The Vision

When Arun Maini set out to transform his new house, he applied the same meticulous approach he brings to reviewing technology for millions of viewers. Simon Elliott from FSG-AV knew the brief demanded ambition: "You're dealing with somebody who sees no limit, and he wants to go for it. If you come up with an idea, he'd be happy to run with it."

To help Arun choose the right audio system, Simon took his usual approach with all his clients: "I take them to see Meridian first. There's a really good reason for that - because they've never seen anything like it."

After experiencing Meridian's demonstration facilities, Arun was "absolutely bowled over by it." The decision was made - Meridian became the foundation for audio throughout the home.

Statement Sound

The living room's centrepiece is a pair of custom coloured satin white DSP8000 XE loudspeakers.

Standing at over 1.3 metres tall with distinctive curves, the DSP8000 XEs are impossible to ignore. These speakers are designed to be seen as much as heard.

Reflecting on the decision, Arun said: "We spent so much time going back and forth on whether or not we should go for speakers of this insane value, but these have ended up lifting this room so much.

“I think even from an aesthetic standpoint, these things look so cool - just futuristic and yet also really clean. But it's the sound that is pristine."

Simon recalls Arun's reaction to hearing them for the first time: "He absolutely loved them. To him, that was a statement."

The DSP8000 XEs feature separate mid-range and tweeter modules, isolated from the main cabinet that houses the subwoofers. This isolation prevents vibrations from interfering with the sound, ensuring every detail reaches the listener with absolute clarity.

The experience is transformative. As Arun describes it: "These have the bass power of hi-fi systems eight times their size. It's so weird listening to them because you're sitting here and you're expecting to hear two speakers, but what you're actually hearing is this all-encompassing surround sound because of how these things are designed."

The Dream Cinema Room

While the living room speakers make a bold visual statement, the dedicated cinema room takes a different approach - hiding its extraordinary performance behind the walls.

Nine DSP750 in-wall loudspeakers form the front soundstage in Meridian's patented High Power Array (HPA) technology configuration, each containing multiple drivers working in perfect digital synchronisation. This isn’t about sheer volume - it’s unrivalled precision and cinema-grade clarity.

The system extends throughout the home cinema:

Eight DSP750 loudspeakers with eight DSW600 subwoofers for augmented bass channels

Four DSP730 loudspeakers for Dolby Atmos ceiling channels

Four DSW600 subwoofers for LFE (Low Frequency Effects)  

Arun describes the experience: "The thing that's hardest to communicate through video is how the sound envelops you in the content. You're being blasted from every single angle, and it just pulls you in. It's the best sound I've ever heard in any cinema ever."

Exceptional Audio Everywhere

Beyond the showcase rooms, Meridian speakers provide refined sound throughout the home:

Hallway

Gym

Master bedroom and en suite

Office

Simon explained how the project evolved: "The original plan was conventional speakers in the ceiling with Sonos. But once we had Meridian in the lounge and cinema, it made sense to carry it through the whole house. It was a light bulb moment."

Rather than compromising with conventional multi-room audio, every space now benefits from Meridian's digital active technology - scaled appropriately for each room's purpose while maintaining exceptional quality throughout.

The system integrates seamlessly with Sonos, giving Arun and his family the convenience of streaming their favourite music anywhere in the home at the touch of a button. With Works with Sonos, Meridian speakers respond instantly, providing full control through the Sonos app while delivering high-resolution audio throughout the home.

Design & Specification Service

Throughout the project, Meridian's complimentary Design & Specification Service provided invaluable support to FSG-AV.

Simon explains: "As much as I like sitting down designing cinemas, I just don't have the time to do that all the time. It allows me to get the project moving without having to get too involved at that stage."

For Arun's cinema, the team created seven or eight different design iterations, each refining the setup. Simon added: "It gives you an idea of where your first reflections are, where your likely problem points will be. You've got a framework to work with that really helps."