Leon speakers are cool.

Ok we could go into a big speech about the technical specs of the drivers they use or the fact the cabinets are handmade at their factory in Michigan USA. But that´s not what interests most people, most people want to know that they sound good and look fantastic.

Well Leon speakers tick all the boxes. Having heard them at the trade shows and in demo suites we knew that they not only packed a punch, but delivered a detail in the sound that would have discovering a new dimensions in your music or whilst watching a movie.

And their eye for design and presence of mind to be flexible enough to make their speakers fit the room and not just say “here they are, like it or lump it” having made them a hit with interior designers and the style conscious alike.

So when they asked to use some images from a Future Lifestyle installation in their new product catalogue we were understandably said “of course”. The images show what lengths Leon go to incorporate top end audio into modern interiors.

Due to the design of the fireplace in the lounge we were unable to install a conventional centre speaker below the screen, however the client did not want to compromise on the audio quality. So we installed Leon´s Profile 404-MC-X-A speakers. These speakers incorporate a driver in the left and right cabinets that form the centre channel. Not only that the cabinets were made to match the height of the screen at was being installed and were also colour matched to the wall.

The result is a fantastically sounding set up in a cool looking lounge.

 

A write up of the full installation used in the images will be available on our new website (coming soon) and for more information about the Leon range of speakers check out their website http://www.leonspeakers.com/pageflip/liquid-green/ or contact a member of the Future Lifestyle team at sales@futurelifestyle.es or on +34 902 107 227

Introduction to good home cinema.

Here are a few considerations when thinking of how to go about your dream room.

It is always good to perform plenty of research, tour existing home cinemas, sought ideas from fellow enthusiasts, and speak to installers and homebuilders when considering a home cinema installation. Incorporate suggestions in all areas - from cost-effective sound-absorption techniques to equipment choices. If you have the right working relationship with your contractor he should field your ideas and needs, and explain how they can be incorporated into the job and within budget.

Here are some ideas for consideration when in the process of making decisions for that outstanding home cinema….

Make style and functionality part of the process and bring it all together...

1) Give It an Elegant Design

Poor decor and insufficient lighting are the main failings of what should constitute a decent home cinema and it must be said affects the whole cinematic experience. There is little point having 'all the kit' if it is put in a room that doesn't have the right dimensions, acoustics and of course overall finish.

Reasons for this cop out is normally down to budget but ways should be found to ensure the whole package can be brought together.

The lighting scenes, seating and overall arrangement contribute greatly to the rooms overall feel and are as important as the devices that create the audio and video.

For true cinema....

2) Build a completely dark room

Perhaps this will be a controversial suggestion because people have different tastes or purposes in viewing environments: Some people think a home cinema is a thing to be enjoyed as part of a larger entertainment area, and some people desire a more “dedicated" cinema experience.

We lean towards the latter but this is not always practical and we have seen a large increase in the installation of systems in living areas for multi-purpose entertainment use.

It's just that light pollution can be considered a distraction and the very essence of a successful home cinema is replicating the actual movie-theater experience so the room will preferably be capable of becoming completely dark.

With lighting key features can be lit to provide sufficient light if done correctly.

An acoustically transparent screen gives a cinema a clean look….

3) Use an Acoustically Transparent Screen

Admittedly, this tip applies only to front-projection setups (which are becoming more popular in the high-def era), but one of the design elements we most like to see is the use of an acoustically transparent screen and place the centre speaker directly behind it and in some cases all 3 of the front channels. 

This obviously leaves cleaner lines and most closely replicates that of an actual cinema but it also means the sound is coming from the most natural direction, where the action is taking place onscreen.

Check out the selections from Draper and Screen Research, and view their room-size and image-size recommendations for this type of screen.

Easy access to equipment with a 'rack'....

4) Ensure Easy Access to the Back of Your Equipment Rack

This is more of an installer requirement as it is unlikely that the end user will ever have much need, let alone desire, to start pulling at any cabling but having access to the rear of the equipment for any custom installer is essential.

Component housing cabinets or 'Racks' as we call them, are vital for not only the maintenance of the equipment but can be mounted in such a way the cabinet allows air to pass through it, reducing the likelihood of overheating thus preventing the chance of faults developing. Additional 'rack mountable' ventilation units can be fitted for those enclosed fixtures where the rack is to be hidden away out of site to compensate the natural flow of air.

Get the best from your system….

5) Calibrate your set up

It is our perception that people seemed to care more about proper image calibration with their standard DVD players than with the newer High Definition Blu Ray versions…

For what reasons we are not sure because surely as the equipment in question is now more advanced it needs just as much if not more setting to reach its peaks..

For us it is essential to use a calibration software package that enables a series of audio and video signal tests to be carried out. Don’t take these state of the art components for granted - they need to be set up correctly to reach their optimum perfoming levels. It is the difference between a pretty good high-def image and an outstanding high-def image. The audio tracks help you balance the sound in the room, giving the right weight to each individual loudspeaker as perceived from the listening position.

It’s in the details

These are some of the details to be considered when designing and planning ahead of construction. There are so many tiny and even budget - friendly details that you can incorporate into your design to take it to the next level you just need to seek the right advice from people that have experince and the ability to carry out such projects.

Lets start by asking “What do you think would be really cool in your cinema?” and then find someone who can make those things work.

To see a full case study of a true cinema installation see our link.

For more on all aspects of home cinema installation speak to the experts -

future lifestyle or email sales@futurelifestyle.es

Future Lifestyle go East...

Future Lifestyle headed up the coast to Nerja this month to bring another home into the 21st century. This luxury 3 bed villa with its own 2 bed guest apartment in Frigiliana near Nerja is being built by an English businessman who is looking to the future. Although this will initially be a holiday home the client has every intention of moving over here on a more permanent basis in the future. So this is how Future Lifestyle approached the project, we wanted to give the client a system that would keep him entertained whilst he is on holiday, but with enough scope to upgrade the system as he spent more time in Spain.

More tubes than the London underground...

We have learnt from our experiences in Spain that there is no such thing as over tubing, although we did get looks of disbelieve from the Spanish workers on site when we started installing the tubes back in the summer. However, as the cable is installed they begin to understand the need for such a tube network.

In our 1st phase of cabling we are installing the cables for a Cat5 network, these points can be used for a number of things including a stable internet connection, networking of PC´s & printers, telephones (internal phone network with extensions), Wi-Fi boosters and a host of other IP based technologies. Also going in at this stage is the cabling for a Multiroom Audio System. We have used high grade speaker cable installed from a central location to points in the ceiling and walls where discreet speakers will be installed. We have specified the Nuvo system to provide the audio, control of which will be done using the Nuvo keypads placed at the entrance of each room, each of which needed a Cat5 cable for connection. The Nuvo system was chosen for its ease of integration with Control 4 home automation system which will be installed to provide control of all elements via touch pads in key areas, which also requires Cat5 cables for communication.

Although a coaxial network has been installed for the TV distribution thanks to the Future Lifestyle design it will be possible to install a satellite receiver in any of the 8 rooms with a TV or a PVR satellite system with dual input for recording (Sky +/Sky HD/ Canal+ HD) in 3 of the rooms and shared around the house.

Alternatively all systems can be installed in a central location (Head End) and distributed around the home, with control done via an IR repeater or Wi-Fi remote. But if that wasn´t enough to cover anybody’s TV addiction we have installed a Cat6 network to the rear of every screen. This is to allow the streaming of HD programs or films from a central location or via the internet with IPTV when it finally comes of age.

Surround sound set ups have been installed into two locations in the main house, one in the lounge and the other in the dedicated studio which should stop any arguments during next year’s world cup.

Also to be added is a lighting system by Rako that will give him full control of his lighting from anywhere in the house as well mimicking a presence when he is not in Spain, whilst saving him money on electrical bills and extending the lamp life of his lights.

Yet to be installed is the CCTV network and video entry system which would allow the client to check on any visitors - wanted or otherwise, from any TV screen in the house or anywhere in the world via the internet.

And that´s not all.......

The client has appreciated the approach that we took with his installation. Not only has he got all the elements that he wanted in his original brief but he has room to grow as he spends more time in his new home. Space left in the tubes means that extra cables can be added in the future if need be and the comprehensive paper work handed to the client at the end of the job means that he knows what his house has hiding behind the walls. And as with every Future Lifestyle system that is installed a member of the team is never more that a phone call away to answer any questions the client might have, be it now or in the future.

If you would like to know more about benefits of installing a Future Lifestyle system in your property or you would like to know more about any of the things mention here give a member of the team a call on +34 902 107 227

Sound Design

Future Lifestyle based on the Costa del Sol is happy to announce the installation of a small Video / Audio installation in the new Richard Lewis Interiors boutique shop in Guadalmina´s busy Commercial Centre. Richard Lewis Interiors, Marbella’s premier home design destination for over eight years, are specialists in bespoke handmade curtains, blinds, pelmets, valances and soft furnishings, all of which are made on site by an established team of curtain makers and soft furnishings.

This exciting new boutique is your chance to see the amazingly sleek PMC Wafer One´s super slim hang-on-the-wall speaker, that are designed to fit very discreetly into any room. There's no denying the effectiveness of its 'disappearing act' - although not exactly invisible, it's visually very easily overlooked.

The Wafer 1 sounds significantly bigger than one expects bass lines are quite clear and explicit, but with a definite thickening of upper bass textures. Finished in silky white, grey or black, both Wafer models come in two styles. One is intended to be flush mounted by being recessed into a wall, the other (the ones installed at Richard Lewis Interiors) fixes onto a solid wall, so that it stands proud by a modest 11cm.

Mounting the speakers alongside flat screens often forces them to be mounted in both portrait and landscape orientations. This would normally guarantee compromised imaging from one of these orientations, however the Wafers are fitted with two tweeters that allow them to be mounted in either orientation without compromise to the imaging.
The result is a hifi and monitor speaker that delivers the very best performance from an application that would deeply compromise the performance of any normal loudspeaker... read more

Why not drop into Richard Lewis Interiors new boutique shop and have a listen, or contact one of our sales team on +34 902 107 227 or click here to send us an email........