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   Specializing in High-End Home Cinema & Recording Studio Applications       |      September/October  2011

In This Issue
PMI Appoints Manny LaCarrubba as Chief Engineer
Accessing the PMI Library
PMI Takes the Gold (and Bronze) at CEDIA Lifestyle Awards
PMI Engineers Indoor Treehouse Screening Room

PMI APPOINTS MANNY LACARRUBBA AS CHIEF ENGINEER

PMI announces the appointment of Manny LaCarrubba as chief engineer. With over 20 years in the professional audio space, Manny brings to PMI extensive experience in acoustics, music production, audio technology, and busi- ness acumen.

 

Leading PMI's engin- eering team, Manny will be responsible for ex- panding and improving its methodologies and technologies for the engineering and specifi- cation of high-end resi- dential and commercial spaces, recording studios, and venues.

 

LaCarrubba has worked as a recording engineer in the music industry, and as a consulting technology engineer to the semi-conductor in- dustry specializing in noise and vibration con- trol. In the late 1990s, he founded Sausalito Audio to commercialize patents related to loud- speaker design, and to produce advanced audio and architectural loud- speaker systems for custom installation.  

 

Manny was a staff and chief engineer at famed Sausalito recording studio, The Plant; his music engineering credits include tracks and albums for Santana, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Kenny G, Mariah Carey, and many more. He also designed some of The Plant's seminal recording rooms.

 

Manny's unique pers- pective on architectural acoustics comes from many years of study and work with loud- speaker/ room interactions, combined with music production in rooms he has designed with speakers of his own design.

 

Manny holds several patents related to loud- speaker engineering, all of which have been integrated into commer- cial products manufac- tured by Bang & Olufsen of Denmark. He's a member of the AES, and is featured in training videos produced by Secrets of the Pros.

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Accessing the PMI Information Library  

   

The PMI website, Blog and Facebook pages offer a wide range of white papers, articles, and how-to guides by Anthony Grimani on the topics of Audio, Acoustics, Calibration, and much more. Here are links to some of these guides which you can easily download for reading and reference.

Can You Tune a Theater?
Calibration .. the final frontier. To boldly go where few others have been. To make the difference between merely loud surround sound and sublime sonic delight ...

I have been asked many times if acoustic design work for home theater is important, and at what point that design work should take place...
 
Other than sticking it in your ear, what can you do with a sound level meter? You can use it to tune the level of a subwoofer, but proceed carefully!
 
Tony also writes regularly for Residential Systems and Connected Home Australia so be sure to check those publications for the latest tips and tricks to help you take your business to the next level.
 
If you're interested in a more interactive experience, we're in the process of producing a series of webcasts and we'd love to hear from you on what kinds of info and topics (within the sphere of audio engineering and acoustics) you'd like to know more about from Tony and team. Just email us with your questions and comments and we'll let you know when these are scheduled to happen.
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For more information on these and other topics, visit our website where you'll find additional published articles and informative links.

PMI Takes the Gold (and Bronze) at CEDIA Lifestyle Awards 2011 

Last month, PMI was recognized as the specialty consultant for technical excellence on six winning design rooms in CEDIA's 2011 Electronic Lifestyles� Awards. For each of these projects, PMI created engineering plans and specifications to ensure optimized sound and picture performance for best return on the client's investment. Read on for descriptions and photos.  

 

LEVEL V GOLD AWARD

PMI partnered with Sublime Integration to remodel this space from a playroom into a world-class theater. The walls were rebuilt toplan set - Cohen theater improve sound isolation, especially from a very noisy boiler room next door. The ventilation was re-engineered to make the HVAC systems more quiet and efficient. The bathroom was converted into an equipment room at the back of the theater. This is a great sounding room with state-of-the-art electronics and loudspeakers.

 

LEVEL VI GOLD AWARD

In Mexico, this new dedicated theater was made entirely of solid concrete. Working with IteliKsa, PMI turned what would have sounded like a hard, slappy space iInteliKsa photo sala cinento a room with all the finesses expected from a high-end theater. MSR Acoustics supplied the acoustical tuning system which, along with the large display screen and high-end audio gear, demonstrates that high-end A/V is alive and well outside the U.S. borders!

 

LEVEL VI BRONZE AWARD
This is a very high style room with a beautiful colonnade walkway around the back and sides of the cinema, with dramatic cove lighting, and curves galore!
arakelian cinema - 2 pix
Partnered with Audio Images, we overcame the acoustical challenge of a semi-circular back wall by using combinations of 6" thick rockwool and deep diffusion columns. The ceiling looks like a traditional plaster process, but in fact is made of microscopic crushed glass beads troweled over rockwool absorption. All of the panels, speakers, and equipment are invisible for a stunning old-world look. The high-end Triad speaker systems is custom-tuned to work with the room's challenging shapes for a high-impact sonic result. The acoustically transparent screen sits squarely inside a shadow box stage, complete with a green room entrance for performances by the grand-kids!

LEVEL VII GOLD AWARD
In the L.A. area, this project was a remodel from what was originally an ill-conceived home theater with a bar and large sliding glass windows.
Photos courtesy of DSI Entertainment
Working with integrator DSI Entertainment, PMI engineered the sound isolation walls, re-purposed the risers, developed a huge 4-way PMI 2.0 constant area acoustically transparent screen, and specified a high impact JBL Synthesis speaker package. Custom slider acoustical panels now conceal the 10-foot
This photo shows how the space was split
and the bar moved outside the theater
wide glass patio doors, and a soffit added into the bathroom behind the theater conceals the projector. We isolated the bar out of the room to create a separate entrance/ lobby/bar area, for a more dedicated home theater experience.

The Level VII Gold Award
theater also won for
Best Documentation
and People's Pick Home Theater. Congrats to DSI for multiple award wins!
PMI Engineers Indoor Treehouse Screening Room in Atlanta  
A few years ago, PMI partnered with Triad to launch three new home theater audio packages for customers desiring complete turnkey design + product solutions. Each package includes a fully engineered design, a set of loudspeakers appropriate for the room, and an acoustical treatment package that takes control of the speaker-room-listener interface.
 
This project in the Buckhead district of Atlanta, Georgia, started off as a PMI/Triad Cinema Plus project, working with Design Media Group. The brief was to add a room into the upper area of a high-ceilinged condo penthouse - literally hanging from the roof structure! PMI designed the layout of the room architecture and specified the audio/video system. We supported the construction process and calibrated the system in its final stages.
Greenfields treehouse
Photo on right shows acoustical panels and speakers built
into/onto the back wall - photo on left is the finished room.

"Sonically, this room is quite spectacular, and the client is very happy," says Peter Chakales with Design Media Group. "We recently played a virgin vinyl copy of Steely Dan's Gaucho and it was just beautiful!"

        

For more info and photos on PMI portfolio projects, visit our website