L-Acoustics has made its Canadian home theatre debut at a 16,000sqft lakeside retreat in the Muskoka region of Ontario, approximately 200km north of Toronto. The 7.1.4 surround system replaces a two-decade-old setup that, the company says, suffered from poor voice localisation, weak bass and inadequate rear imaging.
The installation centres on 15 L-Acoustics speakers powered by a single LA7.16i amplified controller, which integrates amplification, processing and loudspeaker management into one unit. The LA7.16i delivers 16 channels of onboard DSP with direct network control and is designed to provide calibrated output of up to 1,300 watts per channel. Four Syva Sub subwoofers – each using 12in drivers – are horizontally mounted in two stacks of two at the front of the room for low-frequency reinforcement.
Three X8i coaxial systems are recessed into the wall behind a new acoustically transparent Seymour Screen 4K fabric screen, animated by a Sony projector paired with a madVR processor. Four X6i speakers handle left, right and rear surrounds, with four further X6i units deployed as height channels for overhead immersive detail. Custom fabricated in-house frames wrapped in acoustically transparent fabric conceal all frontal speakers.
An Anthem Atmos surround sound processor pairs with an RME analogue-to-digital converter, routing 13 balanced analogue XLR pre-outs into the L-Acoustics controller via a single network cable using AVB encoding. Content is delivered via Apple TV, Sony PlayStation 5 and a Kaleidescape high-fidelity movie library. Six zones of lighting were also installed, with Savant handling theatre and lighting control.
L-Acoustics’ Soundvision 3D acoustical modelling software was used during the design phase to map coverage, identify problem areas and verify output levels before any speakers were installed – a process the integrator says was central to achieving CEDIA RP-22 Level II certification.
Ryan Guest, owner of Blue Rocket Solutions, which specified and installed the system, said: “Out of the box, with no calibration at all, I can sum it up in a single word: power. Some manufacturers claim to offer power, but this is different – it’s clean, energetic, full-fidelity power. After completing the final onsite calibration, the first listen brought goosebumps to everyone present.”
Guest added: “L-Acoustics was a strong partner from beginning to end. Their Soundvision design software was central to how we worked – it let us model the full 3D acoustical environment before a single speaker went in the wall. That kind of precision upfront is what made the difference.”
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