It’s hard to meet the high expectations of an audiophile with hidden speakers. Theater Advice managed to find a perfect middle ground in this gorgeous 8,500-square-foot estate.
Naturally, when a client wants the best audio experience possible, thoughts go to the choice and placement of speakers.
Theater Advice deployed a combination of Episode, Origin Acoustics, JL Audio and Triad speakers. Roughly 40 speakers grace the property, both inside and outside. The sheer number of speakers it impressive, but it’s the meticulous customization and integration that went into their design and placement that sets this project apart.
“We were met with a number of challenges in our quest to deliver audio that sounded exceptional yet was visually discreet,” says Theater Advice’s David Huse. “Continual changes to the home design really kept us on our toes and pivoting fast.”
Theater Advice Gets Creative with Placement of Hidden Speakers
Theater Advice’s design-focused integration expertise is showcased in several areas, including the backyard swimming pool, rec room and dining room.
2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.Download your copy now!
Inside, all speakers were either color-matched or hidden. This required ample installation ingenuity in the dining room and rec room, where Theater Advice was challenged with glass wall, wine barrel ceiling and a fireplace, Huse notes.
In the dining room a glass wall showcases a well-stocked wine room. No place for a speaker there.
Above, a ceiling constructed of wine barrels was best left untouched. Even color-matched speakers would have stuck out like a sore thumb, according to Huse.
The best solution? Theater advice recessed the speakers low near a window where they sound great and raise no visual conflict with the room design.
In the rec room Theater Advice installed color-match Triad speakers in the ceiling. When it came to finding a spot for a center speaker, however, Theater Advice was temporarily stumped. Rather than fit a square peg into a round hole, Theater Advice worked with the homebuilder to build a fireplace mantle that would house a Triad Silver speaker, customized with a special grille for a seamless fit and finish.
Outdoor Audio Pops
Outside, the landscape and pool design shifted many times. Trees were added unexpectedly, as were patio heaters. Speakers, therefore, would need to blend in with the tree mounts and special switches installed for easy control of the heaters.
Theater Advice peppered the landscape with four Bollard-style outdoor speakers from Origin Acoustics. Each Bollard loudspeaker includes an integrated subwoofer and disperses in either 360-degree or 180-degree patterns. These attributes ensured even coverage of high-fidelity sound throughout the entire swimming pool area.
Beyond amazing audio, which spreads to 20 independent zones, the home features Screen Innovations motorized shades, access control, Control4 lighting and automation, Araknis networking, Luma surveillance, and seven Samsung displays.
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!
