Pro-Install

Once you've had a demo of D-BOX seating, it's hard to look at your regular sofa again in the same way. It's no surprise, therefore, that the owner of this bespoke cinema room was seduced by the 'movie motion' experience after an initial recce at UK distributor Pulse Marketing, and insisted it was part of the conversion plan. As such, all the seats (from US brand Fortress) were ordered 'D-BOX ready'. The two prime seats in the front row are fitted with actuators – the remaining six can be upgraded easily whenever the owner wants.

Of course, firstly installer Finite Solutions outlined a range of setups based around the room dimensions, with CAD drawings employed to ensure speaker placement, throw ratios and viewing angles were all on song. With the owner's approval gained for the system here, it was time to get to work.

Much of the other hardware in this cinema also hails from across the pond, including the amps/processor and projector. The latter comes from Runco, and was specified to meet the owner's demands for high quality and installer Finite Solutions' insistence on hitting the required brightness levels with the Screen Research screen and Reference ClearPix2 fabric. The LS-12d may not be one of the brand's high-brightness 'HB' models, but still enables the system to deliver 26fl (Foot Lamberts) with 2D material. Naturally, brightness drops when the Runco is used for stereoscopic thrills.

'Partnered with the motorised Cineglide anamorphic lens [also from Runco], this projection system is as happy with 1.78:1 material as it is with 2.35/2.40:1 ratio content,' explains the installer. Lateral masking frames the image and provides another boost to perceived contrast.

On the audio side, speakers from Procella Audio and amplification/processing from Sherbourn combine in a 9.2-channel system with a high output and bass presence. Three THX-certified two-way Procella Audio P8s are mounted behind the screen, while the remaining six provide enveloping surround. 

The subwoofers are the brand's P15 model – high-end offerings (but not the company's flagship) with dual 15in drivers and 700W of onboard power.

Finishing touches to the space include a ceiling-mounted starfield, low-level lighting below the projector screen and at floor-level, Control4 system control and a swish-looking grey and blue finish. The result is a top-floor theatre with a top-flight performance.

Finite Solutions
www.finitesolutions.co.uk
Leeds: 0113 255 4765
London: 0207 371 8761
Cheshire: 0161 932 1081

Runco: LS-12d projector – three-chip, 3D, 2,100 ANSI Lumens – with separate DC-300 video processor
Runco: Cineglide motorised anamorphic lens
Procella Audio: 9 x P8 on-wall speakers; 2 x P15 subwoofers
Screen Research: Multi-masking, THX-certified acoustically transparent screen Supports 2.40:1, 2.35:1, 1.78:1 and 1.85:1 content
Sherbourn: PT-7020 processor
Sherbourn: PA 7-150 and PA 2-250 amps
Fortress: Matinee seats with electric recline function and D-BOX 3250i actuators fed by a Series IV controller
Oppo: BDP-103EU Blu-ray player