Another spectacular custom-designed basement home cinema installation and HiFi listening room. Including a Dolby Atmos Anthem, Dynaudio and Rel system and a surround sound Meridian, QUAD and REL system,
Basement Home Cinema & HiFi Listening Room | Bath, UK
Overview
We were commissioned by Mr. A Dell to transform an under-utilised basement space in his Bath home into a sophisticated, dual-purpose home cinema and HiFi listening room. The basement posed typical challenges — low ceiling height and untreated surfaces that would otherwise create uncontrolled reflections and modal issues. Our solution combined precision acoustic design, custom cabinetry, premium AV equipment and intuitive control. This delivers both cinematic immersion and refined hi-fi listening.
Acoustic Design & Build Challenges
The original basement room had no acoustic treatment and was quite large in footprint but shallow in depth, typical of many cellars. The low ceiling height limited vertical acoustic strategy, so we concentrated treatment where it would be most effective: on three of the four perimeter walls.
To achieve this, we built out timber-framed walls filled with loft insulation and an engineered air gap behind them — a method that significantly improves sound energy absorption. The air gap increases the effective acoustic thickness of the treatment and helps trap lower frequency energy. It allows sound waves to penetrate deeper into the system before being dissipated as heat through friction within the insulation fibres. This is especially valuable in rooms without the depth to accommodate thick absorbers flush to the face of the finished wall.
A small side storage extension with an open doorway was incorporated into the acoustic plan. While atypical, this irregular space worked in our favour by disrupting strong modal resonances and helping to even out low-frequency response across the listening area.
Room Layout & Visual Design
Given the restrictions on room depth for this particular home cinema and HiFi listening room, we specified a short-throw projector paired with a 3-metre diagonal screen to maximise picture size without compromising viewing distance. An Epson projector was installed centrally on the ceiling for optimal coverage.
The timber-framed walls were finished with tailored fabric panels — the fabric acting as the visible surface of the acoustic treatment while preserving performance. Most fabrics are furnished with materials from Camira and some backed with MDF for structural strength to support mounted pieces of art. Select panels were clad in Timorous Beasties fabric used as a feature artwork surface.
As part of the interior design process, we curated and presented all material, fabric, wood and colour options to the client, allowing informed comparison and optimisation of the final scheme. Samples from WoodUpp, alongside fabrics and paints, were assembled on a dedicated mood board tray to ensure the finished room precisely reflected the client’s vision.
The dark theme with warm green and blue accents against black and gold was chosen to complement the walnut wood tones of the Quad speakers, proudly displayed as a focal point, while the Dynaudio surrounds sit discreetly behind fabric panels.
For flooring, our signature polished Valchromat floor inlay and matching skirting boards were installed at the base of the walls, creating a clean, integrated edge for the subsequent carpet installation.
AV Integration & Equipment
A custom recessed AV rack was crafted into one wall, complete with integrated LED strip lights for functional and ambient lighting, and space for amplifiers, streamers, headphones and media sources.
There are two audio systems in this room:
A high-end hi-fi rig featuring a Meridian processor, Quad 909 power amplifiers, Quad electrostatic speakers, KEF Ls50 Meta rear speakers as part of the quadrophonic hifi set up, complete with dual REL subwoofers — designed for serious listening experiences.
A Dynaudio surround sound system for cinematic immersion, via Anthem AV amplifier
Using the URC Total Control system, the client can effortlessly switch between hi-fi and cinema modes via smartphone or iPad, with audio routing and system selection automated for intuitive use.
Lighting & Control
Lighting was completely reimagined and upgraded. Spotlights across the ceiling were repositioned and replaced with dim-to-warm LED fixtures. Further LED dim-to-warm strip lighting was added throughout the room to create layered lighting scenes. Decorative Edison bulb-style chandeliers bring character to the front of the room, all controlled via a Rako lighting system for unified scene control.
Acoustic Calibration & Results
Full audio analysis pre-installation was used to guide speaker placement for optimal acoustic balance.
Once construction and installation were complete, we conducted detailed audio frequency response measurements using REW (Room EQ Wizard).
Room correction software, ARC Genesis, provided by the AV amplifer brand, Anthem, was used to make final adjustments to the audio playback.
The result is a space that delivers precise, controlled acoustics for both music and film — a room that feels as comfortable and refined as a lounge, yet performs with the authority expected of a bespoke home cinema.
Result
This project delivered a high-performance, multi-purpose entertainment room tailored to Mr. Dell’s lifestyle — combining elegant interior design, advanced acoustics, immersive audio-visual technology and seamless control. The balanced integration of two distinct listening experiences ensures that whether the client is enjoying critical stereo listening or cinematic soundtracks, the room performs beautifully and intuitively.
