Steinway & Sons pianos have been delighting concert-goers for over 150 years, and now, in teaming up with the noted Danish audio company Lyngdorf, the Steinway Lyngdorf collection of home theatre equipment is bringing its collective sound pedigree into our homes. Not just any old home mind you, but we’ll get to that.
Last year on GadgetGuy we featured the Steinway Lyngdorf Model D Music system as a ‘You wish’ story. Another year, another system. The Model D was big – it’s impossible not to apply the notion of big to speakers that weigh 174 kg each – but this year we’re looking at an entirely bigger collection of gear from the company, its Model M Home Theater Sound Systems. There is no one system per se, rather it is a collection speakers, amplifiers, processor and remote control – you pick the configuration and bespoke real-wood or lacquer finishes for the components.
That said, there is a ‘base’ Model M system of sorts, in a 5.1 configuration, producing 3,200 watts power output. In this you’ll receive four Model M in-wall or on-wall speakers, one Model M centre speaker, two subwoofers, one P1 surround sound processor with HDMI 1.3 support, and four P1 amplifiers.
The system is controlled by the P1 remote control interface – there’s no button on any of the components, so don’t lose that remote. The sound will be crafted to suit your listening space using the RoomPerfect system, which produces a three-dimensional map of your room’s sound field.
In the ‘basic’ matte wood finish, this configuration will set you back – and you’ll recall earlier I mentioned we’d return to the type of home that would host this system – $89,900. US dollars. Green gold.
If you think that’s something, the Model M system as demonstrated in the Sydney-based Audio Connection showroom was a 7.4 setup, producing 5,600 watts power output. Yes, you read that right, four subwoofers. For this wall of sound you’ll pay $US128,000, not to mention the inherent necessary cost of soundproofing, damping and deadening lest you bring down on yourself the wrath of family and neighbours.
You’re not restricted to these two configurations; you can mix up the speakers, and add a piano lacquer finish to the components in any colour to match the decor of your home theatre room.
The P1 remote control interface – that’s a remote control to use a more readily understandable term – is an object of real desire. It’s substantial in size, simple in design, and the volume control moves with a pleasing and astonishing ease. You’ll just want to play with it to get that sound level right!
Anthony Grimani, a veteran of sound who has worked at Dolby and Lucasfilm THX, remarks of the system, “I have spent my career seeking out home theatre technologies that can deliver on sound that I desire for my clientele. With Steinway Lyngdorf’s new home theater products, my team and I will be able to design home theaters producing sounds unlike anything we have created before.”
