LONDON, UK – 13th December 2021 – When C SEED revealed the very first video of its monolithic M1 silently emerging from the floor and unfolding into a stunning 165-inch 4K MicroLED TV display, the bar of luxury viewing had unquestionably been raised. In the same way, L-Acoustics Island Prestige, a sumptuous immersive sound lounge delivering ultra-high resolution spatial audio provides a listening experience like no other. Today, the bar rises again with the announcement that L-Acoustics Creations and C SEED have partnered on Maunakea, an integrated pairing of M1 TV and Island Prestige for unparalleled content enjoyment in luxury residential and superyacht environments.
“Maunakea,” explains Laurent Vaissié, CEO of L-Acoustics, “is named after a volcano in Hawaii, the world’s tallest peak as measured from its sea-floor base to summit—even taller than Mount Everest. In the same spirit, our latest product collaboration with C SEED affords new heights of modern elegance in luxury home entertainment systems. And just as most of Maunakea, the volcano, resides beneath the ocean surface, the technology offered by L-Acoustics Creations and C SEED remains cleverly concealed yet spectacular.”
The self-contained personal auditorium, Island Prestige, was designed by Dr. Christian Heil and the R&D team at L-Acoustics, the pioneering manufacturer of sound systems that serve the world’s leading artists and music festivals. Island is a marvel of technology, offering an unprecedented sonic environment that very comfortably places its occupants at the epicenter of the concert, film, or gaming action via 13 professional audio frontal speakers, five rear speakers, and two substantial subwoofers. Optional overhead speakers provide for an even more immersive experience. With a media processor, Island’s state-of-the-art technology seamlessly integrates to play audio from any format, including CD, DVD, Blu-ray, gaming platforms, Dolby Atmos, and hi-res streaming services such as Apple Music Spatial Audio, Amazon Music Ultra HD, Tidal and more.
Designed by Stefan Pani, M1 TV’s unfolding screen is a marvel of futuristic engineering and exquisite form, rising from the ground in a tidy package and then metamorphosing into a massive display diagonally stretching nearly 14 feet. Once deployed, M1’s technological prowess is guaranteed to impress; its 4k MicroLED technology far surpasses the performance of LCD and OLED screens, creating amazingly vibrant colors and a stunning resolution with 1,000 nits brightness and 64 billion colors. A special screen surface treatment displays the all-important black, deep and accurate like never before. In addition to onboard HDR Plus (High Dynamic Range), C SEED´s Adaptive Gap Calibration Technology renders borders between the display panels totally invisible.
“Separately, Island Prestige and M1 each represent superb and inimitable technological achievements in their respective markets. But together? There is simply no more visually and sonically incredible way to experience a film or a livestreamed concert event at home,” shares C SEED Founder and Managing Partner Alexander Swatek. “Maunakea is the latest evolution and true zenith of home entertainment, rivaling the experience of the movie industry’s top screening rooms.”
Maunakea is not the first joint endeavor for the two companies. Since 2017, L-Acoustics provides amplified controller and embedded loudspeaker technologies for C SEED Hyde 125, a fully retractable speaker system delivering up to 125 dB of pristine output and cinema-quality 9.1 surround sound. Highly water resistant, Hyde 125 has been deployed in tandem with the award-winning C SEED outdoor TV, designed by Porsche Design Studio, at high-end residences and lavish pool and yacht settings around the globe.
“Maunakea is another leap forward in our collaboration with C SEED,” shares L-Acoustics President and Founder Dr. Christian Heil. “This is a much needed departure from the conventional, rectangular dedicated dark cinema room. Maunakea taps into a contemporary and vital desire to transform the living space into a more human-centered, multi-purpose entertainment, wellness, and social environment. When a screen is required, it appears, as if by magic! The viewer is fully enveloped in physical comfort and stunning realism when watching a film or a favorite series. When end credits roll and guests wish to take in the view of a beautiful sunset, Island gently rotates to face any direction for a change of experience and scenery. It’s unique, natural, elegant, and effortless, the very definition of a luxury lifestyle.”
For ultimate viewing comfort, M1’s unfolding screen rotates 180 degrees in each direction to provide the perfect viewing angle. And when not needed, the screen smartly refolds with a simple button press, once again completely disappearing into the floor to preserve the clean look of an ultramodern living room.
Maunakea seamlessly integrates with the high-end home environment, presenting immersive, ultra-high-resolution AV entertainment without intrusion in walls and ceilings. Perfectly compatible with modern architectural designs—glass walls, marble surfaces, vaulted ceilings, and the like—the system is a conversation piece that will stun even the most jaded guests of trophy home entertainers.
Island comes in a variety of light and dark wood finishes and fabric color options which can be further customized in collaboration with an interior designer. Likewise, the C SEED M1 metallic base is available in four elegant tones and a choice of casings to match any taste.
Maunakea will be available for shipping in spring of 2022, and both L-Acoustics Creations Certified Integrators and C SEED distributors will be able to offer the combined high-end entertainment system with the full support of one another’s technical and application teams.
For more information on Maunakea, please visit www.l-acoustics-creations.com and www.cseed.tv.
* Editor’s note: Maunakea (pronounced MO-na-KEY-uh) borrows its name from the dormant volcano in Hawaii, considered to be the world’s highest peak at an elevation of 33,500 feet/10,200 meters as measured from sea floor to summit.
About C SEED
Headquartered in Vienna, with a branch office in Los Angeles, C SEED Entertainment Systems matches minimalistic design with impeccable craftsmanship, creating leading-edge luxury entertainment electronics. This award-winning company was founded in 2009 by Alexander Swatek and two former Bang & Olufsen managers. C SEED has proven daringly innovative concepts with successful installations in some of the world ́s most spectacular natural and architectural environments, and on superyachts as well, building the brand ́s reputation on top-notch Austrian engineering and meeting the most exacting quality standards. More details can be found at www.cseed.tv.
About L-Acoustics Creations
L-Acoustics Creations is a division of L-Acoustics, devoted to the creation of extraordinary sound spaces in residential, architectural, and cultural environments. L-Acoustics is the world leader in premium sound systems for live events and large-scale architectural projects: music venues, stadia, performing arts centers, museums, theme parks, and cruise ships. For decades, L-Acoustics has shaped the future of sound through the company’s dedication to innovation, product design excellence and technologies that enable audio professionals and artists to elevate the listener experience. More information at www.l-acoustics-creations.com.
About L-Acoustics
Founded in 1984 near Paris, France, L-Acoustics is the market leader in professional sound reinforcement technologies. With over 500 team members worldwide and offices in Paris, London, Singapore, Los Angeles, and New York, L-Acoustics is present in over 80 countries via our network of Certified Providers. Focused on solutions that elevate the audience experience, more than 20% of L-Acoustics’ talent is devoted to R&D in the areas of acoustics, applications, mechanics, electronics, signal processing, and software development. In recognition of creating innovative professional sound technology, L-Acoustics was named as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2020.
Recognized for pioneering the line source array, L-Acoustics continues to shape the future of the professional audio industry with L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology, a multidimensional, object-based approach to designing, mixing, and processing sound that results in extremely natural and intelligible audio, and a more vibrant, authentic connection between artists and their fans. Now also available for exceptional private sound spaces with L-Acoustics Creations designs.
L-Acoustics technologies can be heard in places like the Hollywood Bowl, Dickies Arena, Allianz Arena, home of Bayern Munich, or the Philharmonie de Paris, as well as the world’s top-grossing festivals, and on tour with world-class artists such as Mark Knopfler, Aerosmith, and P!NK.
