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4K Video Meets 11K Sound

post #1 of 17
1/5/12 at 9:37am
Thread Starter 
4K Video Meets 11K Sound
By Steven Castle
Meridian's 810 Series Projector and McIntosh's 11,000-watt Reference Home Theater System packs a regal punch in this elaborate theater.

When you enter the lobby of this opulent, $1.5-million home theater, a motion sensor detects your presence and plays Hooray for Hollywood. When it's Showtime in the regal red theater, the chandelier dims and ascends as two sets of drapes rise and part, and the home theater gear revs up for the show.

That's just the warm-up, for the real stars here are the reference-level Meridian 4K projector that beams super high-res images onto a 16-foot-wide screen, and the 11,000-watt McIntosh home theater system, with behemoth speakers that hide behind the First Impressions Theme Theatres decor but make their presence known via hundreds of speaker drivers.



The Meridian 810 Series projector uses JVC's 3-chip D-ILA technology to cast a stunning 4096-by-2400-pixel image onto a Screen Research display. (See sidebar.) You can sit close and still not see any pixilation, says Eduardo Orozco of custom electronics installation firm ISI Automation International in San Antonio, Texas.

The McIntosh Reference Home Theater System was chosen for the company's lasting quality and design. The seven-speaker array consists of XRT2K front left and right tower speakers that each sport 40 tweeters, 64 midranges and six woofers, plus the XCS2K center channel and XRT1K surround speakers.

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Click here for photos.
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post #2 of 17
1/5/12 at 10:48am
I'm quite sure this system sound amazing, but I get more of a kick from some of the Diy guys in this same forum. Also way too guady for my taste.

Djoel
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post #3 of 17
1/5/12 at 1:40pm
Agreed that it's a bit gaudy. Still wouldn't kick that system out of bed for eating crackers, though.
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post #4 of 17
1/5/12 at 2:24pm
Looks like something The Donald would own.
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post #5 of 17
1/5/12 at 2:37pm
So where would one find 4k sources for viewing ?
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post #6 of 17
1/5/12 at 3:32pm
Your local theater! Like most home theaters, the screen is way too small even for the first row. 4K is what the theaters are projecting now and we all know how big their screens are.
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post #7 of 17
1/5/12 at 4:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill View Post

Your local theater! Like most home theaters, the screen is way too small even for the first row. 4K is what the theaters are projecting now and we all know how big their screens are.


I suppose if you can blow 1.5mill on a home theatre, you can spend the money for a 4k file to run to the projector. But HOW does one go about getting it ? I could see perhaps pulling some strings at your buddy's production company, but not all of them.

I doubt studios just release the 4k formats. Something tells me 99% of the time, this theatre will be running 1080p off bluray. By the time 4k is available to the average person, the format/player/cable requirements will have changed that the current setup is obsolete. Kind of like DVI.
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post #8 of 17
1/5/12 at 5:17pm
is it just me or does it feel like they skimped on the subs. I bet that theater has a tremendous amount of midbass but drops like a stone in the ULF range. This seems like a trend with this level of theater. I am always impressed with the projector and speaker selection but kind of meh about the subs.
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post #9 of 17
1/5/12 at 5:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam-DiVine View Post

is it just me or does it feel like they skimped on the subs. I bet that theater has a tremendous amount of midbass but drops like a stone in the ULF range. This seems like a trend with this level of theater. I am always impressed with the projector and speaker selection but kind of meh about the subs.

Yeah no kidding. I have 6 SVS subs in a 12x12 theatre for that subsonic bravado.
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post #10 of 17
1/6/12 at 9:23am
meanwhile, in Russia...
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post #11 of 17
1/6/12 at 10:43am
I believe that JVC projector only upconverts to 4k using a kind of pixel wobulation technique without a true 4k pixel grid, and also doesn't allow for true 4k content.

There's a new Sony coming out later that supposedly will support true 4k video since they're really pushing these new displays and a new Blu-ray format.

I'll reiterate what others have stated, that the theater seems overly "opulent." I've seen better looking DIY theaters with a more contemporary flare that spend the money on good acoustics, great sound, an adequately sized screen, and a good projector.

The screen, though hard to tell with these wide angle pictures, looks way too small for the room. The designers and owners probably spent more time considering what the room should look like when the lights are on and not enough time with what really matters... the A/V experience when the lights are off. I've noticed this with a lot of Theo K. designed theaters as well.

If I had the money, I think I'd rather call Dennis Erskine as he seems to care more about quality A/V and the theaters end up looking very nice as a bonus.
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post #12 of 17
1/6/12 at 1:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by d_m1010 View Post

Yeah no kidding. I have 6 SVS subs in a 12x12 theatre for that subsonic bravado.

Wait, you have what?

That comes out to 1 SVS sub for every 24 square feet of floor space. Where do you put your chairs with all of those subs everywhere? Assuming you're talking about the PB-13 Ultra (that's what I have - but just one ) that's about 4 square feet of floor space per sub. Even if you're stacking them 2 high, that's over 8% of your floor space just for subs!

I'm trying to imagine how someone could use all of that bass. The only dimension you didn't provide is the ceiling height. Should I assume your theater is in an extremely tall tower?

Would love to hear what that sounds like...
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post #13 of 17
1/6/12 at 2:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Hitchman View Post

I believe that JVC projector only upconverts to 4k using a kind of pixel wobulation technique without a true 4k pixel grid, and also doesn't allow for true 4k content.

There's a new Sony coming out later that supposedly will support true 4k video since they're really pushing these new displays and a new Blu-ray format.

I'll reiterate what others have stated, that the theater seems overly "opulent." I've seen better looking DIY theaters with a more contemporary flare that spend the money on good acoustics, great sound, an adequately sized screen, and a good projector.

The screen, though hard to tell with these wide angle pictures, looks way too small for the room. The designers and owners probably spent more time considering what the room should look like when the lights are on and not enough time with what really matters... the A/V experience when the lights are off. I've noticed this with a lot of Theo K. designed theaters as well.

If I had the money, I think I'd rather call Dennis Erskine as he seems to care more about quality A/V and the theaters end up looking very nice as a bonus.

I believe this projector is based on JVC's true 4K unit(4096 x 2400) 17:10 Ratio.......$150k or so
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post #14 of 17
1/7/12 at 11:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Highjinx View Post

I believe this projector is based on JVC's true 4K unit(4096 x 2400) 17:10 Ratio.......$150k or so

Then I stand corrected.

However, what are they going to show on it? Without a spec.-formalized source for 4k content, I'd think it's a bit premature to be spending that kind of money on a projector.

But, some people have money to burn I guess.
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post #15 of 17
1/7/12 at 3:45pm
I love this theater! Agree they skimped on the subs tho.
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post #16 of 17
1/9/12 at 1:46pm
If "each speaker has its own amp", that means they're running passive xovers in a $1.5M theater? Really?
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post #17 of 17
1/11/12 at 12:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by erkq View Post

If "each speaker has its own amp", that means they're running passive xovers in a $1.5M theater? Really?

Not necessarily. It probably just mean that instead of using a couple multi-channel amplifiers, they are using monoblock amps. One amp per speaker. Or these are active speakers. Works the same either way.

I'd expect some quality DSP system for full x-over, room calibration tweaking, and EQ and is being used either built-in in the surround pre-amp or in a separate unit.
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