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Highlights from CEDIA Expo 2024: Immersive Home Theater Demos
The CEDIA Expo serves as a premier platform for professionals in the custom installation industry, allowing them to witness the latest advancements in home theater technology through dynamic demonstrations. Attendees eagerly gather outside various booths, anticipating the chance to experience top-notch home theater setups, complete with plush seating and meticulously curated audiovisual content.
For many, these demonstrations embody the essence of CEDIA Expo. They showcase sound and picture quality that far exceeds what is typically available in standard setups, rivaling even the best commercial theaters. Manufacturers take immense pride in presenting their products, often going to extraordinary lengths to ensure a flawless experience. For example, one remarkable setup had been initially perfected in Italy and then transported to the expo, where it was reassembled with its audio and video calibrations largely intact.
As a closer for TechRadar’s coverage of Home Theater Week, I have compiled a selection of five standout demos from CEDIA Expo 2024. Though the darkened demo rooms limit my photographic documentation, the equipment featured in each instance reveals the impressive technology behind these captivating displays. Here’s a glimpse into the experiences that left a strong mark on me at the event.
Barco / madVR / Seymour-Screen Excellence / Kaleidescape / Trinnov / Perlisten / Officina Acustica
The initial demo I attended set an impressive benchmark for the rest of the expo. It featured a Barco Nethus RGB laser projector boasting an astounding 32,000 lumens, paired with a madVR Envy Extreme MK2 video processor and a Kaleidescape Strato C Movie Player along with a Terra Prime server. The visual experience was projected onto an impressive 189.3-inch Cinemascope aspect ratio screen by Seymour-Screen Excellence.
The audio component utilized a Trinnov Amplitude audio processor in conjunction with a Perlisten speaker system that comprised 19 speakers and 14 subwoofers—yes, fourteen subwoofers, with eight situated at the front and six at the back. This sophisticated setup was housed in a custom-built Officina Acustica home theater room, further enhancing the auditory experience.
The demo commenced with powerful music selections, including Eric Clapton’s acoustic rendition of Layla followed by Ashes to Ashes from Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris. The clarity of the vocals and the rich, deep bass were exceptional. A particularly striking moment was from the final scene of the film Lucy, where the brightness of the initial image literally caused me to wince, a testament to the incredible capabilities of the Barco Nethus projector.
Christie / Lumagen / Seymour-Screen Excellence / StormAudio / Ascendo / Moovia
The Christie Griffyn 4K35-RGB laser projector was the centerpiece of another standout demonstration, featuring 36,500 lumens and an impressive 98% coverage of the Rec. 2020 color space. This setup, accompanied by the Lumagen Radiance Pro 5244 video processor and another Kaleidescape source system, showcased a 13.5-foot wide Seymour-Screen Excellence Enlightor-PRO screen that featured an acoustically transparent surface and an adjustable 4-way masking system.
On the audio side, a StormAudio ISP Elite 32 Digital AoIP MK3 processor paired with an Ascendo black Swan system offered a captivating experience. Utilizing network-enabled amplifiers for seamless digital connectivity, this demo captivated audiences with clips from Dune 2 and Ford Vs Ferrari, illustrating immersive sound that echoed throughout the space.
Digital Projection / Kaleidescape / Screen Innovations / JBL Synthesis
JBL showcased an ambitious home theater demo with their Synthesis system, boasting a staggering total system cost of $156,666. While specifics about the video component were sparse, it was confirmed to include a Digital Projection projector paired with a sizeable 222-inch perforated Screen Innovations screen. The audio configuration was equally impressive, featuring 15 SCL-series speakers and four SSW-series subwoofers powered by a JBL SDP-58 processor delivering an impressive 6,800 watts of amplification.
This setup was meticulously calibrated using the Harman default target, with Dirac Live room correction ensuring consistency across the audience. The experience was highlighted by Lady Gaga’s poignant performance of Always Remember Us This Way from A Star is Born, alongside a hair-raising train escape scene from Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, which delivered visceral sound effects that reverberated throughout the robust system.
Sony / Kaleidescape / Focal
In a more modest setup, Sony’s demonstration featured the new Bravia Projector 9, recognized with a TechRadar Best of CEDIA Expo award, priced at $32,000. Although less potent in terms of lumens at 3,400, its picture quality was further enhanced by advanced processing capabilities, including dynamic HDR tone mapping that revealed intricate shadow details.
Auditory experiences were powered by a luxurious 9.2.4-channel Focal Utopia in-wall speaker system, which ensured that the quality matched the impressive visuals. Clips from Zero Dark Thirty and the latest Bad Boys movie showcased the projector’s ability to deliver rich colors and sharp contrasts.
Sony / Kaleidescape / Wisdom Audio
Rounding out the demos was a display featuring Sony’s opulent Crystal LED CH-Series, a 137-inch micro-LED video wall that exemplified luxury home theater design. This setup included a Kaleidescape Strato S Movie Player coupled with a 6TB server and a powerful 9.4.4-channel Wisdom Audio sound system, carefully arranged to create a fully immersive audio-visual experience.
With a focus on sound, the demo highlighted the depth and clarity of Lady Gaga’s vocals, mirroring the fidelity experienced in the JBL Synthesis experience. However, the show-stealer was a gripping pursuit scene from Mad Max: Fury Road, which delivered an intensity that held my attention from start to finish.
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