A Perfect Blend
Some clients just don’t want to give up their trusted treasures, no matter how enticing the latest technology might be. This New Jersey homeowner clung faithfully to his audio- and videophile roots with a stash of cassette tapes and a high-end tape deck, a reference-level FM tuner and even a workhouse laserdisc player and supporting library of 12-inch videodiscs. His prized Wilson Audio WATT Puppy speakers rated the status of man’s best friend so they had to remain a prominent part of any future A/V mix.
At EDG, it’s all about balancing homeowners’ wishes and needs with the latest technology, so accommodating analog gear in the digital age was nothing new to the EDG crew. What EDG brought to this discriminating homeowner was an understanding of multi-room audio, home theater and integration. Not only was the client able to hold on to his venerable gear when the project was completed, but it became much more accessible when matched with a Crestron multi-room audio system.
Technology Budget:
$ 80,000
* Excludes; Architect, Interior Designer, Carpenter & Furnishings.
The wood-paneled media room in this Garden State home served multiple entertainment purposes. Live entertainment comes by way of a grand piano. A near-live experience comes by way of the Wilsons, the only A/V gear allowed to be prominently displayedin the home. The Wilsons provide two-channel sound when the client is in audiophile mode and they connect directly to their own dedicated Krell amplifier located in the garage directly under the floor. Since the client had invested a tidy sum in a pair of audiophile cables for the Krell-Wilson marriage, EDG tunneled a passageway through the floor to accommodate the 12-foot pair of audiophile cables.
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The media room is also the home’s theater, and the Wilson speakers play a starring role here, too, as the front-channel surround-sound speakers. The rest of the supporting cast of electronics are cleverly hidden in and outside of the room. Additional side- and rear-channel speakers were built into the paneled soffit that circles the top of the room.
Equipment List
(1) Altinex Inerga ISC 2102 Single Gang Interface
(16) B&W CCM80 Speakers
(6) B&W WM-6 Outdoor Speakers
(4) Canton Ergo F Speakers
(1) Crestron Pro-2 control processor
(1) Crestron CP-2E Control processor
(1) Crestron C2NSPWS300 - 300w power supply
(1) Crestron CNPWS-75 power supply
(5) Crestron CNTBLOCK distribution block
(2) Crestron CNX-PAD8A Audio Distribution Processor
(2) CNXRMCLV Room Box
(1) Crestron C2N-IVDS
(1) Crestron C2N-TFM
(2) Crestron CNRFGWA RF Receiver
(1) Crestron CNRFGWA-418 RF Receiver
(1) Crestron STRFGWX 2-Way RF Receiver
(1) Crestron ST-10 Relay module with inputs
(10 Crestron ST-COM RS232 Expansion
(1) Crestron WPR-48 Wateproof RF Remote Control
(2) Crestron STX-1700C Touchpanel
(5) Crestron TPS-2000L Touchpanel
(1) Crestron ML-500 Remote control
(1) Day Sequerra FM Ref FM Tuner
(1) Dedicated Micros DS2A-6C40 Digital Video Recorder
(1) Dedicated Micros KBS3 Keyboard
(8) Ditek RMAC-9T
(2) Extreme EX38NX Security Camera
(1) Fujitsu P42HHA40US 42” Plasma TV
(11) Intelix AVO-A2 Balun (3) Intelix AVO-V1 Balun
(2) James Outdoor Planter Speakers
(1) James Outdoor Planter Subwoofer
(1) JVC HRS-5900U Super VCR
(1) Krell DVD Standard DVD Player
(1) Krell HTS2 Sound Processor
(1) Krell 300c 2 Channel Amplifier
(1) Krell KAV-250a/3 3 Channel Amplifier
(1) Krell KAV-250a 2 Channel Amplifier
(1) Krell KPS-25sc CD/Preamp
(2) Middle Atlantic CBS-ERL-25 Racks
(1) Niles SVL-2
(3) Pelco SD53C22P0 Security Camera
(1) Pelco CM97560-DMR Data Merger
(1) Pelco CM9760-DMR Data Merger
(1) Pioneer CLD-53 LD Player
(1) Pioneer PRO-R06U Media receiver
(1) Pioneer Pro-1130HD 50” Plasma Display
(1) Pioneer PDP-R03U
(1) Request F2.250 Digital Music Server
(1) Request Fusion Pro
(1) Request Fusion Zone
(1) Runco VX-5000D
(1) Runco Vivix DHD Vivix Processor
(5) Rotel RB-1050 2 Channel Amplifier
(1) Rotel RDV-1040 DVD Player
(1) Rotel RSX-1056 Surround Receiver
(2) Silent Witness V60 Security Camera
(2) Speakercraft BB1265 12 Channel Amplifier
(1) Speakercraft 8.5DT Speaker
(3) Speakercraft Aim 8 Four
(1) Speakercraft BB50 2 Channel Amplifier
(1) Speco Technologies VM1205B 12” Monitor
(4) Sound advance SA2B Speaker
(2) Sound Advance SA-ICC equalizer
(1) Stewart 117” Retractable Screen
(1) Sunfire Super Jr Subwoofer
(4) Thiel Powerpoint Speaker
(1) Triad Subwoofer Amplifier
(1) Triad InWall Bronze/10 Subwoofer
(1) Tripp Lite SU300RTXL3U
(3) Wilson Watch Dog Subwoofer
(2) Wilson Watch Puppy Series 6 Speaker
(2) Wilson Watch Puppy Series 6 Speaker
(1) Wilson Watch Center Speaker
(1) Xantech RS41AV AV Remote Switcher
(2) Sony VCR - client supplied
(4) HD Cable Box - client supplied
(1) CD Player - client supplied
(2) Client Supplied Outdoor Speakers
(1) Tape Deck - client supplied
(1) DVD Player - client supplied
(1) Lutron HKS-4B-BL-E HWI Architectural Signature Series Engraved4-Button
(8) Lutron HKS-4B-WH-E HWI Architectural Signature Series Engraved 4-Button
(2) Lutron HP-4 Power Booster Interface – 4000W Power Booster – all sources
(21) HW-RPM-4U-120 HWI Remote Power Module – Dimming
(1) HWI-CCI-8 HWI Contact Closure Board with dry contact inputs and IR
(1) HWI-LV32-120 HWI Low-Voltage 32” Enclosure – holds processor and
D48 or H48
(3) HWI-MI-120 HWI Module Interface
(3) HWI-PNL-8 HWI 69” Enclosure, Feed through panel – holds 8 modules
(1) HWI-PO-D48-120 HWI Wired Processor with D48
(1) HWI-PS HWI Power Supply 17” Enclosure
(1) HWI-SV-5BI-WH HWI Architectural Sivoia Keypad 5-button with raise/
lower with insert (preengraved)
(1) HWS-4B-G-SN HWI Architectural Wired Signature Series Keypad
4-button Monterey (Green LEDs)
(8) HWI-4B-G-WH HWI Architectural Wired Signature Series Keypad
4-button Monterey (Green LEDs)
(1) HWV-1000D-BL HWI Architectural Wired Vareo-Style 1000W Dimmer
(20) HWV-1000D-WH HWI Architectural Wired Vareo-Style 1000W Dimmer
(3) HWV-1000NS-BL HWI Architectural Wired Vareo-Style 1000W Neutral
Wire Switch
(4) HWV-1000NS-WH HWI Architectural Wired Vareo-Style 1000W Neutral
Wire Switch
(5) HWV-600D-WH HWI Architectural Wired Vareo-Style 600W Dimmer
(6) NGRX-PB-WH Power Booster Interface – 2000W
(2) ST-6BRL-NI-BL HWI Architectural Wired SeeTouch 6 Button Base Unit
Keypad with raise/lower no insert
(14) ST-6BRL-NI-WH HWI Architectural Wired SeeTouch 6 Button Base Unit
Keypad with raise/lower no insert
(3) ST-7B-NI-WH HWI Architectural Wired SeeTouch 7 Button Base Unit
keypad no insert
(4) VETS-R-BL Vareo remote Switch
Theater design required careful cooperation between millworkers and installers. The owner wanted the projector to be hidden from view and had a specific location in mind for the couch. In addition, construction details had to be considered as well as screen size. With all that in mind, EDG designers selected a Runco VX-5000 DLP projector for its image quality and vertical offset capability. The latter allows installers to position the projector higher than the top of the viewable screen, which allowed the projector to be placed out of the way in the crown of the cabinet at the rear of the room. The 117-inch screen rolls up into a crevice in the ceiling when not in use.
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The owners’ video sources, in addition to his laserdisc collection, include cable boxes and a cutting-edge DVD player. Components requiring access are stored in the cabinet and additional A/V gear is hidden in a ventilated utility room adjacent to the media room. When the temperature of the gear hits a specified reading, fans kick in to keep the equipment cool, meeting manufacturer’s operating recommendations and preserving the life of the electronics.
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TV is part of the living room, too, but only when actively engaged. The client didn’t want to see a large black screen above the fireplace so EDG sent the image of artwork the client selected to Media Decor, which designed a retractable screen and frame mechanism to cover the plasma panel during off hours. When it’s time to view TV, the client presses a button on the remote control: the canvas rolls up into the frame housing and the TV powers on.