A longtime client in Bloomfield was facing a challenge familiar to many audiophiles: downsizing from an 8,500 square foot home to a 3,000 square foot luxury condo in Birmingham. Tower speakers, equipment racks, and his beloved high-performance audio system? None of it would fit in the new space, and his wife had made it clear: the new home needed to look beautiful, not like an audio showroom.
The challenge? Preserve true audiophile performance in a modern, aesthetically-conscious condo where visible speakers weren’t welcome.
What They Wanted
They loved their Control4 smart home system and wanted to bring it with them to Birmingham. But the new condo needed a complete reimagining: architectural speakers that disappeared into ceilings and walls, hidden subwoofers, seamless streaming of his lossless music library, and sophisticated home theater in multiple rooms, all without a single piece of visible equipment.
Their biggest concern? Friends who’d downsized and regretted sacrificing sound quality for aesthetics. They wanted the performance they loved in a package their wife would love too.
How We Made It Work
We designed a six-zone architectural audio system using Control4 automation they already trusted, integrating BlueSound for high-resolution streaming throughout. The best of both worlds: reference-quality sound with invisible integration.
The main family room upstairs. Where daily life happens, we installed James Loudspeaker Beryllium Tweeter Arrays, angled in-ceiling speakers that deliver pinpoint imaging like studio monitors. A James PowerPipe subwoofer hides in the ceiling, vented through a 4-inch port. The Anthem receiver’s ARC room correction tuned everything perfectly to the space. A 75″ Samsung Frame TV looks like art when off, disappears into the experience when it’s movie time.
The lower level media room. This is where the magic happens for serious listening and cinematic experiences. A 98″ display anchors the room, flanked by Wisdom Audio’s flagship in-wall L8 speakers with a hidden 12-inch subwoofer vented invisibly through custom millwork. Wisdom ICA in-ceiling rear speakers complete the 4.1 system that rivals dedicated theater rooms twice its size.
Music that follows you everywhere. Start a playlist in the bedroom, extend it to the kitchen while cooking, bring it to the lower level media room for serious listening. BlueSound streams his entire lossless music library from his network storage to any room in the condo.
Every room dialed in. The bedroom has Triad in-wall speakers and a slim subwoofer for late-night viewing. The bathroom features moisture-proof Monitor Audio speakers built for steam showers. Even the kitchen has a small Frame TV with a Control4 touch panel for quick access to music, scenes, and lighting.
We coordinated with their builder and electrician during the Birmingham condo renovation, pre-wiring everything before drywall went up. The result? A system that feels purpose-built for the space, not compromised by it.
What Life Looks Like Now
Six months in, the Birmingham condo feels like it was designed around their lifestyle. In the main family room upstairs, “Movie Night” dims the lights, drops the shades, powers on the system, and cues up their streaming app, all with one button. Guests walk in and ask, “Where are the speakers?”
Sunday mornings have become a ritual. Coffee brewing, lossless jazz filling the kitchen and terrace, natural light flooding in. The whole experience controlled from their phones or voice.
The lower level media room has become the gathering spot for serious entertainment. The 98″ display and Wisdom Audio speakers deliver an experience that makes friends who kept their tower speakers jealous. And the wife? She admits the invisible system sounds better than the old setup in Bloomfield ever did.
Most importantly, they didn’t sacrifice their passion. They just evolved it. Less space, better sound, and a home that finally looks the way they both wanted.
Ready for Your Own High-Performance Audio System?
If you’re downsizing, building new, or renovating in Birmingham, Bloomfield, Royal Oak, Troy, or anywhere in Oakland County, let’s talk about your vision. Home theater? Whole house audio? Architectural speakers that disappear? Migrating your existing Control4 system?
Contact us for a conversation about your project. No pressure, just a genuine discussion about how high-performance audio can fit your lifestyle and your space.
Project Details
Location: Luxury high-rise condo, Birmingham, MI
Previous Home: Bloomfield, MI (8,500 sq ft)
New Space: ~3,000 sq ft
Timeline: 6 weeks (coordinated during renovation)
Year Completed: 2024
Key Systems:
- Main family room (upstairs) with James Loudspeaker Beryllium arrays and 75″ Frame TV
- Lower level media room with Wisdom Audio in-wall system and 98″ display
- Bedroom suite with Triad architectural speakers
- Whole-home Control4 automation (migrated from Bloomfield home)
- Blusound high-resolution streaming in all zones
- Anthem ARC room correction throughout
Primary Brands:
Control4 | James Loudspeaker | Wisdom Audio | Triad | Monitor Audio | Anthem | BlueSound | Samsung
Systems:
Network
Smart Home (Control 4)
Whole home audio
Whole home video
Media room w/ 98” display and surround sound
