A new homeowner of a property in Johannesburg, South Africa, has recently collaborated with Meridian Audio and technology integration company, The Sensory Dispensary, to create a modern media room that boasts statement design with powerful audio performance.
The property was already furnished with a media room, but the homeowner was eager to update the space. The brief for The Sensory Dispensary was clear – simplicity, good aesthetics, and the best possible sound and picture.
The homeowner trusted his senses from a recent visit to The Sensory Dispensary showroom, which featured a range of Meridian products on demonstration, and was therefore willing to go with the same system solution. To create the arrangement the homeowner desired, detailed planning and comprehensive consultations together with the homeowner were needed. The challenge for this project was to adapt and modify the existing media room without major structural work, for a seamless transition.
The Sensory Dispensary integrated a pair of Meridian’s flagship DSP8000.2 Digital Active Loudspeakers into the space, chosen in a piano lacquer black colour finish to complement the room design, whilst at the same time providing authentic, lifelike sound. The loudspeakers feature the latest Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology, enabling high quality usage for a prolonged period of time, with no additional amplification required. The sleek dynamic loudspeakers sit in the front corners of the room, positioned at the perfect angle, ready to perform.
These floorstanding loudspeakers are complemented by Meridian’s DSP7200.2HC Digital Active Loudspeaker beneath the screen, which provides full range playback in a horizontal centre channel package. Its ingenious, modern design means that the loudspeaker enclosure contains the entire system’s electronics, including its amplification, and its unique Centre Elevation adjustment technology raises the centre image for the perfect movie-watching experience for the family.
For a discreet yet powerful solution, two Meridian DSP320 Ceiling/In-Wall Digital Active Loudspeakers were also integrated into the ceiling. Although discrete, never underestimate their power – these ceiling speakers capture every detail and project the audio from an entirely different perspective, for the ultimate surround sound experience. The DSP320s were the ideal solution to achieve the chosen aesthetic, as they blend almost seamlessly into the ceiling and the grille can be colour-matched to a paint or wallpaper colour.
To ensure a room-filling performance, two Meridian DSW DSP Subwoofers have been integrated into the system to provide deep bass and heighten the acoustics in the room, resulting in an immersive experience. Featuring a downward firing woofer, the design tapers at the top, reducing the visual impact on its surroundings, while all of the connecting cables, SpeakerLink and Power, attach discretely at the bottom of the cabinet. It also boasts Meridian’s unique apodising filter and FIFO buffering to ensure clearer sound and improved clarity.
A Meridian 861V8 Reference Digital Surround Sound Controller has been effortlessly integrated beneath the screen, linking all audio sources at the highest quality. Its modular approach delivers complete isolation between the analogue and digital signal, and the 8-channel SpeakerLink outputs maximise performance with the Meridian DSP Loudspeakers in the room.
To link all HDMI sources with the Meridian systems in the space, a Meridian UHD722 HDMI Processor was used. It can coordinate up to seven sources and has the capacity to split the HDMI DataStream from a selected source into separate audio and video signals, giving the homeowner the option to choose for a video signal to be sent to one or two display devices, whilst the audio is directed out of the unit itself.
Complementing the audio system is a JVC projector, a large Stewart Filmscreen screen, Somfy blind control, and a Control4 control system all synchronising with the room’s modern interior.
Neil Zasman, owner of The Sensory Dispensary comments on the project: “The end result was a total success as it achieved our objectives and met all of the client’s requirements. On completion of the project, we received an email from the client’s personal assistant, who mentioned what a phenomenal job we had done on the project – she has heard all about it! Customer satisfaction is key, and this is a prime example of how our work supports our continued success and achievement at The Sensory Dispensary.”
"The end result was a total success as it achieved our objectives and met all of the client’s requirements."
Neil Zasman, Owner, The Sensory Dispensary
Kit List:
2 x Meridian DSP8000.2 Floorstanding Loudspeaker
Meridian DSP7200.2HC Digital Active Loudspeaker
Meridian 861V8 Reference Digital Surround Sound Controller
2 x Meridian DSW DSP Subwoofers
2 x Meridian DSP320 Ceiling/In-wall Digital Active Loudspeakers
Meridian UHD722 HDMI Processor