Surround Sound in Rittenhouse Square

After moving from their traditional home in the suburbs, our clients had a different kind of vision for their Rittenhouse Square condo: to have a space that was modern, sophisticated, and wired with the best audio and visual technology available, complete with surround sound and TVs in every room. So we did what we always do for our clients: we made it happen.

Surround sound & TVs in every room — even the luxurious bathroom.

Many meetings, phone calls, and walk-throughs later, I was able to provide recommendations for the best speakers and TVs for each area, and where everything would go. We added audio and video equipment throughout the apartment — even in the foyer and hallways. There isn't a space in the apartment where you can't listen to high fidelity music. 

There are two main surround sound systems located in the family room and master bedroom.

For the larger system in the family room, we used a Sony XBR-75Z9D 75” 4K UDH HDR TV.  Since the room had a lot of large windows and natural light, we wanted the best TV in that size that could handle it. This Sony LED television can get really bright without sacrificing picture quality, so even on the sunniest days their movies and shows will be crisp and vibrant. For the master bedroom, we went with the LG C7 65” inch OLED 4K TV.

When it came to audio gear, our clients wanted something that fit in with the aesthetic of the room, but sounded like big, powerful floorstanding speakers. We also had to consider the shallow ceiling. Traditional in-ceiling speakers were too deep to fit, so we used Totem Tribe III on-wall high fidelity speakers and Sonance low profile in-ceiling speakers. Then we added Totem Tribe Double 8 in-wall subwoofers, which are compact, yet still put out enough bass to fill the larger rooms. To bring their movies and shows to life, we added Sony's STR-ZA3100ES 7.2 channel 4K AV surround sound receiver.

In the kitchen and guest room, there are LG C7P 55” OLED 4K TVs recessed into the wall. Both rooms have a Definitive Technology W Studio Micro Ultra-Slim 3.1 channel wireless sound bar, which we chose for its great sound and ultra thin design. A smaller round speaker was used in the kitchen to match the recessed lights.

Sonos Connects were used to wirelessly distribute the audio, which are powered by NAD distributed audio amplifiers and the Sonance in-ceiling speakers.

One system to control it all.

Savant is used to control all of the audio/video, HVAC, and some of the lighting. Turn the lights on and off, adjust the volume on the TV, play the Beatles’ number one hits — our clients can do it all from their mobile phone or tablet.

To set up the equipment rack without interfering with the interior design, we modified a coat closet and made a very tall Middle Atlantic equipment rack fit inside. Now all of the components are tucked away, completely out of sight.

Happy clients, happy life.