Project Description

Pioneering an Innovative Home Theatre Design

Background

In a nutshell, a very serious Home Theater Enthusiast wanted to ensure he had the best cinematic experience for his new duplex apartment on the 58th Floor of a luxurious high-rise building in Lower Parel, Mumbai. 

The Challenge

1. Our customer wanted to make use of his existing large floor-standing speakers in the design.
2. The architect did not want any speakers to be visible in the whole room.
3. The space was not ideally shaped for a Dedicated Home Theater Design. It was much larger in length than width, providing us with a narrow listening angle. Also, the majority of the left wall was glass windows.

Considering the latest technological advancements in Home Theater Design Tools we know that almost any space can deliver a breathtaking experience if engineered correctly and using the best calibration tools. This space was certainly no exception, and we would love to take you through our design process and the final results so you can judge for yourself.

Design

Modus VR lets us design this space in VR and calculate the best placement for our speakers, seating and visuals to ensure we do not compromise on the final experience. We were able to decipher the best listening angle, screen size, and appropriate placement for both rows of seating. We were also able to feel and experience the space in VR before we implemented our final design on site.

Considering the latest technological advancements in Home Theater Design Tools we know that almost any space can deliver a breathtaking experience if engineered correctly and using the best calibration tools. This space was certainly no exception, and we would love to take you through our design process and the final results so you can judge for yourself.

Audio/Video

The client had large tower speakers for the Front LCR channels which he wanted us to integrate into this room as well. To ensure the speakers were well heard, but not seen, we created a baffle wall of almost 18 inches depth with niches cutout to the speaker dimensions to conceal the speakers. For the final finish, we used Acoustimac DMD Acoustical Fabric in black finish to provide the best contrast for the wall to wall 2.35:1 aspect ratio cinemascope projection screen. 

• Pen Audio Sinfonietta Signature (Front Left and Front Right Speakers)
• James Loudspeaker QX530 (Side Surround)
• James Loudspeaker QX530 (Side Surround)

• James Loudspeaker QX806BE (Rear Surround)
• James Loudspeaker QX1020 (Subwoofers)

Immersive Audio was not possible in this setup because the left wall was all glass. We had to be creative and conceal our surround channels in the ceiling, and our rear surround channels in the back wall. To round it all out we used 4 in-wall subwoofers to ensure both rows of seating really felt the bass in each and every seat.  

• Audiocontrol Concert XR-6 (AV Receiver)
• Audiocontrol Avalon G4 (Power Amplifier for LCR)
• Audiocontrol RS1000 (Subwoofer Amplifier)

• MiniDSP 2x4HD
• Tributaries SP812UL 12 AWG Speaker Wire

The Audiocontrol XR-6 AV Receiver was used for audio processing and amplification of the surround channels. To combat the length of the room and achieve THX reference level with the front channel speakers our client chose to use, we added the Avalon G4 power amp into the mix to give enough power to the main channels to effectively reach out to two rows of seating and not stress the receiver.
For delivering amazing 4K video quality we chose the JVC DLA-RS1100 projector. After careful calculations in Modus VR, we chose a 2.35:1 aspect ratio widescreen by Screen Innovations to completely cover the front wall but not be so large that the first row has to strain their necks to look up. But how do we ensure we can deliver a 2.35:1 image even for content such as streaming channels like Netflix, Sporting events, and more? In comes the Lumagen Radiance Pro Video processor which automatically converts all content delivered by the projector to perfectly fit the widescreen image format.
 

• Lumagen Radiance Pro 4242 (Video Processor)

• Screen Innovations Zero Edge Pro 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio with Slate 1.2 Acoustically

Acoustics

We were able to provide absorption and bass traps to the front and rear walls. The side walls were a limitation for us though because of the lack of depth on the right-side wall and the left side wall being almost fully glass windows.
In our original VR render we planned for diffusion in the ceiling between the first row of seating and the front wall. Unfortunately, the architect did not approve the design. We did try to resolve most of the acoustical challenges using more décor friendly solutions such as a rug for the front row flooring, books in the niche on the surrounding right wall, and thick curtains to cover the glass on the left wall.

• Lumagen Radiance Pro 4242 (Video Processor)

• Screen Innovations Zero Edge Pro 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio with Slate 1.2 Acoustically

Home Automation

Considering the intense amount of electronics for this room we wanted to make this space as easy to use and user friendly as possible for our clients. We integrated the Lighting, Window Shadings, Audio/Video, and HVAC into a single point of control with Savant Home Automation Solutions. We even provided a Universal Remote and ensured the true cinema feel by having the lights dim slowly and curtains close as soon as the projector comes on.

• Savant SHR-2000 Smart Host

• Savant Pro Remote X2

Seating

For this project the very best in seating was used. We ordered customized Cineak Largo recliners from Belgium with Uniko fabric. A love seat was made for the front row and a three-seat sofa for the back row. All seats have 3 motors to be able to recline the head, back or legs. .

Final Verdict

Considering our initial challenges, we were thrilled with the final outcome of this project. We used the MiniDSP UMIK-2 with the Room EQ Wizard Software and a MiniDSP 2×4 HD to perform a subwoofer calibration. We then proceeded to use Dirac Room Calibration software to maximize the performance of all our speakers, even with the acoustical challenges. And lastly, we performed an ISF Video Calibration of the JVC DLA-RS1100 with the Lumagen Video Processor to produce the most dynamic, stunning 4K Visuals.
To say our client was impressed would be an understatement. And in this project, we even pushed ourselves to the limit to ensure no stone was left unturned to create a larger-than-life cinematic experience in a very challenging space.

Products Used

Audio

• Pen Audio Sinfonietta Signature (Front Left and Front Right Speakers)
• Pen Audio Rebel 2 Centre (Center Channel)
• James Loudspeaker QX530 (Side Surround)
• James Loudspeaker QX806BE (Rear Surround)
• James Loudspeaker QX1020 (Subwoofers)
• Audiocontrol Concert XR-6 (AV Receiver)
• Audiocontrol Avalon G4 (Power Amplifier for LCR)
• Audiocontrol RS1000 (Subwoofer Amplifier)
• MiniDSP 2x4HD 
• Tributaries SP812UL 12 AWG Speaker Wire

Video

• Lumagen Radiance Pro 4242 (Video Processor)
• Screen Innovations Zero Edge Pro 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio with Slate 1.2 Acoustically 

Transparent Fabric

• JVC DLA-RS1100 
• Tributaries UHDT-150 18Gbps High-Speed HDMI Cable
• Tributaries UHDP-015 18Gbps High-Speed HDMI Cable

Automation

• Savant SHR-2000 Smart Host
• Savant Pro Remote X2

Rack

• Middle Atlantic ERK-3525KD
• Middle Atlantic CBS-ERK-25
• Middle Atlantic VFD-35

Seating

• Cineak Largo with custom Uniko Fabric

Photo Gallery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDbPfF76ma8

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For any further queries or to speak with someone in person, feel free to connect with us at our Toll-Free number 1-800-121-625 or write us at sa***@av*********.in