Home cinema install: Steinway to Heaven

Installation company SMC used premium marque Steinway Lyngdorf as the backbone for this multi-purpose room combining lounge and cinema – a project that has since earned high praise, winning the Media Room Level II category at the recent CEDIA Awards.

A lover of action, superhero movies and gaming, the owner wanted to be able to watch TV, but also have a full-size, high-quality projection solution. Due to the size and shape of the space, this meant challenges had to be overcome. SMC's director Robin Courtenay explains: 'In order to provide maximum impact whilst dealing with sub-optimal equipment locations (necessitated by the shape of the room) we had to push the equipment to its limits. Projector, screen and lifts were either at their distance tolerance points or housed in smaller, custom enclosures.'

The front wall is where the magic happens. For much of the time, the 85in Sony 4K TV and Steinway Lyngdorf LCR speakers and six boundary subwoofers are on show, joined by the Caped Crusader and Man of Steel. However, a bespoke reverse-roll projector screen, with custom masking and ambient light rejection, is ready to drop down and become a wall-filling canvas for the cinema's JVC DLA-Z1 laser PJ. Room sources are an Oppo UDP-203 and a Sony PS4.

The projector is set up for different ambient light levels, and the installers have also employed the room correction and custom voicings of Steinway Lyngdorf's P200 processor to adapt to the changing use of the space, for example when the Lutron-controlled blinds are open, closed or when the room is packed for a party. Considering the potency of this setup, it's no doubt a popular place to be...

When the owner wants to go large, a 4.2m-wide projector screen descends in front of the TV and front-wall speakers/woofers

Occupying left and right on the front wall are triple stacks of Steinway Lyngdorf's 2 x 12in passive boundary woofer. The brand's RoomPerfect calibration was employed to fine-tune bass integration with the other speakers

This kit cabinet provides quick access to the cinema's Oppo 4K player and surround processor, and includes space for Blu-rays

Amplification also comes from Steinway Lyngdorf, with a combination of A1 and A2 models handling the room's 17 channels


Installer Info

SMC
www.smc-uk.com


Kit Checklist

Steinway Lyngdorf: P200 surround sound processor; Model A1 amplifier; 4 x Model A2 amplifiers; 3 x IW26V in-wall speakers; 4 x Model S15 on-wall speakers; 4 x Model S15 in-ceiling speakers; 6 x dual 12in Model LS boundary woofers
JVC: DLA-Z1 4K HDR laser projector
Future Automation: Custom projector lift
Stewart Filmscreen: 4.27m-wide acoustically transparent drop-down projection screen
Sony: KD-85XD8505 4K HDR TV; PlayStation 4
Oppo: UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player
Wyrestorm: 2 x 4K Point-to-Point extenders
Crestron: RMC3 processor; DM receiver
Apple: iPad Mini running Crestron app
Surge-X: Surge protection/power conditioner

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