REFERENCE SOUNDS HOME CINEMA

“I must have been about 6 years old. Without a reason given to me, my parents dropped my then still little sister at grandma’s and then drove on with me in the backseat to the Lijnbaansgracht in Amsterdam. Dad fumbled his (then already) old BMW skilfully into a parking space far too tight for me to proudly walk onto Leidseplein with my hand. I really had no idea. Until we walked through the main door of the City and a few minutes later we took our seats in the red theater seats. Heman – Masters of the Universe. The big screen, the overwhelming sound. Pure magic. For a moment I felt just as big as Dolf Lundgren, but not in that silly leather outfit of course.”

Audiovisual illusion

That’s where the seed was planted. The fascination for film that pins you to your seat and enchants you in front of you. For us, that is exactly what a good film or concert should do: it transports you to another world for a moment, makes you forget where you are. In the years after Heman, we continued to delve deeper into the technology behind the canvas. Searching for the link between technique and magic and especially how that technique manages to draw you even deeper into the film. The key lies in a balanced balance between image, sound, acoustics and atmosphere. The visual spectacle of film is lost without sense-provoking sound. Sound makes you part of the movie. There is only one real specialist for that intense experience. JBL Synthesis. That is why we have been the proud importer for years. Born in professional cinema, JBL stood at the cradle of contemporary cinema technology. JBL is the ‘Sound of the Cinema’, you don’t get closer to the very best cinema experience. But a magical experience is much more than just a good product. As with High-End audio, it’s all about synergy. Fusion of image, sound and space. Something in which we have continued to specialize, supported by our manufacturers and various training courses. Together with our partners we are able to fulfill the ultimate Home Cinema wish. Reference Sounds – Masters of the Cinema.

LISTEN

A good Cinema starts with the customer. It’s not about technology but about the customer’s desire. The road to a good end result, therefore begins with the identification of needs and expectations. So listen. From that point on, we puzzle over a solution that perfectly matches wishes and space. Sometimes a cinema question is very specific, the basis has already been realized and there is already an ideal image of how the space should be filled in. The other time we start with a blank piece of paper. Whatever the question, everything starts with clearly mapping out the wish.

IMMERSIVE

Where the first films were supported by a single live musician and later by a single speaker, we are now used to dozens of speakers around us. Audio formats such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro upscale the surrounding surround experience to an immersive experience with the addition of speakers above the listener. That immersive or 3D audio where sound seems to come from all sides is nothing short of spectacular. Here too, however, the trick is to find a good balance, all channels flow seamlessly into each other. Only in this way do you imagine yourself in a bubble of sound. Seating position in the room in relation to screen and speakers, speaker location, acoustics and adjustment are extremely important. Only when all elements are correct does good turn into magic.

CUSTOM

As professional idiots, we are naturally fond of the technology that makes the Cinema what it is. Nevertheless, with the ideal Home Cinema we always strive for a total experience in which the technology is visually hidden from view. Completely concealed in the interior. We want to immerse you in an audiovisual illusion, enchant you with images and sound – not with technology. With JBL Synthesis we have the very best components in house as far as we are concerned. Can be tightly integrated into the walls and ceilings and completely optimized for their purpose; Home cinema reproduction of absolute top class.

Our ideal cinema is a space where the tension of the film is palpable. Literally. When we can truly go all out, we want to extract every note the filmmaker has crafted into the soundtrack with the utmost conviction. This means making the extremely deep bass—the bass beneath the bass, so to speak—that some films use to convey maximum drama and tension truly tangible. Often, we opt for a completely custom solution with one of our Infra-Sonic Subwoofer systems. Here too, with our expertise and collaboration with subwoofer amplifier specialist SpeakerPower, we can create truly unique concepts that you can feel deep down. Magical!

As an importer and specialist in the application of our brands, we go much further than just supplying the product. Customization is key, and we strive for a fusion of interior design and acoustics. With our own in-house interior builder, in consultation with our JBL Synthesis partners, we are also perfectly capable of realizing your complete home cinema. From design to realization. From small to mega. Everything is possible and can be experienced in our Experience Center.

MASTERS OF BASS

In recent years, the quality of surround codecs has increased dramatically. Sound engineers are therefore increasingly striving to fully utilize these qualities, where sound complements the tension of the image. Anything is possible. Think of the sound effects of explosions, natural disasters, or a descending UFO. Folio studios, synthesizers, and computers enable the realization of the most extreme sounds. But also consider the creative musical minds of Hans Zimmer, Max Richter, and Jóhann Jóhannsson, for example. They all strive to create unique sounds to enhance the drama of the image. This involves richly utilizing bass frequencies that the average subwoofer can barely convert into power. As bass enthusiasts, we simply have the best in the world with JBL Synthesis subwoofers to hear these low frequencies. But sometimes we want a little more. To truly and effectively make the infrasonic tones of, for example, Dune, Inception, or Deep Water Horizon tangible. And then, in our opinion, a custom-made solution to complement our JBL Synthesis subwoofers is the very best solution.

Completely in-house designed and manufactured infrasonic subwoofers, developed within the constraints of the available space. Truly custom-made. For example, in our Cinema at the Reference Sounds Experience Center, we integrated a custom-made Infrasonic Subwoofer measuring just under 300cm wide, 100cm high, and 65cm deep. Equipped with a specially developed cabinet construction and two 18″ subwoofers, we easily reach 12Hz at -3dB. Thanks to a collaboration with subwoofer amplifier specialist SpeakerPower, we can truly bring these frequencies to life. SpeakerPower’s design philosophy focuses entirely on the subwoofer range, allowing them to deliver high current for extended periods, eliminate internal infrasonic filtering, and maintain stability at 2 ohms.

A subwoofer like this wouldn’t be feasible on its own, of course, but when it’s invisibly integrated into a cinema as part of a baffle wall we developed, a whole new world suddenly becomes possible!

The result is hard to describe. It’s as if a new dimension is added. A tension that hangs almost palpably in the room, making the feeling of oppression, euphoria, or suspense even more gripping. So many films are built on the foundation of bass as the vehicle for tension that after listening to just one scene, you never want to go back. Luckily, we can make that happen!

Experience JBL Synthesis Home Cinema

Our passion for the ultimate reproduction of image and sound is enormous. Yet there is only one way to truly convey the power of JBL Synthesis. The tingling in your stomach, shivers down your spine and completely immersive energy of a fully optimized JBL Synthesis Home Cinema. You have to experience it yourself. And you can. With our 21-channel strong JBL Synthesis Cinema in the great Reference Sounds Experience Center you can fully experience the power of JBL Synthesis. In addition to the experience of our JBL Synthesis Cinema, our Experience Center is also an enormous source of inspiration for all possibilities in the field of finish, integration, light and materials. Everything comes together where the solutions go much further than a pure dedicated Home Cinema. The integration of sound in a custom Cinemawall or furniture, media room, mancave, bar or simply wonderful in the living room – everything is possible.

You are – on request – welcome to the Experience Center of Reference Sounds.