Inside CI Tech Talk - News, Reviews and Interviews

Send us Fan Mail Sound that disappears, design that shines. We sit down with Jamie at the Stealth Acoustics stand to explore how invisible speakers, marine-ready Stingray models, and a turnkey outdoor LED theater reshape homes, gardens, and even superyachts without visual clutter. From kitchens that need clean lines to patios that demand weatherproof punch, the goal is simple: premium audio that b...

Send us Fan Mail Great sound doesn’t need to clutter your space. From the floor of ISE 2026 in Barcelona, we explore how a new passive stereo “soundbar” aims to merge hi‑fi performance with minimalist design. It looks like a sleek on‑wall bar, but the engineering reads like a serious two‑channel speaker: sealed cabinet, long‑throw woofers, soft dome tweeters, and tuning optimised for wall mounting...

Send us Fan Mail LED video walls look like the future of private cinema, but they create a thorny audio problem: no space behind the image for a true centre channel and barely any depth around the screen. We dig into Ascendo’s answer, the 8 Pro Passive LED Wedge, a shallow, coaxial-based speaker engineered to deliver reference sound where traditional enclosures simply don’t fit. From dialogue inte...

Send us Fan Mail Some product launches nudge the market; this one aims to reset expectations. Artcoustic’s Spitfire Q series delivers the scale and control of line arrays inside a single, elegant enclosure, designed for luxury private cinemas and pro installations where performance, predictability, and speed of deployment matter. We walk through what makes this range different, how it changes comm...

Send us Fan Mail Big, bright, and built for real-world spaces—our latest Tech Talk breaks down Sony’s new Bravia BZP professional display lineup launching at ISE 2026. We unpack what actually matters in a modern commercial screen: anti-glare that tames atrium reflections, wide viewing angles that keep menus readable across the room, and AI-powered picture tuning that adapts in real time. From reta...

Send us Fan Mail Big homes, open layouts, and picky acoustics ask a lot from audio systems. We dig into Sonos Amp Multi, a pro-grade multi-channel streaming amplifier designed to give integrators more control and homeowners a seamless, reliable experience. From flexible zoning to quiet, fanless operation, we unpack how this hardware reshapes multi-room audio without adding complexity. We start wit...

Send us Fan Mail A black box that cuts rack clutter, runs cooler, and scales from a cosy master suite to a sprawling estate? We sat down with Stephen to unpack the new Sonos Amp Multi, the new pro-only multi-room amplifier designed for installers who crave clean builds, flexible zoning, and dependable power without heat headaches. We start with access and why it matters: Amp Multi is available exc...

Send us Fan Mail Start with a kitchen. Add music that follows you from the garden to the hallway. Tap a single button and watch the room shift from cooking to dining to late night. That’s the feeling we set out to build with our new showroom: a real home experience that quietly hides the tech and elevates daily life. We share how a partnership with a high-end kitchen studio became the perfect back...

Send us Fan Mail Big-screen magic without the big, bulky TV—our Tech Talk News update spotlights Epson’s Life Studio Grand EHLS 970, a real 4K ultra-short-throw projector designed to bring cinema-scale viewing to everyday living rooms. We unpack how a unit that sits just centimetres from the wall can beam a stunning image up to 150 inches, why 4,000 lumens matters for daytime viewing, and how AI-p...

Send us Fan Mail Sound and screen finally meet as equals. We dive into Procella Audio’s 20th anniversary showcase at ISE 2026, where Immersio reframes how premium residential cinemas are designed. By integrating high-performance LED screens with in-house loudspeaker engineering, Immersio tackles the installation pain points that come with massive display walls—placement limits, acoustic compromise...

Send us Fan Mail Step into Barco’s headquarters in Kortrijk with us and see what separates a truly cinematic image from a bright picture on a big wall. Bart, who leads business development for Barco Residential in EMEA, opens doors to their demo cinemas and labs so we can connect the dots between specs, engineering, and what you actually feel when the room goes dark, and the story takes over. We d...

Send us Fan Mail Forget the spec sheets—this festive session digs into what actually works in real homes. We start with a full Lutron RA3 commissioning, how we built 70-plus scenes that feel effortless, and where app control beats a laptop when you’re knee-deep on site. Then we go all-in on UniFi: Dream Machine Fibre, 10GbE links, and Wi‑Fi 7 access points that make a 2.5 Gbps connection sing. Pro...

Send us Fan Mail The day starts with a bruise and ends with a Barco HDR jaw-drop. We catch up after two months apart, swap stories from a London to Brighton ride that raised more than £25,000 for Together for Cinema, and unpack why telling the charity’s stories on film hits harder than any spec sheet. From there, we dive into an award-winning, deceptively simple media room—Amina invisible speakers...

Send us Fan Mail Big shifts rarely happen by accident; they come from bold bets that connect the dots others ignore. We sit down with All Things Media CEO David Kitchener to unpack a strategy designed to grow the smart home market by bringing two adjacent worlds under one roof at the NEC Birmingham: EI Live and the new ECN Live. Instead of chasing the same attendees every year, co-location invites...

Send us Fan Mail Want TV sound that actually moves you and a music system your family can use without thinking? We sat down with Stephen Reed, Sonos’ UK lead for the professional channel, to unpack how those early “little white boxes” became a platform that turned private listening into shared sound. Stephen takes us behind the scenes on product evolution, the reliability mantra that installers sw...

Send us Fan Mail Want a home cinema that feels visceral, vivid, and effortless at the same time? We spent two days inside Procella’s Netherlands facility to unpack how pro-grade components, smart room design, and THX fundamentals create reference sound that doesn’t wear you out. From their DTS origins to a bold Procella 2.0 roadmap, we dive into the build decisions that matter: baffle walls done r...

Send us Fan Mail Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0 A 1935 radio repair shop doesn’t become a modern AV powerhouse by accident. Stuart Tickle, fourth-generation MD of AWE, sits down with us to unpack a 90-year journey of pivots, grit, and careful bets—from wireless sets and coil winding, to background music in pubs, to reference-grade cinemas and a showroom built to pers...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when passionate home cinema specialists decide to join forces? The Home Cinema Alliance represents a revolutionary approach to an age-old problem: how small, specialised businesses can effectively market themselves while maintaining laser focus on their craft. Founded around 2018 by industry veterans with decades of combined experience, the HCA has evolved into a powe...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when military-grade precision meets home automation? Andy from Moss Tech reveals his remarkable journey from Royal Air Force electronic engineer working on Tornado and Jaguar aircraft to pioneering smart home solutions across the UK. Andy's transition began modestly—a one-man electrical business started while still serving in the RAF, sometimes accepting payment...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered what happens when you place 22 identical speakers around a dining room in Versailles? For Trinov Audio founder Arnaud Laborie , this experiment revealed how dramatically speaker placement affects sound reproduction, sparking a revolution in 3D audio processing that continues to this day. David Meyerowitz takes us through Trinnov's fascinating journey fr...

Send us Fan Mail The age-old question for home entertainment enthusiasts: should you create a dedicated cinema room or a versatile media room? Stuart Burgess and Simon Gregory dive deep into this fascinating topic, unpacking the crucial differences that will help you make the right choice for your home and lifestyle. "No other purpose, no compromises" becomes the defining mantra of dedic...

Send us Fan Mail From stadium tours with Grammy-winning producers to crafting the perfect acoustic environments for home cinemas, Darren of Cinema Luxe shares how his unique journey through music and interior design created the foundation for a specialist business that's redefining home entertainment spaces. At Cinema Luxe, the philosophy is refreshingly straightforward: create extraordinary...

Send us Fan Mail The home cinema is no longer just a place to watch movies but has evolved into a multi-purpose sanctuary that can become your favourite room in the house. We explore how these spaces provide escape and relaxation while serving as family gathering spots. • Home cinemas are evolving into tranquil multi-purpose spaces beyond just movie watching • These rooms provide acoustic isolatio...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when audio technology experts design entertainment spaces specifically for families? This revealing conversation with Jamie and Mel of CAVD Distribution pulls back the curtain on a world most consumers never see – where custom-designed home entertainment systems create magical family experiences far beyond what mass-market products can deliver. Celebrating their 11th...

Send us Fan Mail Stuart Lillis takes us behind the curtain of Limitless Automation, sharing how his 25-year journey in home entertainment has shaped his approach to creating extraordinary cinema spaces. From his humble beginnings as a "spotty teenager emptying vans" during the era when plasma TVs were replacing CRTs, to founding his own successful company, Stuart's story reflects th...