In 2018, L-Acoustics surprised the industry with a new concept for immersive audio for the luxury residential market. The L-Acoustics L-ISA Private Island combined an immersive sound installation with 18 main channels, a bass channel and up to five overhead channels, creating an "Island of Sound" that the company says is immune to its surroundings - hence the "private island" motto. The turnkey solution included complete entertainment services integration, from streaming to gaming consoles, on a rotating mattress that can be placed anywhere (!). This integrated personal auditorium was complemented with a specific "high-definition Blu 23.1 format," even if it was able to playback any other media, all housed in a piece of furniture. At ISE 2018, the sight of people enjoying the experience, laying down in a huge bed, was one the show's main features.
Now, L-Acoustics is expanding the concept. “Island is unprecedented,” says Christian Heil, President and Founder of L-Acoustics, and the creative force behind Island Prestige. “This is not just another loudspeaker. We have designed innovative lifestyle packages that enable specification of a remarkable media environment, inviting listeners inside the music. They can share the hyperreal panorama of an orchestra conductor, a musician on stage with a band, a concert pianist at the keyboard, or the fast-paced action of a film. Reclining in the sumptuous comfort afforded by Island Prestige, users simply close their eyes and they are right there, fully immersed, and as close to an authentic experience as they can possibly be.”
L-Acoustics is renowned for transforming the live music experience with its professional, concert-grade systems and more recently with the successful promotion of the company's own immersive sound brand, L-ISA, which draws on extensive audio and psychoacoustic research to develop sound design and processing tools for live shows and creative events. L-ISA integrates object-based sound design, loudspeaker systems, proprietary processing hardware and software-based audio tools.
The idea of expanding this know-how and high-performance in "immersive audio" into the home is apparently also part of the company founder's vision. The new Island Prestige system to be introduced in 2020 features thirteen front speakers, five rear speakers and two subwoofers, "precision manufactured and aligned to deliver accurate, richly detailed audio" to listeners relaxing in its central lounge area. Overhead speakers can be added, when required.
As L-Acoustics also explains, the system can reproduce the company's proprietary BluSpace format, "matching human hearing spatial resolution and bringing full, live concert dynamics at all audible frequencies." In total, the bed features 20,000W of power to create "ample headroom for distortion-free play at high SPL," making Island Prestige suitable for all media playback needs, from conventional stereo to Dolby Atmos cinema to ultra-realistic Bubbles music (go here for more info about Bubbles) and sound art content in Immersive Hyperreal Sound.
"Perfect for open plan living spaces, unusually shaped media rooms, or as an alternative to in-wall speaker installation, Island Prestige is a modular, plug-and-play solution that’s quick and easy to assemble, without the need for any additional room treatment. It can operate as a standalone personal auditorium, with its own Bubble Deck controls, or can be integrated with projector, screen, lighting, blinds and other home technologies as part of a whole house control system," the company explains.
"The Bubble Deck is a sleek device designed to host and display limited numbered edition Bubbles recordings certified in the BluSpace standard. It provides convenient, intuitive control of essential player functions, such as volume, pause and skip. At the push of a button, Island Prestige can also be rotated 360° in either direction to suit multiple use scenarios, from facing a home cinema screen to enjoying sunlight streaming into the room to enhanced privacy for meditation and mindfulness," the announcement adds.
As L-Acoustics also explains, all audio and control components are discreetly housed within the clean, contemporary paneling of the Island Prestige auditorium. "Two high-gloss lacquer exterior wood veneers are available to suit user tastes while the ergonomically designed seating area includes adjustable lounge elements and backrests to maximize indulgence and well-being. As an additional benefit, the seating can be removed entirely to create additional space, if required. The outer shell of Island Prestige is upholstered with a light layer of padding to create an inviting softness that doubles as a seating area and completes the superior aesthetic."
Island Prestige is available immediately, and additional details can be found online. For those who are on the market for a new man cave centerpiece now that the divorce is settled, or are trying to figure out a way to spend that money hidden in the Cayman Islands account, L-Acoustics can arrange private Island Prestige experiences by emailing Emma Pettersson. If you ask the price, there's no demo for you.
To manage these "Island" experiences, L-Acoustics created the new L-Acoustics Creations division of L-Acoustics, devoted to "the creation of extraordinary sound spaces in residential, architectural and cultural environments."
www.l-acoustics-creations.com | www.l-acoustics.com
