The Apex of Style and A/V in a Downtown Penthouse
San Diego, California

Few projects include the fine finishes, attention to detail and deluxe interior treatments of this penthouse located in downtown San Diego. Few projects feature the outstanding music and video systems that are found here. Situated atop one of the most prominent residential buildings in the city, the stunning views and unique interior design truly reflect the highest level of fine living. Modern Home Systems was called upon to provide the design and installation expertise for the electronics in this residence. The object was outstanding performance for both the audio and video systems, seamless integration into the interior design, and above all, easy-to-use controls for the complex electronics within.

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Living Room Home Theater

The media wall of the living room is a high-tech sculpture that features several materials woven ingeniously around a Runco 61” reference quality plasma display. This display is attached to a heavy-duty articulating “arm” bracket that allows the unit to be extended from the niche for installation or service. The reference quality Revel Ultima GEM left and right speakers as well as the Revel Ultima Voice center channel speakers are hidden behind sculpted custom grille panels. The end result is absolutely stunning both from a visual and an audio/video performance standpoint.

Living Room Home Theater - Surround

The audio electronics for the living room surround system are Proceed’s AVP2 and AMP5 combination. Although the Proceed brand has been assimilated by Mark Levinson and Lexicon, the surround processor and amplifier complement is known in the industry to be one of the best ever produced for movie soundtrack and music reproduction. The Proceed electronics combined with the Revel Ultima speakers provide amazing sound quality in this primary living space. The equipment for the living room system is located in the office electronic racks.

Office Equipment Racks

The office in the home features three television/monitors and four Middle Atlantic AXS pullout equipment racks. This room is the electronic nerve-center of the home. All of the video sources, music sources, cable boxes, switching equipment and automation hardware are located in the equipment racks. Revel Performa series bookshelf speakers and a large powered subwoofer provide excellent sound for the office from behind acoustically transparent grille materials.

A custom video switching and distribution network was installed to allow all of the video components for the home to be located in this location. Virtually any video source, including his and hers HD DVR’s, VCR, DVD and HD satellite may be routed to any television. Also, the central music sources are distributed to the various rooms in the house from the office. Music sources include an AM/FM tuner, a dual-cassette deck, a reference single disc CD player, a 400 CD library player and a cable music receiver. Any source can be listened to and controlled from any room in the house. This control and routing of music sources is carried out via an Audioaccess multizone music preamplifier.

This central equipment configuration saved a considerable amount of space in the individual rooms around the house where displays are located.

Dining Room

A custom credenza was created in the dining area to allow a 42” Runco reference plasma display to rise up out of the cabinet at the end of the table when in use. When the system is turned off, the display lowers back down into the cabinet. Flush-mount speakers are built in to the wooden cabinet that houses the display. The speakers were faux painted to blend with the exotic wood. The television in this location is controlled by a Crestron handheld radio frequency remote control. All of the video sources and the receiver that provides audio amplification and video switching are housed in the office racks.

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom features a 50” Runco reference plasma display. This display is concealed in a second custom lift mechanism located across the room from the bed. The display rises up when it is activated by the local Crestron wireless remote control. Speakers for the display are enclosed in the custom cabinetry flanking the display. The lift mechanism solution is ideal for this application. The spectacular view from the windows is not blocked in any way by the television when it is off. When the television is activated, primarily at night when the owners are in bed, it rises up into the perfect position for viewing.

Master Bath & Kitchen

Basic televisions are incorporated into the design of the kitchen and master bath areas. Music is also provided in both rooms as well. The small televisions are controlled via 30-button Crestron handheld remote controls. The small remotes allow the one-touch operational convenience of larger touchpanel on the smaller sets. Since most viewing in these areas is casual, the full-featured touchscreens were not required for normal operation.

Showroom:

7007 Carroll Road
San Diego, CA 92121

Phone: 858-554-0404

Fax: 858-554-0707

E-mail: Click Here