The Ultimate 11.12.6 Home Theater
After a disastrous CEDIA 2021 Expo due to the COVID pandemic, exhibitors are going all out to make the CEDIA 2022 Expo in Dallas, Texas, which runs from September 29th through October 1st, a show to remember. Trinnov, McIntosh, Sonus faber and some of the best names in high-end audio and video have put together a very unique system and demonstration space to make it the talk of the show.
CEDIA Expo booth 26097 is going to be packed and for good reason — state-of-the-art sound and vision on display and the organizers are promising one of the most “immersive” home theater experiences presented at a trade show in recent memory.
“Our goal this year is to show the industry the exceptional experience that can be realized with today’s immersive private cinema systems when design and performance come together,” said Trinnov CEO Arnaud Laborie.
A 9,000-lumen video projector with an 11.12.6 channel surround sound system will showcase the ultimate in immersive sound and vision with products that are available today.
What’s 11.12.6?
The numbers 11.12.6 do not represent a date. They denote the number of audio channels (essentially speakers). That’s 11 speakers placed around all four interior walls, 12 subwoofers (which appear to be 8 across the front wall and 4 on the back wall), and finally 6 over-head speakers in the ceiling. Add them up and that’s 29 speakers in total!
Of course, very few would be able to afford this type of system for their own home (we are talking hundreds of thousands of dollars here). However, a good strategic sales philosophy is “sell up to sell down” – show the customer what is possible, even if unaffordable, then sell them something a lot more reasonably priced, but still a little higher-end than they might have been planning on.
Who’s Involved?
Trinnov Audio
Trinnov Audio is providing its Altitude32 AV processor as the heart of the system. This AV processor is capable of providing up to 34 channels of Dolby Atmos processing supported by Trinnov’s Loudspeaker/Room Optimizer.
For this setup, the Altitude32 will provide 29 channels of audio decoding and processing depending on the audio sources selected as well as providing the input source switching and audio setting control for the system.
McIntosh
With Trinnov providing the central hub of the system, the next step is to provide the power required to drive this 11.12.6 system, and also deliver the level of resolution and control required.
McIntosh has been tasked with that responsibility and will be using a mix of 19 McIntosh mono block, stereo, and multi-channel power amplifiers delivering 14,000 watts of power.
Note: Specific Model Information Not Provided.
Sonus faber
Sonus faber, the Italian loudspeaker manufacturer is being asked to do a lot of the heavy lifting in Dallas and will be providing 17 loudspeakers and 12 subwoofers arranged to meet specific Dolby Atmos specifications for the closed demonstration space.
The 11.12.6 channel configuration will include 11 horizontal channels, 12 subwoofers and 6 height channels.
The specific models have not been announced, but Sonus faber does offer a wide range of in-wall, on-wall, and full range floor standing loudspeakers and subwoofers that could be utilized in the system.
Kaleidescape
OK, so we have processing/control, amplification, and speakers, but what about source content?
Kaleidescape is bringing their Terra movie server and Strato C movie player with content featuring the best possible video and lossless audio formats.
Barco
CEDIA is also a show that focuses on the home video category and almost all of the biggest names in projectors and TVs will be showcasing their best new products for the custom installer segment.
A Dolby Atmos system of this level required a reference caliber projector; Barco is bringing its 9,000-lumen Njord CS laser projector, and Seymour Screen Excellence will be on hand with a custom-made 165-inch wide 2.35 Cinemascope screen.
madVR Labs
To ensure that the Barco/Seymour Screen Excellence system delivers the best possible resolution and color accuracy, madVR Labs is being enlisted to provide its award-winning madVR Envy Extreme to deliver best-in-class HDR dynamic tone mapping (frame by frame).
The unit features patent-pending Highlight Recovery and Contrast Recovery technology. The madVR Envy also optimizes aspect ratio control, video upscaling, sharpening, and correcting chroma upsampling errors that may be present in the source material.
Officina Acustica
The most important component in any system is the room — and that is certainly the case when it comes to home theater systems. Complicating matters, CEDIA is a trade show with a very busy and noisy show floor and it’s not ideal for any type of demonstration.
All of the participating brands agreed that this type of home theater demonstration required a room on the show floor that would be isolated from any exterior noise and could offer a high level experience that is above and beyond anything usually found at CEDIA.
To solve that issue Italy-based Officina Acustica is providing the booth/room shell and interior.
The outer shell and the interior were manufactured in Italy, then shipped and assembled on the show floor by Officina Acustica.
Where to experience it? Only at CEDIA Expo booth 26097 in Dallas, Texas from September 29th to October 1st, 2022.
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