Essential Install November 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

UNIQUE SOLUT IONS DESIGN & SPECI FIC ATION DEMONSTRATI ON FAC ILITES COMMI SSI ONI NG & C ALIBRATI ON

The Pinnacle of Image and Sound P R E M I U M AV D I S T R I B U T I O N

Book your experience at sales@distributedbym.co.uk

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LOUDSPEAKERS LIVING LOUD!

SHOWROOM SHOWCASE PROCELLA AUDIO

FUTURE OF INSTALL TIME TEAM!

NEW PRODUCT

HDBaseT™ Matrix with Advanced Audio Integration We are pleased to announce the launch of three feature rich HDBaseT™ Matrix, the HMXL88ARC, HMXL66ARC and HMXL42ARC-KIT. Using CSC technology, these powerful HDBaseT™ matrix support 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 resolutions over distances of 40m over a single CAT 6 cable. The new HMXL42ARC-KIT, HMXL66ARC and HMXL88ARC come into their own with advanced audio features specifically designed for maximising the integration of all AV sources in the modern home. Enhanced audio routing is achieved through the integrated independent audio matrix. This enables the audio both from displays (via ARC) and all other sources to be embedded and routed through the system at the users discretion.

These ARC and audio routing features enable our installation partners the ability to create a truly immersive AV experience throughout the home.

NEW

HMXL88ARC 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC ARC Matrix

NEW

HMXL66ARC 6x6 HDBaseT™ CSC ARC Matrix

HDCP 2.2

J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering distribution of video and audio over a single CAT cable J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI 2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR J 26 x 8 Audio Matrix independently controllable from the video

HMXL42ARC-KIT

HDCP 2.2

J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering distribution of video and audio over a single CAT cable J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI 2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR J 20 x 6 Audio Matrix independently controllable from the video

NEW

4x2 HDBaseT™ CSC ARC Matrix including Receivers J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering distribution of video and audio over a single CAT cable J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI 2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR J 8 x 2 audio matrix that is independently controllable from video.

HDCP 2.2

NEW

UNCOMPRESSED

18Gbps

PRODUCT

OVER

Uncompressed 18Gbps HDMI Over HDBaseT™ Set The HEX18G-KIT HDBaseT™ extender set is an industry leading uncompressed HDMI 2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 HDCP 2.2 solution utilising the

HEX18G-KIT

latest in HDBaseT™ technology. The HEX18G-KIT supports bi-directional IR, RS-232 and PoC up to lengths of 100m over a single CAT cable.

NEW

HEX70ARC-KIT HDBaseT™ ARC Extender Set - 70m J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering uncompressed video and audio with zero latency J Extends HDMI 1080p up to a distance of 70m over a single CAT cable J Supports 4K UHD video up to 40m (3840 x 2160 @30Hz 4:4:4, 4096 x

2160 @24Hz 4:4:4, and 4K @60Hz 4:2:0)

1080p up to 150m

HEX100CS-KIT

HEX150CS-KIT

HDBaseT™ CSC Extender Set -100m

HDBaseT™ CSC Extender Set - 150m

J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering CSC scaling with zero latency

J Supports ARC from display via HDMI and optical digital inputs

J Supports 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 UHD video up to 70m

J Supports 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 UHD video up to 100m

Become a Certified Blustream Installation Partner

Interactive Online Tutorials We have re-designed our regular interactive online tutorials, focused on providing convenient, bite sized insights into the latest Blustream solutions and the day to day challenges we all currently face in our rapidly evolving market. During these unprecedented times, we have increased both the content and frequency of the sessions we are hosting to bring you the most comprehensive range of interactive webinar content available in the UK.

Register now: www.blustream.co.uk/advanced-learning-portal J

Our UK Address: The Service Station,

Tel: +44 (0)115 824 7000

J Video over IP vs HDBaseT - which should you back?

Melton Road, Hickling Pastures,

Email: sales@blustream.co.uk

J with 10 more courses to choose from...

Nottinghamshire,

Web: www.blustream.co.uk

Current Tutorials Available

J Specifying a Custom Pro Matrix with 18Gbps support

J CAT Cable Certification & Verification J When is 4K, Actually 4K?

Book now at J www.blustream.co.uk

LE14 3QG United Kingdom.

40 14 66

28

36 56

CONTENTS

November 2023

4 FROM THE EDITOR’S CHAIR

28 ESSENTIAL CUK

7 ESSENTIAL NEWS

50 SMART THINKING

18 TOGETHER FOR CINEMA

62 INSTALLER ACADEMY

20 PULSE CINEMAS

79 ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS

Time travel is possible Crucial catch-up

Three more projects!

Making the difference

22 ESSENTIAL CEDIA

Certification for the nation

25 CEDIA MEMBER Training is the key

26 ESSENTIAL REVIEW: MERIDIAN DSP9 Global exclusive review of Meridian flagship

Share the Lode

Nicos Panteli, Director and System Designer, Design Works Mastering the mindset of luxury sales Toptastic toys

FEATURES 14 DbM

Distributor of the year!

30 SHOWROOM SHOWCASE

New Procella Audio space is open for business!

Supporting All www.avoke.co.uk | av@avoke.co.uk

52 43 22

70 Proud Media Partners of

There’s more to Essential Install FUTURE OF INSTALL

ESSENTIAL LOUDSPEAKERS

36 BROADENING OUR HORIZONS

52 THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

40 THE FUTURE OF INSTALL: 3 THINGS TO WATCH

55 DEEPER, WIDER, SMARTER

Joe Carri, Director, Prestige Audio

Phillip Pini, Director, Residential Sales (UK), Crestron

43 MAKING SERVICE A SUCCESSFUL PART OF YOUR STRATEGY Snap One

Charlie McClarron, Sales Director, UK, Steinway Lyngdorf System Audio MD Ole Witthøft

56 THE POWER OF DSP

Des Ford, Technical Marketing Manager, Meridian

59 THE MELODIC RISE OF WIRELESS Amit Ravat, Managing Director, Lithe Audio

44 THE FUTURE STARTS HERE

66 COMPANY FOCUS: INVISION UK

Stuart Tickle, Managing Director, AWE

The home of the one and only Micro LED

48 JUST ADD POWER

68 COMPANY FOCUS: SNAP ONE

Matrix thinking

Triad, a legacy of audio excellence

70 CASE STUDY

Arcstream counts on generative art ceiling

Your AV Needs www.avoke.co.uk | av@avoke.co.uk

NOVEMBER

THE FUTURE IS WHAT WE MAKE IT? This month sees the

might hold. Since the dawn of ‘civilisation’

return of our ‘The

humans have tried to do this; mapping the

Future

Install’

skies in extreme detail to determine when

feature. This is where

the seasons would turn, is just one example.

of

we invite the sector

Philosophers

have

disagreed

over

to have a think about

how much agency humans really have.

what they feel will

‘Determinists’ see the future as an inevitable

happen in the future,

chain of events governed by causal laws,

what technologies will shape the immediate

leaving no room for true human agency.

or further off future? There are of course

According to this perspective, the future is

some straightforward ways to tackle this

a predetermined outcome, and any human

question. Take a look at how specific parts

actions are merely part of an intricate

of the industry have developed recently, take

cosmic script.

note of what advances we know are coming,

Existentialist

philosophers

see

the

(software/hardware updates ect.) and then

future as an arena of radical freedom where

make some predictions. A similar process

individuals are ‘condemned’ to be free. In

can take place when looking at consumer

this view, the future is where humans can

trends and other social drivers such as

define their true essence through making

changes in work patterns, or even political

choices, crafting identities and shaping

events such as a General Election in the UK

the world.

next year.

Many postmodernist thinkers say that

However, all of this got EI thinking about

the future is a fluid construct shaped by

the nature of ‘the future’. What is the future,

diverse narratives, constantly in flux. They

really? It’s a question that has fascinated

emphasise the role of language, culture,

humans for a very long time.

and power in influencing what the future

From a philosophical standpoint, the future can be presented as a realm of infinite

holds, challenging the notion of a singular, objective future.

possibilities and uncertainty, where time

EI has always believed that, whilst these

propels us into the unknown. It represents

ideas are fascinating to explore, at the very

the canvas upon which the human journey

least, we have to believe that the future is in

unfolds, marked by an interplay of free will

our hands, and it will be what we choose to

and determinism. But humans possess the

make it to at least some degree. No matter

ability to retain some knowledge of the past

what the unforeseen future events might be,

and collect data about the present, so is the

say a global pandemic, our sector has shown

future for human society, and in turn, the

it is able to adapt, plan and build a future for

industries that exists within it, so infinite? It’s

the people working in this sector and those

possible to argue not; possible outcomes

we look to service. So, whatever the future

are still very large in number, but it should be

is, we should be confident in our ability to

possible for human societies to have at least

predict a good proportion of it and if not

some grasp on what, at least the near future

adapt and overcome the unpredictable.

NOVEMBER 2023

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

UNIQUE SOLUT IONS DESIGN & SPECI FIC ATION DEMONSTRATION FACILITES COMMI SSI ONI NG & CALIBRATIO N

The Pinnacle of Image and Sound P R E M I U M AV D I S T R I B U T I O N

Book your experience at sales@distributedbym.co.uk

www.distributedbym.co.uk

LOUDSPEAKERS LIVING LOUD!

SHOWROOM SHOWCASE PROCELLA AUDIO

FUTURE OF INSTALL TIME TEAM!

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 T: +44 (0)1634 673163 F: +44 (0)1634 673173 www.essentialinstall.com

SOCIALS /INSTALL_MAG /ESSENTIALINSTALL 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.

Proud Media Partners of

04 NOVEMBER 2023

BRING THE CONCERT HOME

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NEWS

NEWS CEDIA DECLARES WINNERS OF 2023 CEDIA SMART HOME AWARDS EMEA Global Integrated Home The CEDIA Awards EMEA 2023 winners

Winner: MacBee PVT Ltd - Tech Oasis Hall of Fame Winner: 2N- Verso IP Intercom Winner: Autonomic - Mirage Media Server Winner: Just Add Power - 3G 718 AVP Transmitter Winner: Lutron - Triathlon Smart Roller Shades Winner: Meridian - DSP8000 Loudspeaker Winner: Snap One - Control4 OS2 Winner: Snap One - OvrC Winner: Trinnov Audio - Altitude32 Winner: Wisdom Audio - Sage Cinema Line Source Modules Best Manufacturer Winner: 2N IP Verso 2.0 Winner: Barco Nerthus Winner: Coastal Source Razor Winner: DMF Luxury Exclusive Portfolio Line of Lighting Products

CEDIA announced the winners of the 2023 CEDIA Smart Home Awards EMEA on October 6 at The Brewery, London. Industry leaders, professionals and enthusiasts gathered to celebrate excellence in smart home technology and integration.

“The CEDIA Awards is a fantastic member programme,” said Daryl Friedman, Global President and CEO of CEDIA. “It’s our chance to see the work that our members are doing in the real world and reward them for the exceptional standard that they are setting for the industry. The awards event was a night for excitement, making connections, and celebration.”

Attendees were invited to begin the evening with a pre-dinner drinks reception in the King George III room, which was sponsored by DbM. After enjoying a three-course dinner in The Porter Tun, Daryl Friedman addressed the room and provided an update on recent CEDIA developments.

The evening concluded with an after-dinner drinks reception, which was sponsored by Sonos.

Alongside Monitor Audio, DbM and Sonos, the event was also supported by associate sponsors, Crestron, KNX, LG Electronics and NETGEAR as associate sponsors.

Integrated Home Luxury Winner: Inspired Dwellings - Luxury Kent Home

Winner: Lutron Lightbar Slim Uniform Lens

Integrated Home - Ultra Luxury Winner: MacBee PVT Ltd - Tech Oasis Highly Commended: SMC – IO House

Winner: RoseWater Energy Hub40 Energy

Showroom Winner: ARLED Cinema - MovieCore Excellence in Documentation Winner: Blackroom – Stingray Winner: SMC – IO House Highly Commended: MacBee PVT Ltd - Tech Oasis Excellence in Innovation Winner: ARLED Cinemas - MovieCore

Winner: madVR Envy Extreme MK2 Winner: Meridian DSP9 Loudspeaker Management and Storage System Winner: Samsung The Terrace Full Sun 85” Outdoor QLED 4K Smart TV Winner: Savant Power Storage Winner: SnapOne Luma X20 Family Winner: StormAudio ISR Fusion Best Software Winner: Blackwire Designs Blacklight Winner: Janus Technology BMS Monitor Winner: Sonance Design Gallery Winner: Trinnov Audio WaveForming

Excellence in Lighting Winner: MacBee PVT Ltd - Tech Oasis Highly Commended: Tera Generation Solutions Pvt Ltd. (TGS) - The Loft Residence Highly Commended: SMC (UK) – IO House

Best Trade Supplier

Excellence in Rack Buiding and Design Winner: MacBee PVT Ltd - Tech Oasis

Fellow

The full list of CEDIA EMEA award winners Home Cinema Level I Winner: BNC Technology – Houghton

Excellence in User Interface Winner: MacBee PVT Ltd - Tech Oasis

Education Volunteer of the Year

Home Cinema Level II Winner: Blackroom – Stingray Highly Commended: Cyberhomes

Technology Meets Design Winner: MacBee PVT Ltd - Tech Oasis Highly Commended: SMC – Finch House

Media Room Winner: M.E.G.A. AV Installations Ltd - Notting Hill

Life Lived Best at Home Winner: Cyberhomes - The Ruby Cinema

Standards Volunteer of the Year

Media Room Level II Winner: The Big Picture - Ivy Cottage Media Lounge

Global Media Room Winner: The Big Picture - Ivy Cottage Media Lounge

CEDIA

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Winner: PROFX Tech, India Lifetime Achievement Winner: Steve Moore – SMC

Winner: James Chen - Kordz

Winner: Alan Matthews – Automated Spaces Volunteer of the Year Winner: Damien Smith – New Wave

Winner: Ben Goff – Cinema Lusso

cedia.org

NOVEMBER 2023 07

Simplified Surveillance Winner of Best Security Solution at the Smart Building Awards 2023

Shop Now at dealer-emea.control4.com Become a Partner

NEWS

BOLTON’S TVD GROUP OPENS ‘TECH HUB OF THE NORTH’ TVD Group, a leading AV technology supplier and installer of commercial audio-visual projects, has opened The TVD Experience Centre, billed as the Tech Hub of the North.

In over a year-long upgrade and £600,000 investment of its existing headquarters in Bolton, the opening of the TVD Experience Centre is the crowning jewel for a business that has been

TVD Group grew out of a TV retail business, with Jim Brown and his sons Matthew and Daniel opening TV and Video Direct in 1996 and has grown to be one of the UK’s leading AV technology distributors to the commercial and retail trade, including launching its own TV brand, Mitchell & Brown. TVC Technology Solutions, a division of TVD Group, that supplies a range of industries including betting, retail, leisure, hospitality, care,

education, sports stadia and corporate venues, has this year been nominated for two major AV industry installation awards for the project the company completed at the Formula 1 Arcade in central London.

TVD Group tvdgroup.co.uk

the driving force in AV technology in the north of the UK for nearly 30 years. This forward-thinking company has recently transitioned to an employeeowned business, with the Trust now owning 51% of the shares of the business.

The

TVD

Experience

Centre

features

immersive display areas, innovative products and fully integrated solutions from TVD’s key partners including Samsung, Philips, LG and over a dozen big-name brands in the AV sector, who sent representatives to speak to the press on the opening day.

Highlights

on

the

Experience

Centre

include Samsung’s £130,000 110in ‘The Wall’ MircoLED display, Vestel’s latest commercial display range, TVs from Micthell & Brown and premium commercial audio products. Innovative technologies on show include LG Electronics’ impressive LED 136in all-in-one smart series, Philips power-free Tableaux ePaper displays and

A new demonstration centre for this ambitious and expanding operation

Accenta hanging digital posters.

VISUALIZATION NAMED SOLE UK DISTRIBUTOR OF LEGAMASTER DISPLAYS AND MEETING ROOM SOLUTIONS of industry leading display products to our Distribution

portfolio.

In

collaboration

with

VUEAV and our sister companies, we believe that Legamaster’s unique product lines and excellent customer service will greatly benefit the markets in which our group operates.”

Legamaster

UK

Sales

Manager

Mark

Dew added, “We are delighted to announce Visualization as UK Distributor for our world class product line. Along with VUEAV and CineAV, we are confident that Visualization will offer us a broad Visualization has been serving the industry since 2005 and is both a committed CEDIA and AVIXA member

reach into the expanding Unified Communications and Audio-Visual market.”

Visualization, part of the VUEAV group, is a

UK technical solutions distributor, Visualization, has announced a distribution agreement with Legamaster, a division of edding AG, for the sole distribution of Legamaster displays and the brand’s range of products, covering meeting room solutions and UC. For over 60 years Legamaster has focused on the latest trends and developments in

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communication technology. A recent launch was the 105in Legamaster Panorama Ultra-Wide 5K Touch display, which is specifically designed to meet the growing demand for larger displays capable of accommodating Microsoft Teams and Zoom meetings.

Visualization managing director Nick Pidgeon said, “We’re excited to add such a broad line

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technical solutions distributor, providing a broad line of hardware from industry renowned brands that is complimented with the ability to design, integrate and support solutions to the AV channel.

Visualization vizuk.com

NOVEMBER 2023 09

NEWS

LUTRON INVESTS IN NEW LONDON OFFICE Lutron has opened a new office for its UK, Continental Europe and Africa headquarters. The company has chosen a 7,770 sqft premises at 51 Lime Street in the heart of the City of London.

The new office greatly expands the number of workspaces available to support the growing team in the UK. It features adaptable desks and diverse meeting spaces, designed to enable a more productive workplace.

The space had to match the company’s technology by providing a comfortable and bright aesthetic. Lutron’s new office includes enhanced amenities, including greenery and art installations, private phone booths, a relaxation area and the perfect lighting with Lutron’s lighting control and blind automation solutions.

On the decision to move, Ed Blair, President, Lutron Electronics, said, “Lutron’s new London office represents a significant investment in the region, and reflects the growing importance of the UK market for Lutron internationally. Following on from the UK, we’re also investing in international expands with new facilities to be open before the end of this year in India and the Middle East.”

Javier Segovia, Senior Sales Director, UK, Continental Europe and Africa at Lutron, added, “This office represents the solutions and design we offer to our customers. It’s a space with the perfect ambience for collaboration.”

New office space for Lutron

Miguel Aguado, Marketing and Technology Manager, UK, Continental Europe and Africa at Lutron commented, “Supporting our international expansion, this new office gives us the perfect opportunity to install our latest lighting control platform. We are very proud of our products and we wanted our team to enjoy the benefits of our latest innovations the same way our customers do. There is dynamic lighting in the office to adjust

colour intensity and temperature throughout the day. The lighting control works in combination with our automated blinds, to optimise energy savings while providing a comfortable and productive environment for everyone.”

Lutron lutron.com

EPSON HOME CINEMA PROJECTORS AVAILABLE THROUGH INVISION Epson Professional home cinema projectors are available through Invision effective immediately.

The distribution deal includes Epson’s EH-TW9400, EH-LS11000W, and EH-LS12000B projectors, strengthening Invision’s home cinema product portfolio.

Epson’s EH-TW9400 delivers large scale projection (up to 300in) with 4K PRO-UHD, a 2,600lm display and high contrast ratios for exceptional colour.

Alternatively, the 4K laser light-source EH-LS12000B and EH-LS11000W projectors

A new option for purchasing Epson home cinema projectors

feature 3LCD laser projection technology with HDR10+ support to deliver a high-quality image and impressive colour brightness.

All three serve ‘exceptional image quality’ with smooth and fast-moving action, fully motorised optics, and wide lens shift allowing for simple and precise installation.

Mark Taylor, commercial director at Invision, said, “Our mission has always been to bring together the very best brands within professional home technology for our customers to find the perfect solution. I’m excited to announce the addition of Epson’s projectors to our portfolio which bolsters our home cinema offering giving more choice for our customers and their end-users.”

Craig Waters, sales manager for video projectors at Epson (UK) Ltd, added, “We are thrilled to be working with Invision on the distribution of our home cinema projectors. Their extensive home cinema portfolio and dedication to provide high-quality customer service and technical support, makes them the perfect partner to deliver extraordinary cinema spaces while supporting our growth in the UK market.”

Invision UK invisionuk.com

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NOVEMBER 2023 11

NEWS

ESSENTIAL PEOPLE UK audio manufacturer and distributor, Armour Home

One of PPDS’ latest and greatest total solutions

Electronics has announced that Sales Director, Jamie

successes has been the creation and launch of PPDS

McKay, will take up the role of Marketing Director,

Wave – the scalable and secure, state-of-the-art cloud

alongside his current sales role. This key leadership

platform designed to bring a scalable and future

appointment will see Jamie drive the international

proofed approach to remote device management of

sales and marketing strategy for own brands Q

display fleets of any size.

Acoustics, QED and Goldring and build on an already successful sales tenure at Armour Home at director level. This new role will start effective immediately.

Jamie brings more than 25 years’ experience in global commercial, sales and marketing roles within audio and technology industries. As Director of Sales Asia Pacific for premium audio company D&M Group, and before that, Global Business Team Leader for Denon headphones, Jamie has successfully overseen multi-million-dollar sales and marketing campaigns across multiple international territories.

His proven track record and wealth of expertise will be instrumental in developing and activating effective sales and marketing initiatives to grow Armour Home brands’ global presence and market share.

Jamie commented, “I am honoured and excited to take up the position of Sales and Marketing Director.

The brands within our portfolio at Armour Home Electronics all hold a unique position in the market and the opportunity to align a comprehensive commercial strategy for the whole business is a challenge I am looking forward to.”

George Dexter, Managing Director, Armour Home Electronics Ltd said, “Since taking over as Sales Director last year Jamie has proven to be a key member of the senior management team and with his extensive experience in both sales and marketing within the hi-fi industry and the energy that he brings to the business, I have no doubt that Jamie will lift our marketing to the next level.”

PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips

the development and launch of Wave and the ProStore ecosystem, has been promoted to join the PPDS Business Development team, assuming the newly created position of Business Development Director Wave and Software Partnerships.

Based in Ghent, but with a global remit, Sian will now focus on Wave’s go-to-market, scale-up, and future vision. Key to this will be working with strategic solution partners and expanding the PPDS ProStore marketplace.

Sian emphasised, “We developed Wave for and in collaboration with system integrators and customers to bring one of the most secure, scalable and easyto-integrate cloud platforms to market. As our team grows, we will continue this open and innovative approach with our partners on the PPDS ProStore to provide the technology, flexibility and choice required to create exceptional customer experiences.

Partnerships have always been key to PPDS’ success, and creating value with superior solutions including both hardware and software will continue to be our goal.”

Award-winning wireless LED lighting manufacturer Astera announces the creation of a new Group CEO position with the appointment of Carl-Johan Sköld.

Carl-Johan will be based in Hong Kong and collaborating closely with both the German HQ and design center and Astera’s Chinese manufacturing teams to shape the company’s medium term and future growth strategies.

professional displays, digital signage, interactive

With extensive expertise in long-term business

displays, direct view LED and professional TVs, has

development and strategy, Carl-Johan will outline

announced a wave of changes for its central team to

some ambitious goals for Astera’s future, whilst also

drive, develop and deliver advanced AV solutions for

fortifying the brand’s current standing as a market

partners and customers around the globe.

leading lighting technology brand.

Jamie McKay

12 NOVEMBER 2023

With PPDS Wave now part of hundreds of system integrators’ workflows, Sian Rees, who spearheaded

Sian Rees

Siddarth Gopal

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Carl-Johan Sköld

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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

ESSENTIAL DBM

DBM WINS DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR AT SMART BUILDING AWARDS! DbM took home the Best Distributor Award at the Smart Building Awards on the company’s first attempt.

DbM, the Premium AV Distributor, was awarded the Distributor of the Year award at the recent Smart Building Awards. Having never entered this category before, the DbM team was delighted to be recognised for establishing itself as a trusted distributor of high-quality products and services that deliver exceptional audio and visual experiences.

The Smart Building Awards aim to deliver the most representative, inclusive and up to date awards in the AV/install world. Judged by an expert panel, the distributor of the year category awards a company that delivers on

14 NOVEMBER 2023

three key areas – new additions, customer support and training.

Since its inception in 2017, DbM has been enabling dealers to deliver the best in AV integration for their clients – ensuring they can enjoy the pinnacle of image and sound.

The last two years have seen the distributor go from strength to strength with a 15% growth each year.

DbM is the proud distributor of pioneering brands that share its desire to achieve the highest level of audio and video performance.

In the last year, DbM introduced two new

brands – Ambisonic and Lumagen. These join Amina, Barco Residential, LG, Meridian Audio, nexgentec, SMS, Sonos, Trinnov and Waterfall Audio.

DbM recognises the high level of support in design, specification and installation that is required to ensure a successful installation.

Its complimentary Design and Specification Service supports project planning and presentation and is well-used by integrators to help in this area. DbM supports dealers with its fully equipped experience centre that features solutions from all brands. It also visits dealers’ installations to carry out full calibration of products from Barco, Lumagen, Meridian and Trinnov, ensuring clients can enjoy the full potential of their systems.

DbM recognises the importance of providing training to ensure its customers are delivering the best possible installation, but also to make sure the industry continues to progress forward.

It offers a bespoke service that sees the team share its knowledge of 100+ years on sales, design, specification, products and installation – essentially, they guide the integrator throughout the project, educating them along the way.

Katy Bradshaw, Director of Marketing at DbM, comments, “We are absolutely delighted to receive the Distributor of the Year award at the Smart Building Awards. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team, who continuously strive for excellence.

It showcases our commitment to delivering highquality products and services to our customers.

We have made significant progress as a distributor over the last year and look forward to building on this success in the coming years.”

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OS 4 gives you more New Crestron Home® OS 4 delivers even more of what you asked for. A more intuitive, fluid, and refined UI. More personalization. More entertainment everywhere.

More ways to control and light your home.

More than ever, it’s the platform for an extraordinary smart home experience.

Learn more at crestron.com/home Experience it at ISE2024 Grab your free ticket to ISE with our unique VIP code: CRESTRON

All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. ©2023 Crestron Electronics, Inc.

ESSENTIAL DBM

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

The Pinna Image and

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

P R E M I U M AV D I S T R I B U T I O N

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

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

Meridian is a British Audio Technology pioneer.

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

16 NOVEMBER 2023

www.distributedbym.co.uk

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ESSENTIAL DBM

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

U N I Q U E S O LU T I O N S D E S I G N & S P EC I F I C AT I O N D E M O N S T R AT I O N FAC I L I T E S CO M M I S S I O N I N G & C A L I B R AT I O N

acle of d Sound

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

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

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

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

Book your experience at sales@distributedbym.co.uk

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NOVEMBER 2023 17

ESSENTIAL TOGETHER FOR CINEMA

The Acorns Children’s Hospice cinema is now open

TOGETHER FOR CINEMA COMPLETES THREE NEW CINEMA ROOM INSTALLATIONS Together For Cinema’s (TFC) quest to install home cinema rooms in children’s hospices and other suitable locations around the UK continues with the recent completion of projects at Resources for Autism in North London, We are Beams in Hextable Kent, and a refit of a cinema room installed back in 2012 for Acorns Children’s Hospice in the West Midlands.

Resources for Autism is a registered charity that provides practical services for children and adults who have been diagnosed with autism and for those that love and care for them.

“I was introduced to Resources For Autism in November 2021,” explains TFC founder, Ian Morrish. “Visiting a specific care centre was an eye opener for me and gave me valuable insight into the nature of Autism, and how both the person with the diagnosis and their families can be helped.”

It also gave him a clearer picture of how we TFC could help, and he knew that with a careful and considerate design, the Music Room would work perfectly as a cinema room. “I thought we could maintain the room’s functionality, and, in fact, we could improve it by installing a discreet and functional home cinema facility,” he recalls.

18 NOVEMBER 2023

In November 2022, Ian met Chief Executive, Dolyanna Mordochai, and went through the proposal. “Dolyanna was 100% behind it and we were all systems go,” says Ian. Jayesh Raghvani of Smart Living Solutions also offered his services.

To maintain the character and multifunctionality of the room, it was ‘dressed’ with a film and cinema theme, with single colour acoustic panels, but one or two installation ‘limitations’.

Ian and Jay created an ambitious kit list that included the equipment for the cinema, lighting, automated blinds and a refurb of the acoustic panelling. Desmond and Sons helped to create a ceiling frame for the Starscape infinity panel with the design maintaining the room’s multifunctionality but, at the click of a button, transforming into an immersive cinema space.

The result represents a discreet change to the

room’s day-to-day usage, but a major change when transformed for cinema time.

“When Ian first contacted us about the possibility of installing a cinema room in our venue, I wasn’t sure what to make of it,” recalls Dolyanna. “We’d never been approach for a gift in kind of that nature. When Jay and Ian came to visit us and we started imagining the space, we felt so excited about all the ways we could use this room and the difference it would make to our youth groups. We work with autistic young people and adults and appropriate spaces which are developed with their sensory needs in mind are so very rare. Our new cinema room is a space where our beneficiaries can relax, enjoy a sensory experience of watching a movie with state-of-the-art technology of vision and sound.

This is absolutely special and something we could not ever afford to do.

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ESSENTIAL TOGETHER FOR CINEMA

We are Beams is racing ahead with its new cinema

“Every part of this partnership has reminded us that there are people out there who are willing to support our cause in unique and innovative ways. We will make full use of this gift and we are so grateful to Ian, Jay and the team at Together For Cinema for everything they have done to make this possible for our Autism Community.

We just cannot wait to get started!”

In Hextable, Kent, We Are Beams provides comprehensive support services for children and young people facing various challenges, including learning difficulties, complex health needs, physical or sensory impairments, challenging behaviour, autism, or severe ADHD. For many years, Peter Alloway of Invision UK has been a dedicated football coach for disabled children, with some of the children he coaches attending We Are Beams. Knowing the positive impact TFC brings, he asked Ian if he would look at the venue and to see if a touch of magic could be added to the facility.

Ideaworks took on the installation with Managing Director, Kevin Andrews, taking charge of the project, leading a team of dedicated professionals. The vision was clear: transform an ordinary room into a sensory haven, a space where disabled children could explore, learn, and escape into the world of imagination.

With a meticulous design that serves a multitude of purposes, from movie nights to gaming sessions and fundraising events, the installation started at the end of September and, with the support of partners, resulted in a state-of-the-art media wall, a testament to what collaboration and dedication can achieve.

The final installation is at Acorns Children’s Hospice in Walsall, West Midlands, a sanctuary for families grappling with life-limiting or life-

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threatening conditions in their little ones, offering not just care but a profound sense of emotional support.

TFC’s initial connection with Acorns was in June 2011, when its Head of Care contacted Ian. This culminated in the opening of a cinema space in January 2012, marking it the fourth cinema room installation by TFC. Ten years later, and with Acorns planning major refurbishments, the cinema room needed to be dismantled and put into storage. TFC took the initiative to upgrade it, reusing only the original DVD player.

In March 2023, Tony Edwards and Richard Heeley from Jooced said they would like to contribute and took on the challenging space, which needed compromises to maintain the room’s existing look and feel. To preserve the room’s identity the design was adapted to incorporate strategic lighting, immersive audio, and visual experiences.

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The project’s success rested on the support of industry partners and suppliers who generously provided equipment and expertise and the collaboration delivered the perfect solution. “The project was an opportunity to give back, offering the hope of happiness and enjoyment to children who truly deserve it,” says Richard. “Even though the project had to be scaled back, we are delighted it will make a difference.”

“These three installations have taken us to a total of 41 good cause cinema room installations with a value of just over £1,000,000,” Ian concludes. “It never ceases to amaze me how our industry has come together to help make a really positive difference. Long may it continue and long may there be the support to make it happen.”

Together For Cinema togetherforcinema.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2023 19

ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

PULSE CINEMAS SERIOUS ABOUT SUPPORT One of the most attractive things about working with Pulse Cinemas is the multi-layered support, marketing and fresh initiatives which deliver true added value.

When ordering products, Pulse has a team of technical sales staff ready to take calls and answer any questions dealers have on any subject or brand that the company offers. If you already know what is required, our on-line store where dealers can buy direct, stands ready to deliver exactly what is needed.

Other direct dealer benefits include regular training initiatives in various locations including our dedicated training centre at company HQ in Stansted.

In the current market, demonstration to customers is a must. Pulse Cinemas boasts three cinemas and demo spaces at company HQ, we also have other demo spaces located in central London and just north of London in St Albans. Currently we are working with a partner in the design community to open another central London based demonstration facility. This space will, along with some of our other locations, be designed to showcase our DécorCinema concept.

DécorCinema is a new way to market and sell high-performance, aesthetically advanced home cinemas. Created and marketed by Pulse Cinemas, dealers that commit to the concept

20 NOVEMBER 2023

benefit from a repeatable formula, training and special marketing initiatives created to promote high-quality home cinema direct to consumers.

Pulse Cinemas has a team of marketing experts on tap to support dealers with case studies and news about their work. Content is showcased on the Pulse website, but also in other suitable trade and consumer facing publications.

Our own in-house digital marketing team helps dealers with creating special promotional material for themselves or particular brands.

Currently we are working with Kaleidescape on a series of videos that help dealers include their own details with official content released

We also support our dealers with initiatives such as project plans, photo realistic renders, and other marketing initiatives that help them sell their projects more effectively. Pulse Cinemas dealers also have access to our inhouse interior designers to enable them to offer a complete service to the customer.

BEING THERE

Our Open Days are known across the industry as an important way to interact with staff and learn more about the brands that we supply. Events are regular and vary from supporting one brand or concept to a more general opportunity to come and witness our demonstration facilities and build relationships.

by the manufacturer.

The Pulse Cinemas marketing offering also of course extends to all the brands we supply.

Interviews, news stories, mailers, and regular social media content across multiple platforms are designed to promote and support the brands that we supply so dealers are fully up to speed with everything on offer.

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ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

Dealers are able at anytime to access all the demonstration facilities to bring their customers to experience for themselves the wonderful concepts available to them in their homes.

With the range of spaces we have, there is always somewhere to visit appropriate for each customer and project.

Pulse regularly supports our brands, dealers and company concepts at trade shows such as ISE and EI Live! The Pulse Cinemas ISE Tours have become well known as a way for dealers to access the show in a value-added way, making sure they visit key brands and get to talk to the right people. We also have a history of organising informative and inspiring visits to our brands HQs or demo facilities offering further insight into each range and company philosophies. Keep an eye out for these important opportunities.

Pulse Cinemas is also an active member of Exclusively Connect, an organisation that helps luxury brands connect with each other and help promote and market their brands with

joint events and joined up thinking. Our involvement creates new and innovative opportunities for dealers.

We are also proud of our record when it comes to technical support of our dealers, whether that is on the phone, in person or onsite visits, whatever is needed to get the job done and support the dealers.

Pulse Cinemas is also a listening company, we welcome feedback from our brands and dealers constantly to tune and improve our offering.

At its core Pulse Cinemas has a management team that has worked together for over 20 years, building an understanding of the market and working to create long lasting, meaningful relationships within the sector. This knowledge and stability offers direct benefits to dealers. Get in touch and discover the Pulse Cinemas difference!

Pulse Cinemas pulsecinemas.com

New concepts, Open Days and product introductions have been just a few highlights this year

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NOVEMBER 2023 21

ESSENTIAL CEDIA

ELEVATE YOUR BRAND WITH CERTIFICATION Matt Nimmons, Managing Director of CEDIA EMEA, explains what certification means to both the individual and their employer, and provides details on an initiative that CEDIA is running in November to encourage participants to put their knowledge to the test.

CEDIA certifications are designed and built by integrators to recognise technicians with proven competence and a commitment to professionalism. CEDIA’s globally accredited certifications: Cabling & Infrastructure Technician (CIT) and Integrated Systems Technician (IST) provide members with the opportunity to showcase credibility, development, and differentiation.

In CEDIA’s 2023 UK Smart Home Recruitment & Salary Survey, over 60% of surveyed participants state that they are more likely to hire a person if they have earned Cabling Infrastructure Technician (CIT) or Integrated Systems Technician (IST).

Meanwhile 44% state that they will be willing to pay more if their employees have earned any industry certification.

Let’s look into a few more benefits of CEDIA certification and what it means for you.

BUILD YOUR REPUTATION

Certification carries a lot of weight with allied trades who have a strong tradition of certification, licensing and continuing education.

Electricians, architects, and engineers recognise the meaning of ANSI/ISO accreditation and are far more likely to seek to engage with partners who can verify their expertise to an accepted standard, but they want to know how they can tell whether an integrator is qualified.

22 NOVEMBER 2023

CEDIA’s globally accredited certifications are the answer to that question. When subcontracting to an allied trade, having multiple certified staff members gives you a crucial competitive edge. As part of the bigger picture, a critical mass of certified integrators will prove to allied trade groups, government agencies and lawmakers that this industry holds itself to rigorous, defined standards.

BE IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL

Certification is a journey that doesn’t end with passing the test. CIT and IST holders must renew every three years by refreshing their knowledge with any new material that’s been added to the exam content outline. Maintaining a certification demonstrates your determination to stay on the industry’s leading edge.

MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS

Training your staff does not cost nearly as much time as not training your staff. You may arrive at a project with a clear plan and explicit instructions for inexperienced staff members, but things can change quickly on site. When the drawing doesn’t match the build, can your technicians make the right call?

CIT helps define what decisions a technician is qualified to make and what decisions require approval or oversight from an IST-certified staff

member. Often, time spent in training is repaid with onsite effectiveness.

START YOUR CERTIFICATION JOURNEY AND BE IN THE RUNNING FOR A TOP PRIZE

To help integrators prepare for this certification, CEDIA has developed a practice test that is designed to help gauge whether they are ready to take the official CEDIA CIT certification or whether they need a bit more time and support.

The test – which is free of charge – consists of 50 questions and will take just 45 minutes to work through. If completed during November, participants will stand a chance to win an exciting prize. The person who successfully completes the exam within the shortest time and achieves the highest number of correct answers, will walk away with the top prize.

Certification is the future of the industry and your business. If you want an edge against competitors in your marketplace, you need to get certified. If the industry wants recognition as a profession, its members must demonstrate their commitment to professional accreditation and standards.

CEDIA cedia.org/education/certification

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FLIP 900R

MUSIC STREAMING MADE FOR CI LODE AUDIO reclaims higher quality music streaming for CI by integrating seamlessly with familiar home automation systems to place all the power of design creativity, control and performance securely in your hands.

• Created for custom integrators by custom integrators • Designed and built entirely in the UK • High Audio Quality • Integrates with all the leading home control systems • Local support expertise

For further information please contact CUK. 0141 440 5333 • enquiries@cuk-group.com • cuk-group.com

Aurea Acurus

Acurus

ESSENTIAL CEDIA

CEDIA EDUCATION Simon Goodwill, Goodelectrics Ltd, explains how CEDIA Education has supported him at several stages of his career.

Education is important at any stage of your career, but particularly when you are at the start of entering into a new market. Having worked in the electrical industry for several years, I am now turning my passion into my career and am turning to CEDIA to support me on my path into the smart home industry.

My journey into the smart home world officially started in March 2007, but my interest in all things tech began as a child watching James Bond movies. Who doesn’t like the motorised moving walls and the tilt and turn table with Goldfinger’s master plan for Fort Knox? Who wouldn’t want that level of security and access control when you watch 007 enter MI6?

Looking back to 2007, I was working for a company based in Stockwell in South London called Audio Visual System Ltd. The Managing Director, Tony Flynn, gave me a chance to join his small, highly knowledgeable and experienced team and this allowed me the opportunity to see the most decadent and luxurious properties in London and the South of France.

Around this time, Tony put me on a threeday CEDIA introductory course at its HQ in St. Neots, which was logistically easy for me as I live in Cambridge. I’ll always remember this course as CEDIA took a photograph of me in class and used it in one of their brochures for around a decade after that. I always had a laugh when I saw it, but it also gave me a little bit of sadness that I didn’t get to pursue the knowledge and experience further at that time.

Three months later, I found myself back in the electrical installation world and working for myself. I started Goodelectrics Ltd in 2013 and I kept quite busy with the standard electrical work.

This year, I decided that it was time to dip my toe back into the smart home industry and to do that, I knew I needed to get on the training ladder with CEDIA. I started this journey by booking onto both the five-day Smart Home Technician Essentials course and the five-day Smart Home Technician Further Skills training.

From there, I completed the Home Cinema Design Workshop.

The teachers were Simon Buddle and Geoff Meads. I enjoyed every second of every day of learning. It really did bolster my knowledge. Not only that, but they had great energy and livened up the room.

Classroom time wasn’t just the likes of rookies such as myself, there were some decade-long experienced professionals present as well, which made for a nice mix.

While at CEDIA, I met Matt Nimmons, Managing Director, and he made to feel very welcome, and he eased any worries about setting up as a smart home professional. Emma McMylor, Education Coordinator, was brilliant and made the booking process a breeze. The team at CEDIA are excellent!

I have since attended Leslie Shiner’s one day business course, Using Today’s Numbers to Build a Profitable Financial Future, which was

absolutely brilliant – I’ve taken so much away from this course. It’s great that CEDIA provides the business training as well as technical.

One of the metrics that I look at to work out whether my CEDIA training has been successful so far is, ‘Do I feel confident that I could design and install a media room system with some basic networking, a TV, a 7.1 speaker system to match the room dimensions and a little wellthought lighting design and control?’

The answer is yes. I say yes based on what I’ve learnt in class and some ‘dabbled in’ experience previously.

Something that lights me up is high end audio and acoustic treatments. A niche within a niche. The sheer possibilities within this industry is probably what had me in a place of not knowing where to start. The reality is that you do need to make a start and I am totally pleased that CEDIA is my ‘go to’ for the standards, knowledge and support. Anyone who is looking to start in this industry would be well advised to speak to CEDIA. CEDIA cedia.org/education Goodelectrics Goodelectrics.com

Simon (right) is full of praise for his CEDIA training experience

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NOVEMBER 2023 25

ESSENTIAL REVIEW MERIDIAN DSP9

PERFORMANCE ART Meridian’s new DSP9 is something of a landmark for the UK brand, bringing together every last ounce of its Extreme Engineering technologies to its latest active loudspeaker. Our reviewer Richard Stevenson, takes an exclusive look.

The DSP9 is smaller, lighter and more svelte than Meridian’s flagship DSP8000 XE, but aims to offer equally top-line performance in a more compact, sophisticated and affordable package. I say ‘affordable’ with one raised eyebrow as the DSP9 still rocks to market at £60,000 per pair in the one standard finish of piano gloss black. The only other finish is ‘any colour you like to order’, available at premium depending on cost and complexity, with a funky colour wheel visualiser on Meridian’s website.

Pearl Chromacoat colour-shift white-silver-blue to match your classic 1980’s TVR, sir? Not a problem.

The cabinet is resin coated (inside and out) plywood and our review sample pair arrived in satin white. That is something of a blank canvas that I have spent three weeks resisting the urge to paint ‘Albany Wolf Grey’ to match the cinema room – albeit the metallic orange pearl of the brochure images would be my first choice. The new cosmetic underpins the rest of the technology within, which is likewise all-new for the DSP9.

26 NOVEMBER 2023

The smooth and sculptured cabinet apes the shape of previous Meridian designs with a less aggressive and easier to integrate style.

The front-facing baffle houses just the 25mm beryllium tweeter and 160mm mid-range unit, along with a dimmable illuminated logo keeping the whole packaging looking sleek. Peek around either side though and you will see a pair of rather more business-like 200mm long-throw bass drivers. The cabinet’s curves extend neatly to a rear panel that conceals the amplifier and lower connection panel.

This is a whole new input board with a host of analogue and digital connections alongside Meridian’s familiar SpeakerLink RJ45, feeding the brand’s latest R1 electronics platform.

Fully active, each cabinet houses 10 amplifier channels. Both the tweeter and midrange units get their own Class AB 150W power amps, while the four bass drivers are each fed by a stereo Class D module, bridged together to deliver 240W each. Over 1250W per speaker sir? I don’t mind if I do.

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ESSENTIAL REVIEW MERIDIAN DSP9 Clever DSP is Meridian’s signature technology of course, and the DSP9 has all the tricks. Full Frequency Alignment (FFA) adjusts the time alignment of each frequency ensuring 20Hz to 40kHz reach the listener’s ears at the same time and Perfect Balance (PB) adjust EQ individually at every step of the volume control.

This ensures the sound is as balanced at latenight listening volumes as it is having a rave.

Free-Q addresses room placement issues, E3 Bass enhances and extends LF response… and so on. There is literally so much physical and electronic engineering going on inside these cabinets, Meridian’s digital brochure and marketing toolkit for dealers are ‘must read’ documentation.

For installers and auditioners alike, all this Extreme Engineering is brought together seamlessly in Meridian’s control app with features that make in-room installation perhaps the simplest of any speaker on the market. The Free-Q control offers free, wall, shelf (?) or corner placement, LF Resonance Control is available in min, med, max and off, and you can switch the FFA and PB systems on or off - although I have no idea why you would want them off.

Perhaps the most useful additional feature for installers is Image Focus and Image Focus Plus, which adjust the centre of the audio image horizontally or vertically in incremental steps.

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Unlike simple balance controls, the system adjusts both volume and the delay to ensure the sound reaches your ears simultaneously, eliminating time-smearing of not being directly on the centre line of the stereo pair. The effect is nothing short of amazing. Close your eyes and it sounds for all the world like both speakers are moving L/R or up/down with the adjustment. It is ideal for non-central hot seats or raising the sound up onto a screen for AV. Our installation used a Meridian 218 controller with the DSP9-supplied B-Link Bluetooth model and a Roon Nucleus server.

The 218 accepts a host of input devices itself and transfers the low-level signal to the DSP9s via an Ethernet Cable, the supplied versions of which are flat profile for easy under carpet installation. Doing that with most audiophile speaker cables would create a trip hazard the size of a speed bump.

Just to prove a point on ease of installation, we dropped the DSP9s at one end of the room facing the sofa where they looked ‘about right’ and left it at that. I did move them around later, but with the wealth of DSP controls available, it didn’t make a great deal of sonic difference.

Given I have I have spent weeks tweaking back, forth, sideways and experimenting with toein angles with other speakers in this room, the DSP9s are ridiculously easy speakers to place.

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THE PERFORMANCE Performance-wise, where do I start? The DSP9s are nothing short of sensational and, by a significant margin, the best sounding loudspeaker I have reviewed in the last 30 years – including several models that are twice their asking price and passive!

They are unbelievably powerful and dynamic, with the most amazing imaging and natural space in the soundstage. This is backed by incredibly tight, deep, tuneful and articulate bass that scales perfectly with the volume. From 70dB SPL background music to critical listening at 100dB and parties beyond that (max SPL quoted @ 119dB!), I have never heard a speaker that maintains such a great balance, and incredible detail and articulation, at every volume level.

Unlike many speakers that can have a bias for certain genres of music, often dictated by the acoustic engineer’s listening preferences, the DSP9s always seem to be on best form. From classical to hip-hop and metal to dance, they nail the detail, rhythm and nuance of the material with smile inducing accuracy and toe-tapping tempo 100% of the time. Even early AC/DC recordings, which have all the dynamic range of a pomegranate, had me Angus-hopping the airguitar around the room.

So, other than Meridian requiring five men and a crowbar to peel the review sample pair from my whitening knuckles, where does the DSP9 fit in the integrator’s armoury?

For the most part I would guess the DSP9s are going to be used in a stereo configuration in all but perhaps the most affluent of AV installs in combination with the brand’s Reference in-walls. The Image Shift function would be supremely handy to centralise an AV image onto the largest of projection screens and adding subwoofers for LFE would be a ‘nice to have’ rather than essential given the DSP9’s inherent bass power. A trio of DSP9s behind an AT screen would be a breathtaking AV front end.

The active configuration, industrial design and range of finishes is a strong sell-in to customers too. Their size is nothing like as imposing as, say, B&W’s flagship 800 series floor stander, there are no amps, pretentious cables or ‘hi-fi-isms’ to deal with, and they are just as happy streaming Radio 2 on a Sunday morning as they are rocking Faithless at 110dB with a house full of vino-fuelled dinner party guests. I speak from experience here – we do like to review ‘thoroughly’.

In terms of an added value sale to pretty much any premium AV installation, I would work out your easiest access to a demo ASAP. Even installations that are pure cinema focused with in-walls all-round, the DSP9s could literally sell themselves from a demo – potentially for another room in the customer’s home.

NOVEMBER 2023 27

ESSENTIAL CUK

CUK ADDS VALUE WITH LODE AUDIO

Music streaming made for CI: LODE delivers high audio quality and the power to integrate will all leading home automation systems.

Music streaming technology built for CI places high performance audio, design versatility and control in the hands of integrators says CUK MD Stuart Thomson.

We’re delighted to be extending our value-added outreach to CI integrators with LODE’s specialised multizone music streaming architecture. Positioned in the market between mainstream multiroom solutions and ‘audiophile’ single room streamers, LODE is designed and built entirely in the UK to deliver high performance audio and to integrate with all the leading home control systems, transforming the experience of music streaming in premium smart home projects.

Created for custom integrators by custom integrators, LODE has for over ten years understood and answered the desire from its growing customer base for a more sophisticated CI-oriented streaming solution having local support for proprietary technology including HD audio design, audio-over-IP architecture, control system drivers and ‘additive’ API technology. Its dedicated CI design priorities offer clear technological, practical and performance advantages over mainstream offerings in CI applications.

28 NOVEMBER 2023

HIGH AUDIO QUALITY

LODE’s range comprises LA1D, LA2D and LA4D 1,2 and 4-zone players, the compact POE powered LA1 Mini single zone player and LA DANTE, a 1U rack mountable 8-channel (4-zone) Dante system, all running on Ethernet from a router or switch. The zone players feature superior ‘Hi Fi’ DACs with a wide 112dB dynamic

range, an equally impressive S/N of 112dB and vanishing THD at -93dB, upconverting all popular file formats, including MP3, M4P, M4A, Flac, WAV and AAC to 32bit/48kHz for output to stereo RCA, S/PDIF optical and coaxial for each zone; LODE having determined that 32/48 gives the best balance of performance versus range/control practicality.

LA1 Mini PoE powered single zone player

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ESSENTIAL CUK

LODE’s LA4D 4-zone player and LA DANTE 4-zone Dante system

MADE FOR CI

The brand’s CI focussed ethos is also defined by a comprehensive range of control options for macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Crestron, AMX, Control4, RTI and ELAN. Via intuitive interfaces on tablet, phone and desktop, customers are able to navigate playlists on Tidal, Deezer, Soundcloud and Pandora for instance, or radio from TuneIn, Internetradio, HotelRadioFM and SoundMachine, as well as local NAS music libraries. Apps and drivers are available from the LODE site (control system drivers via login).

As distinct from retail rivals, LODE sets up via Web-UI and is scalable to up to 64 rooms of independent audio with any number of grouped rooms, and with the lowest audio and control latency.

But the unique accumulator for installers is the proven power to integrate with all the leading home automation platforms. Drivers for AMX have been developed in-house since 2014.

LODE has integrated with Crestron for over a decade and is one of the few brands to have developed its own drivers for both Media Player and smart graphics installations. Since 2016, and in conjunction with Janus Technologies, LODE as built proprietary drivers for integration with Control4, and by working with leading developer Intrinsic Group, perfected drivers for Elan. Similarly, LODE works seamlessly with RTI automation via drivers developed, once again, in-house. What’s more, Lutron’s advanced TCP API integration allows LODE streamers to integrate with the Homeworks system, while LODE’s proprietary ‘additive’ APIs are designed to dovetail sensitively with existing interfaces so as not to break existing installations during firmware upgrades.

And for added design versatility, LODE’s powerful built-in architecture allows the system to run straight from a router on LodeNet, a proprietary AoIP matrix that syncs all load boxes,

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allowing users to group zones for synchronised playback of content without the need of an external matrix. Unlike most retail solutions and importantly for any service contract, all the critical control functions can be locked away from prying fingers, according to CI lore.

FOR ANY ENVIRONMENT

for CI, on CI terms, by working seamlessly with familiar home automation systems to place all the power of design creativity, control and performance securely in your hands.

LODE offers reliable control options for macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Crestron, AMX, Control4, RTI and ELAN

LODE’s gifts to residential installation also apply to commercial, marine and hospitality environments with the addition of special features such as a custom scheduling tool, which can be set up from the Web-UI to allow music to change in different rooms at different times.

In retail for instance, LODE lets you create an appropriate playlist with the ability to interrupt it for in-store messaging. In business, LODE allows you to tailor the audio for a warm welcome at reception for example, or an upbeat mood in the staff restaurant, or perhaps a calming effect in shared break-out areas. Alternatively, you’re able to deploy SoundMachine - a fully licenced curatable cloud-based music service - from the Web-UI.

LOCAL SUPPORT

Above all, the beauty of LODE’s CI dedicated expertise means that whatever the design choice for any project, LODE’s in-house development team is on hand locally with a wealth of source code to reduce development time and to ensure the best user experience for integrators and end users. In most circumstances this timely level of service isn’t available from the far-flung retail-oriented platforms designed for end user configuration. In deploying LODE for CI, you’ll get the mature levels of support you’re used to from a long-established CI service provider, and with CUK’s proven commercial backup.

Poles apart from cloud-centred retail systems, which steer control away from custom installers toward end users’ phones and tablets, LODE reclaims higher quality music streaming

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For further information, please contact: +44 (0) 141 440 5333 enquiries@cuk-group.com cuk-group.com

NOVEMBER 2023 29

SHOWROOM SHOWCASE: PROCELLA AUDIO

A new demonstration centre and training hub is now open for Procella Audio

PROCELLA AUDIO SEEKS SHOWROOM PERFECTION As part of the Showroom Showcase series, EI travelled to Harderwijk in the Netherlands to experience the recently completed Procella European Demo Centre. A short trip from Amsterdam, the space offers the opportunity to experience the prowess of the Procella speaker range and is also the world’s first fully operational demo space to use Trinnov’s WaveForming (WF) technology.

Gerard Brouwer, Technical Sales Manager, Europe for Procella Audio, explains how this ambitious project came into being. “The idea started just before the last ISE show in Amsterdam, says Gerard. “After the event it was clear to us that we either needed to rebuild our existing showroom or start from scratch and create a brand new space. We wanted to showcase the very best of what our range and the rest of the industry could offer, so we decided a brand-new space was the way to go.”

Gerard explains, “At Procella Audio we had always wanted a showroom and training space which was available throughout the year, so this was the perfect opportunity. I live in Harderwijk and found a suitable new build space that could be the crucible for the ambition we had for this new journey in showing how good our speakers are and how well they work in tandem with other expert AV brands and operators.

30 NOVEMBER 2023

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SHOWROOM SHOWCASE: PROCELLA AUDIO “After the last ISE in Amsterdam, all the Procella equipment we needed was shipped to our new site ready for inclusion in a new experience built from the ground up using our own expertise and the best partners the industry has to offer. Wanting to start from a solid platform we partnered with ADL (Audio Data Lab) from Sweden to create the best room acoustics possible for the main cinema demo space. The cinema showcases a 15.3.10 layout using our speakers, a Trinnov Altitude32 and MadVR Envy Extreme for processing, a Kaleidescape Strato and Apple TV 4K for source material and a Barco Loki CS projector for the images.”

The ground floor of the space also offers further display opportunities for the range, a reception area and a kitchen. The team has also created a mezzanine floor which offers a smart looking media room and a training/ conference space. The media room consists of a comfortable lounge equipped with a 5.2.2 Procella speaker system which also employs the company’s new AVR-1680 multi-channel audio amplifier (expected Q1 of 2024). Attention to detail and passion for creating the best space possible is obvious throughout the whole space.

Much of the construction was carried out by the Procella team, even the elegant staircase that takes visitors to the mezzanine floor was designed by Procella Audio co-founder Anders Uggelberg.

As well as partnering with ADL for the acoustics in the main space, the Procella Audio team were keen to employ some of the latest audio technologies.

Gerard explains, “We were very impressed

by Trinnov’s WaveForming technology since witnessing it at ISE 2023, and because our demo room has an Altitude32 and we have such a good working relationship with them, it made sense to upgrade our demo room to be able to use this approach. As well as traditional behind screen loudspeakers we have a longproven track record in commercial cinemas with full-range above screen loudspeakers (AS2) which would help us in creating the ability to show different layouts.”

For those unfamiliar with WaveForming, the approach is intended to deliver a solution to often the most challenging aspect of home cinema, eliminating the effect of room modes that interfere with accurate low-frequency reproduction. WaveForming combines a new algorithm and speaker layout guidelines to effectively reduce or cancel out low-frequency issues.

Gerard reveals, “We didn’t want to completely swap out our normal subwoofer and speaker setup for WaveForming because not every project will use the technology and we wanted to be able to run demos with or without

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The Media Room shows another side to the Procella Audio story

WaveForming. The solution needs a specific number of subwoofers and the positioning of these all depends on the room design and of course it needs a professional to calibrate the system. So, we went with…

• Behind screen and traditional subwoofer setup

THE CINEMA EXPERIENCE! The team took the conscious decision to not have the cinema finished as though it was a completed end user space with all the acoustic materials and loudspeakers on show showcasing how a high-end cinema space is constructed.

Gerard says, “Why? well, we train our dealers

• Behind screen and WaveForming

here and sometimes they come with their clients,

• Above screen and traditional subwoofer setup

in this way we have a functional and neutral

• Above screen and WaveForming “Luckily our room height is a generous 380cm so we could make three towers of loudspeakers/ subwoofers and employ a rebuilt and reinforced baffle wall. We have created four presets in the Trinnov to switch between these layouts.”

design that shows why acoustic elements are needed and where the loudspeakers are placed for the best results. Once this is understood, of course we explain that the customer can achieve any look they require for their finished space. We also complete full room designs for customers.”

So, demonstration time and all the hard

As well as ADL designing the acoustics, the

work has certainly paid off. This is one of the

cinema benefits from calibration and presets

most balanced and powerful cinemas you

from the Barco Residential team and of course

will experience anywhere particularly when

support from Trinnov for the WaveForming

WaveForming is used. When Trinnov developed

design and set up.

the technology, the aim was to deliver more

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NOVEMBER 2023 33

SHOWROOM SHOWCASE: PROCELLA AUDIO

The showroom also provides an opportunity to explore the technology inside Procella Speakers

impact, clarity and detail. Plenty of cinemas can produce ‘impactful’ loud bass, (too much sometimes) but with this approach a new level of realistic low frequencies can be produced.

Explosions and gun shots for example are not just percussive loud noises, but they sound lifelike and therefore the whole experience is more immersive and allows for longer viewing sessions at reference levels. Working in tandem with the Trinnov, the Procella Audio speaker array in this space is deeply impressive.

Gerard says, “Our closed box subwoofers are superbly suitable for use in WaveForming,

as the low distortion and low group delay

Gerard concludes, “With this new facility, a

characteristics of closed box subs deliver the

demonstration becomes an experience. It all

bass quality needed for this technology. We are

comes together, room and acoustic design, seat

confident you will be very impressed with the

to seat consistency and superb picture quality

quality we have achieved in the space.”

for whatever demo material you choose. The

Another impressive aspect is when the

space will also allow us to train many dealers and

above screen speakers are employed. This can

get their customers excited about our products

sometimes feel like a compromise, no such

and the other brands present as well. To arrange

issue here, the performance remains locked into

a visit, contact us through our website.

the excellent imaging performance from the Barco projector. The cinema also displays great

Procella Audio

uniformity no matter where you sit.

procella.audio

Kit List For Main Cinema

• Procella Audio 3x C102 (LCR Above Screen)

• Trinnov Altitude32-32

• Procella Audio 1x V21 (traditional subwoofer setup)

• Trinnov Altitude-48ext • Kaleidescape Strato

• Procella Audio 2x P15 (traditional subwoofer setup)

• Apple TV 4K • MadVR Envy Extreme

• Procella Audio 12x P15Si (WaveForming, 6 front, 6 back)

• Barco Loki CS projector • Screen Research 160in CS ClearPix4 • Procella Audio 9x DA03-DSP (=10.080W at 8 Ohm)

34 NOVEMBER 2023

• Procella Audio 12x P6V (Wide, Surround and Backsurround) • Procella Audio 7x P5 (Height + VOG)

• Procella Audio 5x DA08-DSP (=16.000W at 8 Ohm)

• Procella Audio 3x P6 (Front Height at screen)

• Procella Audio 3x P815 (LCR)

• Ineva Home Cinema Seating

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THE FUTURE OF INSTALL

BROADENING OUR HORIZONS Looking for future market development doesn’t just mean looking inside the home, lots of the future could be shaped by what happens outside of it argues Joe Carri, Director at Prestige Audio.

We are probably best known as a company that produces high-performance home cinema systems and whole house automation systems, but for some time now we have been alive to the opportunities outside of our customers’ homes offering luxury AV experiences every bit as rich as what happens inside. This market we believe has huge potential and could form a large part of the future. Lately we have been trying to educate our partners in the design community as well as architects and developers about these opportunities and how it could also shape their future thinking also. Like all the best predictions about the future, this is based solidly in what is happening already. Many installers will already be delivering exterior AV systems to their customers, but we feel that this area has big growth potential as manufacturers recognise that potential and offer ever more innovative and exciting products for us to work with, integrate and tailor to out clients needs.

Everything that our team designs and creates is of course based on solid technologies and products that we know will deliver a fantastic result. However, we can be confident about the future growth potential here as these systems

36 NOVEMBER 2023

enjoy a place within the crucible of wider home building and renovation trends. An undoubted trend in the design of new homes and those undergoing renovation, is the desire to ‘bring the outside in’, blurring the space between the grounds of a property and the interior with extensions expanding living spaces into the exterior and the use of super wide bifold doors and similar techniques to blend these two areas together and encourage homeowners to make more and better use of their exterior

spaces. Naturally, some existing products and concepts have moved into those spaces either to be placed in the immediate exterior space or even further afield. High-performance outside kitchen areas have become a real feature here as customers enjoy cooking and eating alfresco. Other systems that will be familiar are high-performance spa products, hot tubs and of course swimming pools offering customers a way to relax and enjoy their exterior spaces all year round.

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THE FUTURE OF INSTALL

However, whilst most consumers will be aware of these more established ways to enjoy their gardens and grounds, how many of them know what is possible with the expanding concepts available for luxury audio visual systems?

Some of these systems have of course been around for a while, with companies originally developing exterior speaker systems aimed at the domestic market in areas with reliably warm weather. It was (wrongly) assumed that in the UK and Northern Europe, people would not be spending enough time outside for this to be worthwhile market to target.

Connecting the architectural trend of blending the exterior with the interior and the stoic nature of the UK customer, we have a burgeoning market for high-performance exterior audio-visual systems using some of the most advanced technology available either inside or outside of a home. Also consider the whole wellness movement. Whilst some of the concepts under that umbrella maybe a little vague, it is a scientific fact that getting enough natural light into the system is a good thing and extending how long we spend outside helps with maintaining good circadian rhythm. We spend time trying to mimic that effect in the home, so a definite upgrade or addition to that desire is to make spending time in real sunlight more attractive with engaging entertainment systems.

Just one example here is a brand our team is really excited about, C Seed Entertainment Systems. This is a really unique company created in 2009 that blends minimalistic design with immaculate craftsmanship to create leading-edge luxury electronics and a new entertainment experiences. Products like the N1 Outdoor TV and the HYDE 125 Outdoor Speakers can match the luxury feel and performance of anything you might find inside a home, fit our client group down to the ground and have a wow factor on a par with anything out there. This brand operates toward the higher end of the price range of what is available, but there are a growing number of options for a wide range of price brackets and all of them have the power of offering something customers will not have seen before. Let’s also not forget lighting here. OK it not a totally new thing to be placing sympathetic lighting in a customer’s outside spaces, but architectural lighting that delivers an aesthetic impact into these spaces as much as a practical one, could and indeed should be something we build on for the future.

People used to say that staying in was the new going out, well now (in terms of being at home) the reverse might be true as customers are able to enjoy more and more of what they have inside, outside.

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NOVEMBER 2023 39

THE FUTURE OF INSTALL

THE FUTURE OF INSTALL: 3 THINGS TO WATCH Phillip Pini, Director, Residential Sales (UK), Crestron, casts his watchful eye of the future of home automation.

It’s good news for dealers: Homeowners now see residential tech as a ‘must-have’ and not just a ‘nice-to-have.’ With that demand comes expanded opportunities — but smart dealers should keep themselves abreast of coming trends, even as they meet immediate demands.

Forewarned is forearmed, after all.

With that in mind, here are three key things to keep one’s eye on, both in the near- and longterm. We’ll start with the latter:

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

This may well be the most exciting developing technology – if, in fact, it lives up to its promise.

First and foremost, a clarification. We’re not talking about machine learning here. A ‘smart thermostat’ is an excellent example of the latter: It picks up a pattern and repeats it after learning when the temperature is manually raised or lowered by a home’s residents.

An artificially intelligent thermostat would be able to literally make decisions on its own, not parrot behavior. Think of an HVAC system that knew one occupant from another – and chose to raise or lower the temp based on who was home at a given time or ‘split the difference’ when the house is full. Those decisions might well impact other systems, too – imagine a thermostat that scanned the local weather forecast to predict precisely when to raise or lower a room’s shading based on cloud cover.

Should AI truly come to fruition in the form of a (hopefully) benevolent companion, the

40 NOVEMBER 2023

possibilities of creating a truly ‘smart’ home are limitless. Think of conversing with the home, making requests, and then having the home ask for certain specifics: User: “House, play Vivaldi.”

House: “At what volume and in which rooms?”

User: “Medium loud, throughout the home.”

House: “Are you sure? Grandmother’s in her room and has just settled in for a nap …”

MORE USER CONTROL – AND CUSTOMISATION

Pulling back from that broad view of the future, an advance that’s happening now is the creation of systems whose functions and scenes can be set by the end user. While there will always be a need for customised software solutions (especially in luxury home and marine deployments), a widely available platform that can be tweaked by a home’s resident is gaining traction – and quickly.

As more ‘digital natives’ – those who’ve grown up swiping a smartphone to use different apps – begin commissioning these systems, dealers will find a growing technological comfort level among their clients. Those clients will demand the ability to customize more and more pages on their touch screens. They’ll want to understand how to program certain scenes or enable (or turn off) parts of their system without conferring with a technician.

The ‘do it for me’ client will yield to the ‘do it with me’ mindset – there’s a coming generation

of customers who aren’t afraid of breaking their systems and want to better learn how their devices function in concert.

THE CONTINUING NEED FOR HOME OFFICES

Every study and survey bears this out: Hybrid work is here to stay, as is a portion of the global workforce that will remain completely remote. That means that the demand for home offices – well-connected spaces that afford the homeowner a level of privacy and security commensurate with their occupational duties – won’t be waning in the future.

These dedicated spaces can’t be afterthoughts. The same amenities one might find in a traditional setting need to be accounted for, such as proper natural light, a quality videoconferencing setup, mitigation of external noise, and so on – but the modern home office will surely demand that other topics are addressed in discovery. What level of cybersecurity does this individual need? Does corporate HQ have any IT requirements for the home network? The list goes on.

One could argue that there’s a real potential for crossover business here: Might a residential specialist be ready to branch out into outfitting huddle rooms for small businesses – or viceversa? The ‘cross-pollination’ of commercial and residential tech has never been more impactful and might well offer broader opportunities for the forward-thinking technology integrator.

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THE FUTURE OF INSTALL

MAKING SERVICE A SUCCESSFUL PART OF YOUR BUSINESS STRATEGY One of the biggest friction points in our industry remains service and maintenance. How integrators adapt their business to deal with this issue will be a key factor in their future success.

Snap One looks at the options.

Integrators know that commissioning and handing over a system does not signal the end of a project.

Far from it. After all, this is the point when customers typically start to use the technology for the first time. At this point, we see from the customer a need for access to support and service from the integrator to overcome any teething problems with the system. Beyond this need, there is a longer-term requirement to deal with any system issues that might arise from defective or malfunctioning equipment, software upgrades and more at various points throughout the lifetime of an installation.

Of course, the amount of support and service needed may vary from job to job. However, customers will fall into one of two camps. One is super needy and requires a lot of support, education and re-education in how their system operates. This type of client eats up time and resources from the service side of an integrator’s business. They’re high touch and high demand.

The other customer type is the one that really loves their integrator, enjoys a great relationship and doesn’t want to bother them.

With this type of customer, the integrator may have a conversation with them, maybe one, two or three times a year. Instead of these being really productive conversations about what’s new and what potential upgrade options might be available, this customer will reel off a list of issues with the technology that they’ve compiled, stored and which need resolving. As

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a result, this type of conversation ends up being nowhere near as productive as it could be for both parties.

How can integrators stop service and support becoming a drain on their business in these ways and transform it into a powerful engine for future business growth?

First of all, it takes a change in mindset where service and maintenance is embraced as a core part of the business strategy and not seen as a black hole for time, resource and profitability. Next, there’s an investment in the right platform to help you deliver service intelligently and efficiently.

OvrC Pro is the reliable cloud-based remote management and monitoring (RMM) platform from Snap One, designed exclusively for professionals and available free of any recurring software licence fee or extra hardware costs.

From setup to support, it empowers integrators to install, monitor, and troubleshoot connected devices remotely, helping them to solve problems quickly and keep customers’ systems up and running.

Embedded within all recent Control4 Controllers, Arkanis networking kit and the dedicated OvrC Pro Hub, OvrC Pro automatically finds all IP-connected devices on the network, relaying relevant device information and regularly pinging their online status. Designed to streamline workflow, the OvrC Pro Location Dashboard view gives integrators all the information they need to

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make RMM a valuable and functional tool for their business.

Once on board with OvrC Pro, integrators have another option that can help add even greater efficiency into their service and maintenance offering with Parasol. Parasol is an OvrC Pro-based remote support service, built by integrators for integrators, that allows Snap One Partners to offer subscription-based customer support solutions.

Parasol helps streamline the customer service experience and process to enhance relationships with existing customers and ensure company operations stay on schedule.

It can be the first line of defence for customer support, giving clients unlimited round the clock access to fully qualified, remotely located technicians, every day of the year.

The Parasol solution is proven to help partners resolve 70% of customer issues remotely with one touch, delivering participating customers true peace of mind while reducing the need for expensive, inconvenient and time-consuming service calls and showing they are being heard and appreciated. Not only can integrators create a new, steady revenue stream, but they can also reduce service costs and labour, allowing them to focus on new sales and installations.

Invest in your business future. Invest in professional, high-quality service and maintenance. Invest in Parasol, powered by OvrC Pro.

NOVEMBER 2023 43

THE FUTURE OF INSTALL

THE FUTURE STARTS HERE Stuart Tickle, Managing Director at AWE, distributor to the custom install and smart home technology industry - shares his thoughts on the future.

COVID had a big impact on our industry, as people spent more time at home and invested in technology that would deliver entertainment, while making homes more adaptable and comfortable. I said at the time that this change would have long legs, meaning that the recognition of one’s home being a more important work and social space will be long lasting. Premium spaces like an entertainment area inside and out, and technologies previously thought of as luxury, have become more standard.

Today, the market in the UK is still showing strength and buoyancy - even in the face of difficult external factors, including the ongoing cost-of-living crisis which is having a more challenging impact on the mid-range market. In fact, people that can, will spend more money to save money!

According to a recent market analysis by CEDIA*, the key areas powering growth in the residential install market are integrated control, lighting/shading solutions and home cinema – which is supported by the purchasing patterns and discussions we are experiencing at AWE. Automated window shading and intelligent lighting shows exceptionally strong demand.

Window treatments can keep homes cooler in the summer, provide insulation in the winter, decrease energy use and improve occupant comfort. The use of daylight sensors or presets adds another layer of convenience in a smart home, opening blinds to allow more daylight to stream in on a cloudy day or closing them to reduce glare and heat transfer when it’s sunny. Lighting can also be programmed to tie in seamlessly.

Demand is likely to grow further as we move towards more sustainable homes that harness natural daylight, when desired, or can be

44 NOVEMBER 2023

intelligently shaded to maintain a cooler inside temp reducing the need for air-conditioning.

Today’s window shades are super quiet, controllable and have plenty of design options.

Content is king when it come to the future of install. Right now, there are more sport, boxsets, music and movies being streamed directly into people’s homes than ever before.

We really should credit the streaming networks as their content is crucial to the ever-growing future of home entertainment.

All the main services now not only provide, but also finance and create high quality content so we can view an ever-growing portfolio at home in 4k HDR, potentially in Dolby Vision and Atmos. The level of detail and quality provided for use on a big screen TV or a full projection system is plenty good enough for the vast majority of viewers.

Demand for home cinema rooms is having a direct impact on the technology coming to market, and consequently how we approach installation. Take the new ISW-8 subwoofer from Bowers & Wilkins, which has been extensively engineered from the ground up to deliver the full performance of the flagship DB1 standalone sub, whilst being thin enough to install within standard stud walls without shaking them to pieces.

Another big topic of discussion right now is CEDIA’s new RP22 recommended practice for immersive audio. Having read and, as a company, contributed to the draft feedback, we are widely in favour with new best practice for installation and applaud its introduction.

However, there’s still a huge amount of work to be done in terms of how this recommended practice is rolled out in the market in terms of product specifications and measurement.

Bringing all the home technology together, the future looks bright for home automation too, although many are now looking for a more simplified system. Many are limiting the ‘it must do everything’ demands of before to focus primarily on installing a solution that offer convenience and control of the core systems only. As such, we expect to see at least a basic level of home automation become standard practice for new build projects and renovations.

Not everyone has a room they can dedicate to entertainment alone, but consumers, integrators and manufacturers have seized the home entertainment opportunity by bringing more space and cost-friendly screens to the market - cue an explosion of multi-functional media rooms in the future.

For example, Hisense introduced its L9 Laser TV last year, which utilises an ultrashort throw projector to deliver 120in of screen for under £4,500. Packaged with an AV amp, speaker system and control and you have a superb solution for under £10k installed.

Higher-end media rooms may actually have the same equipment specification as a dedicated room and potentially, with ‘hidden’ with concealed projectors and screens that are revealed when required for example, may even be considered as a premium option.

At AWE we have all requirements covered from entry and mid-level Epson projectors, through to the more premium Sony Native 4K SXRD Laser projectors all the way up to the 10,000 lumens GTZ-380, which can provide the largest image for far less than a current micro-LED screen. Speaking of which, microLED is currently a small part of the market, but the whole concept of an immersive room/wall is certainly an area to watch.

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ESSENTIAL MATRIXES AND SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION

AV-OVER-IP TRENDS ACROSS THE HOME AND BEYOND Taft Stricklin, Chief Sales Officer at Just Add Power, takes EI readers on a journey through past, present and future.

Over the past three decades, the AV industry has undergone a remarkable transformation.

What was once considered a far-fetched concept– putting AV assets on a network – has now become a standard practice in the industry.

This revolution has opened new possibilities and opportunities for both consumers and professionals. In this article, we will explore the journey of AV-over-IP and discuss several trends that are shaping the future of system design in this field. It was in 2009 when Ed Qualls, the CEO of a pioneering AV company, unveiled some of the first AV-over-IP solutions at the CEDIA Expo.

This was a groundbreaking moment in the AV industry’s history. However, the initial reactions to this innovation were mixed. Some were bemused, while others were confused or even outraged by the idea of distributing massive video and audio signals over a network. Fast forward to the present day, AV-over-IP has become an integral part of the industry, delivering cost-effective and scalable solutions for a wide range of applications.

SMART TVS AND AUDIO INTEGRATION

In today’s home market, smart TVs with streaming services have become commonplace.

These TVs often find their way into large rooms where immersive audio experiences are desired.

To create a seamless AV system, it’s essential to have a product that can extract audio from the display and connect it to an audio system.

One key feature that can greatly enhance the integration of smart TVs is the audio return channel (ARC). This allows the smart TV to function both as a display and as an audio source in a distribution system, offering a more streamlined and efficient setup, with better overall satisfaction to the end user.

Esports events. This ensures that players and spectators alike can enjoy a lag-free and immersive experience.

are highly desirable. This flexibility ensures that system designers can cater to a wide range of consumer needs and preferences.

RISING STREAMING SERVICE COSTS

SUSTAINABILITY AND LONGEVITY

THE PERSISTENT 1080P RESOLUTION

THE FUTURE

The proliferation of streaming services has led to a significant increase in content consumption.

While streaming players are relatively affordable, there are limitations in terms of the number of devices that can be linked to a single streaming account. Additionally, there’s a constraint on the available bandwidth in both homes and businesses. As a result, distributing content throughout a building has become an attractive solution. It not only saves costs associated with multiple devices and accounts but also allows more screens to access content without exceeding budgetary constraints.

Despite the availability of 4K displays, 1080p resolutions are still prevalent and widely used.

Many end users have 1080p displays that they wish to incorporate into their AV systems, and new 1080p displays remain economical choices. Furthermore, a significant portion of content, such as streaming, DirectTV, and cable programming, is still delivered in 1080p resolution. Therefore, AV distribution products that offer the capability to mix 1080p and 4K sources and displays in a system while delivering the highest resolution possible from each device

Sustainability is an increasingly important consideration in AV system design. Low energy consumption by system components is not only beneficial for the environment but also results in cost savings. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on extending the usable life of AV equipment to reduce electronic waste. New system components need to be compatible with older ones, or at the very least, they should be able to coexist on the same network when integrated. This ensures that investments in AV technology can stand the test of time and contribute to a more sustainable and ecofriendly approach to system design.

The journey from the seemingly far-fetched idea of AV-over-IP to its full-fledged integration into the AV industry has been remarkable. The trends in system design, including audio integration for smart TVs, low latency for gaming, cost-effective content distribution, support for 1080p displays, and sustainability, are shaping the future of AV systems. As technology continues to advance, the AV industry will undoubtedly evolve further, providing even more innovative and efficient solutions for consumers and professionals alike.

GAMING AND LOW LATENCY

Gaming has grown into a massive industry that demands high-performance AV systems.

Whether it’s gaming at home or hosting gaming events, low latency is critical. Any noticeable delay can negatively impact the gaming experience, especially in competitive situations where reactions need to be frame perfect. AVover-IP solutions have evolved to meet the stringent requirements of gamers, enabling seamless distribution of audio and video with undetectable latency. This makes them ideal for both home gaming setups and professional

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Sustainability issues have had an impact

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SMART THINKING

CONSEQUENCES OF SUB-STANDARD DESIGN Nicos Panteli, Director and System Designer at Design Works examines some of the pitfalls of failing to design properly.

In the fast-paced world of home technology and custom integration, the consequences of sub-standard system design are far-reaching, affecting integrators and of course their clients.

Overlooking the importance of effective design can lead to a number of issues. In this article, we explore the significant repercussions of sub-standard design.

INACCURATE ESTIMATES

Estimates, quotes, and proposals many times are tasks which are part of the design process, or are closely linked and they should be. Accurate quotes are the foundation of a successful and profitable project. There are of course instances where systems end up not working or equipment needs to be installed for free due to missing components in the proposal. This not only hurts the bottom line but also tarnishes the reputation of the company.

POOR PROJECT HANDOVER

A well-designed system is only as good as its implementation. However, when what was promised to the client isn’t accurately communicated to the installation team, problems arise. The importance of a smooth transition from design to installation cannot be underestimated. Failure in this handover process can result in frustration, misunderstandings and costly delays.

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RE-INVENTING THE WHEEL

In the world of system design, there are recurring technical details that surface repeatedly in most projects. Failing to streamline these common elements can be a significant time-waster. Designers who don’t learn from past experiences may find themselves constantly re-inventing the wheel, squandering valuable time and resources.

Post-installation service is a long-term commitment. The frustrations of service personnel wasting valuable time on-site trying to decipher the intricacies of a poorly documented system not only impacts service efficiency but also leads to unsatisfied clients who question the value of their investment.

BAD COMPANY IMAGE

POOR TEAM COMMUNICATION

Effective communication within a project team is paramount. Wrong or insufficient technical details being conveyed to installers and programmers can lead to systems not working as specified, or not working at all. There are even mistakes which if not caught early cannot be rectified later on. This lack of communication often results in costly mistakes and unnecessary troubleshooting on-site, further straining client relationships.

PROJECT DELAYS

SUB-STANDARD SERVICE

Delays in completing projects are a nightmare for both clients and professionals. Many of these delays stem from unforeseen technical problems that could have been avoided with proper documentation and system design. Time is money and delays can erode profitability and client trust.

Showing up to a site meeting without the proper documentation and professionally done drawings many times looks even worse than showing up to do a job without the right tools. The architect is there with his plans, and so are the interior designer, the electrical and mechanical engineers. An integrator should be doing the same, and usually these are people that may be sending more work your way.

In conclusion, sub-standard system design in our field has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond the immediate project.

It is the role in integration companies which probably requires the most theoretical training, knowledge and experience.

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ESSENTIAL LOUDSPEAKERS

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME Charlie McClarron, Sales Director, UK, Steinway Lyngdorf, shares his thoughts on the state of play in the speaker market.

So, what is happening in the wonderful world of speakers? Well it’s true to say that audio in general has grown, with streaming getting better and better and home cinemas growing in popularity, we are seeing more and more people become conscious of and interested in ‘better’ audio. I believe end users have become more aware of better sounding systems in general now as it has become easier for them to hear and experience them. For instance you only have to take a ride in any Tesla vehicle and listen to the standard audio system they now come with, or the car industry in general where a ‘must have’ option on any car these days is the better stereo or sound system upgrade. It’s on trend and people love them, so why not in the home as well!

I also believe that we are in a phase where many end users that have had systems previously, perhaps not as high-performance as they would have liked at the time, who now possess a better level of income and often a larger property, are now ready to come back to the industry and indulge their passion for great audio whether that is for stereo, home cinema or both. Upgrades and new sales of all types are there to be had.

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WHERE TO AIM

So, what types of speakers are showing the strongest sales? We still do very well with floor standing speakers as a brand. I think end users want that statement piece in the right room, they are seen as pieces of furniture as much as they are seen as audio equipment, a work of art in their own right, even when switched off. These systems offer consumers a chance to express themselves and their aesthetic and artistic priorities and tastes just as much as other aspects of their interiors.

Another strong area for us is sub/sat systems, smaller on wall speakers with small subwoofers, discreet and easy to hide yet give the performance of a pair of much larger speakers. Combing subtle integration with attractive, but unobtrusive systems, is a strong area.

As for consumer habits, there are two distinct sides to the audio industry: one side where everything needs to be hidden away and nothing is seen, but the quality of audio is then compromised, or the other side where audio quality or visual looks are the priority.

Development on blurring the lines between those two segments has seen the creation of a

lot of ‘hybrid’ systems, like sub/sat, which have really taken off and grown in popularity.

What I would also say is that we see a lot more requests for simple stereo systems from end users now – as many as we do for home cinema. People love their stereo and forcing 5.1 into a room with a more modest budget isn’t always the best option. Sometimes spending that budget on less, but better speakers rather than more smaller speakers is the way to go.

Technological innovation-wise, I think you have to look at driver technology. Take our AMT tweeter that we use in our Steinway & Sons range, when people come and listen to the product, they are amazed at the clarity we can produce and just how ‘clean’ they sound.

Developing a driver like AMT has meant that we can really show end users what is possible from any type of speaker, be it on wall, in wall or floor standing.

Another recent development for us was to use the new Purifi drivers on our new Lyngdorf Audio speaker. These drivers are ultra-low distortion and offer performance qualities of a much larger driver size. These drivers mean we can deliver much cleaner and purer sounding speakers with higher detail levels than before in not only the treble but the bass as well.

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VISIBLY REMARKABLE All that is experienced with 360 is sound-stage; with vocals suspended in space, and true-to-life scale and depth leaving you utterly devoid of the sense you are listening to a pair of stereo speakers. 360 is audibly invisible.

Its calculatedly curvaceous cabinet, exposed drive units, intricately machined trim, and dynamic finish combine to present an overall aesthetic that is familiar, yet with ultra-modern flair and contemporary class.

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ESSENTIAL LOUDSPEAKERS

DEEPER, WIDER, SMARTER If System Audio is any benchmark, the next generation of speakers will respond actively to your customers’ needs with better sound and smarter control, says company MD Ole Witthøft.

I’ll give you a trend that with absolute certainty will come to pass, because as an industry we know it’s true: loudspeakers will get better in every way. Ever since CEDIA got it together at the end of the ‘90s, we’ve joined with our customers in a kind of telepathic loop, planting expectations in their minds and then fulfilling them to an ever more impressive degree. This means that we know they’ll be anticipating bigger more lifelike sound from ever more discreet speakers with greater control over what they listen to in the home. It doesn’t take a Shamen to figure this out, but it is our duty to continue to surprise them, given the ageold relationship between delight and loyalty.

So, the target and the trend from the start has been for deeper, wider audio from disappearing speakers, but now it has the added dimension of easier control from the smart devices they use every day.

DEEPER

Recently we’ve experienced sound going deeper than ever with the advent of infra bass frequencies well below 20Hz from the likes of Ascendo Immersive Audio, recently featured in the CEDIA award winning ‘ARLED MovieCore’ theatre. And although this is a budget-busting high-end home cinema breakthrough, the die is cast for trickle down deployment through better

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technology. We know that with better DSP design, as implemented for instance by System Audio’s Silverback active systems, ever more discreet speakers will reproduce deeper bass.

WIDER

Ever since some genius had the epiphany of putting a speaker in-wall, architectural speakers have been the symbolic mainstay of the CI trade, fulfilling the promise to ‘make sound disappear’.

All the energy has since been devoted to improving performance within the obvious physical constraints and the performance curve continues to rise, embracing wider response and higher output. Perlisten Audio’s new THX Certified Dominus in-ceiling models are a typical example, blending advanced acoustic modelling with driver technologies from its successful Hi-Fi speakers to fulfil the CEDIA promise of discreet installation with designs that fully exploit the rising potential of object-based multi-channel theatre codecs. This relationship between source and repro technology is as old as audio reproduction itself and as long as the demand for better sound exists it will continue to drive change. You can bet your last dollar on it.

SMARTER

Notwithstanding the quest for ever-greater audio resolution, the most exciting element

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of audio engineering for me is our embrace of effortless content delivery amid the advent of smart cloud control and streaming. Ten years ago, we didn’t have Chromecast, Airplay 2, Tidal or Netflix. Today they are smart home necessities, driven by apps on smartphones and tablets while placing control beyond the reach of traditional proprietary control systems in a new smart home reality. For me, this trend is embedded and irresistible. Looking 10 years ahead it’s hard to imagine that the freedom of versatility, flexibility and easy user convenience will not be the primary force of innovation for audio manufacturers and their customers.

At System Audio, we see four mainstream technology trends: from analogue to digital, from fixed to upgradable, from complicated to simple and from wired to wireless. These four trends will interact with each other to shape the creation of new types of audio products. For instance, our ‘SA Cockpit’ app works with our Silverback speakers to enable a complete wireless home theatre system with eight wireless speakers in Dolby Atmos and eight channels of uncompressed audio. The complete configuration process, including room correction, is all handled easily via smartphone.

The way I see it, deeper, wider sound with smarter more powerful control is the future.

And if this isn’t the easiest way to surprise and delight your customers, I don’t know what is.

NOVEMBER 2023 55

ESSENTIAL LOUDSPEAKERS

THE POWER OF DSP Des Ford, Technical Marketing Manager at Meridian, explains the brand’s love of DSP. DSP means much more to Meridian than it does to most other audio brands. The three words, ‘Digital’, ‘Signal’ and ‘Processing’ have been entwined in almost everything we’ve done since the 1980s.

As an industry we have experienced the proliferation of DSP in recent times.

Most products’ use of DSP is limited to the adjustment of frequency response in some way.

And whilst this is a valid approach to offering the functionality of a graphic equaliser, parametric EQ or tone controls, Meridian uses DSP for far more than that.

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

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

We use DSP to tailor the sound sent to each drive-unit within our loudspeakers. We call this technology ‘Bespoke Signal Mapping’, and it takes the place of the analogue crossover circuits found in passive loudspeakers.

BSM performs this task with supreme precision and control.

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

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

One example is Meridian’s ‘Free-Q’ technology, which can compensate for acoustic problems associated with specific loudspeaker placement conditions. When a loudspeaker is placed close to a wall or positioned in a corner, there is a perceived increase in bass output, but the increase is often ‘boomy’ and uncontrolled.

We analyse how the bass from each of our loudspeakers behaves when they are used in these locations and, because we know how they should sound when used in free space, we can use our findings to design DSP filtering which counteracts the effect of each type of location.

You can select the differing Free-Q settings while listening to music and dial-in the one that does the best job of making the walls disappear!

Another feature which overcomes a problem with many AV installations is ‘Image Elevation’.

This helps in situations where the front loudspeakers are installed below the screen being used. To achieve this, we again analysed the sound from our loudspeakers; this time

to identify how they sound when positioned at the height of the middle of the screen and compared this to their behaviour when mounted lower in height. Again, we used our findings to engineer a DSP-based solution so that the integrator can dial-in a varying amount of ‘virtual upwards offset’ until the picture and sound ‘snap’ together. Now, of course the sound is still coming from below the screen (our DSP is good, but it can’t cheat the rules of physics!) However, at Meridian, we understand the psychoacoustics behind how we hear; the human brain ‘wants’ sounds and images to be meshed together – after all, that’s what we’re used to in real-life. Image Elevation gives our perception the helping-hand it’s already looking (and hearing) for!

So, if you’ve read this far, you’ll appreciate that Meridian has chosen to challenge convention in our approach to the design of loudspeakers. Naturally, our aim is to produce the highest possible sound quality from all our products. However, our research also allows us to break new ground in how we deliver that sound in the real world - both in what happens within the loudspeaker itself, and in the way the loudspeaker works in the installation. The development of our own technologies allows us to offer novel functionality to solve real-world problems faced by integrators every day. What’s not lost on us is that all of this is taking place in the background, while customers enjoy the results, blissfully ignorant of why their playback system delivers an authentic, lifelike and natural listening experience.

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Bring the Theatre Home Ci-Reference Designed for the most discerning music and movie lovers, Ci-Reference Extreme Home Theatre speakers deliver breathtakingly realistic sound with unrivalled dynamics that surpasses all expectations. Upgraded with the 12 th generation Uni-Q driver array and game-changing Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT™), the latest Ci-Reference THX® Certified architectural speakers provide the most immersive high-fidelity sound experience for music, movies and gaming.

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ESSENTIAL LOUDSPEAKERS

THE MELODIC RISE OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES Amit Ravat, Managing Director of Lithe Audio, lends an ear to present and future of the speaker category.

Without doubt, smart speakers are the biggest growth area in the speaker market. And it’s a market that’s expected to continue to grow thanks to the ever-increasing number of consumers investing in smart home systems and the ongoing developments in smart speaker technology and sound quality.

One of the key growth areas has been in voice-activated speakers that are compatible with AI assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri and Josh AI. Designed to make life easier by providing access to a wide range of information, entertainment and smart home controls with voice commands, these speakers are proving popular with consumers who want products that seamlessly integrate within their existing smart home systems.

Smart speakers, ceiling speakers and outdoor speakers have also seen - and continue to see - huge improvements in sound quality and wireless connectivity, which is another factor in their popularity and growth. Bluetooth and W-Fi speaker technology continues to improve, leading to enhanced sound quality and multi-room capabilities. One standout performer in this chorus of progress is the WiSA protocol. Designed to cater to the demands of modern home cinema, it offers wireless solutions for speakers that rival traditional wired systems. With high-quality audio transmission and zero latency, it’s setting a new standard for immersive sound experiences and injects Dolby

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Atmos into models like the Lithe Audio range of Pro Ceiling Speakers, helping deliver a more immersive audio experience.

Within the active speaker sector, the ceiling speaker market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for advanced audio solutions in home cinema environments, multi-room solutions and interior aesthetics.

In-ceiling speakers offer a seamless integration within the ceiling, eliminating the need for bulky audio systems and providing a clutter-free environment. They also play an important role in complementing and enhancing surround-sound systems in home cinemas and are becoming easier to integrate across multiple rooms.

Brands such as Lithe Audio are making it easier and more cost-effective than ever to install a high quality ceiling speaker system by offering multi-room Wi-Fi and Bluetooth ceiling speakers that can be fitted (and retrofitted) in living areas and bathrooms without any complicated wiring or messy installation work.

They have everything built-in including the high quality amp, and simply connect to the lighting circuit or power by POE.

REGULATORY CHANGES: THE FUTURE HOMES STANDARD

Another important driver for smart speaker market growth in the future will be the integration of AV solutions as part of a wider

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smart home system, such are Control4, KNX, Elan, RTI, URC, Savant, Loxone to name a few as well as the new wave of Matter based systems.

Consumers will want a seamless integration of audio and entertainment as part of their wider security, lighting and building management systems. With new building regulations coming in 2025, compliance with the Future Homes Standard (FHS) will become mandatory. Its aim is to ensure that new homes built from 2025 will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes built under the current Building Regulations. Smart home systems will become a core part of reducing the carbon emissions and as the adoption of smart homes grows the demand for smart speakers integrated into smart home systems will also grow.

CONSUMER HABITS: THE DRIVING FORCE

The developments in the speaker world are not happening in isolation. They are intricately tied to evolving consumer habits and preferences.

Two significant trends are shaping the course of speaker technology.

First, wireless streaming has become a part of our daily lives. With music and video streaming services available at our fingertips, consumers expect speakers that can effortlessly connect to their favourite content. The ability to stream through streaming apps or via voice commands has become a standard feature.

Second, consumers are leaning towards discreet audio solutions in their homes. They want speakers that seamlessly blend into their decor, leaving no visual footprint. This has led to the rise of discreet in-wall and ceiling speakers, further highlighting the dominance of active ceiling speakers in the market.

In conclusion, the world of speakers is experiencing a harmonious transformation, with wireless technologies taking centre stage. The rise of the WiSA protocol and high-resolution streaming sources is setting new standards for audio quality. Concurrently, active ceiling speakers are stealing the limelight in sales, offering both performance and affordability.

These shifts are driven by evolving consumer habits, emphasising the demand for wireless streaming and discreet audio systems. As the symphony of speaker technology continues to evolve, the future promises an even more immersive and wireless auditory experience.

NOVEMBER 2023 59

CREATE TAILORED AUDIO SOLUTIONS The NAD Custom Installation Series draws on decades of experience in amplification, streaming, and home theatre.

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SEAMLESS MULTI-ROOM MUSIC MANAGEMENT BluOS™ is a wireless multi-room platform that simplifies music management and streaming to any BluOS enabled AV receiver, streamer, and more. With a dedicated app for phone, tablet and desktop, full support for Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, as well as custom drivers which allow seamless integration with leading control systems, BluOS offers interoperability across LEARN MORE

any device. The easy and intuitive BluOS Controller app provides its users with access to diverse music sources and advanced control over listening in any zone.

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ESSENTIAL INSTALLER ACADEMY

MASTERING THE MINDSET OF LUXURY SALES: SELLING THE EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST THE ITEM David Fell, former system integrator with in-depth knowledge of technology, business development, and business strategy on a global scale, continues his ‘Installer Academy’ series exclusively for EI. This month: luxury sales techniques.

In the world of luxury sales, selling a product is not just about the item itself. It’s about creating an experience that is memorable and unique, something that a customer can’t find anywhere else. To elevate your sales game to this level, it’s essential to understand the mindset of luxury sales and how to position your offerings as more than just material possessions. The key is to tap into the emotions and desires of your potential customers.

Understanding the needs and desires of potential customers Your potential customers are looking for something that sets them apart. They want to feel unique, special and exclusive. Your job is to deliver that feeling through your products and solutions. One way to understand your customer’s needs and desires is through market research. This research can help you understand what your target audience is looking for and what they value in a luxury product. You can also

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learn about their lifestyle, taste and preferences, which can be used to tailor your products and marketing strategies to appeal to them. Once you understand your customers’ needs and desires, you can create products that cater to those desires. This is where you can truly differentiate yourself from other luxury brands by creating products that are unique, special, and exclusive. This is what your customers are looking for when they shop for luxury products.

Creating a sense of exclusivity and prestige One way to do this is by limiting the availability of your products. This can be achieved through limited edition releases or by creating custom-made products that are tailored to each customer’s needs. By doing this, you create a sense of exclusivity around your products, making them feel more special and unique.

Another way to create a sense of exclusivity and prestige is by associating your brand with luxury lifestyles and experiences. This can be achieved through partnerships with high-end brands,

specifiers, architectural practices, design houses or events that align with your brand’s image.

These associations create a sense of prestige and exclusivity around your brand, making it more attractive to potential customers.

Building relationships To build relationships with your clients, you must understand their needs, preferences, and lifestyle. It is also important to ensure you nurture these relationships and value them.

This can be achieved through personalised and personable communication, such as email marketing or social media. You can also create a VIP program that rewards loyal customers with exclusive perks and benefits. When building relationships with your clients, it’s essential to be authentic and genuine.

Customers can spot insincere actions from a mile away, and it can damage your brand’s reputation. By being genuine and authentic, you can build trust and loyalty with your clients, leading to a long-lasting relationship.

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ESSENTIAL INSTALLER ACADEMY The art of storytelling Storytelling is powerful. It allows you to connect with your customers on an emotional level and create a sense of exclusivity and prestige around your products. The best way to use storytelling in luxury sales is by creating a narrative around your brand, product, or service. The story can be about the product’s history, the materials used, or the craftsmanship involved. It can also be about the inspiration behind the product or the lifestyle it represents. The key is to create a narrative that resonates with your target audience and makes your product feel more special and unique. As highlighted above, when using storytelling in luxury sales, it’s important to be authentic and genuine. Customers can sense when a story is fabricated or insincere, and it can damage your brand’s reputation. By being authentic and genuine, you can create a connection with your customers and create a story that resonates with them.

The role of emotions Customers are not just buying a product; they’re buying an experience. Emotions like prestige, exclusivity, and excitement are what customers are looking for when they shop for luxury products. To tap into these emotions, you must create an emotional connection with your customers. One way to create an emotional connection is by understanding your customers’ needs and desires. By understanding what they value in a luxury product, you can create products that cater to those emotions. You can also create an emotional connection through personalised communication, such as email marketing or social media. Another way to

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create an emotional connection is by creating an experience around your product. This can be achieved through events, demonstration spaces, or invites to exclusive previews. By creating an experience, you tap into the emotions that customers are looking for when shopping for luxury products and solutions.

The importance of customer service Customers are looking for a personalised experience, and exceptional customer service is the best way to provide that. The best way to provide exceptional customer service is by going above and beyond their expectations.

This can be achieved through personalised and personable communication, such as direct one-to-one consultations, email marketing or social media. You can also provide exceptional customer service by offering exclusive perks and benefits to loyal customers. By doing this, you create a sense of exclusivity and prestige around your brand, making it more attractive to your potential customers.

How to handle objections and close the sale Customers are often hesitant to make a purchase due to the high price point. To overcome this, you need to address their objections and provide value. One way to handle objections is by addressing their concerns directly. This can be achieved through personalised communication, such as email marketing or social media. You can also provide value by offering exclusive perks and benefits to loyal customers. To close the sale, you must create a sense of urgency and exclusivity around your product. This can be achieved through limited edition releases

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or exclusive previews. By creating a sense of urgency, you can encourage customers to make a purchase and create a sense of exclusivity.

The future and adapting to changing trends The world of luxury sales is constantly evolving, and it’s essential to adapt to changing trends.

One of the biggest trends in luxury sales is sustainability. Customers are becoming more conscious of their environmental impact and are looking for sustainable luxury products. To adapt to this trend, luxury brands are incorporating sustainable materials into their products and creating eco-friendly initiatives. This not only aligns with customers’ values but also creates a unique selling point for luxury brands. Another trend in luxury sales is the rise of e-commerce.

With the rise of online shopping, luxury brands are adapting by creating online stores and enhancing their digital marketing strategies. This allows luxury brands to reach a wider audience and provide a personalised experience online.

Conclusion To be successful in this field, it’s essential to master the mindset of luxury sales and understand how to position your offerings as more than just material possessions. By understanding your customers’ needs and desires, creating a sense of exclusivity and prestige around your products, building relationships with your clients, and using storytelling and emotions to your advantage, you can become a master of luxury sales. With the right mindset and approach, you can create an unforgettable experience for your clients and elevate your sales game to the next level.

NOVEMBER 2023 63

COMPANY FOCUS: INVISION

THE HOME OF THE ONE AND ONLY MICRO LED Mark Taylor, commercial director at Invision, talks through the premium display technology of Micro LED and why it adds luxury to any home.

One piece of equipment that you’ll find in almost any home is a TV. According to Statista, in 2022 there were around 27.3 million UK households with TVs, a number that has continued to grow annually since 2013 (Stoll, 2023). This much-loved item has become a pivotal piece of equipment in our homes and this, coupled with the rise in innovative technology and our ability to access on demand content, has driven the desire for dedicated and immersive entertainment spaces.

The increase in the size of TVs has almost kept up with its growth in sales. There was a time when a 40in panel seemed ginormous, now the demand is for ever larger experiences and thanks to the likes of Micro LED modular displays that can be expanded to fill a whole wall, size is no longer a constraint (Hogg et al, 2021 p. 4).

FROM TIMES SQUARE TO THE LIVING ROOM

Using LEDs that individually emit light directly from the pixel, therefore not requiring any backlighting, Micro LED displays deliver images that are incredibly bright yet offer superb contrast levels, deeper black levels,

64 NOVEMBER 2023

and saturated bright colours. Their ability to be used in daylight has led to their increasing use as a digital canvas for art or imagery within the home allowing it to complement the aesthetics rather than compete with them. No longer is the display only used for watching movies and sport or becomes a lifeless black box when switched off. Instead, it “can become a dynamic and integral part of the environment that is being created” (Hogg et al, 2021: p. 4).

Furthermore, due to not using organic components, they have a long lifespan and the fear of deterioration associated with some LED displays won’t be an issue as they can often be switched on and in constant use for 10 years or more.

These tailor-made displays have provided an opportunity for integrators to design and deliver totally unique and immersive entertainment spaces that enhance the living space rather than dominate it.

And now, Samsung’s 110in model is the evolution of Samsung’s Micro LED technology opening the possibilities for applications further.

Boasting 4K resolution with eight million pixels and expressing over 110% of DCI, the 110in single body display delivers stunning, lifelike colours for a truly immersive experience

across an edge-to-edge Infinity Screen. Multi view functionality allows users to enjoy four of their favourite programmes, films, and video games simultaneously all on one screen.

Furthermore, for your customers who do not have the space for a dedicated dark home cinema, the single body display provides the answer by elevating a bright living area to cinematic heights with flawless colour, infinite contrast, and spectacular brightness.

Having unveiled Micro LED technology in the form of The Wall at the CES tech event in Las Vegas in 2018, Samsung has been at the forefront of this movement.

Here at Invision, we have been distributing Samsung’s Micro LED to the custom install industry since 2019. Working closely with Samsung, our expertise helps integrators to maximise their offering with this innovative technology. With our in-house Micro LED experts, demonstrations, and full end-to-end support, we are equipped to help make your Micro LED project a success.

To find out more or to book a demo of the 110in Micro LED at Innovation House, please contact Invision on sales@invisionuk.com or 01359 270280.

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Experience the Future of Visual Brilliance with MICRO LED Technology!

Introducing the epitome of luxury display technology from Samsung – the pinnacle of innovation.

Meticulously designed with an ultra-premium aesthetic, it delivers an unparalleled picture quality that will truly astonish you. Behold the 110” MICRO LED, a groundbreaking revelation that surpasses all your previous home entertainment experiences.

Request a demo:

Contact us for more information or to hear Trinnov at our Home Cinema in Bracknell.

01539 270280 | sales@invisionuk.com

COMPANY FOCUS SNAP ONE

TRIAD, A LEGACY OF AUDIO EXCELLENCE The latest advances in loudspeaker technology are re-shaping the possibilities for home audio experiences. But how can installers harness these innovations to achieve truly exceptional outcomes? Snap One explores what’s possible through Triad, its premium high-performance audio brand which enjoys a legacy of more than 30 years in the industry, and its groundbreaking Triad PDX range.

Great audio technology is the foundation for many of the incredible entertainment experiences delivered by home integrators and enjoyed by music fans, enthusiasts and home cinema or media room users across the globe.

At Snap One, we have a strong history in this space through our long-established brand, Triad.

For nearly four decades, Triad has designed, engineered, and manufactured the finest loudspeakers for the home, allowing integrators to bring high quality audio performance into sophisticated living environments. Triad was the world’s first manufacturer to build fully custom speakers to satisfy the most discerning audiophiles and interior designers alike. From colour to cabinet size, Triad loudspeakers were renowned for the way they could be expertly tailored to the needs of the client.

Through years of innovation and refinement, the Triad brand has built loudspeakers for audio perfection using innovative design and high-performance materials. The result is soundscapes that bring a breathtaking level of authenticity, clarity and detail to the

66 NOVEMBER 2023

entertainment experience. At the same time, the integrator benefits from an attention to detail in meeting their needs which saves time and money in specification and installation.

In fact, Triad’s progress as a brand and its continuing attraction today can be measured in three pivotal areas: exceptional audio quality, seamless installation and unmatched customisation opportunities.

These qualities are exemplified by our Triad PDX range, a series which includes thirteen speakers and nineteen accessories, including optional custom-coloured grilles, rear enclosures and pre-construction brackets for discrete in-wall and in-ceiling installation.

SUPERIOR AUDIO QUALITY

Designed and engineered at the Triad HQ in Portland, Oregon where artistry, engineering and experience intersect to create categorydefining products, Triad PDX creates a remarkable listening experience by using high-performance materials and the finest

components like carbon fibre, Kevlar, Teteron, dual voice coils, and chemically etched metal components.

For example, on Triad PDX Series 4 loudspeakers, the high fibre count woven Carbon Fibre woofer’s strength and responsiveness ensures stunning linear tonal balance, while the cone’s PVA coating dampens resonance for higher sonic purity. A high excursion 1-1/4in voice coil allows increased motor stamina, heat reduction, improved power handling and superior bass performance.

Meanwhile, on Series 5 Triad PDX loudspeakers, the infusion of Kevlar into carbon fibre for the woofer allows customers to experience every audible detail with precision technology and build quality. The interwoven Kevlar and Carbon fibre with PVA coating command higher control of cone breakup, while the aluminium shorting ring further fine-tunes sound with tighter bass and enhanced distortion reduction. The fusion of top-tier material selection and design distinction of Triad PDX has yet to be seen in architectural audio.

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COMPANY FOCUS SNAP ONE

A tweeter adjustment switch helps integrators deliver detailed and clear sound in any space. It compensates for both an overly reflective or overly damped room by either cutting or increasing the tweeter level to improve performance, while the woofer adjustment allows integrators to fine-tune the speaker’s low frequencies depending on the interaction between the speaker and the room.

Triad PDX loudspeakers also feature an optional rear enclosure that reduces sound propagation to adjacent rooms while giving a predictable environment for installation, providing customers with the very best audio experience.

Triad’s heritage is also significant in the suitability of Triad PDX loudspeakers for Dolby Atmos immersive home cinemas. Triad is a brand that’s 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. Now with Triad PDX, we are in a great position to support and advise installers on the best way to demonstrate and deploy these high-quality immersive cinemas for their clients.

Push Lock secures the speaker with the simple press of a button for the fastest and most secure install on the market for both in-ceiling and in-wall speakers. Plus, the clips move down an extra 6mm when installers need additional security with their fixing, for example, on uneven ceilings.

Each speaker can be installed at once with no special tools, or installers can remove the speaker and install the cradle with its optional backbox and grille, which allows them to return and place the speaker post-construction.

This prevents the speaker from being stolen or damaged during the construction process and allows for HVAC pressure testing for certification of occupancy.

AN EYE FOR DESIGN

Triad PDX can easily meet a customer’s specific design preferences and aesthetic tastes for

any particular room. Integrators can order their speakers with a standard Triad white speaker grille or a custom-coloured grille to match the room’s décor or wall/ceiling colour, for a harmonious blend between technology and interior design, enhancing the overall ambience of the space.

Triad’s reputation is built on a long line of quality products which have been expertly engineered and tirelessly refined to provide the best audio experience possible. In Triad PDX loudspeakers, we have the perfect marriage of simplified installation technology with a legacy of excellence in engineering, construction and performance. It’s a great fit for every installer.

Triad is a Snap One brand. For more details, please visit Snap One at www.snapone.com.

Existing Partners can learn more and shop Triad from Sanp One at dealer-emea.control4.com.

INSTALL WITH EASE

Triad PDX loudspeakers are supremely quick and simple to install.

They feature Push Lock by Swarm technology, a toolless mounting solution.

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NOVEMBER 2023 67

ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY

ARCSTREAM COUNTS ON GENERATIVE ART CEILING The Arcstream team has recently completed work on a huge digital generative art installation in a trading platform’s headquarters in the City, which includes a massive circular LED screen in the ceiling which takes feeds from the world’s trading centres and changes according to the ‘trading weather’.

The idea is to inform and influence the staff’s

be the only one of its kind where a display of this

awareness of the financial world situation,

kind integrates with financial data in real-time.

in real time, and it also responds to them

The project started when Capital.com, an

walking past with interactive trails and other

international commodity trading platform,

immersive elements.

had an ambitious vision for a new London

The Arcstream team were brought onto the project when they needed a company to help them create and deliver a large-scale digital installation as part of that vision. As the concept was something that had never been attempted

Arcstream developed and installed the

headquarters. Modus Workspace, the main

system in partnership with the interior design

contractors and interior design company were

company that fitted out the company’s new

tasked with providing something that wasn’t

with the experience and ability to bring together

offices, and with the software company that

just a modern working environment, but a space

the complex hardware and software solutions it

created the artwork interface. This is believed to

that felt alive and responsive.

required. That’s where Arcstream came in.

68 NOVEMBER 2023

before, Modus Workspace needed a partner

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LUXURY CINEMA SEATING AND ACOUSTIC DESIGN

THE ORSON

With over twenty-five years’ experience at the high-end of luxury cinema design, Pavone’s unrivalled expertise will support your cinema and media room projects to deliver the finest immersive experiences to your customers in partnership with CUK Group.

• Five luxury seating ranges • Four finishes • Ten colours • Three upholstery styles • Acoustic and interior design services

For further information please contact CUK. 0141 440 5333 • enquiries@cuk-group.com • cuk-group.com

THE STANLEY

ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY David Hearn, Creative Technology Director, Arcstream, explains, “We were approached on the basis of our reputation for turning the most ambitious ideas into delivered and reliable installations. Obviously, we had to make sure that the clients and partner companies were confident in our ability to deliver on the brief, but there’s not really anyone else that does what we do. That is, creating bespoke software and unique hardware installations, then making them all work together in challenging environments.

“Once we started talking to Modus about their ideas and what they wanted, it was clear that there were several practical issues that needed to be overcome. There always are when doing something ground-breaking.

If it were easy they wouldn’t have needed us.

But once we were on-board, it was a perfect working relationship.”

David adds, “Since lockdown, companies realise that they need more ways to pull their employees back into the office or attract the very best people to their company. The client wanted interesting experiences to make office life more exciting, collaborative and community based. But they also wanted their team to be informed and influenced by the financial world situation at a glance, combining real-world information with an artistic flair and other immersive elements.

The centrepiece of the project – the really unique feature, is an 80 square metre, C-Shaped, LED screen with content driven

by API feeds from global trading centres.

This screen adapts in real time to the ‘trading

70 NOVEMBER 2023

weather’, and a series of cameras surrounding it track movement of passers-by, providing an extra layer of interactivity. However – what’s different about this is that it’s on the ceiling!

The Arcstream team managed and installed all the LED hardware and back-end rack equipment, as well as an interactive digital table-tennis table and games room. These provide recreational facilities for Capital’s staff and an opportunity to socialise.

David says, “In many ways it was a straightforward installation. Just upside down and backwards! That meant that, of course, it wasn’t a standard installation, but then that’s why we were brought in, as we specialise in the unusual and unique.

“We had to ensure that the hardware chosen was reliable and would do what we needed it to, so for the LED screen itself, we turned to Leyard Europe to provide the display components that would be effective at a short viewing distance and angle.

“To drive the content, we worked with Skandal Technologies. Their POET server system is designed to drive large scale generative art displays and can generate interactive particle effects and much more. We created 13 different scenes to define different scales of trading weather, overlayed with the tracking of people walking past the display for additional interactivity.”

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ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY

CHALLENGES Generative art, typically, is projections on buildings as one-offs for events, but this time, the generative art installation is a permanent part of the interior. This is the first example, at scale, that is part of the interior design furnishings, not just a screen mounted on a bracket and set an ambitious precedent by being on the ceiling instead of just stuck up on a wall.

The whole office was being fitted out, with major works throughout. So, planning and scheduling the installation and setting up was a logistical triumph. Even there the team faced

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the challenge of bringing all the LEDs up to the 2nd floor with no service lift!

Capital’s office is open 24/7, so the screen needed to offer reliability in this environment. The unusual placement and size meant Arcstream had to design a serviceable system whilst also considering the weight and managing the heat it generated - all in a very busy ceiling space working around the usual cabling and ducting.

FAVOURITE ASPECT? David reveals, “Our favourite part – and the client’s too – is watching when people see it for the first time. They step into the company’s

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reception, and wow – it’s there! It’s enormous, colourful and in constant motion, showing trails as people walk past. Everyone talks about wanting the ‘wow factor’ for their projects, and often that’s exaggerated. In this case, it genuinely isn’t. Whenever anyone sees it for the first time it has an instant effect on them and most really do genuinely say ‘wow’ out loud.

That’s our favourite part.”

Arcstream arcstream.co.uk https://youtu.be/_eWiftX86aA?feature=shared.

NOVEMBER 2023 71

Join us at ISE 2024.

Your Destination for Innovation.

Defining, shaping and driving the industry for 20 years.

ISE is the world’s largest AV and systems integration exhibition – for two decades we have helped the industry to connect, collaborate and create. Join us in 2024 and be inspired to innovate.

A joint venture partnership of

Fira Barcelona | Gran Vía 30 Jan - 2 Feb 2024

Get your FREE TICKET Register with code: essentinstall iseurope.org

BRING THE PARTY HOME

The minimal opening system of the MOS36 delivers world-class audio within the most restrictive environments.

Easy to install, the speaker mimics the appearance of 4” designer lighting and is available in six custom finishes to blend seamlessly into the ceiling for a sophisticated uniform look while delivering amazing sound to any room.

Contact the Invision Sales team for advice, demos and full end-to-end support.

01359 270280 | sales@invisionuk.com | www.invisionuk.com

PRODUCTS

ARCAM OFFERS RADICAL REBRAND VIA RADIA HARMAN Luxury Audio Group introduces new branding for ARCAM that is created to lead its product development and industrial design into the future with three key tenants: amazing sound, British heritage and luxury within reach. The branding was revealed during the launch of he ARCAM Radia Series, a new family of luxury audio products, including the ARCAM A5/A15/A25 Integrated Amplifiers, the ARCAM CD5 CD player and the ARCAM ST5 high-resolution streamer.

The industrial design aesthetic was created to also appeal to a new and younger segment of customers with a more affordable, sleek and attractive design without compromising on advances in audio innovation for future products, explains the maker.

With an initial offering comprising Class AB and G integrated amplifiers and a matching streamer and CD player, the new product family –crafted with a unique combination of bold aesthetics and stateof-the-art audio technology – sets new standards for design and sound quality, claims the maker.

The Radia family products have been created to offer a subtle symmetrical design that compliments their aluminium shells. They are adorned with seamless front fascias, redesigned

knobs and gentle lighting effects, created to offer a sense of power and finesse.

ARCAM has equipped Radia amplifiers with Bluetooth aptX Adaptive receivers, internal antennas, digital inputs, and ARCAM’s signature MM phono stage. The 2x50W A5 and 2x100W A15 Class AB amplifiers include new digital circuitry based on the ESS ES9018 DAC. The 2x100W A25 steps up to a Class G amplifier and the ESS ES9280AQ DAC, in addition to USB-C inputs, LED illuminated highlights and a seamless

1000 SERIES ‘UTOPIA’ IW/IC MODELS

OLED display on the front panel.

Harman Luxury Audio

Arcam

harmanluxuryaudio.com

arcam.co.uk

The industrial design aesthetic was created to also appeal to a new and younger segment of customers

PMC CUSTOMERS CAN UPGRADE, AND THAT’S A FACT!

The fact.8 signature and fact.12 signature upgrades will be available for RRP £2,295 (€2695) and £3,995 (€4795) including VAT, respectively

PMC is introducing a product upgrade for owners of the original fact.8 and fact.12 loudspeakers to elevate them to fact signature performance levels, with increased transparency and greater resolution.

This retailer/dealer provided service replaces the original fact series crossovers with the improved signature circuits, developed by PMC as a result of the research conducted during the creation of the flagship fact fenestria.

Since they launched, the fact series loudspeakers have been recognised around the world as the pinnacle of PMC’s audiophile range.

They benefited from incorporating everything the company learned in its previous 20 years into the advanced transmission line speakers, winning many fans, countless awards and selling in considerable numbers. These global accolades

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continued with the release of the signature models, with numerous Editor’s Choice awards.

During the development of fenestria, PMC’s engineers undertook extensive research into the effect of vibrations on audio performance.

In particular, the analysis of vibration and its impact on sensitive components within crossover circuits led to fenestria being fitted with the very best, British made, capacitors and noninductive German resistors, designed to eradicate internal micro-vibrations which have a negative impact on the performance of the speaker. This technology was employed in the fact signature series, resulting in new crossovers, mounted on military-grade circuit boards, that are populated with the same key hand-selected components employed in the fenestria, with the positioning of each component carefully calculated to minimise unwanted interference. Each crossover is tuned to provide optimum performance of the system with improvements in the resolution of microdetails, soundstage presentation and an increased tangibility in the critical midrange/vocal region, says the maker.

Owners of existing fact.8 and fact.12 models will be able take them to their local PMC retailer/ dealer and request an upgrade be undertaken to elevate the performance of their speakers to signature status.

Audiophile technologies in five models for luxury stereo and home cinema applications

PMC pmc-speakers.com

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NOVEMBER 2023 75

SPIDER-MANTM: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE BUY IT NOW ON BLU-RAYTM & DIGITAL

Bring large screen entertainment home With the worlds most compact native 4K laser Home Cinema projectors Experience the ultimate big-screen viewing experience with the VPL-XW5000ES and VPL-XW7000ES. Immerse yourself in vibrant, punchy images with up to 3,200 lumens of brightness. You’ll enjoy crisp pictures full of lifelike colours, even in brightly lit living rooms, home cinemas or media rooms.

Discover more pro.sony/XW-Series

PRODUCTS

LINEAR THINKING FROM KRIX ‘It’s not a soundbar… it’s a sound experience,’ says Krix as it introduces the LX-7, billed as a first of its kind from Krix – a high-performance, passive loudspeaker available in three different sizes for all but the largest of TVs and projector screens.

Featuring left, centre and right channels, the LX-7 redefines expectations of what a ‘soundbar’ can achieve, claims the maker.

Designed and manufactured in Australia, the LX-7 has been engineered for lounge rooms, media rooms, games rooms and dedicated home theatres. High power handling and sensitivity ensure movie soundtracks, games and music are delivered with incredible power and dynamic range, says the company.

Krix engineers have borrowed technology from Krix’s dedicated home cinema range into the shallow (142mm deep), heavily braced enclosure. Three 90 x 90 Krix short-throw waveguides significantly improve dispersion characteristics and ensure clear separation of dialogue, effects and music. The 165mm (6.5in) bass driver incorporates a huge 50mm (2in) voice coil, reinforcing the fact that this isn’t you ‘usual’ soundbar.

Combining the LX-7 with surround speakers, subwoofer and an AV receiver will create a genuine, immersive cinema soundscape without need for virtual or ‘bouncing’ effects. The LX-7

is tonally matched to all Krix surround and overhead speakers.

The sleek and modern design of the LX-7, finished in Krix Cinema Black, requires minimal space either above or below your screen and includes a removable black cloth grille. Wall mount brackets are included and offer easy installation and tilt adjustability up to 15º so installers can aim the sound towards customer’s ears for better on-axis performance. A front-facing input terminal (that accepts up to 10 AWG cable) makes installation straight-forward.

TAKE CONTROL

Krix krix.com.au

Dealers can take orders from customers now, for delivery in early 2024

PARTNER UP WITH DUETTO

The Sonus faber Duetto will be available to authorised Sonus faber dealers starting November 2023 for £3,490 per pair

Sonus faber, the Italian designer and manufacturer of high-end audio technology, has announced the launch of its active wireless stereo speaker system – Duetto. A multi-faceted Hi-Fi system, Duetto features distinct characteristics across design, sound quality, connectivity and ease of use, says the maker.

Designed as a passive speaker system, Sonus faber engineers have built on the company’s philosophy of the most natural sound reproduction through the use of natural materials. The Duetto lute shape wood cabinet merged with an elegant and custom-designed heatsink offers cabinet stiffness and musicality while avoiding internal resonance, creating the Sonus faber signature natural sound.

Housed within the heatsinks are two 100W class AB amplifiers that takes care of the 0.7in silk domed tweeter for accurate and smooth high frequency reproduction and a 205W class D amplifier to drive the 5.25in paper pulp mid/bass

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driver. The top of the cabinet features the leatherfinished SENSOTM interface, which allows for the user to control the speaker functions such as volume, input selection and connections.

A multi-functional all-in-one Hi-Fi system with ease of use in mind, Duetto is Wi-Fi Certified and features a full suite of digital connections to popular audio streamers, including AirPlay, Chromecast, Tidal, Spotify, Roon ready and Bluetooth. TV users can easily upgrade the sound of their displays via the HDMI and optical digital input, whilst vinyl users can utilise the built-in moving magnet turntable input, which is also switchable for line-level sources.

Set up is simple thanks to the new Sonus faber app that allows users to customise settings, whilst UWB (Ultra-Wide Band) technology avoids latency and interference in the connection between the two speakers.

HR40 Remote 3.1” HR Touchscreen Control media, lighting, shades, climate, security Touch / View / Voice

Sonus faber sonusfaber.com

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NOVEMBER 2023 77

WE ARE THE GLOBAL MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATION THAT SERVES THE HOME TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY

ADVOCACY We position the smart home industry as essential to homeowners, allied trades, and governments.

CONNECTION We connect the professionals who connect our homes around the world.

EDUCATION We develop content to share knowledge and raise the bar on industry best practice.

Scan to discover more:

PRODUCTS

PSB SPEAKERS LETS ITS IMAGINATION RUN WILD! PSB Speakers, underlining five decades of excellence in Hi-Fi loudspeaker design, announces the launch of a new generation of the Imagine Series speaker line. The latest edition of the Imagine Series consists of the B50 Bookshelf, T54 and T65 Tower speakers. The Imagine Series represents the best value no-compromise performance in the PSB Speakers’ line-up, says the maker. The advanced crossover design and driver complement is directly inherited from the flagship Synchrony Series, while the chamfered edges and polished aluminium accents match those of the premium PWM Series, and engineering is borrowed from the Alpha Series to deliver the brand’s signature ‘True to Nature’ sound to a broader audience.

The T65 stands as the pinnacle within the Imagine Series as the tower speaker of the collection, harmonising advanced technology, elegant design, and unparalleled performance.

Disguised in a slender and modest form, the Imagine T54 Tower showcases a meticulously crafted 1in tweeter, 4in midrange, and dual 5.25in woofers. Embracing the three-way dual bass reflex architecture reminiscent of the T65 and featuring dual rear-firing slot ports from the PWM Series, the T54 challenges its compact dimensions to present a wide frequency range and pin-point imaging for an immersive listening experience.

The Imagine B50 Bookshelf harmonises a 1in tweeter, and 5.25in woofer within a compact footprint. Featuring a two-way bass reflex design and rear-facing slot port, they are more than capable to fill any space with harmonious trueto-nature sound and unexpectedly deep bass extension, says their creator. The PWM On-Wall speakers are designed to support the Imagine Series as centre channels or surround channels in any multi-channel application.

PSB says the Imagine Series encapsulates the company’s unwavering commitment to world-class speaker design. All three models inherit flagshipgrade technology from the Synchrony and PWM Series, ensuring each component meets the highest standards of quality and performance.

MUSIC STREAMING MADE FOR CI

PSB Speakers psbspeakers.com

The speakers come in Satin Black and Satin White finishes

NAD’S GOT THE BLUES FOR YOU

High Audio Quality

New functionality and control from 2N

NAD Electronics kicked off a month-long series of activities celebrating the release of the Masters M66 BluOS Streaming DAC Preamplifier at the Shanghai Audio Show in China, ahead of shipments arriving globally in the second half of November 2023.

All Shanghai Audio Show attendees got the exclusive opportunity to preview and demo the full features of the M66 –a high-end preamp that – according to the manufacturer – represents an entirely new category of hi-fi separates.

The NAD Masters M66 is one of the most feature-rich and technologically advanced preamplifiers on the market today, claims the manufacturer. Its circuitry design features separate digital and analogue signal paths that add functionality like distinct volume attenuation for analogue and digital signals, a true analogue

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bypass for the MM/MC phono stage, and an independent headphone amplifier.

It also boasts four independent subwoofer outputs and includes licences for Dirac Live Room Correction (full frequency) and Bass Control tools. The M66 also introduces a new proprietary technology, Dynamic Digital Headroom (DDH), that eliminates intersample clipping and relies on the widely lauded ESS Sabre DAC, ensuring only the cleanest signal is passed along for amplification.

BluOS wireless hi-res multiroom streaming, is included, as are Apple AirPlay2, two-way AptX HD Bluetooth and a host of other inputs and outputs.

Integrates with all the leading home control systems Local support expertise

NAD Electronics nadelectronics.com

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PRODUCTS

GET CLOSER TO THE HISENSE PX2-PRO LASER HOME CINEMA PROJECTOR

A new option in the short-throw projector category

Hisense has launched the PX2-PRO laser cinema projector. Following on from last year’s PX1-PRO, this new and improved model offers enhanced features and performance.

The PX2-PRO is said to be an exceptional upgrade from its predecessor, using TriChroma Laser Technology to produce improved colour definition and achieves 107% of the BT2020 colour standard.

With its Digital Lens Focus the PX2-PRO delivers a razor-sharp 4K image in sizes ranging from 90in to 130in.

Standout features of the PX2-PRO are its clarity, colour accuracy and brightness. With peak brightness increasing from 2,100 to 2,400 Lumens, the PX2-PRO produces an even sharper picture and ensures all content comes to life with highlights, vibrant colours and rich blacks.

Whether you’re setting up in a living room, bedroom or dedicated cinema room, the PX2-PRO is a strong choice for an immersive cinematic experience. With three HDMI ports, this new projector offers better connectivity by allowing viewers to maximise their media set up.

Another key difference from the PX1 to the PX2 is the upgrade from Android to VIDAA U6.

This means audiences can now access Netflix along with other much-loved content platforms and enjoy a streamlined and user-friendly interface.

With built-in high-quality speakers and support for external audio systems, this projector ensures that all sound is crisp, clear, and immersive.

Product Manager at Hisense UK, Matthew Glynn, says, “We’re proud to announce the latest addition to our Laser Projection offering which marks a significant step forward in the world of home entertainment. We’re committed to pushing boundaries with our home entertainment tech and are always striving to provide our customers with innovation and excellence – which is exactly what the PX2-PRO represents.”

Hisense hisense.co.uk

GO APE FOR THE SILVERBACK 1 The latest in a line of WiSA connected systems, System Audio’s Silverback 1 system offers smart wireless connectivity and room-filling full-range sound from the most discreet system design, says the maker.

The Silverback 1 system is conceived for music lovers desiring a large and detailed soundstage without the physical in-room footprint associated with traditional wired systems.

As an upgrade to the established smart speaker brands, the system of speakers, Stereo Hub and smartphone is capable of delivering room-filling wireless audio up to 24/192 resolution from any source, including network players, PCs, CD players, games consoles, turntables and TVs. Designed for on-wall or bookshelf operation, each two-way Silverback 1 active speaker marries a specially designed 5.5in woofer and waveguided 1in soft dome tweeter with twin 80W power amplifiers within a white or black satin cabinet (including built-in wall bracket), measuring just 31 x 32.5 x 13.5 cm.

The Silverback 1s will work wirelessly with any WiSA-enabled device (Primare’s SC15 network player/DAC for instance) but are intended to partner with System Audio’s compact Stereo Hub (4.1 x 17 x 10 cm) and Remote Control, which work together to

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transform system connectivity and performance options with Roon Ready, Google Chromecast, Apple Airplay 2, Bluetooth, DLNA UpNP and Spotify Connect built in, as well as USB Audio SP/DIF 24/192, HDMI ARC, 3 optical inputs, coax digital and two analogue inputs.

Easy speaker setup and room correction are via System Audio’s ‘SA Cockpit’ app for both Android and iOS on Google Play and App Store.

System Audio’s new ‘Surround Hub’ will allow the Silverback 1s (and other Silverback speakers) to be part of a WiSA-enabled Dolby Atmos home cinema system with up to eight channels of 24/96 resolution audio.

System Audio system-audio.com

Karma AV karma-av.co.uk

The System Audio Silverback 1 system is available from Karma AV at Silverback 1 (pair): £1799.00; Stereo Hub and RC: £399.00 (inc VAT)

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essentialinstall.com

Z50, 70 and 100 KNX Touch Panels

Custom configuration with any SIP based units

Now directly compatible with 2N, Doorbird, Comelit and Fermax video door-entry systems • Compatible with IP cameras (both protocols) • Remote control via Zennio Remote app (requires license) • Multi brand video door-entry communication (requires license) • Voice control via ZenVoice (requires remote control and voice control licenses)

• A/D inputs for presence detectors, temperature probe or dry contacts • Luminosity and proximity sensor • Available in white, gloss white, silver, and black finish

Get in touch and we will assist in creating tailored solutions for any of your projects Zennio UK Spaces, 100 Avebury Boulevard. Milton Keynes. MK9 1FH. United Kingdom e: info@zennio.co.uk w: zennio.co.uk

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