10/15/2026
Sometimes a journey is short, but sometimes a journey can span decades.
Today we are reviewing The Family Cinema, created by Johannes aka Joe. This theater journey spans 30 years, culminating in a 48 channel active speaker and waveforming cinema for him and his family.
"My love of home theater started around 1993 at boarding school, where a film club showed a movie every week. The equipment was modest and other students’ heads often blocked the view, but those nights were often the best part of my week. They showed me that a big picture and immersive sound didn’t need a commercial cinema.
Later, while our parents were on vacation, my brother and I took over a basement room and turned it into a makeshift theater. Over the years it grew into something we were proud of.
When I started earning money, I planned a house with a dedicated theater room from the start. I moved in in 2008. I designed and built the first Family Cinema entirely myself, and it served us well for years. As I learned more about acoustics and design, though, I realized how much potential it still had.
At the end of 2020, I decided on a complete redesign and technology upgrade. This time I had professional help with the planning, along with many good ideas from members of Heimkinoverein.de. I did the renovation myself in stages between May 2021 and October 2023, and the theater was out of use for only one week. A professional did the final calibration, including Trinnov WaveForming, in January 2024.
Step by step, the Family Cinema became the Family Cinema 2.0.
Build thread: https://www.heimkinoverein.de/forum/thread/18977-family-cinema/
https://family-cinema.familycinema.chatgpt.site"
Need help with your "Dream Home Theater?
Whether you are converting a small spare bedroom or building a dedicated room from the ground up, everything has to come together to make that experience enjoyable. Ben and Ryan can help design, source, and calibrate the perfect system for your exact space. Get in touch using the links at the bottom of the description.
The Family Cinema:
Projector: JVC DLA-NZ9
Anamorphic Lens: ISCO Cinema DLP 1.25
Video Processor: madVR Envy Extreme MK2
Audio Processor: Trinnov Altitude32-48, 2 × RME ADI-8 QS DACs, 3 × Xilica XP4080 DSPs
Power Amplifiers: beckersounds amplifiers powered by Hypex NCore modules, plus 6 × IMG STA-2000D amplifiers for the subwoofers
Loudspeakers: beckersounds (custom-built) – LCR: 3 × b500, Front Wides: 2 × b300, Surround & Rear Surround: 10 × b250, Overhead: 6 × b200, Subwoofers: 12 × b900
Screen: Prismasonic fixed-frame CinemaScope screen, 2.40:1 aspect ratio, acoustically transparent micro-perforated screen material, gain 1.2, visible image size: 4.31 m × 1.80 m
Source Devices: Disc: Panasonic DP-UB9004, Media Player: R_volution Player One 8K, Streaming: Apple TV 4K, Satellite Receiver
Lighting Control: Philips Hue Bridge
Control System: Crestron TSR-310 touchscreen remote with Crestron RMC-4 controller
Acoustic Treatment: Absorptive front wall, extensive absorber and diffuser system, Trinnov WaveForming for virtually mode-free bass reproduction
Want Your Room Reviewed?
If you have a room that you would like reviewed, please fill out the form at the link below.
https://forms.gle/jCXnJJAEohyyiCBbA
Ryan Charpentier (Host)
Owner of Ascend Audio Video and founder of The AV Experience focusing on removing snake oil and subjectivity from the AV space and setting objectivity at the forefront.
Want a new turn key theater/AV space, have general questions, or need to purchase some equipment for your theater? Contact Ryan at Ascend AV.
https://ascendav.net/
Ben Goff (Co-Host)
Technical Director at Cinema Buro, specializing in high-performance turn-key private cinemas.
Need a design or guidance with a build? Contact Ben for engineering-led design, room acoustics, and system optimization & performance consultancy aligned to CEDIA RP22 / RP32. Contact Ben at Cinema Buro.
https://cinemaburo.com!
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