.
Over the years, Wildwood Plus evolved from its original focus on public relations to offering a comprehensive suite of marketing services, including digital marketing, media buying, event management, video production, and podcast services. This expansion led to a rebrand in 2023, reflecting the company’s broad capabilities and forward-thinking approach.
SPECIALISATION AND SUCCESS
Wildwood Plus has carved out a niche in the B2B market, specialising in the build and technology sectors. This focus has allowed the agency to develop deep industry knowledge and build an extensive network of contacts. This agile approach has enabled the company to scale-up effectively, reaching new audiences and markets while maintaining long-standing client relationships, some of which have lasted over 20 years.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SUCCESS
The heartbeat of Wildwood Plus is its team of 20 dedicated professionals, a mix of full-time, part-time, office-based, and remote workers. The agency also boasts an international network of partners, all committed to delivering outstanding results for clients. Tanya Houston highlights the importance of her team: “We have built a fantastic team, who all go the extra mile, are a pleasure to work with, and who embody our core values.”
With a focus on professional growth, Wildwood Plus ensures its team benefits from regular training and development sessions, including those delivered by the PRCA and in-house experts. This ‘people-first’ culture is a cornerstone of their success, fostering high staff retention and a collaborative, innovative work environment.
LOOKING AHEAD
As Wildwood Plus celebrates this significant milestone, the company is not resting on its laurels. “Turning 30 years in business is an exciting milestone and it has given us the opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come, and to celebrate with our talented team. But we won’t be resting on our laurels. We have ambitious plans to continue to grow and we’re looking forward to the future,” says Tanya Houston.
TESTIMONIALS FROM VALUED CLIENTS
• Rebecca Khelifa-Bonk, PR Manager at ISE
“As an international trade show in a highly specialised field, we have been able to rely on the uninterrupted support of Wildwood Plus for many years. The expertise of the entire team, and the unconditional will and commitment to support our show even during
the stressful events days are an enormous asset. The Wildwood team is definitely a member of our ISE family and highly valued as such.”
• Christine DeJoy, VP of Communications at CEDIA
“Working with the Wildwood team continues to be a wonderful experience and their extensive knowledge of the media landscape can’t be matched. Their strong relationships with key journalists enable them to secure high-quality media coverage for CEDIA. Their professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail allow me to confidently direct my teams knowing that Wildwood is acting as an extension of our company. They are highly collaborative and strategic in their approaches, and take the time to understand our unique industry needs and tailor their services to match.”
• Katy Bradshaw, Global Marketing Director at Meridian
“Having worked with Wildwood Plus since 2015, the team has helped us transition from a Hi-Fi company to a leading brand within the professional home technology sector. Wildwood not only fully understand our PR and marketing requirements, they are wellconnected globally and have an imaginative and pro-active approach to managing our
campaign. They are also fully embedded within our industry and bring a level of market intelligence and expertise that we wouldn’t get elsewhere.”
• Ella Umney, Senior Marketing Manager at Snap One
“As a lean operation, I have been relying heavily on the Wildwood Plus team over the last few years to act as an extension of my marketing team. I couldn’t be happier with the support they give me, which ranges from brand building and content creation to advice and coaching for our partners. What’s more, since Wildwood is so well connected in our industry and in those that are complementary to us, they work as our advocates and frequently connect me with new contacts to help drive our strategy forward. I would 100% recommend the Wildwood team!”
CHEERS TO THREE DECADES OF EXCELLENCE!
Here’s to Wildwood Plus—30 years of dedication, innovation, and outstanding service in the marketing industry. The future looks bright as they continue to set new standards and achieve greater heights.
Wildwood Plus wildwoodplus.com
SMARTER HAND TOOL CHOICES
David Barnes, Marketing Manager for KNIPEX UK, highlights how innovative, specialist hand tools can transform the day-to-day work of installers, particularly in smart home projects.
Smart home installations often involve navigating tight, awkward spaces, dealing with complex wiring, and working under time pressure. Tools designed to minimise task time, ensure the integrity of electrical systems, and reduce physical strain are crucial for enhancing job performance. KNIPEX’s 2024 tool lineup, including the StepCut XL (95 18 225) and the Stripping Knife (16 50 145 SB), exemplifies the brand’s commitment to innovation and excellence.
Cutting multi-conductor cables efficiently and safely is a common task for smart home installers. The StepCut XL 95 18 225 addresses this challenge with its advanced cable shear technology, requiring 60% less effort than traditional cable shears. Its innovative leverage mechanics and pinch guard protect users’ fingers during operation. The adjustable, high-leverage bolted joint ensures precise and fluid cutting.
The StepCut XL is designed for superior user comfort, featuring contoured handles for a comfortable grip, accommodating both onehanded and two-handed use. Its dual cutting zone, with stepped cutting edges, secures both small and large cables near the pivot, maximising precision and control. The front cutting edge handles larger cables step-by-step, reducing user fatigue. This tool can cut solid copper
or aluminium cables up to 35 mm², stranded cables up to 70 mm², and fine stranded cables up to 120 mm², offering unmatched versatility.
Cable stripping is an essential skill for smart home installers, requiring tools that prioritise precision and user-friendliness. The Stripping Knife 16 50 145 SB from KNIPEX excels in these areas with its advanced features designed for cutting various cable sheaths.
This knife features a versatile blade operated via a ratchet system, incorporating three distinct cutting zones for both circular and lengthwise cuts. A specially designed guide shoe safeguards the conductor’s insulation beneath the sheath, ensuring only the sheath is removed, maintaining cable integrity and safety.
The stripping knife’s ratchet mechanism makes cutting through robust cable sheaths up to 7mm thick effortless. Its sickle-shaped hook blade folds neatly for safe transportation and features four locking positions for different cutting requirements. The knife’s three-stage blade lock prevents accidental deployment, enhancing safety. Additionally, the ergonomically designed handle improves user comfort, and the integrated tether attachment point supports the KNIPEX Tethered Tool System, offering added safety for installers working at heights.
COMFORT HANDLES
KNIPEX is upgrading from multi-component handles to new comfort handles, enhancing the user experience from good to great. These handles are made with a three-component system that improves the tactile feel and handling of the tools through better texture and weight distribution. The components include a durable high-strength red section, a soft blue section for a secure grip, and a grey area with a specialised surface structure for superior control.
Understanding the need for customisation in professional tools, KNIPEX offers the ColorCode Clip system, allowing installers to personalise their tools. Available in 10 bright colours, these clips enable quick identification and add a personal touch to toolkits, making each tool distinctively theirs with 3D printing capabilities.
Selecting tools that simplify tasks, reduce physical strain, and improve job satisfaction can significantly enhance work conditions for smart home installers. KNIPEX focuses on evolving the capabilities of electrical hand tools with continuous updates and attention to the changing needs of professionals. By doing so, KNIPEX aims to provide top-quality tools that make every job smoother, safer, and more efficient.
For smart home installers, the right tools are paramount to managing the rigorous demands of their work. With continuous innovation, KNIPEX delivers tools that not only meet but exceed the expectations of professionals in the field. Investing in ergonomic and efficient tools is not just about enhancing productivity—it’s about ensuring safety, comfort, and precision in every installation. KNIPEX’s dedication to developing cutting-edge tools ensures that smart home installers have the best equipment to tackle even the toughest jobs with confidence and ease.
LAN CABLING TRENDS
TREND Networks
examines the relevant developments in installed cabling that make reliable testing equipment vital.
The LAN cable installation and testing sector is seeing the decline of legacy category 5e and 6 cabling in favour of category 6A, for new installations. Category 6A supports 10Gb/s of bandwidth, providing plenty of performance margin to support next-generation WiFi access points, 90-watt PoE, edge data centres and other emerging applications.
BOOSTING BANDWIDTH IN LEGACY INSTALLATIONS
Where increased bandwidth is needed in existing installations, Multi-gig is a solution that allows network managers to upgrade network switches to models that provide 2.5 or 5Gb/s of bandwidth over existing category 5e or category 6 cabling. Upgrading network equipment is more affordable and much less disruptive than upgrading the cabling in a building. Keeping in mind that many electrical codes require the removal of unused or so-called abandoned cabling to reduce the fuel load should there be a fire. Therefore, one can not simply add new cables to a building, the old ones must also be removed.
GOING THE DISTANCE
Finally, ‘extended reach’ cabling systems have dramatically risen in popularity in recent years. Extended reach is a term used to describe cabling links that are longer than the 100m maximum allowed by ISO/EN/TIA standards, primarily for CCTV applications. CCTV cameras do not require a lot of bandwidth; a 4K, 20 fps camera requires about 4Mbps which can be met with category 5e cabling. Signal loss increases with length and a category 5e cable that can deliver 1Gbps at 100m might deliver only 10Mbps at 200m, which is plenty for the 4K camera mentioned above. Note that NEXT (Near End Crosstalk) in not the limiting factor, so using category 6 or 6A cabling will not improve bandwidth in these applications. The key issue with extended reach systems power delivery to the device using PoE. DC power loss also increases with cable length and extended reach systems compensate for this by using larger wire conductors, typically 22AWG/0.34mm2 vs 24AWG/0.25mm2 which is typical for category 5e.
TESTING CONSIDERATIONS
Expanding cable certification for new applications. Certification of newly installed category 6A cabling requires a certifier that can test to at least 500MHz to ensure links will support 10Gbps. Certification testing measures the RF (radio frequency) performance of the cabling by measuring parameters such as Insertion Loss, NEXT, Return Loss and many more.
To ensure cabling can support high-power PoE, a new test called DC Resistance Unbalance (DCRU) is required. DCRU is a measurement of the difference in resistance between the four pairs and the difference between each conductor in a pair. Trend Network’s LanTEK IV-S measures DCRU either optionally or with every certification test, providing confidence that power hungry devices can operate on a cabling link. While DCRU is currently required for category 8 or class I/II installations only, standards organisations are in the process of making it a required measurement for all categories. TIA will soon release revision E of its 568.2 commercial cabling standard which will require DCRU testing for category 5e and higher. Similar work has not commenced in the ISO/EN committees; however installers are advised to keep DCRU in mind when certifying
installations. The LanTEK IV measures DCRU with every test, even when not required so installers can proactively ensure support for high-power PoE and Trend’s AnyWARE Cloud software can re-certify any test to enable PASS/ FAIL for DCRU measurements.
WILL MULTI-GIG WORK?
There are two ways to test whether installed category 5e or 6 cabling can support 2.5 or 5Gbps speeds. One option is to test with a cable certifier like the LanTEK IV-S which has special test parameters for multi-gig certification. Alternatively, a cable qualifier like the SignalTEK 10G that performs active data transmission tests measuring packet loss can be used instead of a certifier. Active transmission testers determine cable performance by streaming live traffic at 10Gbps and looking for packet loss. Should any loss occur that exceeds the IEEE 802.3 ethernet standards, it will downshift to 5Gbps and repeat the test. The process continues until the maximum supported bandwidth is determined, informing the operator what level of multi-gig each tested link can support.
Trend Networks products are distributed in the UK by Avoke.
DALI Multisensor
DALI Multisensor
PS-DALI-LINK-FC Part no. 92846
PBM-DALI-LINK-4W-BLE Part no. 92732 DALI Power supply
PS-DALI-LINK-FC Part no. 92846
PBM-DALI-LINK-4W-BLE Part no. 92732 DALI Power supply
PS-DALI-LINK-FC Part no. 92846
PD4N-DALI-LINK Part no. 93377
PD4N-DALI-LINK Part no. 93377 DALI push-button module
push-button module
PD4N-DALI-LINK Part no. 93377
Scene control for end customer
Commissioning tool for installers
ESSENTIAL POWER TOOL TECHNOLOGY FOR SMART HOME INSTALLERS
Cordless power tools can make demanding tasks easily manageable even when the work requires mains-like power, explains Jonathan Peters, Product Manager for HiKOKI Power Tools.
Smart home installers frequently face tough and physically demanding tasks. From drilling through concrete walls for cable runs to fixing equipment in tight, awkward spaces, these jobs can be gruelling and time-consuming. However, with the right tools, these tasks can become more manageable and even enjoyable.
The power tool industry has consistently innovated to create solutions tailored to the specific needs of challenging environments. From rotary hammers to combi drills and the significant shift towards cordless technology, the range of tools available today is impressive.
For heavy-duty drilling jobs, SDS (Slotted Drive System) drills are indispensable. Combining the hammer action of a hammer drill with the rotary motion of regular drills, SDS drills allow the bit to move back and forth within the chuck, delivering greater impact energy, minimal slip and precision. These tools are essential for tasks such as creating channels for electrical conduits and cables.
SDS rotary hammer drills excel in drilling and chiselling through hard materials like concrete and brick. An ordinary drill might handle a few holes, but when faced with dozens, a rotary hammer is the tool of choice. For instance, the DH3640DA 36V SDS-Max Cordless Rotary Hammer Drill, one of the lightest in its class
at just 6.1kg, reduces operator strain and fatigue, enabling longer periods of use without sacrificing performance or comfort. With an impact energy output of 9.2J, it handles drilling and demolishing tasks with ease.
A standout feature of this tool is the User Vibration Protection (UVP) technology. Boasting one of the lowest vibration levels in its class at only 10.3m/s², it is complemented by the Low Vibration Handle (LVH), offering an optimal grip and reducing fatigue, enhancing task precision. It also incorporates Reactive Force Control (RFC), a safety feature that stops the motor if the drill bit is suddenly overburdened, preventing potential tool damage and protecting the operator from injury.
One of the most transformative trends in power tools is the shift towards cordless technology, offering battery performance equivalent to mains power. Cordless tools provide unmatched mobility, allowing installers to work freely without the hindrance of power cords. This is particularly beneficial on large job sites or in complex environments like multi-story buildings where accessing power outlets is challenging.
Improvements in battery technology, particularly Lithium-ion batteries, have extended the life and power of cordless tools to rival their
corded counterparts. For smart home installers, this means performing heavy-duty tasks such as drilling, cutting and fastening without frequent recharges, boosting productivity.
Multi Volt batteries are a game-changer, lighter and more compact at comparable watt strengths than other products. Their smart connection technology identifies whether they are used with an 18V or 36V device and adjusts the voltage accordingly, providing optimal power.
Innovation in power tools also heavily focuses on safety and ergonomic design. Installers often work in awkward positions and tight spaces, leading to strain injuries. Modern power tools are designed with ergonomics in mind – lightweight materials, balanced designs and features like anti-vibration systems reduce physical strain and increase comfort. Additionally, safety enhancements, such as automatic shut-offs and improved electrical insulation protect against potential accidents and injuries.
Smart home installers depend on their tools to manage the rigorous demands of their work and investing in the right tools is paramount. With the advancements in cordless technology, safety features and ergonomic designs, tackling the most demanding tasks has never been more manageable.
PRESENTDAYPRODUCTION VALUES HIGH-PERFORMANCE
EI spoke with the team behind PresentDayProduction, an innovative approach to speaker design and delivery for pro and home studio systems. Join us on a fascinating journey with a team working right at the cutting edge of creating next gen content and the equipment to play it on. This month, part 2!
How did the introduction of Dolby Atmos influence the studio business and also PresentDayProduction?
When we first heard of the concept of Dolby Atmos, we thought to ourselves, ‘Oh no, not another glorified surround format that’ll die off in a year’. But the problem was, we didn’t give it the attention it deserved. It wasn’t just another surround format - this one was different.
This isn’t another channel-based surround format which requires you to stick 16 speakers
in your living room. The fact that Dolby Atmos’ object-based approach can downmix to stereo or to headphones in binaural, and the fact that it improves all the time thanks to constant algorithm updates, means it’s an ever growing, ever improving format, and we love that.
There are still some naysayers to Dolby Atmos, and that’s to be expected with any new groundbreaking technology that appears in the music industry. But in our experience, everyone who’s heard it has loved it.
In terms of the effect it’s having on the studio business, it can vary heavily on the budget of the studio producing it. Some of the studios with bigger budgets are obviously moving into Atmos to reap the benefits of the extra fees available for mixing Atmos content, whereas some of the more budget-limited studios, like home studios, generally tend to find it a little out of reach - or at least if you want to do it to the best possible standard.
It is possible to mix Atmos on headphones, but as the headphone binaural algorithm is constantly changing, it’s a moving target. The speaker reproduction, meanwhile, is a static representation of how Dolby Atmos should sound, and so opens a new market for ‘Dolby Atmos Mastering’. Producers who have mixed their content on headphones can send their object-based tracks to a studio like ours and we can then apply any mix tweaks, or more general mastering strokes, which we believe are better represented by speakers, to get their tracks to a better place.
Dolby Atmos hasn’t just changed the way we’re mixing music, though. For us, it’s been the start of a completely different path into the music business - selling our speakers. If you told us a mere two years ago that we’d have our speakers across the world with nothing but positive feedback, we’d have said you were crazy. But Dolby Atmos has been the push we needed to move forwards with our business.
Vinyl-over-IP
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the benchmark for luxury theater seating
A triple-motorized incline mechanism allows the user to operate the footrest, backrest and headrest INDEPENDENTLY from one-another. This allows the user to ensure maximum comfort by fine-tuning their preferred seating position.
How is the music studio business in general currently?
With the growth of Dolby Atmos now well and truly underway, we think the music studio business is in a better place than ever before. Now is the best time to be creating music. Anyone can get started, even with a minimal budget, and with the technology advancements which are appearing at an ever-increasing rate, the scope of access to music creation is bigger than ever. On top of this, with Dolby Atmos Mastering, it opens up the chances for more people to get into this new format using just headphones and still achieve the results they want. Yes, the technology is still changing at a rapid pace, and there is still some way to go in certain areas, but it’s a very promising landscape. Adding new formats into the fray gives more people the opportunity to earn a living making music.
It’s still relatively early days for Dolby Atmos music, what do you see as the potential?
The sky’s the limit. We’re already seeing some pretty crazy technology appearing which enables users to listen without having to install 16 speakers in their room, further solidifying the concept of Dolby Atmos’ flexibility. Just one example is one of our laptops - a 2022 MacBook Pro 16in. There’s an array of six speakers on this laptop, and sitting with it on your lap you can hear a ridiculously impressive rendition of Dolby Atmos content. It genuinely sounds like there are guitars and backing vocals at the side of your head. The technology is already utterly incredible and we can’t even begin to think where we’ll be in the next few years.
Apple Vision Pro’s implementation of Spatial Audio - Apple’s own Dolby Atmos format – is merging the worlds of audio and video into one, and with Blackmagic Design’s new URSA Cine Immersive camera designed specifically to make immersive content for virtual reality, we’re about to enter into a whole new world of amazing content. And, as always, as time moves on, this technology filters down and becomes cheaper, enabling more people to access even more incredible content than ever before.
What
are some of your favourite Dolby Atmos recordings?
There is a lot of incredible Dolby Atmos content out there, and some of our most notable favourites are:
Emilie Nicolas - Easy.
This track is absolutely phenomenal. Great production quality, and clearly written with Dolby Atmos in mind. The vocal is unique on this track in that all of it is in the height channels, and none of it is at ground level, but despite this odd positioning choice, it works REALLY well. The sub bass is also super powerful but not overwhelming, and generally is our first choice every time when demo’ing Atmos to new customers. This track sounds fantastic on AirPod Pro 2s, too, so it’s a good all-rounder.
The soundtrack to Dune (both movies, 1 and 2) is incredible in Atmos. If you have a powerful system capable of pushing lots of air, the big drum hits on Dream of Arrakis really keep you on your toes, and the general particle-style sound design throughout the track is well done.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker‘s soundtrack is amazingly well recorded,
and particularly the track Anthem of Evil. If you listen on a particularly revealing sound system, you can hear every tiny detail from the breaths taken by individual singers, a drop of water falling onto a hard surface, even the air conditioning of the room. This is a track which has kept every ounce of the original recording in, and on a great system you can hear it all. If you can’t hear those details, your speakers aren’t up to scratch!
Finally, K-Pop, Korea’s unique pop music industry, has a truly incredible group of artists and producers making music that really shows off Dolby Atmos. We are still struggling to find bad mixes within K-Pop - they just don’t seem to exist! A good example is NMIXX - Dash. This track shows off the fun aspects of producing and mixing with Dolby Atmos in mind and makes for a fun listen.
Can you pick a favourite moment so far from bringing this concept to the wider world?
Seeing our name in Sound On Sound magazine, as their review of the month in April 2024, was a great achievement for us, but for sure the best part of creating amazing speakers, which continues to occur very regularly, is seeing the initial reaction of a listener when they hear the MUMs for the first time. They’re thrust headfirst into a new world of detail and when they realise they can rediscover all their favourite tracks again in a new light, it’s a wonderful moment to watch.
PresentDayProductions presentdayproduction.com
IMP’S VERY IMPORTANT ROOM
Darren Bown, Managing Director at IMP, and his team gave EI the full tour of this excellent new demonstration space offering a showcase for JBL, Vimar, trivum and Displine.
IMP is a distributor with a long history of over 40 years’ experience. Based in Royston, Hertfordshire, company HQ contains admin, warehouse and the sales teams as well of course as the new showroom. The business was started in 1984 by Roger and Pamela Ralston and is now successfully ran by Darren (MD) & Liz Bown (FD), and Andy Smith (SD).
So, what was the ambition and motivation for this new showroom?
Darren explains, “IMP was appointed by JBL as the exclusive SI distributor for their Architectural range of speakers in early 2023. Since then, the
product range has evolved to include distribution amps and now AVR’s, allowing us to offer a more complete package. We decided to create the ‘customer experience room’ because of this product development where we could highlight a number of our brands including JBL, Vimar, trivum and Displine.”
Darren adds, “The initial concept was to convert an existing room (boardroom) but we quickly decided that in order to create the right environment a bespoke design was required.
“The project took around 4-5 months from its initial conception to the final
construction. The main technical challenges were how best to convert the space we allocated from its original use as part of our warehouse to a luxury living area where we could showcase our world-leading products in their natural environment.”
The room itself is certainly attractively presented and welcoming, but what about the AV, what is showcased in the space?
Darren explains, “Within our experience room we have a 7.2.2 home cinema system. The system is made up of JBL Studio 6 in wall speakers x 7, JBL Studio 2 in ceiling speakers x 2 and Stage 2 12in subs. These are all driven by the new JBL MA9100HP AV Receiver which offers 8K video, Dirac Live and 9.2 channels. There is also a concealed speaker stereo wall utilising the JBL C86 dual panel speaker with 2 x C82W invisible subs for extra punch, powered by the Lexicon DD8+ amp with sources supplied by the trivum SC040M
music streamer. The controls in the room are provided by the Vimar Eikon Exe Tondo automation keypads with matching sockets and media outlets including speaker outlets. The communication to the trivum streamer is provided by an iPad mounted to the new Displine Sunset table stand.”
So some serious kit is involved, but the team went further as Darren reveals, “The cinema room has been tuned using the new JBL EZ Set EQ system to optimise the output for each speakers for the listener. The result is a more immersive experience set to the central user.
In addition, we will be calibrating the room using ‘Dirac Live’ which will further enhance the quality of the listening experience.
We enjoyed support from our product suppliers including JBL, Vimar, trivum and Displine, all offering sample product or heavily discounted products in order for IMP to maximise our product experience installed.”
So, the project is up and running; what are the benefits expected for the business? Darren says, “Our main goal was to create a luxury environment where our products could be installed in their ‘natural’ environment, where our dealers and their customers could come and experience the same. This would in turn create more value for IMP to potential dealers and suppliers alike.
The JBL brand has definitely been on a charge of late raising its profile in the home cinema sector. Darren is confident in its heritage and value moving forward, “The JBL brand is synonymous with sound for the past 75 years and delivers instant value to end users compared to many of the brands within the SI and AV industry. This creates further opportunities for our dealers who can get instant recognition on the JBL product, allowing them to focus more of their efforts on the design, fulfilment and completion of their projects.”
One of the things JBL is known for its keen price points; how is this achieved? Darren says, “JBL engineering follows decades of research and development from a very scientific approach. The company begins with a detailed product specification and value engineers at every stage to ensure performance in maximised. JBL also benefits from the purchasing power of corporate parent Harman helping to optimise the cost of products to deliver a very high performance to value ratio.”
The brand also has strong recognition in some key demographics, as Darren explains, “JBL is the fastest growing audio brand among Gen Z and Millennials – a testament to the company’s commitment to authenticity and innovation. In specific categories, JBL is the market leader in the portable audio space with more than 100 million portable speakers sold and in the headphone space, with more than 200 million headphones sold. JBL is also the dominant market leader in the party box speaker category.”
IMP is also home to some other innovative brands, some of which are showcased here. Darren revels, “Vimar is an Italian manufacturer of decorative wiring devices and home automation products including the company’s own bus system ‘By-me’ as well certified KNX products.
The products are known for their quality and design, using the very best in materials and finish. Trivum is a German manufacturer of smart multiroom products that combine innovative design, sophisticated functionality and quality. Uniquely offering a range of DIN and Cabinet streamers and amplifiers, trivum is able to support a range of installation and customer demands. Furthermore, all of their products are built for KNX control with free of charge drivers for Control4, RTI, and URC with intuitive control for smart phones or browser.
As well as introducing its new showroom, the company is gearing up for EI Live! too (Stand 35). Darren explains, “IMP will be exhibiting the latest products from our suppliers including the New Tondo range of controls from Vimar, the new Multiroom streamer from trivum and the new MA range of AVRs and Studio 2 Box speakers from JBL.
Does the team have a favourite part of the space? Darren responds, “My favourite part of the experience room is exactly that, the experience. To be immersed in a room that showcases the best of our products in an environment that combines that luxury living space with the sophisticated element of controls and audio. I think we have been able to reproduce an environment that many of our dealers have access to and can realistically reproduce.”
DEMO TIME!
Comfortably seated in the conventional sofa that the room provides, the demo began with the in-wall stereo system. These fully integrated speakers offer real punch and clarity and certainly make their case well – and the work the maker has done with Stealth really pays off. A few tracks from Bob Dylan and Adele shows that the system has also the subtly it needs as well as power. The team also underline that the speakers used here are a good option for overhead deliver as well.
Onto the main cinema and we begin with some Blade Runner 2049 playing through
DESIGN & CONSULTING
With our experience of smart home integrations and BMS, we can bridge the gap between the AV and HVAC worlds, designing systems that take full account of how the client wants to use them. We offer a range of services from consulting to complete system design.
MONITORING & DIAGNOSTICS
All our solutions include advanced cloud-monitoring for analysing system performance and fault reporting. Turn a reactive response to a disgruntled client into a proactive call from you to let them know that their problem has been resolved, even before they knew they had one.
Multi-platform smart home integration tailors the experience to the client - whether that is elegant in-room controls complementing their luxurious decor, or virtually invisible sensors with App-based controls. All backed up with sophisticated installer tools.
Apple TV over the room’s large Samsung TV. The bass delivery is very strong, clear and without overdoing things, the Vangelis soundtrack needs musicality, and it gets plenty here. Lots of good detail is also on show as subtle and easily missed nuances such as the sound the drone makes in the opening scene are well presented. The Never Enough scene from the Greatest Showma n is up next. Towards the start of this scene, a little way into the song, there is a drop where the viewer – for a split second – should hear nothing at all. It’s a difficult thing to execute to go from full flow
to nothing, and the system does it very well. The room correction software takes a bow here. One to the Fremen verses Rabban fight from Dune 2 . Despite this scene being full-on action for a lot of the time, it’s really important that the performance gets over the emotion in this scene. Rabban is afraid, perhaps for the first time in his life and this segways into the cold ruthlessness of the emperor and his daughter as they discuss the fate of millions. The system delivers the raw power of the fight, underscored by what we learn about the characters really well, with subtly
when needed and with the adrenaline that is required. Finishing up with some music-only tracks underscores again the musically the system can offer and brings home just how versatile the system is. When the team tells EI that everything in the 7.2.2 cinema retails at under 8K, it’s even more impressive. It’s well worth a visit. To gain access to the showroom, simply contact the sales team to book your demo.
IMP
improducts.co.uk
Cinema Electronics
• 1 x JBL MA 9100H AV Receiver, 8K, Dirac, 9.2 channels (JBLMA9100HPBLKEU) Front
• 2 x JBL Studio 6, 2-way, 4 X 5.25in InWall Speaker (JBLS6THTR)
• 1 x JBL Studio 6, 2-way 2 X 8in In-Wall Speaker (JBLS688LCR) Satelites
• 4 x JBL Studio 6, 2-way 8in In-Wall Speaker (JBLS68IW) ATMOS
• 2 x JBL Studio 2, 2-way 8in In-Ceiling Speaker (STUDIO28IC)
Subs
• 2 x JBL Stage 220P 12in (300MM) 500W Powered Subwoofer, black (JBL220PBLKEU)
Invisible Audio Wall
• 1 x Trivum 4 zone multiroom system for streaming (SC040M)
• 1 x Lexicon DD8+ 8-Channel Network Amplifier (LEXDD8PLEU)
• Audio – trivum app via iPad set on Displine Sunset Table Stand
AWE SHOWROOM VISIT ELEVATES PBIAV HOME CINEMA PROJECT
Sussex-based smart home integrator PBI Audio Visual (PBIAV) has recently completed an impressive home cinema room inspired by a visit to the AWE Show Apartment in Epsom.
Carried out within the converted annexe of an attractive family home in West Sussex, this project has seen the realisation of a dream, hi-spec 11-seater cinema, created for a multigenerational family to enjoy weekly movie nights. The initial brief included a relatively modest home cinema budget, which almost doubled in size following persuasive demos in the recently updated cinemas at AWE HQ.
THE BOWERS & WILKINS EFFECT
Before visiting AWE, the client already had a firm idea of which speaker brand he wanted to drive the audio for his cinema room. The client experienced two different cinema set-ups in
the AWE Performance and Reference cinemas, both with audio-visual packages at varying price points. After hearing the performance of Bowers & Wilkins loudspeakers, the client decided that this was, indeed, the best option for his project.
“Following the visit, our client was so impressed by the reference cinema, they decided to significantly increase the budget to achieve maximum impact and replicate a similar experience. In fact, the client agreed to double their budget and proceed with a 7.4.4 Bowers & Wilkins system,” says Dan Beck, Director at PBIAV.
The client was not only wowed by the audio experience, but they also loved the furniture
and opted to have the same range of FrontRow Serenity seating for their cinema too.
THE CHALLENGE
“Every home cinema project we do brings its own challenges, and this one was no different,” adds Dan. “The width of the room threw up some issues, but we worked hard to complete the installation to match the client’s brief. In the end, they were incredibly pleased with the results, as were we.”
The Bowers & Wilkins 7.4.4 surround sound set up is delivered by a combination of 600 and 700 Series speakers with four powerful ISW-4 in-wall subwoofers.
“Bowers & Wilkins are known for being at the pinnacle of professional audio solutions and, with this 7.4.4 configuration, the client is delighted with the power as well as the precision that they first heard at AWE,” explains Dan.
To meet the client’s brief of having technology concealed as much as possible within the space, four Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series CCM684 in-ceiling speakers were fitted, with grilles and bezels colour matched to the ceiling. Meanwhile, 700 Series architectural in-wall speakers (three x CWM7.3S2, four x CWM7.5S2) were installed behind the movie screen and within the side walls. Four Bowers & Wilkins ISW-4 In-Wall Subwoofers with two long-throw 8in drivers are capable of moving the large quantities of air required for highquality, controlled deep bass. The result is
minimal intrusion into the room and a listening experience that immerses the viewer within the storytelling of each movie.
For cinematic quality audio performance, a Marantz CINEMA 40 9.4 channel AV receiver features 9 x 15W of built-in amplification. This AVR includes seven HDMI inputs, is Dolby Atmos and 8K compatible, and features HEOS built-in streaming.
PRECISION VIEWING
For the screen, PBIAV selected a three metre super thin model from ScreenLine made with an acoustically transparent material. This allowed for the biggest screen possible within the space, while also providing an opportunity to conceal speakers behind the screen. The company says it has used this brand for over 15 years due
to the high-quality materials and large range offered in many applications.
Following demonstrations at AWE, the Sony VPL-XW5000 native 4K projector was selected to suit the screen size and the dimensions of the room. Boasting 8.3 million pixels and up to 2000 lumens, as well as being one of the most compact native 4K projectors on the market, it’s a strong high-performance solution for this tightly spaced cinema.
To overcome the potential viewing issues caused by a long and narrow room, a stepped seating plan was incorporated to optimise each of the 11 FrontRow seats. When combined with the low ceiling height, the client was concerned that the projector could potentially be a distraction, but a projector enclosure solved that issue.
The room offers strong performance and pleasing aesthetics
The shape and size of the room presented some challenges
PBIAV then needed to calculate the ideal position of the projector to ensure that the throw ratio was correct. Working with the Sony Projection Calculator, the projector was installed into the ceiling from the attic above to ensure enough head height was available in the room below.
A neatly organised Sanus rack houses all the supporting technologies, including the Marantz CINEMA 40, a Sony Blu-Ray and Apple TV combination, and Control4 automation equipment.
Dan explains some of the other choices made for the cinema, “We chose a Control4 end user experience for two reasons. Ease of use for the customer and his family ranging from young children to his older parents and everyone in between, the customer wanted this to be a family friendly space that anyone can come and use without him having to give a guided tour and demonstration beforehand.
“Secondly, the customer wanted to have the ability to have further home automation and integration across the rest of his property in future projects, including video intercom that the team has now completed.”
Dan also explains that the team chose Silent Space Acoustics for the acoustic panelling for multiple reasons; A Class A acoustic rating with a minimum noise coefficient of 0.85, easy installation using Rotofast anchors, multiple fabric choices and completely custom sizing.
Finaly for a solid network, Ubiqiuti Unifi Data Networking was applied to the space.
Dan says, “We supplied and installed a complete system not only into the cinema but across the whole property and gardens, this system is a very customer friendly networking system that gives you a lot for your budget, is easily expandable with a large product selection and gives us the ability to remotely monitor and diagnose the system.”
THE RESULT
The client was delighted with the final installation, and excited to use his new home cinema to host family and friends to watch the biggest blockbusters the way they were meant to be seen.
Here’s what he had to say. “I can’t speak highly enough of PBIAV as installers and as people. They really took onboard what I wanted and did a brilliant job of creating my vision. Having four subwoofers really blows me away, it feels like I’m a part of every movie I’m watching.”
This project highlights the benefit of demonstrating different options to clients in an immersive, true-to-life environment, such as the AWE Show Apartment. It can make a huge difference to the agreed budget and final specification.
PBI Audio Visual pbiav.co.uk
Essential Kit List
• Sony VPL-XW5000 Projector
• Sony 4K UHD Blu-Ray Player
• Marantz CINEMA40
• Marantz AMP10
• B&W 700 Series: 3 x CWM7.3S2, 4 x CWM7.5S2
• B&W 600 Series: 2 x CCM684(P)
• B&W Subs: 4 x ISW-4 and back boxes
• FrontRow Seating
• Sanus racking
• ScreenLine 3M Living Full Vision Acoustically Transparent Screen
• Control4 Core1 Processor
• Control4 Halo Remote
• Control4 DIN Lighting
• Blustream HDMI Cabling
• Ubiquiti Unifi WiFi6 Access Point
• Ubiquiti Unifi 16 port Poe Switch
• Excel Data Keystone & Data Cabling
• Domotz Network Monitoring
• Lyyt Seamless COB LED Strip & Profiles
• Silent Space Acoustic Panelling
• Unicol Custom Projector Mount
• Daikin Air Conditioning
Truly versatile choice of complete highperformance architectural systems.
Turnkey solution involving patented technologies and the most advanced electronics and loudspeakers.
All JBL Synthesis products offer the performance data required for CEDIA RP-22 recommended practice.
Two Certified JBL Synthesis systems will be showcased at our new Ascot demonstration facility.
With a lineage that can be traced back to the earliest days of cinema sound, JBL Synthesis has become a global leader in immersive home theatre audio, offering some of the most advanced multichannel systems available in the world.
Today it provides a truly versatile choice of complete highperformance systems comprising matching architectural speakers and electronics for discreet, dynamic, object-based immersive sound in a wide range of projects including the largest dedicated private cinema and media rooms.
To explore capabilities for your future projects and talk to us about help with system design and specification, please contact:
0141 440 5333
THE PRODUCT IS FANTASTIC’ - HOME CINEMA INTERIORS TALKS ZUMA
Recently we have spoken at length about the power and potential of Zuma for the Custom Installation industry. In this piece, we thought we’d offer an insider expert’s view on what Zuma can offer CI installers nationwide.
INTRODUCING HOME CINEMA INTERIORS
Joshua Jones has worked in AV for over 14 years. His early career was spent specialising in the corporate sector, working with companies such as Ebay, Paypal and Jaguar Land Rover, often leading their installations. He founded Home Cinema Interiors seven years ago, originally for smaller projects like hanging televisions, but quickly advanced into media wall installation. After online footage of one media wall installation went viral with over 120k views in 48 hours, Josh’s business exploded - and it’s been growing ever since.
Through a newly opened showroom in Basingstoke, Home Cinema Interiors were able to fully express their value to new and prospective clients. And they’ve done it with style. Seven varied Media Walls and a Hybrid Lounge come Cinema Room offer visitors a tantalising view of what’s possible in their home. “What customers want is that wow factor,” says Josh. “That can come through sound, light, and more, but the end goal is always the same”.
EMBRACING ZUMA
Before encountering Zuma, Home Cinema Interiors were mostly utilising Sonos for audio solutions outside of the home theatre space. That changed when a client requested Zuma for a home installation, and Joshua’s team had the opportunity to see the speaker-light solution first hand - combining sound and light into a single, wireless downlight installed into the ceiling cavity.
“The product is fantastic. There’s so many good things about it,” Josh says. “Products like Zuma that are simple, minimalistic, and high end…that marries up perfectly with what we do”.
This simplicity starts as early as the point of installation. “Zuma is extremely easy to install”. Josh reveals. “As far as products go in this world, Zuma is right up there with some of the simplest solutions in terms of its installation. It’s very straightforward.” Once installed, Zuma wirelessly bathes each room in natural lighting and immersive, spatial audio. How does Zuma’s sound quality stack up to similar home audio solutions on the market?
“For what Zuma is, it sounds fantastic’. Josh comments. “‘If you compare it to the likes of Sonos or Bose, it’s just as good”. For CI installers, the key with an audio solution like Zuma is to utilise it in the right spaces in the home. Whilst plastered in-wall speakers might be perfect for an incredible home cinema, you wouldn’t be necessarily looking for that exact same audio experience in other rooms in your home. Josh underlines, “I would put Zuma in any open plan family room…if you’re dispersing audio over a large space, Zuma is far better at that than even Sonos can be”.
This kind of use case is where Joshua regularly specifies Zuma for his clients, including one recent installation into a new, single story extension on the back of a home.
“It’s this huge, open plan room,” Josh explains, “They came into the showroom, saw Zuma, and loved it…we’ve dispersed the Zuma’s throughout the space, and installed a wall-mounted Rithum Switch for control.” Zuma is fully compatible with Rithum via an easily installed Pro Plugin. To ensure the Zuma system kept within their budget, Josh and his team used Zuma to provide ‘feature lighting’ in specific areas of the space, installing conventional lighting alongside the system for everyday use. “That way the client doesn’t need to spend thousands and thousands of pounds… it can be incorporated in a way that gives the customer everything they need. That is the kind of room Zuma needs to be in,” concludes Josh.
KEEPING IT SIMPLE
“Simplicity is key to the whole industry now.” Josh asserts. Home Cinema Interiors are such passionate advocates of simplicity in smart home tech, that they’ve almost totally moved away from big, complex installations. “So often clients were ringing us up, saying something doesn’t work…you go there and oftentimes they just don’t know which button to press.
“You end up thinking, ‘this is pointless, both us and the customer are losing here.’ Something like Zuma that’s already incredibly straightforward and sounds and looks great? You’re on to a winner.”
Joshua and Home Cinema Interiors are keen to lead the charge on this new, simplified approach to CI. And there’s significant business benefits inherent to this approach. Josh says, “There’s so many more technophobes out there than technophiles. Those people aren’t that interested in the most technologically complex product…they want something that sounds good, but they also want it to be easy to use, easy to install and look great once it’s in. That’s Zuma.”
Theben’s LUXORliving Smart Start offers a cutting-edge solution for experienced smart home integrators seeking to expand their capabilities with minimal installation effort and maximum flexibility, says the company. This comprehensive radio-based system eliminates the need for traditional KNX wiring, making it a strong solution for retrofitting existing buildings or integrating into new constructions.
Designed with 30 essential functions, including switching, dimming (including DALI), blind control, and room climate regulation, LUXORliving Smart Start provides robust functionality without the complexities associated with some KNX setups, says the company. Integrators can extend existing KNX installations or deploy new systems using the KNX-RF interface and secure encrypted communication protocols.
“The versatility of LUXORliving Smart Start empowers integrators to meet the diverse demands of residential and commercial projects,” explains Paul Foulkes, Country Manager for Theben UK. “With our wireless actuators and push-button modules, compatible with various switch ranges, installations are streamlined while offering unparalleled control and reliability.”
The system’s control centre supports multiple operational modes, including push-button control, the intuitive LUXORplay app, and voice activation, ensuring a seamless user experience across all platforms.
Additionally, remote management via the secure Theben Cloud enhances accessibility and control flexibility.
“For integrators, LUXORliving Smart Start represents a cost-effective solution that doesn’t compromise on performance or future scalability,” emphasises Paul. “It’s designed to adapt to evolving technology and user needs, ensuring longevity and satisfaction.”
As sustainability and efficiency become paramount in building practices, LUXORliving Smart Start stands at the forefront, enabling integrators to deliver affordable smart home solutions that align with modern environmental standards and homeowner expectations.
Luxor Living Theben luxorliving.co.uk theben.de
KALEIDESCAPE STRUTS ITS STUFF WITH AFFORDABLE STRATO V MOVIE PLAYER
Kaleidescape Strato V Movie Player delivers 4K Dolby Vision playback with lossless audio, offering performance and quality with a lower cost of entry. Strato V works on its own or as part of a larger Kaleidescape system.
As a standalone system, Strato V is a single playback zone and stores approximately 10 reference 4K movies on an internal, solid-state drive. It features a new streamlined interface, optimised for navigating a small movie library. Strato V can download a Kaleidescape 4K movie in as little as 10 minutes over Gigabit Ethernet, during movie playback, without sacrificing performance, says the maker. Downloads become a candidate for automatic deletion 48 hours after playback, making room for more movies. Storage may be added to Strato V by grouping it with Terra Prime movie servers. This returns Strato V’s interface to the full Kaleidescape experience. Any number of Strato V movie players can be grouped with one or more new or existing
housed in a modern black anodised aluminium and glass chassis, created to offer a sleek and stylish design.
The addition of lossless player-side decode for high-bitrate audio codecs provides flexibility to maximise sound quality with a range of downstream components. Strato V is
Strato V has access to the Kaleidescape movie store, the maker’s digital movie platform offering thousands of 4K and HD titles, including movies, TV series and concerts, with over 100 currently available in Dolby Vision, with more to come. Movies are available with lossless multichannel and object-based audio, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
Strato V is described as a strong option for new customers and those who have a TV or projector with Dolby Vision support, or older audio equipment that does not decode Dolby TrueHD or DTS:HD.
Kaleidescape is available in the UK from Pulse Cinemas
Embrace flexible home automation with Theben’s LUXORliving Smart Start
A new more affordable Kaleidescape platform has been announced
X6i
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NAD Electronics has announced the launch of the C 700 V2 BluOS Streaming Amplifier. Building on the success of its predecessor, the C 700 V2 boasts upgrades in performance and functionality including improved ESS Sabre DAC, MM phono input, Dolby Digital decoding, Dirac Live readiness and IR remote control.
With the inclusion of an advanced ESS Sabre ES9028 DAC, the amplifier promises
UBSOUND GOES FULLRANGE
On the occasion of its 13th anniversary, Italian company UBSOUND has launched the F85 handcrafted fullrange floor standing loudspeakers, that the company says promise extraordinary performance.
Approximately two years of research and development went into the design of this model, with many prototypes and hundreds of tests in anechoic, semi-anechoic and domestic regimes. The maker says the F85 series is the spearhead of the UBSOUND philosophy which over the years has made crossover-less acoustic naturalness its flagship.
Marzio Gasparro, CEO of the UBSOUND group, explains, “We are proud to have created this one-of-a-kind loudspeaker, which has all it takes to soon be considered the best fullrange floor standing loudspeaker ever made. We worked assiduously with our engineers and designers on the three obstacles commonly associated with full-range loudspeakers present on the market.
“I am firstly referring to power handling, where we have achieved very high level performance from 5W to 250W power per channel on 8 ohm impedance and 90dB of sensitivity, so that the F85 could be an amazing speaker suitable for any amplification. The second obstacle to overcome was the frequency response, that generally is almost
a refined listening experience characterised by greater precision and depth. This upgrade, along with NAD’s HybridDigital UcD amplifier technology, ensures powerful and clear sound reproduction, catering to both audiophiles and music enthusiasts, says the maker.
One of the notable features is its integration of stereo and surround sound. The ability to switch to a 4.1 Dolby Digital Surround setup
with BluOS Enabled rear channels and a wired subwoofer expands its versatility, making it suitable for both music and home cinema.
The unit is also ready for Dirac Live, offering users the ability to unlock advanced room correction capabilities with a purchase of a Dirac Live license. The C 700 V2 stores up to five Dirac Live profiles, accommodating different setups and room conditions.
The addition of a MM phono input is another useful addition catering to vinyl enthusiasts who can now enjoy their records with precise RIAA equalization and low noise. Connectivity also includes HDMI eARC, two-way aptX HD Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay 2. It also includes USB Type A for music playback and connecting an optional calibration mic.
The C 700 V2 provides access to over 20 popular music streaming services, internet radio and local digital music libraries. The unit is compatible with home automation systems and voice assistants. The product offers a highdefinition colour display, a solid aluminium body and user-friendly controls via the BluOS Controller app, along with the included remote and compatibility with other IR remotes.
NAD Electronics nadelectronics.com
always limited in a full-range driver but we managed to gain in dynamics with a sensational and coherent soundstage in detail, which is precise but not too much analytical, even reaching 26Hz of low frequency and 22,000Hz of high frequency, dispelling any limitations generally associated with fullrange speakers, with a perfect acoustic image on every musical genre during playback.
“Lastly, the design phase was very detailed and few finishing touches were selected: we worked meticulously to best contextualise the concept of a luxury loudspeaker also as an elegant accessory in the most prestigious listening environments.”
UBSOUND ubsound.com
A NEW GENERATION OF SOUND.
The JBL Modern Audio A/V receivers consist of five models based on a platform of fundamental connectivity with the latest features for video and music, with additional premium features as you move up in the line. All models feature similar technologies to focus on high performance sound including Class D amplification to power all channels, Dolby and DTS decoding and high resolution 192kHz 24-bit digital signal processing. With premium audio quality and a focus on ease-of-use, the MA Series models offer the flexibility of a wide range of input sources and listening modes so you can enjoy your content easily and quickly with the fewest number of steps, all from a product with a unique and modern appearance. Check them out at www.improducts.co.uk.
Proudly Distributed By:
BLOK INTRODUCES STAX 2G, ADVANCED HI-FI FURNITURE
Blok Stax 2G is engineered to ensure Hi-Fi systems are allowed to perform at their optimal levels, while also offering an elegantly modernist design that looks great no matter the environment, says their creator.
Stax 2G has been birthed to provide a strong platform for electronics and turntables to perform at their best, while its uniquely British, elegantly modernist aesthetic and modular design deliver unrivaled flexibility, says the company.
Stax 2G’s boasts acoustic technology designed to maximise performance. Both shelves and supports have been engineered to deliver optimal isolation and the structure is fillable with inert acoustic material for even greater damping.
Assembley is said to be intuitive and uncomplicated, with hidden secure fixings, smart isolation and adjustable feet. A choice of contemporary finishes allows Stax 2G to integrate into any interior space and there is also room for LP storage.
Stax 2G also features concealed rubber bungs within in the supports that carry the weight of the shelves and the equipment that sits on them. These small, flush-fitting bungs can be removed to allow the supports
to be mass-loaded with inert acoustic material, allowing the supports to become heavier, for greater structural rigidity of the unit, while also greatly reducing vibration and resonances.
Silicon isolation pads are integrated between each shelf and into the base of the support structure ensuring that shelf absorption works at its most optimum, reducing resonances and vibration.
The concept also includes a bespoke foot design that facilitates quick and easy height
STORMAUDIO BUDDIES UP WITH BRYSTON
StormAudio has announced that its digital audio suite will be made available to Bryston sp4 and Focal Astral 16 users.
The new StormAudio digital audio suite, available to Bryston SP4 and Focal Astral 16 users, also includes the Dirac Live Active Room Treatment calibration tool.
This significant enhancement is made possible through the purchase of a licence, available as of now, which brings a new level of performance and customisation to the audio experience.
The Dirac Live Active Room Treatment licence is included in the upgrade, which calibrates speakers as a unified system and uses each speaker’s strengths to reduce room decay time, efficiently cancelling out lingering bass and leading to clarity.
In addition to Dirac Live Active Room Treatment, users will also benefit from a host of other advanced features, including expert bass management, precise control over lowfrequency output for superior sound quality, multiple layout management, while up to six different speaker configurations are possible, accessible through Preset selection.
StormEasy Setup Wizard is a user-friendly setup process that simplifies configuration and calibration, while StormXT promises an enhanced immersive audio experience with optimised channel expansion.
adjustment and allows users to select spikes or rubber feet, depending on the surface upon which it is placed.
Stax 2G’s visual identity is enhanced with the introduction of three contemporary finishes: black glass with high-gloss black supports, natural ash plywood with satin white supports and a subtle black ash plywood with natural walnut supports.
Blok blokhifi.com
Also, new filters for parametric equalisation (PEQ) boast improved flexibility and control over sound adjustments.
These features, previously exclusive to StormAudio customers, are now available to enrich the listening experiences of Bryston SP4 and Focal Astral 16 users.
“We are thrilled to extend StormAudio’s innovative technologies to Bryston SP4 and Focal Astral 16 users,” says Olivier Thumerel, CEO of StormAudio. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to pushing the boundaries of audio excellence and ensuring that our users have access to the best tools available in the industry.”
StormAudio stormaudio.com
Stax 2G is available with two types of shelves, a tempered glass shelf in black or a plywood shelf, available in natural ash, or black ash veneer
New options for StormAudio and Bryston users
DENON HOME AMP LOVES LEGACY SYSTEMS
Denon has unveiled the Denon Home Amp. Designed to bring legacy two-channel systems into the modern HEOS ecosystem, the product fits into any household setup. Bringing a legacy two-channel system into the HEOS ecosystem, the Denon Home Amp adds any pair of loudspeakers to the HEOS wireless multi-room ecosystem, while also bringing high fidelity audio with 100W of power per channel tuned by the Denon Sound Master.
The Home Amp also brings increased power and separation of a two-channel system to TV. HDMI eARC allows for one-cable integration with most modern TVs, even those with integrated streaming. Additionally, the subwoofer out makes it easy to add a subwoofer for extra bass. And because of its compact form factor, the Denon Home Amp can be placed virtually anywhere.
Denon HEOS supports up to 64 zones of Hi-Res audio streaming, suitable for virtually
any size distributed audio project. Its small size maximises rack space, with two of the products able to fit side by side on a standard rack. The unit also seamlessly networks with other HEOS-enabled devices, including Denon and Marantz AV Receivers, and enjoys Denon’s
DISCOVER DIRAC LIVE VIA BLUESOUND
Swedish digital audio pioneer Dirac and Bluesound, makers of Hi-fidelity multiroom streaming devices, have announced a collaboration to integrate Dirac’s awardwinning Dirac Live Room Correction solution into select Bluesound devices. All users need it a microphone accessory kit and a license to get started.
“The ways in which consumers listen to music at home are changing; while dedicated listening rooms were once the norm, the whole house is now the listening space – the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, basements, and more,” says Fredric Fredric Tapper, Dirac’s VP of Home & Pro Audio. “However, this expanded definition of listening space has created new challenges in terms of high-fidelity audio reproduction, as open-air spaces with dynamic room sizes and dimensions can significantly impact sound quality. This industry-first collaboration with Bluesound resolves these challenges by delivering high-fidelity audio across any room, or any listening space, irrespective of its complexities.”
“At Bluesound, we fundamentally believe that consumers shouldn’t have to sacrifice audio quality for the convenience of streaming – and multiroom streamed audio doesn’t have to come at the expense of high-fidelity sound reproduction,” says Matt Simmonds, Product Manager, Bluesound. “Hi-Fi runs deep in our DNA, which is why we’re so excited to be collaborating with Dirac – a company that shares
best-in-class integrator support, which includes training resources and a dedicated technical support hotline.
Demon denon.com
Dealers can sign up to find out which Bluesound products will be Dirac Live compatible at dirac.com/live/bluesound/
our commitment to audio innovation and the pursuit of perfected sound. These Dirac Ready Bluesound devices will set new performance standards in the multiroom WiFi-based streamed audio market.”
Future Bluesound devices will come ready to handle Dirac Live once a Dirac Live license is purchased through the Dirac website. Backwards compatibility to existing Bluesound
devices is also being studied and roll out plans for eligible models will be shared at a later date. A calibration kit will be made available for sale on the Bluesound.com website when the first enabled Bluesound player becomes available.
Dirac Bluesound dirac.com bluesound.com
The Amp has an end user price of £699
Pure Simmetry
Exceptional HDR design for every model, from luxury to affordable, involving advanced image processing perfected over seventeen years
Class-leading brightness up to 6000lm
Crystal glass lenses and optical components made for high contrast, detail-rich images
Advanced ventilation delivers quiet operation from smaller, more beautiful crystal glass cabinets
A brilliant balance of high brightness, contrast, colour and practicality will deliver peerless HDR performance to projects large and small.
SIM2’s acknowledged leadership in perfecting High Dynamic Range (HDR) as the ‘real revolution in video imaging and home cinema performance’ can now be utilised in almost every custom application, not just the luxury, award-winning integrations for which it is justly famous. Today, SIM2 offers you the opportunity to enhance the great majority of your projects with a single high-quality brand.
To explore capabilities for your future projects and talk to us about help with system design and specification, please contact:
