EI Speaker Supplement 2022

TURN TO P.4 FOR THE AWE INSIGHT

SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT

A N E S S E N T I A L I N STA L L P U B L I C AT I O N

2022

CLARITY OF DIAMONDS

Bowers & Wilkins in-wall CI 800 series at AWE

Richard Stevenson reviews AWE’s Reference Cinema

IN-WALL SPEAKERS WITH AUDIOPHILE PERFORMANCE

ci140 and ci140sub

Go straight to the source 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, into the ultimate in slimline, high-performance onwall and in-wall loudspeakers.

• SLICK, EFFORTLESS INSTALLATION • STUDIO SOUND QUALITY & RELIABILITY • BEAUTIFUL BEZEL-LESS DESIGN • NO DISTURBANCE TO ADJOINING ROOMS • EXPANSIVE, EVEN SOUND COVERAGE • DEEP, PRECISE BASS AT ALL LEVELS

Find out more T 01767 686300 www.pmc-speakers.com

ci45 ci65

ci30

ci90

ci140sub

ci140

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.

TURN TO P.4 FOR THE AWE INSIGHT

SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT

A N E S S E N T I A L I N STA L L P U B L I C AT I O N

2022

CLARITY OF DIAMONDS

Bowers & Wilkins in-wall CI 800 series at AWE

Richard Stevenson reviews AWE’s Reference Cinema

IN-WALL SPEAKERS WITH AUDIOPHILE PERFORMANCE

CONTENTS

GETTING IN TOUCH

2 EDITOR’S COMMENT

17 L-ACOUSTICS CREATIONS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

We love speakers!

Bring the power of pro audio home

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

4 A MOMENT OF CLARITY WITH BOWERS & WILKINS

19 THE KRIX EXPERIENCE

Daniel Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com Beatrice Lee, beatrice@allthingsmedialtd.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com

GROUP AD MANAGER

Claire Talty, claire@allthingsmedialtd.com

PUBLISHER

David Kitchener, david@allthingsmedialtd.com

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 T: +44 (0)1634 673163 F: +44 (0)1634 673173

The CI800 install loudspeakers bring the best of the brand’s premium residential technology and performance to CI

8 PERLISTEN AUDIO JOINS KARMA’S LINE-UP Karma-AV is proud to be adding the extraordinary Perlisten Audio line of THX Dominus certified speakers and subwoofers to its range

www.essentialinstall.com

10 THE SNAP ONE OPPORTUNITY

SOCIALS

Five key areas where integrators can think differently about their choice of speaker

/INSTALL_MAG /ESSENTIALINSTALL Whilst we make every effort that everything printed in Essential Install magazine is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur.

All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.

12 LYNGDORF AUDIO Integration never sounded so good!

14 CHARM YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH TOTEM ACOUSTIC Born out of love for music and movies, this brand offers everything you could want in a home audio manufacturer

Steve Totterdell, high performance audio product manager at Invision, on the Series MX Range

21 ARTCOUSTIC EVOLUTION The Artcoustic proposition is now even easier to navigate and execute

24 THE AUDIENCE IS STILL LISTENING M&K Sound considers THX Certification to be not only a key component of its marketing, but also critical to offering up a unified home cinema ecosystem

26 EXTREME ENGINEERING Meridian takes loudspeaker performance and design to new extremes

EDITOR’S COMMENT

AMAZING AUDIO A very warm welcome to our spring supplement, concentrating on the wonderful world of speakers. We are looking at speakers of all kinds and providing makers, distributors and other stakeholders the opportunity to tell EI readers all about their latest and greatest creations - as well as look at some of the key issues facing the industry.

From EI’s point of view, the sector has never been stronger. How long ago was it that the main (and in many cases only) outlet for a speaker was a demo comparison between several square boxes in the local Hi-Fi store?

02 SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT 2022

Nothing wrong with that method of market access of course, it sold and still sells a lot of products, but when we look out over the vast number of types of speaker, use case scenarios and places that speakers end up, it’s not just a different world, it’s a different universe. The end user has choice like never before and the installer/dealer likewise can match any type of need with a speaker.

A few further observations are the improvements made in hidden speaker tech in recent years, audio compromise is not really even a question here anymore. EI has witnessed demos recently where the user has switched from on-show to hidden, because the audio quality on the hidden option was way better than they had expected. Also, don’t forget the great outdoors, spring is here, and

exterior audio systems are still showing big potential for growth. Here also, choice has increased from simple patio-based solutions to any size of area and step-up systems in terms of quality too.

Also the aesthetics and bespoke options for speakers have greatly improved in the last five years or so. Many speakers now are works of art in their own right and deserve their place in any well-designed home, loud and proud and on show.

Finally, lets never forget that although its perfectly possible for us to geek out on the tech our new friends have included, its what comes out of them that is really important to the end user; music, life, movies nights, fun!

We hope you enjoy this EI Supplement, keep any eye out for the next one!

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DALI

No compromise in-wall audio Enjoy unparalleled audio performance from a discreet, in-wall speaker solution with the DALI PHANTOM M Series.

Comprising of two models, PHANTOM M-250 and PHANTOM M-375, the series is ideal for home cinema or stereo use.

With integrated sealed back-boxes and a mounting depth of only 100mm, each model delivers best-in-class sound along with quick and easy installation.

PHANTOM M -375

PHANTOM M -250

The slim yet powerful DALI PHANTOM M series has been developed with versatility in mind so can be easily integrated into a variety of audio systems. Both models offer spacious and room-filling DALI sound - without physically dominating your living space.

Download whitepaper, product sheet and more at: www.dali-speakers.com/phantom

Cabinet Dimensions: 250mm x 775mm x 100mm

PHANTOM M

ESSENTIAL SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT

AWE’s New Reference Home Cinema

A MOMENT OF CLARITY WITH BOWERS & WILKINS CI Bowers & Wilkins CI800 install loudspeakers bring the best of the brand’s premium residential technology and performance to CI. Experienced AV journalist and reviewer Richard Stevenson heads to AWE’s flagship Reference Home Cinema to find out.

I had clearly missed Bowers & Wilkins CI products in the past. I assumed that, like many brands known primarily for their audiophile loudspeakers, there were some basic install units in the catalogue to tick the boxes. “Not so,” said AWE’s Stuart Tickle, while struggling to bring his raised eyebrow back down to earth. “Pop up to see our new cinema demroom with the latest Bowers & Wilkins CI800 Reference Series models.” So I did.

But not before a little research. The Reference speakers in question are Bowers & Wilkins CI800 Series Diamond range. Coming hot on the terminals of the brand’s recent 800 ‘Diamond’ D4 residential range launch, each model in the CI range offers the same technology, tuning and performance as a residential counterpart. Thus, the flagship CWM8.3 D shares the DNA of the mighty 803 floorstander, while the CWM8.5 D and CCM8.5 in-ceiling models have a spiritual partner in the 805 standmount loudspeaker.

That DNA covers the very same array of drive units, including the famous Diamond Dome tweeters, Continuum midrange drive units and

04 SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT 2022

Aerofoil bass drivers. The tech behind these drivers has been in continuous development since inception, (that’s nearly two decades for the Diamond tweeter!) and has helped Bowers & Wilkins scoop a mighty collection of awards and accolades from the press along the way.

As something of a landmark moment, the CI800 range marks the first time the Diamond tweeter has been incorporated in an install loudspeaker. The Diamond design uses an exceptionally stiff and light tweeter diaphragm that delivers a ruler-flat frequency response out to 35kHz with vanishingly low distortion.

The Continuum midrange cone has been evolving for the best part of a decade in its own right and gets a rather fetching and cinemafriendly dark finish for the CI800 Series. The Aerofoil bass driver will need no introduction to anyone with an ear to the Hi-Fi industry. Its innovative carbon/foam construction established new benchmarks for cone stiffness and pure pistonic behaviour through the lower end of the audio spectrum.

For the flagship CWM8.3 D in-wall, that driver compliment covers a decoupled Diamond dome tweeter, a 5in Continuum midrange drive unit and two 7in Aerofoil low-frequency drivers. No surprise then that the spec-sheet reads much like its audiophile counterpart too, with bass response down to 30Hz, 89dB/Watt efficiency and smooth frequency response out to 35kHz.

The central baffle with the Diamond tweeter and Continuum midrange is rotatable, so CWM8.3 D can be used in either vertical or horizontal position while keeping the tweeter and midrange dispersion pattern in the same plane.

The smaller CWM8.5 D is a two-way in-wall speaker designed to deliver top-end performance in a more compact format when space or budget are imposing limits. This speaker, and its partner CCM8.5 D in-ceiling model, feature a decoupled Diamond dome tweeter and a single 7in bass/ mid Continuum driver. For the in-ceiling models, both driver units are located on a continuously rotatable baffle allowing for precise directivity or toe-in depending on the installation.

800 Series Diamond Dome Tweeter

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ESSENTIAL SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT Having installed and reviewed a few products in my time (over 600 in fact for Essential Install, Home Cinema Choice and Trusted Reviews) I can safely say that getting any open-back speaker to work properly without a back-box of some sort is damn-nigh impossible. There are just too many variables in the void space. The boffins in Worthing agree too, and every CI800 speaker has a mandatory back-box, custom-designed to get the very best from the speaker. Hallelujah!

Better still, each back-box is a separate MDF constructed unit with Bowers & Wilkins Matrix bracing structure and offers external speaker terminals, including a bi-wire option on the CWM8.3 D. This enables the back-box to be installed and hard-wired long before the plasterboard goes up. On the CWM8.3 D, the discrete crossover unit bolts into the back-box when all the room’s wet work is done, and the speaker itself couples to the crossover on a supplied umbilical cable. The speakers bolt directly into the back-box. Not a dog-leg clip in sight!

For any installer that has ever cut a hole in the wrong place, found a piece of studwork midway through the cut, dropped a dog-leg clip into the wall void, or struggled to get a weighty speaker to seat securely on budget Gyproc, Bowers & Wilkins back-box concept will be music to the ears. Add in the performance benefits of a fixed volume, braced and sealed enclosure that has been designed specifically for its matching speaker, and you can see why Bowers & Wilkins use the term ‘mandatory’. Each speaker is supplied with a magnetic paint shield and paintable grille, so installation couldn’t really be easier.

Thankfully, by the time I arrived at AWE’s Epson HQ the main cinema demonstration room was finished and ready to play. Using what AWE describe as its ‘Reference Home Cinema Package A’, the install maxes out the term ‘reference’.

A trio of CWM8.3 D sit behind the 2.35:1 AT screen, each one bi-amped with Rotel’s monstrous 700Watt RMB-1590 power amplifiers. Rear and back channels use CWM8.5 Ds, and a full-fat array of six height channels are catered for by CCM8.5 Ds in-ceiling – all installed with their corresponding back boxes. The latter ten channels are driven by a brace of Rotel’s 5-channel RMB-1585

power amps, all fed from Marantz’s outstanding AV8805A processor. Add in four Bowers & Wilkins CTSW15 15” in-wall subs and a 200m drum of Kinetik KLIC-SP4 LSZH cable for good measure, and ‘Package A’ is complete. Oh yes.

After a quick introduction to Sony’s VPLVW790ES laser projector and URC’s remote that ties the AWE system together, the lights dimmed, quite literally, for the first screening.

With a system of this calibre, attributes like scale, dynamic range and sheer immersive impact go without saying. Trust me, those boxes are very much ticked here. Yet, what separates the great from the good is the finer details, and the Bowers & Wilkins CI800 system does that with the same effortless precision and natural balance of the 800-series residential models.

There is a fabulous cohesion to the mix as front-to-rear effects seamlessly pan up and around the room. That really delivers the goods on object-based audio formats with the soundstage becoming even larger than AWE’s already sizeable demroom. That glorious ability is no doubt thanks to a combination of Bowers & Wilkins driver technology and the CI800’s back boxes ensuring each speaker is delivering a series-matched tone, timbre and balance.

The Dolby Atmos test-disc clip from Unbroken is a litmus test of dialogue, effects and atmosphere all rolled into one. The Bowers & Wilkins CI800 system articulately crafts the conversation between the crew to bring out the tense emotions as the bomber heads into flak on a bombing raid into Japan. Inside the plane, you can hear the myriad creaks, rattles and noises from the plane as if you were sitting in the pilot’s seat. As the scene cuts to exterior shots, the sound explodes into action with the flak effects positioned with pinpoint accuracy in the room. You can literally track the course of the Japanese fighter planes engage in the sky, panning seamlessly in the distance behind you as they pull around to attack again.

I have never been a fan of trying to get an install AV system to sound like good hi-fi for music, but here I could be persuaded. Within a couple of tracks, I could easily wheel out a raft of reviewer superlatives and stock phrases that underpin 5-star reviews. But simply thinking, ‘yes, I could live with this as my main music system’ says enough.

Install speaker system demonstrations simply don’t get much better than this and given the owner gets Bowers & Wilkins Reference bragging rights too, showing off to friends and family is going to be something of a jaw-dropper.

Which brings me nicely back to brand names. Bowers & Wilkins is the biggest name in the

803 D4 Floor-standing speaker Rosenut

UK loudspeaker market, much-awarded and praised by reviewers, aspired to by consumers and respected by other manufacturers. In AWE’s Reference package, you can say exactly the same about Marantz and Rotel.

With the CI hardware market often dominated

by US speakers and dedicated install brands below the consumer radar, system sell-in to the end-user can be an uphill task from the outset. Even if you have the facility to demonstrate a system, you are still tasked with introducing a series of brands that the customer has probably never heard of. Without a demonstration to back up your sales patter, you are asking your customer to have a whole lot of faith in the ‘unknown’ products you specify.

How cool would it be to start by introducing reference install products from brands with a rich heritage of audiophile performance, that everyone knows and aspires to already?

Bowers & Wilkins heritage in UK loudspeaker design is second to none, the CI800 speakers are direct derivatives of the multi-award winning 800 series and sound every bit as good as their luxury cabinet-clad siblings. That would be my opening pitch to a customer every time! Add in the exceptional easy installation and guaranteed sonic results thanks to the holistic speaker and backbox design, and the CI800 series is an appealing proposition from a practical install point of view too.

The AWE crew had managed quite a major turnaround on my opinion of Bowers & Wilkins CI loudspeakers – from not realising they made any, to being something of an advocate. If I were to put down the pen and pick up the CI tools tomorrow (shudder…), I wouldn’t go with any other brand for premium install loudspeakers.

LISTEN FOR YOURSELF AT AWE EXPO

Expo returns on 29-30th March at the AWE Smart Apartment HQ in Epsom. See the latest smart home tech from industry-leading brands, including Bowers & Wilkins, and experience AWE’s new, wow-factor Reference and Performance Home Cinemas.

Register today to secure your place, visit aweeuro.pe/expo2022ei

Bowers & Wilkins CWM8.3 Back Box

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SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT 2022 05

ESSENTIAL SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT

“…for Best-Bang-That-There-Is, search these Perlisten speakers out immediately” Perlisten S7c

PERLISTEN AUDIO JOINS KARMA’S STUNNING CI AND CINEMA BRAND LINE-UP Karma-AV is proud to be adding the extraordinary Perlisten Audio line of THX Dominus certified speakers and subwoofers to its range of home cinema and CI product stars.

Sitting below the ‘S’ Series is the Reference ‘R’ Series in similar configurations but deploying a DPC-Array of three 26mm silk domes, supported by 165mm HFP woofers.

Perlisten (which is an abbreviation of ‘perceptive listening’), arrives in the UK with a global pedigree of engineering excellence and innovation – and plenty of acclaim. Focussing R&D, marketing, and manufacturing at specialist sites across the world with over a century of industry experience and leadership, Perlisten Audio offers music and home cinema enthusiasts a completely proprietary path to greater fidelity and value.

DEEPER DYNAMICS

PROPRIETARY IN EVERY WAY

Over five years of advanced modelling, measurement and listening have been dedicated to developing transducers, electronics and software entirely in-house; nothing has been sourced ‘off-the-shelf or contract manufactured outside the company’s production facilities.

Precision in production and QC delivers optimum performance and enduring quality from Perlisten’s proprietary technologies, including its Directivity Pattern Control (DPC) array of waveguided dome tweeter and twin mid-range diaphragms, engineered in a single unit to generate exceptionally accurate dispersion and coherence from 1kHz-30kHz. Perlisten’s DPC is deployed by the brand’s award-winning Signature ‘S’ range of loudspeakers, which embraces the S7t 4-way Tower, a matching S7c Centre model, the 3-way stand-mounting S5m Monitor, the 3-way S4s surround/height/LCR design, and a bookshelf version, the S4b. In each model the DPC is complemented by multiple or single 180mm Textreme woofers according to system size.

08 SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT 2022

Underpinning these designs is a range of four active subwoofers incorporating proprietary amplification, DSP and App control. The top of the range D215s for instance features twin 380mm carbon fibre woofers in a pushpull configuration, driven by a 3kW Perlisten amplifier, while the compact D12s uses a 300mm carbon fibre driver and 1.5kW amplifier. All subs include 48-bit DSP and 32bit processing, a 2.4” LCD colour touchscreen display and proprietary App control.

Perlisten Signature 5.2 ch system, hometheatrehifi.com

“…a way to skip past incremental upgrades and land on a true endgame sound system” Perlisten S7t Tower, Audioholics.com

“…the best speaker I’ve heard in this room” Perlisten S7t Tower review, Stereophile Magazine, December 2021

Perlisten D215s

“If you want one of the most advanced and accurate subwoofers on the planet, the D215s has to be my first suggestion.”

Perlisten D215s, Audioholics.com

DOMINUS DELIVERED

Perlisten Audio is the first brand in the world to have received THX Dominus Certification, the newest and the largest performance class of THX Certification, meant to bridge the gap between large home theatre speakers and those used in movie houses worldwide. Suitable for rooms up to 184 cubic metres and up to a 6m viewing distance, THX Certified Dominus speakers are certified to reproduce very high SPLs with low distortion.

Perlisten Audio joins the revered and original high-end home cinema brand JBL Synthesis, Ascendo Immersive Audio’s state-of-the-art DSP-controlled active speaker systems, Revel’s peerless audiophile architectural speaker line, JVC, SVS, System Audio and more in KarmaAV’s luxury design offering.

Get in touch: 01423 358846; info@karma-av.co.uk; karma-av.co.uk

Perlisten S7t

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WORLD’S FIRST THX CERTIFIED DOMINUS SPEAKERS “It’s rare to find an audio product, let alone a loudspeaker, that is beyond reproach. The S7t is one such loudspeaker.”

Stereophile, December 2021

Visit karma-av.co.uk for further information and full specifications…

01423 358846

karma-av.co.uk

ESSENTIAL SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT

SNAP ONE FOR AUDIO Snap One, the partner for Audio in the custom installation channel, examines five key areas where integrators can think differently about their choice of speaker to give their clients an uplift in audio performance.

We operate in a fast-moving industry that is constantly evolving, whether that’s around technology innovation, our lifestyle needs, or often, both. Snap One is all about making life easier for integrators and their clients so that they can keep pace with these changes and take advantage of opportunities. Nowhere is this clearer than in the audio market. In loudspeakers, Snap One brings together two exceptional brands – Triad and Episode – which offer a great range of products and solutions to meet your needs and those of your clients.

HOME CINEMA DESIGN

Take home cinema design as an example.

Clients who have not ventured abroad or been able to enjoy visits to the movies during the pandemic have spent disposable income on the entertainment set-ups in their homes. This has been great news for home cinema and media room installers.

In Snap One’s view, there’s never been a better time to create luxurious home cinemas that can do justice to the high-quality content available from streaming services, TV and

10 SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT 2022

movie channels and on Blu-Ray. Delivering a Dolby Atmos cinema, in particular, offers great opportunities for many integrators to create as full, rich and immersive an experience as possible.

Snap One audio brand, Triad, is aligned with Dolby and has been for many, many years. Triad was selected by Dolby Labs as their Development Partner for Home Atmos, creating a long and fruitful relationship.

It resulted in Triad teaming with them to demonstrate Home Atmos for the first time at CEDIA in 2014, even before Atmos capable electronics were released. This puts Snap One in a great position to advise integrators on the best way to demonstrate and deploy these high-quality immersive cinemas for their clients.

Whether you need a professional design service that supports you in creating an incredible conventional Hi-Fi system, or you wish to take it to the next level by building the ultimate cinema to the Dolby Atmos specification, Snap One has you covered.

EASING SPEAKER INSTALLATION TO MAXIMISE RETURN

Another opportunity for growth is the multidwelling unit space. Equipping properties for sale with multi-room audio is frequently in the

spec for a smart home, but there’s often so little in the budget that integrators are forced to compromise.

The result is that they will fit low quality, affordable in-ceiling loudspeakers to tick a box for the developer at little or no margin - or benefit to themselves.

One way to maximise your return on such a project would be to fit a pre-install trim ring from a range (such as Episode’s Signature series) with no actual speakers in the majority of rooms. Then, when the property is sold, it’s an immediate upgrade opportunity to remove the speaker grille and add in a full speaker.

With this approach, you can build a direct relationship with the new owner and offer a quick and easy route to full installation with a “Good, Better or Best” option. Every single category from the Episode range can provide a good margin for the integrator as well as allowing you to meet your client’s budget and audio quality expectations. The result is a great solution that keeps everybody happy.

It’s also better for the environment. Where there are cheap speakers already installed, then, there is every chance that the homebuyer will tip them out and replace them with better quality products and the cheap speakers will end up just going straight to landfill. Currently, that unnecessary wastage happens far too much in the industry.

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ESSENTIAL SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT feature a range of EQ presets which can very quickly bring consistency of sound performance to every room. In those rooms with hard surfaces or where additional tuning is needed, integrators can make their own adjustments to get that sound as right as it can be.

Digital EQ gives installers the freedom and flexibility to deliver exceptional sound output and optimise loudspeaker performance, according to different room size, shape and surfaces, very quickly.

GOING LARGE WITH AUDIO OUTDOORS

SCREENS AND SOUNDBARS

Screen technology is moving fast. OLED screens have radically transformed the TV viewing experience for the better, bringing beautiful, pristine images into our homes. But what about the sound? One of the big issues with thinner screens is that, whilst they and the picture they provide may look gorgeous, the audio quality they provide is as thin as the screen.

That’s why soundbars are such great solutions for improving the audio experience at home. But they also bring their own issues with room aesthetics as it can be a real challenge to match the soundbar size to the OLED screen.

If your customer has a glorious new OLED screen then pairing it with a soundbar that’s just two-thirds the width of the screen, or worse, just looks plain wrong, no matter the improvement in audio performance. Plus, if there is a colour mismatch between the screen and soundbar then the look can be even worse.

A further issue is the design of new OLED screens from the major brands which are now incorporating the TV brand name in a specially designed lip beneath the screen. It’s just impossible for an integrator to align a standard soundbar beneath these types of screens, without there being an unsightly gap.

The solution is customisation. Elevating the sound quality to a superior level, Triad’s handcrafted soundbars are built-to-order, pairing beautifully with any screen. The level of customisation is quite incredible. Triad can

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build soundbars to fit any screen size up to 82in and offer matching paint as well as wood veneer finishes to perfectly blend the soundbar with the screen it serves along with the wall colours and any other room décor. Triad can even build soundbars, with special indentations, to accommodate the latest screen designs, eliminating any gaps.

So, think custom solutions for soundbars.

After all, customisation is what our industry is all about.

WHAT THE EQ?

Typically, amplifiers across the industry leave integrators little space for adjusting multiroom audio quality when they’re actually in the customer’s home. This can make it a challenge to present the customer with the same sound that they heard and fell in love with in the demo room.

A client will usually select the same make and model of in-ceiling loudspeaker for every room. However, the audio experience can, understandably, be quite inconsistent, especially when there are spaces in the house with multiple hard surfaces and reflections, such as bathrooms and shower rooms that create totally different acoustics.

The solution to getting audio consistency is Digital EQ DSP correction. This is now becoming more and more commonplace in amplifiers and is available with the new Triad Audio Matrix and Episode Response Series Amplifiers from Snap One. These products

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Integrators are in a great place to provide the premium sound solution for the great outdoors – a growing part of the home integration market.

The good news is that there is better quality and a wider choice of technology in this sector than ever before.

On occasion, the size of garden space can be the biggest challenge on an audio project, especially for integrators who prefer to work with 8Ohm systems. To provide audio coverage with an 8Ohm two channel system in a large garden can become expensive, and also very tricky, as it makes finding the sweet spot for stereo next to impossible. The answer, in these instances, can be a 70V system which takes the left and right channel and mixes them together into one, making it the perfect solution for large gardens.

It also allows you to daisy chain the wiring over large areas to make installation much quicker and easier to accomplish than with an 8Ohm system.

True, there is a reduction in audio quality with a 70V system, but you’ll be able to add up to three subs for a rich bass sound with a 70V Episode Garden Landscape system. Episode also offers the option of 8Ohm, 70V, or a hybrid combination of these two systems which gives great flexibility on loudspeaker layout, audio performance and wiring.

Snap One provides a range of loudspeaker solutions to make specification and installation simpler, and audio performance better. To discover more information on Triad visit www.triadspeakers.com, and for Episode visit www.snapone.com/episode. Control4 partners can find more information on the full audio range from Snap One on the Dealer Portal (www.dealer-emea.control4.com)

SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT 2022 11

ESSENTIAL SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT

INTEGRATION NEVER SOUNDED SO GOOD! Integrated Lyngdorf Audio speakers add highperformance and aesthetic advantages for a myriad of projects.

Steinway Lyngdorf has a vast experience in designing home cinemas with the outstanding Steinway & Sons loudspeakers and sound processors, while the Lyngdorf MP-40 and MP-60 2.1 multichannel processors set new benchmarks for surround sound and immersive audio. The unique RoomPerfectTM room calibration aligns all speakers and woofers perfectly with each other and adapts the sound to any room.

Anker Haldan, CCO, SL Audio A/S, explains what the new speaker options bring to the party, “The new Lyngdorf Audio custom installation speakers will complement our offering to the CI market in the Lyngdorf Audio range, as we want to become a one-stop supplier of products for high performing residential sound systems. With this line of CI speakers, we have met the demands from our partners to expand our product portfolio with a flexible range of in-wall and in-ceiling speakers of the same no-compromise quality as our multichannel processors MP-40 and MP-60 2.1.”

With the LS-1000, D-500, D-5 and BW20 models, Lyngdorf Audio brings its expertise in home cinema and loudspeakers to custom

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installation speakers. Seven models have been crafted to suit different installations, from a modern living room with in-wall speakers next to the TV up to the largest home cinema with a big screen and immersive audio.

THE DISCREET SERIES

TThe D-500 and D-5 models bring Lyngdorf Audio sound quality to the custom installation speaker market. After the successful introduction of Lyngdorf loudspeakers for modern living rooms, ranging from the MH and FR on-wall speakers and BW boundary woofers to the CS-1 cabinet speaker, the Lyngdorf Discreet series expands the company’s range with in-wall and in-ceiling speakers for stereo and multichannel installations.

D stands for discreet – all models are designed as installation speakers for discreet in-wall or in-ceiling integration, featuring a wall-fixing mechanism with mounting legs. All models also come with their own loudspeaker enclosure, making system planning and the actual installation as easy as possible, with no after-market backbox or closed wall cavity required. This also ensures that the sound performance is always defined and consistent, depending less on the wall construction and the available space behind the wall.

LS-1000 FOR LARGE HOME CINEMAS

With our experience in creating speakers for Steinway Lyngdorf reference home cinemas, especially the outstanding Steinway & Sons LS models, combined with our experience from the Lyngdorf MH and FR speakers, our engineers have developed the LS-1000 for Lyngdorf Audio systems. Four LS-1000 modules combined create a line source speaker, with each module consisting of four

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ESSENTIAL SPEAKER SUPPLEMENT

115mm midrange drivers with light aluminum cones, 25mm voice coils and powerful vented magnets, complemented by eight 1in soft dome tweeters. Four LS-1000 modules combined result in a line array with 16 midrange drivers and 32 tweeters. Depending on the room width, seat layout, speaker position and screen size, three different LS-1000 models have been designed for the best sound dispersion into the room: Lyngdorf D-500 – Full-range custom installation in-wall speaker with closed cabinet, Lyngdorf D-500 Center – Full-range custom installation in-wall center speaker with closed cabinet, Lyngdorf D-5 – Compact and versatile installation in-wall speaker with closed cabinet and the Lyngdorf D-5 IC – Compact and versatile installation in-ceiling speaker with angled, adjustable tweeter and closed cabinet.

Lyngdorf LS-1000 Left has a sound dispersion slightly beaming inwards when placed on the left side, away from the sidewall and towards the listening area.

Lyngdorf LS-1000 Center has the tweeters mounted in the center, leading to a wider sound dispersion equal to the left and right.

This makes it an ideal choice as center speaker behind an acoustically transparent screen, or even as left and right speakers to achieve the widest possible listening area in a wide room.

Lyngdorf LS-1000 Right has a sound dispersion slightly beaming inwards when placed on the right side, away from the sidewall and towards the listening area.

bass bouncing back off the walls, instead taking advantage of room acoustics. The BW-20 is the company’s largest BW model, extending the line-up of the compact in-room woofers BW-2 and BW-3.

Two 12in woofers are equipped with vented magnets, double spiders, and aluminum cones, built into a large cabinet volume and a rigid construction. This makes the BW-20 a very capable woofer in any room and system. The woofers are high-excursion designs, reaching an excursion of +/- 20mm and enabling the BW-20 to play the lowest frequencies on a very high-volume level, with a max. SPL of 118dB. The BW-20 is a passive design with an IEC power handling of 700W, allowing users to choose an individual power amplifier for the best system match. Talk to us if you want to take your integrated audio to a new level.

Lyngdorf Audio lyngdorf.steinwaylyngdorf.com

THE LARGEST LYNGDORF BOUNDARY WOOFER

The BW-20 complements the Lyngdorf LS and Discreet custom installation speakers, designed for both stereo and multichannel systems.

BW stands for Boundary Woofer – a Lyngdorf approach where a sub- woofer is designed to be placed near the wall boundaries, for example right in the corner, achieving the best bass impulse response by avoiding delayed

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CHARM YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH TOTEM ACOUSTIC

Born out of love for music and movies, this brand offers everything you could want in a home audio manufacturer, high-quality sound, adaptable products, aesthetic charm and all created for the way people listen today.

Totem has such a strong range of products to offer the AV and installation market, we thought we would take this opportunity to take a trip through just some of the current highlights.

The Totem Tribe V & III on-walls, like every single product in the Totem family, are designed in-house by charismatic founder, Vince Bruzzese. These solutions are able to operate as a fantastic centre speaker or in a 2.1 or expanded surrounded sound system.

Assembled at the company’s HQ in Canada, these speakers deliver beautiful, natural representation with a full, rich body of sound that extends way below what you would think for such a slim and attractive design. Other characteristics are impressive accuracy with a very wide dispersion field so on or off axis listening is still at high-quality. A particular strong point here is the hand assembled Torrent drive units using revolutionary magnetic technology which keeps

the voice coil continuously immersed within the magnetic field for absolute and instant control of its every reaction. The Tribe V, step-up product in the range, was awarded On-Wall Product Of The Year by respected U.S website AVS Forum this year.

Totem also offers a strong choice of inwall fully integrated speakers based on the company’s highly regarded KIN and Tribe series.

Again, the company has been recognised here as the KIN version was awarded In-Wall Product Of The Year, again by AVS Forum. The key message here is that these fully integrated designs retain all that is great about the KIN and Tribe Series offering highly impressive on and off axis response as well as spot-on timing, just a really fantastic speaker that happens to be in-wall, all the aesthetic advantages and none of the audio drawbacks. The Tribe versions make full use of neodymium actuated enriched MHEX woofers, delivering powerful, lighting fast bass. Oversized silk dome tweeters deliver a fluid and impeccably airy presence.

Overall, the speakers present perfect sound staging and phase correctness for an emotionfilled musicality.

The KIN Architectural IW was conceived to be the ultimate in compact and versatile in-wall speakers delivering tuneful depth again using the company’s highly capable MHEX woofers, and soft dome, titanium infused tweeters.

A SOUND DECISION

The popular soundbar category is also another area where this brand excels as a growing number of Redline customers are finding out.

The Tribe Solution Duo and Trio soundbars take the format and add real character and individuality. Tribe Solutions bars are passive designs meaning off-board sophisticated amplification can be bought into play to bring these superb products to life. Both designs also offer strong aesthetics making them suitable for any type of property or design. Both speakers have been created to be strong all-round performers offering fantastic support for music, movies and gaming.

Kin Play has connections to match the needs of consumers

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Totem Acoustic products benefit from in-house tech such as MHEX cones

The two channel Tribe Duo solution can be wall mounted or placed on furniture, with its sealed cabinet delivering an expansive soundstage and vibrant harmonics. The three channel Tribe Trio Solution Bar packs the front left, centre, and right speakers into one perfectly proportioned enclosure. The Trio can partner every Totem speaker for vast multichannel system options created for each room and customer. Tribe Trio delivers an expansive sound field with vibrant harmonics and gripping presence. For any type of source and any type of mood, this speaker is on-point.

The Tribe Solution Bar has a very special partner in the form of the Tribe Solution Sub. With astonishing output and frequency depth that defies its subtle appearance, this speaker is simultaneously both a beauty and a beast.

The bass is driven by dual 8in woofers powered by a 500W integrated amplifier. Reinforced Fiberglass woofer cones balance strength and lightness for bass that is not just powerful, but musical as well. The anodized aluminium dust cap dissipates heat so the entire motor structure runs cool and with bulletproof reliability.

The Totem Tribe Sub In-Wall, power and precision

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This versatile offering can be positioned horizontally, vertically, or on its back to hide under furniture. There is also the option for the LINK wireless transmitter which provides even greater placement flexibility connecting directly to the chosen amplification.

More beautiful bass comes in the form of the KIN Sub 8/10 Series. The KIN Sub 10 is a sealed unit design and has built in capability to work with the same Totem LINK system as its cousin the wireless Tribe Solution Sub. Offering 300W of power this is a very musical sub offering all the advantages of being birthed by this innovative maker offering in-house designed and engineered drive units delivering perfect timing. Also offering great timing is the KIN Sub 8 delivering 200W of digital power in a more compact design. The 8in reinforced fiberglass woofer and oversized, vented magnetic structure initiate profound bass impact. This friendly design integrates into any environment and offers seamless support for gaming, movies and music.

TIME TO PLAY!

The KIN Play active concept has been a big hit ever since it launched. The idea was to offer the renown Totem high-quality sound combined with cutting edge connectivity to offers users fast and fun access to all their music. Offered in bookshelf and soundbar options, the first thing to note here is the sound quality, offering strong frequency response especially when you consider the relatively compact size. During a recent listening session at Redline HQ, we were particularly impressed with the frankly phenomenally holographic 3D imaging when listening to music. Offering loads of detail and depth, these speakers outperform many a more expensive proposition. Another thing to note here is how easy it is to partner the Kin Sub 10 or Tribe Sub with the Kin Play Soundbar without the need for Totem LINK hardware as all the functionality is already built-in to these products.

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On the connectivity front, the KIN Play Bookshelf speaker offer Bluetooth 4.1 combined with Qualcomm aptX HD technology meaning high resolution, CD quality streaming from a wide variety of devices. Other input options include a switchable Phono/Line stereo RCA input for a TV or a turntable; 3.5mm (Mini Jack) Input for computers, phones, and other portable devices. There is also an optical input for digital sources like satellite, gaming systems, streamers and a subwoofer out to partner a powered subwoofer. There is also an amp bypass input for custom installations.

For the KIN Play Soundbar on-board connections include optical for digital sources like the TV, satellite, gaming systems and streamers, a 5mm (Mini Jack) for computers, phones, and portable devices, a stereo RCA TV and turntable and the same subwoofer output as the bookshelf version. Bluetooth 5.0 is combined with Qualcomm aptX HD technology.

At Redline we only choose brands that genuinely impress us and offer something different, Totem delivers charm, character, versatility and fantastic sound quality. Totem is a true all-rounder!

Redline red-line.co.uk

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BRING THE POWER OF PRO AUDIO HOME We have some very exciting new technologies which we will be adding to our sound spaces via firmware updates this year which will elevate the listening experience for existing recorded two channel music and wellness content. I believe this will genuinely revolutionise certain spaces within the home. We look forward to revealing these new developments.

L-Acoustics Creations London immersive sound space hosts integrator and client demos

How does L-Acoustics Creations partner with home technology integrators?

Nick Fichte, L-Acoustics Creations Global Business Director, discusses a few unique offerings in the premium pro audio manufacturer’s portfolio of products and technologies.

When Dr. Christian Heil founded L-Acoustics in 1984, his goal was to elevate the listening experience at concerts. Within just a few years he had changed the game by pioneering the line source array which has since been adopted internationally.

Fast forward to today and L-Acoustics employs over 500 people with 25% of team members in R&D. For nearly four decades L-Acoustics has been shaping the future of sound.

Designed & manufactured in Europe, available in 80 countries globally, L-Acoustics sound systems are chosen by audio professionals around the world to give the best experiences at concerts, festivals, nightclubs, stadiums, arenas, museums, and theme parks.

L-Acoustics Creations is a division of L-Acoustics which takes professional audio products from the L-Acoustics portfolio and deploys them to provide the ultimate stereo, surround or Immersive Hyperreal listening experiences within architectural settings whether that be in a home, on a yacht or luxury corporate environment.

L-Acoustics Creations talks about “immersive sound spaces” – what does that mean?

With Apple, Tidal & Amazon Music offering Dolby Atmos through their streaming platforms

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on video devices such as Apple TV, awareness of “spatial audio” has never been higher.

L-Acoustics has been at the forefront of spatial audio thanks to its L-ISA (Immersive Sound Art) technology, designing immersive sound solutions for live venues like the recently opened Resorts World Theater in Las Vegas.

World renowned artists such as Katy Perry, Bon Iver, Aerosmith, alt-J, Lorde, Ben Howard & Mark Knopfler, to name a few, have been using this technology to connect with their audience with something truly incredible from the moment they set foot on the stage. Thanks to shared R&D efforts, L-Acoustics Creations benefits from this same technology to bring immersive audio into the home.

Ocean & Island are two products which are immersive sound spaces, focused on spatial audio for the home. With either of these solutions you can play the L-Acoustics proprietary BluSpace content leveraging L-ISA technology, or when pairing a third-party AV processor your immersive audio world opens to Dolby Atmos, DTS, Auro 3D etc.

One thing that I personally love about our sound spaces is that they can be used independently of a video screen. Today, the most common applications of spatial audio involve dedicated cinema rooms, soundbars or binaural listening through earphones. Thanks to AirPlay 2 you can now select Dolby Atmos tracks through your phone or tablet and stream them straight to your L-Acoustics Creations sound space. You can then truly immerse yourself without distraction.

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The first step in the process is welcoming you to one of our showrooms in London, Paris or Los Angeles. Once you have experienced L-Acoustics Creations we are sure you will want to know how a sound system or sound space could work in your clients’ environment.

Integrators who wish to work with L-Acoustics Creations are invited to become part of our network by becoming an L-Acoustics Creations Certified Integrator. The certification process includes training and assistance at our premises or remotely.

At the start of a project, we always recommend asking the end client to come to one of our demonstration facilities to experience first-hand what is being proposed.

The next step is for one of our team members to sketch the space and show how the products will integrate into the interior. Our proprietary software ‘Soundvision’, used to design some of the world’s top music venues, maps the performance and coverage of each loudspeaker in the room so that you can ensure that you will get the exact result you are looking for.

Upon completion of the sound system or sound space installation, an L-Acoustics application engineer will visit to calibrate and tune your audio system to ensure that it is optimised for the space and ultimate enjoyment.

L-Acoustics Creations l-acoustics-creations.com L-Acoustics project sketch of multi-purpose entertainment space for 3D Soundvision mapping

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The gift that keeps on giving

Plus four channels This feature increases the capacity of the processor to a total of 20 discrete channel decoding and Optimization.

Combining the 16 analogue outputs and the SPDIF and Toslink outputs of the processor, Trinnov unlocked the full potential of the Altitude16. This update comes free of charge to all Altitude16 owners. By adding SPDIF / Toslink - Analogue converters to their system, Trinnov customers can add extra subwoofers or channels to their system to increase its performance.

www.trinnov.com

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THE KRIX EXPERIENCE

For more than 40 years, Krix has been supplying national and international cinema multiplexes with high-quality, high-performance speaker systems, and have scaled their loudspeaker and horn technology to suit the home environment impeccably. Here, Steve Totterdell, high performance audio product manager at Invision, talks about the brand and its Series MX Range.

The object of a home cinema is to reproduce the experience of going to the movies while in the comfort of your own home. Krix speaker systems have been installed in more than 4000 commercial cinemas worldwide. Decades of research and design in technologies, such as their patented constant directivity horns, have been tailored to suit residential home cinema rooms. The uniquely designed modular Series MX speakers combine these technologies with an incredibly shallow footprint to bring the cinema experience closer, while taking up very little space in the cinema room.

These dedicated home cinema speakers provide a vast, immersive sound with optimum dispersion, vocal intelligibility, and responsive bass – ensuring every seat in the room experiences incredibly clear and dynamic cinema sound. Furthermore, by adding Krix sonically matched surround and overhead speakers to your home cinema space, you can surround yourself in the latest immersive audio formats found in your favourite movies.

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Since their release in 2015, the awardwinning Series MX range has proven incredibly popular with home cinema enthusiasts, catering for all room sizes and budgets. Designed to be installed behind an acoustically transparent screen, just like the speakers in a commercial cinema, they effortlessly create a wall of sound directly from the picture, so everyone gets the full movie experience and impact.

Importantly, these modular systems are expandable beyond a minimum width with the use of low frequency absorption spacer modules. They allow larger screen sizes to be used by spacing out the left and right screen channels to increase the soundstage and reach the recommended angles for left and right screen speakers. These spacer modules are narrow enclosures filled with acoustic absorption material and are covered with the same acoustic absorbent panels as the screen speaker modules. This material absorbs any sound reflecting off the back of the screen and the room itself, which assists with the acoustic treatment of the room to ensure better intelligibility and overall sound performance.

The flagship of the range, the MX-40, features a three-way design and is capable of immense sound pressure levels while maintaining the absolute highest level of soundtrack reproduction.

When the MX-40 was launched, Scott Krix says: “Each Series MX system already delivers

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huge excitement and presence – we wanted to take it up a notch and see what was possible with a three-way MX in the range. We’ve invested significant time to prototype and develop the new dual horn system, and the resulting MX40 is capable of incredibly smooth, accurate, defined and powerful life-like sound.”

Here at Invision, we have the MX-40 at the heart of our home cinema in Bracknell.

The Invision Home Cinema features 25 Krix loudspeakers in a 11.1.10 configuration, driven by a Trinnov Altitude 32 surround sound processor, three Trinnov Amplitude 8 power amplifiers and four AudioControl RS500 subwoofer amplifiers. Visuals are provided from the latest Sony VPL-VW790ES projector, paired with a 175in Screen Innovations Zero Edge screen made with Maestro, an acoustically transparent material.

Available exclusively through Invision and part of our Committed to Custom campaign, Krix are world renowned for high-quality, highperformance speaker systems that allow you to bring all the excitement and adventure of the movies to your home.

Hear The Krix Experience at Innovation House by booking a demonstration at our home cinema now. Contact your Invision account manager or call 01359 270280 | sales@invisionuk.com.

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artcoustic.com

INTRODUCING THE NEW EVOLVE LOUDSPEAKER SERIES

CINEMA-QUALITY SOUND FOR EVERYDAY LIVING At Artcoustic, combining cinema-quality performance with high-end design for everyday living is key. Our range is uniquely designed to be scalable, delivering the ultimate cinematic sound experience from the smallest snug to the largest living space.

With this in mind, we are proud to introduce our brand new Evolve series. The Evolve series is a Time Aligned Array (ETAA), which utilises a unique and precisely designed solution for dealing with comb filtering and high frequency array phase overlap.

The design has been optimised in a way that allows the Evolve loudspeakers to achieve a near perfect response curve, without compromising on any of the existing high-end features including extreme sound pressure levels, high sensitivity, extended frequency response, controlled directivity, exceptional speed and incredible transient response.

All in a beautiful Scandinavian design.

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THE ARTCOUSTIC RANGE

With an award winning range, Artcoustic Loudspeakers have always delivered on performance and aesthetic, creating compelling and immersive sound for all room types and applications.

At Artcoustic we are always looking for ways to help our customers navigate to the right product, for the right reason and so with this in mind we have further evolved our range by simplifying our product offering; creating clear choice across what remains a highly scalable range.

As Artcoustic approaches it’s 25th year, we recognised that it was time to reassess the range as it contained many duplicates of (effectively) the same product - SL, Spitfire and 40-30 versions of the same speaker led to a confused message. For example, the Spitfire 4-2 and Evolve 4-2 (in black) were almost the same product.

We have therefore created 2 distinct ranges to improve the navigation and selection of our speaker range:

room sizes and required dynamic range.

Each model is designed with specific applications in mind, and optimised for certain distances. Using the correct product for the correct application is always the most important aspect of any installation, and the Evolve series allows for choices up and down the range.

Consistency of performance is always guaranteed, with the line arrays growing to achieve higher dynamic range at further distances. Technical heat maps and brand agnostic mathematical calculations mean we’re always able to recommend, and justify, the correct product for any application. Our in house ETAA system carefully positions the high

frequency transducers to solve phase overlap and potential comb filtering issues.

The result is a fully scalable range that is highly sensitive, achieves very high output dynamics, has extended frequency response well above 20kHz, controlled directivity and exceptional speed and transient response.

All in a beautiful Scandinavian design.

SPITFIRE With the hugely successful Spitfire series being absorbed into the Evolve series, it allowed us to focus on expanding the Spitfire range to become something truly iconic.

SL Evolve Spitfire

EVOLVE

Evolve simplifies all this, consolidating many products into a streamlined focussed range.

From an Evolve e 4-2 to an Evolve 24-12, the Evolve range has absorbed the old Spitfire products, providing one speaker choice but with the same colour options as before.

The technical options are also still all there, with models designed for specific applications,

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INTRODUCING YOU TO THE A SERIES

Utilising the same array technology, we were able to increase the power and dynamic range of these speakers by developing an additional small horn component, thereby creating a compelling and versatile speaker range that can be used independently, or combined powerfully, for any cinema application.

Partnering the new Spitfire A6 with the Spitfire A4, we are delighted to provide you with the most flexible, powerful and precise cinema speaker we’ve ever produced.

Combining the A6 and A4 in multiple configurations allows for the correct speaker to be used for any cinema application: • • • •

Spitfire A6 Spitfire A10 (A6 + A4) Spitfire A12 (A6 + A6) Spitfire A14 (A4 + A6 +A4)

Line arrays create an incredibly dynamic soundstage, and by carefully angling the component parts, phase issues and comb filtering is all but eliminated, with a controlled dispersion over the entire audience.

There are no cheap seats in a well designed Artcoustic Spitfire cinema - each seat will be within the highly controlled dispersion patternwith the line array delivering a more consistent sound pressure level much further down the room than is possible with a point source design.

Technical dispersion heat maps, and optimised known distances for each array allows for the correct model to always be specified for any application. Partnered with the new band-pass SUB range, Spitfire takes Artcoustic cinemas to the next level.

The new Evolve Series and Spitfire A series is on permanent demonstration at Artcoustic’s UK showroom.

Artcoustic artcoustic.com

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INTRODUCING THE NEW SPITFIRE SERIES

THE ULTIMATE CINEMA EXPERIENCE The new Spitfire A4 and A6 models are uniquely designed to be modular, enabling complete, scalable design for any cinema room. Together with our line-up of band-pass subwoofers, the Spitfire series delivers a consistently extraordinary cinematic experience. With the Spitfire A4 and A6 combined into large line arrays, we have created an incredibly dynamic soundstage, by carefully angling the component parts, phase issues and comb filtering is all but eliminated, with controlled dispersion over the entire audience.

There are no cheap seats in a well-designed Artcoustic Spitfire cinema – each seat will be within the highly controlled dispersion pattern – with the line array delivering a more consistent sound pressure level much further down the room than is possible with a point source design. The new Spitfire series provides you with the most flexible, powerful, and precise cinema speaker we’ve ever produced.

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THE AUDIENCE IS STILL LISTENING Loudspeaker manufacturer M&K Sound considers THX Certification to be not only a key component of its marketing message but also critical to offering up a unified home cinema ecosystem THX Ltd., custodians of George Lucas’s former high-profile cinema and residential sound and image laboratory, continues to make an impact.

Despite the advent of object-based immersive audio, the good housekeeping practices of the once Lucasfilm Ltd.-owned division are reasserting their place in an industry short on accepted standards. M&K Sound has recently doubled down on the marketing potential with new partnership announcements, while cementing THX’s place as the sole heavyweight arbiters of all that can be excellent in home cinema.

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But for the last 25 years, Denmark’s M&K Sound has never strayed from the THX path. The company was the original creator of the satellite/ subwoofer configuration for full-range studio and home audio in 1973, an idea later adopted

by THX. With M&K’s December unveiling of three completely revamped X+ Series reference subwoofers, the company has once again embraced the THX moniker as a key component of its technology and communications strategy.

The top-of-the-range subwoofer this year is the home-demolishing X15+ leviathan with its pair of colossal, opposing, push-pull 15-inch drivers.

Earning THX Certified Dominus status (the latest of four THX Certification levels), the Bay Area scientists deem the subwoofer qualified to deliver the required grunt in rooms of up to 6,500 cubic feet.

Many reading here will know the THX story.

Lucasfilm engineers formulated a plan for improving audio performance in cinemas for the release of Return of the Jedi (1983). George Lucas decided the multi-layered mix should be presented optimally in as many locations as possible. For a cinema to be THX Certified

and show the THX ‘Deep Note’ trailer before a feature under licence, theatrical exhibitors had to conform to strict criteria to deliver a first-rate film presentation.

A THX Certified cinema had to reproduce dialogue accurately, elicit massive dynamics across the 20Hz to 20kHz range, be agnostic to audio or vibration leaks from adjacent auditoria, and mitigate background noise to virtual silence. Even the viewing angle to the screen from every seat should aim for 36 degrees.

These were already the mainstays of Hollywood dubbing studios for mixing film sound. THX also provided design services and tailored recommendations to each customer.

On the home front, quadrophonic audio had effectively been consigned to the dustbin of history by the late 1970s, but matrix Dolby Surround processors found their way into living rooms by 1989. It was becoming clear that a ‘unified theory’, for want of a better term, was needed to address the anarchy surrounding multi-channel audio in the home. The challenge with developing a home cinema audio system was how to play back a film soundtrack in a

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living room that was originally mixed in a large dubbing studio, and designed to be played back in a large auditorium. THX thus designed an architecture of hardware and electronic features to solve these problems.

A 4.0 Dolby Surround, or later discrete 5.1, AV preamp or receiver with THX branding had to contain proprietary circuitry for signal processing with several functions. These broadly addressed the psycho-acoustic anomalies associated with translating cinema sound to the home. In an object-based audio world, these technologies logically became redundant. However, the ground-breaking bass management features,

including 80Hz crossover and mono sub arrangement in a generic AV receiver, are the result of the Skywalker Ranch engineers’ findings in the late 1980s.

Where THX still shines a light is in the development of loudspeakers, and M&K Sound believes these philosophies stand tall as ever. THX always famously required, and still requires, front LCR speakers to have focused vertical dispersion, minimising floor and ceiling first reflections. This quality enhances dialogue intelligibility and lends audio cue placement precision to the front soundstage.

STAYING AT THE CUTTING EDGE Although THX Certified surround speakers were originally conceived as dipolar in design to mimic sidewall speakers in a commercial cinema, M&K developed the Tripole loudspeaker with the full endorsement of the company. By adding side wall reflection to the direct radiating sound from the speaker, Tripolar speaker produces a far more enveloping surround experience than is possible with direct radiating speakers. In the home, where listeners are often sat very close to side and rear speakers their dispersion has the added advantage of avoiding the “hot spot” produced by a nearby direct radiating speaker.

M&K Sound says that by adopting the THX credo for its speaker lines, it can be sure to deliver a truly cohesive soundstage in any environment. Manufacturers like M&K consider their relationship with THX to be a strategic partnership and shun the often-misconceived idea that a product has merely earned a ‘stamp of approval’. THX products undergo hundreds of tests (e.g. subwoofers being subjected to rigorous distortion vs SPL vs frequency metrics) with constant communication between manufacturer and licensor.

Although the landscape, or soundscape, has changed dramatically in recent years with the arrival of object-based audio in the home, much of the THX rulebook still applies. To this day, the company is the only home cinema accepted audio standards authority and is committed to perfection. To paraphrase the carpenter’s adage, if you “measure twice”, you only need to “cut once”. Over the past 40 years, George Lucas, THX Ltd. and M&K Sound have clearly been onto something.

In the UK, M&K Sound Speakers are distributed by Gecko Home Cinema. For trade enquiries and to start showing your clients the full M&K range in Gecko exclusive private listening rooms, contact Gecko on 01635 268114.

Gecko Home Cinema geckohomecinema.com

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MERIDIAN AUDIO – EXTREME ENGINEERING TAKES LOUDSPEAKER PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN TO NEW EXTREMES Meridian has always thought about how you experience sound and how it makes you feel.

It continues to challenge convention, push boundaries and launch products that have created new possibilities in sound.

The companies ground-breaking Extreme Engineering Programme commenced more than six years ago. It is the result of significant investment and research at the extreme edge of audio design and built upon the fundamental and unique elements of Meridian’s approach to delivering an authentic, natural and lifelike listening experience. The programme was established to re-imagine each element of Meridian’s system approach which includes all of its software and hardware platforms.

Some elements of the programme have been incorporated into current products but the full force of this extreme engineering is unveiled for the first time in Meridian’s flagship DSP8000 XE Loudspeaker.

A NEW DESIGN CONCEPT – PRECISION SONIC TRANSPORT

The DSP8000 XE is built on a brand-new audio architecture, using higher specification, more powerful components and leveraging all of Meridian’s expertise in psychoacoustics to achieve exceptional sound quality. It sees the first implementation of the Precision Sonic Transport design concept – a whole new way of using innovative techniques and processes to ensure the entire journey taken by an audio signal through a Meridian product maintains maximum sonic fidelity when it arrives at the ear of the listener.

The highest specification components are combined with a new audio architecture to deliver a new level of sonic realism – Meridian always places the listener at the heart of the performance.

ENGINEERING AT THE HEART - ATLAS SOFTWARE CORE

The all-new Atlas Software Core is a future facing audio processing and control platform and is host to Meridian’s most powerful DSP engine to date. Atlas Software Core enables the implementation of new enhancement technologies and features. It also allows

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even more performance to be extracted and delivered from Meridian’s existing proprietary audio technologies While the Atlas Software Core is at the heart of the product, it is far more than just that. It is the driving force behind the intelligent flow of audio throughout the loudspeaker. We think of the Atlas Software Core as the brain of the loudspeaker, controlling how its components perform and work together but also carrying out a wide range of other, higher-level tasks and functions.

POWERED BY DSP – UNIQUE TECHNOLOGIES

The powerful processing means there’s huge flexibility with loudspeaker placement – the DSP8000 XE is well suited to the home installation market and can deliver an incredible experience for music, movies and media in all types of listening environment. Meridian’s unique DSP technologies ensure that whatever recording you are listening to, and wherever you listen to it, it is delivered as accurately as possible.

Signal conditioning technologies such as True Link, Digital Precision, True Time and Q-Sync make the most of the digital audio signal delivered to the DSP8000 XE, ensuring that the utmost detail and accuracy is maintained.

There are also system optimisation technologies – Bespoke Signal Mapping, Full Frequency Alignment, Perfect Balance, Free-Q and E3 Bass – that overcome inherent acoustic limitations to the system that cannot be fixed elsewhere.

The DSP8000 XE also includes Meridian’s performance management technologies, ProActive Bass and Pro-Active Thermal, that actively monitor the loudspeaker in real time, ensuring that it is always operating at its best.

Finally, there are playback enhancement technologies, like Image Focus, that allow the user to adjust the playback system to suit their own personal listening environment – the only part of the system that loudspeaker designers don’t have control over.

The result is an incredibly accurate reproduction of whatever you are listening to, uncovering unrivalled detail and ensuring complete emotional connection.

Meridian’s challenge was how to make the complex simple and keep the technical beautiful – the DSP8000 XE represents a real step change in loudspeaker design, and it’s the embodiment of Meridian challenging itself.

Extreme Engineering is the key to this success. It is a major advance in the design and performance of Meridian DSP Digital Active loudspeakers, achieving a level of sound quality which exceeds that of any previous Meridian loudspeaker.

Utilising all of Meridian’s experience, expertise and continuous investment in research and audio technology development, it delivers a ‘holographic’ sound experience that’s so immersive it’s as if the loudspeakers aren’t in the room.

Our goal is to enable people to listen, enjoy and fall in love with their music and movies, wherever they are, and to make listeners feel something when they listen to their favourite artist, track or performance.

This is the start of an exciting new era for Meridian, its team, its business partners and its customers – the next step on a mission to create better sound for more people.

For further information on Meridian’s Extreme Engineering approach and the new DSP8000 XE loudspeaker visit, https://www. meridian-audio.com.

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@Install_mag

essentialinstall.com

invisible speakers

Incredible Bass from it's 12" driver, plus 2x exciters for crystal clear mid and high reproduction, with it's own custom designed protection circuit all built in.

The Ultimate really lives up to it's name!

With the Reference Series pick from 4 models allowing choice of mono, stereo, and now the ultraslim Architect model with 8 exciters at only 30mm thick! This versatile range covers background music to serious cinema installs.

Even hidden audio deserves some Bass.

Fit Series are a perfect retrofit option and the 2525 with 2 exciters can even be configured in Mono or Stereo mode for ultimate flexibility.

The 13362 sub features 4x long stroke 8" drivers for a sensational home cinema experience, whereas the 10040 is perfect for small to medium rooms, or the 6062 with it's single 12" woofer fits almost anywhere.

Our Aylesbury demo room will shortly be upgraded to include a wide range of models from Cerasonar including the Fit and Reference Series, multiple subwoofer options as well as the full range Ultimate model, in both 2channel and Surround sound setup. email sales@aldoussystems.co.uk if you have hidden audio projects to discuss or to be kept up to date with our showroom opening.

Aldous Systems (Europe) Ltd is a distributor of over 20 brands of networking and audio/video equipment to the trade and has one of the largest selections of speakers covering In-ceiling, In-Wall, Outdoor, Hidden, Cabinet, Soundbar, and Subwoofers.

Unit 21 Stocklake Industrial Park, Aylesbury, HP20 1DQ. tel: 01296 719582 web: www.aldoussystems.co.uk email: sales@aldoussystems.co.uk

AIM •

• • • •

AIM SERIES2

THETECHNOLOGY

In-Ceiling Aim-able Speaker range Acoustic Isolation Technology Kevlar, Aluminium, Glass Fiber Woofer WavePlane™Technology with Vortex Eliminators ARC Tweeter Array™

WavePlane™- Ordinary speakers only sound their best when you are directly underneath them but the WavePlane™assures optimal high frequency dispersion throughout the listening area.

ARC Tweeter Array™ - The ARCTweeter Array lowers the crossover point to increase the sound pressure level at the critical mid-range frequencies so that acoustically, listeners enjoy a much larger sweet spot.

High Performance Landscape Series

Rock, Cabinet, and Planter Speakers Terraza Series

A NEW GENERATION OF SUBWOOFERS

SDSi

XTEQi Sub Station Subwoofer Tuning App Intuitively designed for simple subwoofer setup. Tuning control is seamlessly managed from the app.

(XTEQ & HRSi models)

12” Dual Driver Dual 1000W Amplifiers

HRSi

Series

Triple Driver 8” | 10” | 12” | 15” 400-1000W Amp power Series

High Power Single Driver 8” | 10” | 12” 1000W Amplifier

With Lyngdorf Audio you’ll experience your favourite movies, games, and music on a new level of sound quality.

www.steinwaylyngdorf.com