In a remarkable fusion of innovation and technical mastery, Orange County, California’s Audio Images has once again showcased why they are the go-to experts for home cinema installations. Their “Best Home Cinema” award-winning project, "Drive-In Theater," is a testament to their ability to overcome architectural challenges and deliver a cinematic experience that exceeds expectations.

The Vision: From Carport to Cinema

The client, a luxury home builder, initially considered excavating under his living room for a cinema space but pivoted to transforming his carport. Audio Images accepted the challenge to create a cinematic haven without compromising the home's aesthetic appeal.

Design and Execution

Challenges and Solutions:

The "Drive-In Theater" project was anything but straightforward. The carport, initially housing a TV, outdoor toys storage, and mechanical equipment, required a complete overhaul. This meant a total transformation. The challenge was to morph this space into a cinematic haven without compromising on the aesthetic appeal of the home. The client's quest for jaw-dropping sound and picture quality in this unconventional space led Audio Images to collaborate with PMI Engineering group, led by Anthony Grimani.

Another unique challenge was the room's architectural design, featuring large arched glass panes on the majority of the side walls. Acoustical treatment was meticulously carried out using a specially lined drape system developed by PMI Engineering and supplied through MSR Acoustics, ensuring the room's acoustics were in harmony with CEB22 standards.

Key Features:

Seating and Layout: Through meticulous planning and multiple iterations, the team devised a layout that accommodated seating, speakers, screen, projector, modified doorways, ventilation systems, lighting scheme, and interior décor seamlessly..
Advanced Audio System: A 7.4.2 immersive audio package with Grimani Systems active DSP speakers met exacting industry standards. The setup created a uniform "bubble of sound" enveloping the audience.
High-Quality Visuals: The visual system featured a 140” wide acoustically transparent screen paired with a Barco Loki projector, delivering 5,500 lumens of output and 4K resolution.
Power Management: A robust power system was designed with an isolated electrical subpanel, a SurgeX UPS-1000-OL for mission-critical components, and a Wattbox WB-800-IPVM-12 for remote power cycling, ensuring reliability.
HVAC and Lighting: The HVAC system was re-engineered to maintain noise levels below NC25. Smart lighting controls and a meticulously planned lighting scheme enhanced the viewing experience.

The Final Result

The "Drive-In Theater" project is a shining example of Audio Images' commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in home cinema design, showcasing unparalleled expertise in overcoming architectural challenges to deliver a breathtaking cinematic experience. The client is, of course, ecstatic, enjoying movies, TV, and music in their new home theater oasis 2 to 3 nights a week.

The result was a breathtaking home cinema that exceeded the client's expectations.

It also received high praise from CEDIA judges for its innovative design and flawless execution at the CEDIA Awards. (The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association Awards celebrate the pinnacle of home technology design, and are essentially the Academy Awards for home theater integrators.)

Ultimately, Audio Images was honored with the prestigious award for the Best Home Cinema at the 2023 CEDIA Smart Home Awards for the aptly named “Drive-In Theater” project, expanding their global record for the most CEDIA awards in media rooms and home cinema.

Conclusion

This project by Audio Images showcases the incredible potential of creative design and technological expertise. Transforming a carport into a high-end home theater, the team again demonstrated their commitment to excellence in home cinema.

Testimonials

"You and your Audio Images team have far surpassed our expectations for our audio vision needs in the building of our new home. It is so refreshing to work with such talented, honest, conscientious people. You have all of the cutting edge technology information, and you have explained the options very well. You have smoothly worked with designers, contractors and carpenters, and the results are great."
— Bill and Sue Gross

“Thank you so much for rushing over when you did. I am most appreciative. It meant a lot to me and just reinforces everything Audio Images stands for. It’s funny because one of my neighbors was complaining about his audio video experience last night and I mentioned to him that your service was at a level I had not seen from another company and tonight just reinforced that. I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate you rushing over here...”
— Glenn Welling

“I just wanted to say thank you so much for getting our entire home AV system working flawlessly and in the process making it so amazingly user friendly and simple. After the new/updated hardware was all installed in a timely manner and after all the Crestron AV reprogramming was done, I am still amazed daily at our ‘new’ home AV system. I very much enjoyed working with John on the Crestron AV system programming and was extremely impressed...”
— Matt Parsons

“Tammy and I want to thank you for the exceptional job your company did at our home. Your staff was very knowledgeable and professional and also very responsive and obliging. We are delighted with the system you suggested and installed. We thought what we had before was great but this new system far exceeded our expectation. The remotes are very easy to use and it is amazing just what they can do. We also are extremely impressed with the kaleidoscope system...”
— John and Tammy Miller

“It has been a bit over two years since Audio Images designed and installed our home theatre systems, whole house audio and wireless network. This is our fourth home to have similar systems, but the first done by Audio Images. We have to say this is the only home in which everything still works. The system was well designed, easy to operate, and your follow up service has always been prompt and professional...”
— Tom Denison

“Thanks for the great work on our custom home in Newport Beach. We all are enjoying the home theater in the basement and the audio system throughout the house is functioning well. I am impressed by your diligence in getting the job done correctly, and your prompt handling of the minor technical issues that arise from time to time as expected during the first few months. Your entire team is very professional, qualified and a pleasure to work with.”
— Bob Gorab

“I have wanted a theater room for over 20 years. The purchase of my new home was based on the possibility of creating a new room that would feature a state-of-the-art theater room to entertain myself and my family for years to come. For this reason, my research into the proper person and proper company to build this project for us was extensive and spanned over a year. I talked to dozens of individuals...”
— Chetan K. Mehta

“Mark takes what he does very seriously. Servicing his clients with the highest quality results is super important to him. He’s not after their money; he’s after giving them top-level service. That can be hard to accomplish in the world of custom... Mark has taken this to an art form.”
— Anthony Grimani

A Carport Transformed into a Cinematic Wonderland – The Best Home Cinema of 2023

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