The home was being lovingly refurbished to provide a London base for the client and his family. With meticulous planning, and an unrelenting eye for detail, the client and his team were focused on creating an elegant and lavish home, with all the modern benefits of the very best in home electronics.

The primary goal was to create an immersive, luxurious experience that would surpass the audio and visual quality of commercial cinemas. The client requested uncompromised audio performance with precise sound reproduction and support for multiple formats, including Dolby Atmos and high-resolution music playback.

Product Selection

Meridian Audio was selected as the speaker brand for this project, due to a established reputation for delivering outstanding audio quality and innovative engineering. Known for their Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology and active loudspeaker designs, Meridian loudspeakers offer supreme accuracy and performance.

The selected system components included three ultra-shallow Meridian DSP640.2 loudspeakers for the left, centre, and right channels. These speakers were chosen for their powerful output, clarity, and ability to handle everything from dialogue to high-energy sound effects. To create a fully immersive Dolby Atmos experience, Meridian DSP320.2 loudspeakers were used for the surround and height channels. These models also offer exceptional accuracy and provide seamless integration with the front channels. To provide an understated aesthetic, the height speakers were painted to match the ceiling fabric pattern and the rear speakers were mounted within bespoke artisan side-tables. Deep, impactful bass is provided by two shallow-depth Meridian DSW600 digital active subwoofers.

“The Meridian speakers deliver crisp, clear dialogue, and a powerful, balanced low end, fully immersing the audience in music and movie soundtracks,” comments Guy Singleton, managing director of Imagine This. “The surround and height channels provide the enveloping sensation the client desired, making the audience feel as though they are truly in the middle of the action.”

To integrate the Meridian loudspeakers with the other equipment in the audio system, Imagine This selected a Meridian 271 Digital Theatre Controller. This product acts as a hub between the loudspeakers, the third-party control system and the surround-sound processor. The 271 allows high-resolution (24-bit/96kHz) digital audio to be passed through the chain from the processor to the speakers.

The video projector and bespoke, acoustically-transparent screen were chosen to provide a high-performance visual experience commensurate with the audio set-up. The projector was installed using an in-ceiling mount to minimise the visual impact of its not-inconsiderable size, by automatically hiding the projector when not in use. The underside of the mounting mechanism was painted to match the ceiling fabric pattern, keeping things as discreet as possible.

The room was treated with acoustic materials to optimise sound performance. Bass traps, diffusers, and absorbers were installed to minimise reflections and ensure even sound distribution. The surround processor’s room calibration system was employed to fine-tune the system, compensating for remaining acoustical anomalies in the physical space.

Project Installation

The installation was carried out in close collaboration with the client’s interior designer, cabinet maker and building contractor. The Imagine This team carefully specified the components to ensure that the technology complemented the aesthetics of the room, whilst not compromising on technical performance.

The project required detailed calibration of the audio and video systems. Meridian’s built-in DSP and the surround processor’s technology allowed the installation team to achieve an exceptional soundstage and an immersive surround-sound experience. Every detail, from the placement of the seating to the speaker axes, was meticulously planned to create an exceptional experience for all listeners.

This home cinema space embodies comfort and sophistication. Centred around a sunken seating area, the layout is novel but thoughtfully designed to immerse viewers within a luxurious and intimate environment.

Unsurpassed technical performance was of the highest priority, so particular attention was paid to the challenges of the sunken seating position. The technical design addresses the unusual requirements of the viewing position, with speakers located carefully, acoustic materials used appropriately and with the video image calibrated precisely.

The rear speakers were ingeniously integrated into the room by being concealed into custom-made tables positioned behind the seating area. These tables were designed to keep the speakers out of sight but still allow sound to project freely, all while maintaining the room's sleek aesthetic. To avoid unwelcomed resonances or vibrations, the integrator used damping materials to acoustically isolate the speakers within the tables. This keeps the audio distortion-free, whilst maintaining the room's luxury appearance by ensuring the speakers don’t interfere with the décor.