California Integrator Sets the Standard for High-quality Media Rooms
Every year, CEDIA picks from the top integrators across the country to select the winner of the Best Media Room Award. Today our team reflects on one of our very best projects which not only won Best Media Room in 2016, but also the CEDIA Global Award for Best Media Room.
The award recognizes the world’s best projects as judged by CEDIA, the international trade association for companies that manufacture, design and install goods and services for the smart home.
“I’m super proud of my team, and I’m excited for the recognition—not just for us, but for the industry as a whole,” Mark Ontiveros, President of Audio Images, said. “I think there are a lot of people who don’t realize you can have a high-performance system like this where you can recreate a concert or experience a film, and still have a beautiful room. We want to do a better job of marketing that to the luxury community.”
Audio Images was previously selected as the category winner for Best Media Room in the Americas and was then later evaluated against the winning projects from technology integrators based in Asia, Europe, Russia, Africa, and The Middle East. Last year was the very first time CEDIA opened the global category and allowed technology integrators from all over the world to submit their noteworthy projects for consideration. Winners were announced on September 16, 2016 at the CEDIA Expo in Dallas, Texas.
Audio Images’ award-winning media room is a perfect example of how both high-quality audio video and interior design can be combined to create a multipurpose room that meets the requirements for performance and beauty. The client, a dedicated audiophile in Southern Orange County, wanted to transform his living room into a high-performance media room where he could enjoy listening to his favorite music albums, but still meet his wife’s requirements for a beautiful interior design.
The Audio Images team installed 12 speakers in the walls to produce a full, Dolby Atmos surround sound experience, a motorized screen that drops down out of the ceiling, a Sony 4K projector in the wall of an adjacent office, motorized window treatments to block out the light, and acoustical treatments. They worked with an interior designer to perfect the aesthetics in the room and used automation technology to hide all of the equipment and then make it appear at the press of one button.
“When we first played it for the client, he started crying,” Ontiveros said. “That’s how good it is. He can watch his NFL game, a movie, or sit with his son and listen to a music album. It’s a multipurpose space, yet it’s elegant, clean, and beautiful.”
Ontiveros says that the demand for traditional dedicated home theaters is declining in favor of discreet multi-purpose media rooms that can transform with the push of a button. Audio Images works intimately with each client to design and produce projects that are custom tailored to meet their needs.
“I’m most proud of the fact that we took the client’s dream of achieving sound nirvana and completely exceeded his expectations,” Ontiveros said. “It was great to work with an incredible team and a client who appreciates the work we do. The end result is really what makes this worth doing.”
About Audio Images
Audio Images is a full-service integration firm specializing in both residential and commercial technology systems, and is located in Tustin, California. With over 25 years of industry experience, Audio Images provides solutions that are easy-to-use, reliable, and produce high-quality results. They have won numerous CEDIA awards, including Best Home Theater 2016 ($200,000 and under), Best Home Theater 2013, and Best Media Room 2010. They were also awarded Best Media Room by Electronic House. To start your own project, contact Audio Images by filling out this online form.
