Completed in early '96, the project is anchored by a dedicated 12,000 cubic ft. screening room for a leading figure in the recording industry.

The auditorium incorporates seating on three levels and features an enhanced version of the professional sound system used to produce major motion pictures at Lucasfilm's Skywalker Ranch, High Definition-compatible widescreen video, and a proprietary Keith Yates-designed "e-Quake" floor motion system designed to introduce the tactile dimension to the on-screen portrayal of dinosaur clomps, explosions, jet and train sounds, and other vibrotactile events. The video projector motorizes down from a large, suspended ceiling "wave" made up of solid iroko wood slats in a precise acoustic geometry to promote high-frequency diffusion and midrange and low-frequency absorption.

The first residential installation of a Lucasfilm THX "Bafflette" wall provides a controlled acoustical environment for the main motion-picture loudspeakers, as well as for three future control room-type speakers for high-resolution monitoring of CD mixes prior to their commercial release. At the front of the room a sprung dance floor, energized by the e-Quake floor shakers, drives the music's beat directly into the dancers' feet.

A separate 400 sq. ft. Control Room houses hardware, software and guitars and other memorabilia from many Grammy-winning artists who record for the owner's myriad record labels. The Music Studio, a separate room upstairs, provide an airy environment for the client to work and monitor CDs and demo tracks. A/V and control systems by Cello/ESC, Aspen, Colorado.

Thoroughness in structural and mechanical design and care during all phases of construction and installation helped the main auditorium achieve almost unprecedentedly low background noise levels. The best professional recording studios strive to achieve NC-15 (red trace, right), while this particular Aspen Screening Room (green trace) reached levels at or below the threshold of human detection (blue trace).

Performance-Based Room Design (sm)

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