When one homeowner in the Mountain Lakes area of New Jersey wanted to stop leaving their personal slice of paradise, they knew transforming their disused basement area into a custom home cinema could help them retain all of the fun and mystique of going to the movies without leaving the comforts of home. Introduced by interior designer Nancy Baldwin who was working on the residential property, local integration company Bravo AV stepped in to turn the homeowner’s plan to create a dedicated, top of the range home theater system into a reality.

The designated room for the home theater was on the lower level of the home, alongside a gym and a games room with access to the pool and outside sitting area. For this reason, the audio had to be well-contained within the space, while still delivering stand-out performance.

To deliver the best experience possible, HTA Certified Bravo AV installed three Meridian DSP640 In-Wall Loudspeakers for the left, center, and right speakers. Bravo AV chose the speakers because of Meridian’s center elevation adjustment technology, which raises the perceived image location for an optimal movie-watching experience.

Measuring 200mm wide, the DSP640’s were ideal for the space, integrating into the sleek, contemporary décor without any issues. 

To add to the audio line up, four DSP320 In-Wall Loudspeakers were integrated into the room to provide the side and rear surround sound, as well as another four installed into the ceiling to completely immerse the viewer in sound. 

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The home theater also features a Meridian 271 Digital Theater Controller designed to integrate any analog or digital A/V processor or receiver with Meridian’s DSP loudspeakers.

Location, Location, Location 

The location on the home theater posed a number of challenges for Bravo AV, including several windows that contended with the screen and speaker locations, as well as letting in too much light overall.

To solve the problem, Bravo AV removed the windows that interfered with the screen and the front left and front right channel speakers, then treated the other windows with drapery and blinds.

The room also had two open doorways in the rear, as well as another opening to the rest of the basement entertaining area. Bravo AV was challenged to find a way to gain acoustical balance in the space, which resulted in the installation of a wet bar and acoustic panels throughout the room. This ensured that none of the audio power from the system was lost.

To complete the movie-watching experience, Bravo AV needed a great looking screen that was acoustically transparent and would not in any way hinder the sonic presentation of movies and TV shows.

As a result, a 158-inch DisplayTech screen was installed into the space, working in harmony with a Sony VPLVW885ES 4K Projector to deliver crisp, HDR images.

All of the equipment was housed in a custom-built 90-inch cabinet beneath the screen, utilizing an existing void in the front wall for a discreet, neat installation that worked in harmony with the modern, minimalist design of the room. This was completed by eight, navy-colored Fortress motorized chairs for a sleek, finishing touch.

Although the room posed an interesting and challenging project for Bravo AV, the end result speaks for itself. A combination of good design and high-performance audio provides a home theater where both family and guests can enjoy the true cinematic experience in style.

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