Over 45 years ago we started out with a credo:
“There is no mystery to great sound!”
With the addition of so many new aspects to the wonderful world we service, demystifying great sound, picture and all aspects of smart home automation continues to be our core strength. Moreover, our history reflects Calgary’s audio and visual technology evolution through the many years of dedicated service.
Calgary’s Premier Home Automation Systems, Hi-Fi, and Home Theater Shop
K&W Audio is Calgary’s premier high-end Hi-Fi, Home Theater and Home Automation Systems integration shop. We offer a wide range of products and services. For example, fine audio reproduction technologies including exotic stereo separates, cables and all related music reproduction devices. Also, hard drive and cloud based media servers, private theater design, and custom crafted whole home electronic solutions.
From our inception back in 1978, founded by Ken and Wayne, we have been committed to providing you with the best service and advice. Of course, along with a complimentary mix of high quality electronic equipment.
Ken and Wayne at the counter in 1978. Wayne is on the left, and Ken is on the right.
Providing Superior Solutions
Several of our staff members have been in this industry for over 40 years, and none of us are wet behind the ears. To be sure, our well over 100 years of combined experience ensures we provide solutions that meet, and often exceed, your expectations.
Our business is built on, and continues to thrive on, customer satisfaction. Our core offering lies within our experience. More specifically, in designing automated home entertainment systems to fit specific needs, taking into consideration the persons wants, needs and budget.
Today Darren is our illustrious leader. He’s been in the business all his life, and started out working with Ken & Wayne!
Where Design & Technology Meet
This business has dramatically evolved over the years, mirroring constant technological advancements in our field. Despite this, our clients’ needs and desires remain consistent. Consequently, our services span consultation, design, build, fabrication, delivery, installation, programming, upgrading, and maintenance.
From control system programming to interior & acoustic design and cutting-edge residential networking, our range is broad. Additionally, we provide class ‘A’ amplifier-based stereo systems. Particularly, we excel in integrating audiophile-level sound in home theaters and entertainment systems, delighting clients at first listen.
Moreover, our advanced product mix, including high-def projection technologies, surpasses the typical flat TVs and soundbars. aiming to exceed your expectations.
“Hand Signals”
Artist – Derek Besant
The Hands Spell The Word DREAM.
OUR ELECTRONIC DESIGN CENTER
For Demonstration and Selection
Our role is much more than just supplying services and equipment too. Technology changes almost daily, making it impossible for those not in it full time to keep up with developments. Informing our clients about current technology’s possibilities is crucial. In this way, your satisfaction with the system remains high.
However, listening to the client and understanding their needs remains the most important element of our existence. In this context, we adopt a consultative approach, assessing your current and future technology needs; hence, our slogan – ‘where design & technology meet‘.
Let’s take a tour…
Open Concept Main Showroom
Upon entering the shop, an open concept main showroom welcomes you, showcasing speakers and electronics. Further in, you’ll discover an area dedicated to wireless, soundbar, and streaming products from Sonos, Bluesound, Yamaha and Marantz. Here, you can experience them integrated with stereo and home theater systems or as standalone units.
McIntosh, Paradigm and B&W Showroom
A pair of glass French doors next to this space invite you to enter the room. Immediately, one discovers McIntosh electronics shown off in a modern open rack playing bespoke Paradigm Persona loudspeakers or some beautiful B&W 800 Diamond series flagships.
Seriously Dedicated Audio Visual Demo Room
This is a serious audio auditioning space, with Vicoustic room treatments, facing a black leather Front Row brand couch. Here, we can demonstrate various McIntosh amplifier and source combinations. Consequently, you can experience everything from tubes to streaming music. In this way, this multi-purpose room that can demonstrate daily as a living room or dedicated audiophile stereo listening space.
Dedicated Home Theater Demo Room
Adjacent to the main area, a dedicated home theater awaits. Soft sponge-painted brown walls with Vicoustic treatment create an ideal backdrop. Furthermore, it features a Samsung 78″ curved LED 4K TV, complemented by Marantz’s top-tier 11.2 channel THX ATMOS processing and Paradigm Prestige loudspeakers.
A second hidden video system with a JVC 8K projector lighting up a Stewart Phantom HALR screen,which descends from a Stewart Filmscreen Cabaret stainless steel case at the touch of button. A Control4 touchscreen manages the system, including complete lighting control, with a single touch.
Stealth Home Theater Demo Room
The third room showcases inlaid designs on custom acoustic fabric walls, adorned in neutral greens and grays. Additionally, it houses a Samsung 82″ stealth home theater, with a THX Ultra2 Sound system well hidden behind acoustically modeled, and custom designed, fabric wall coverings.
It offers the ability to play Totem free-standing speakers, with a choice of electronics from Anthem, Kaleidescape, Marantz, Denon, McIntosh, Primaluna and Yamaha.
Electronic Accessories Showcase
The retail area has seating for you to comfortably converse with one of our professionals, as well as generous showcasing of electronic accessories. Here’s James, our resident THX expert pointing out how all of our amplifiers go to 11.
We’re Here to Help
The welcoming consultation and check out area is a laid back affair – with people like Mike waiting to help you, and tell you all about who was the best lead singer for Van Halen…
“The Next Level” of Audio Visual Demo Rooms
When proceeding up the stairs to the shop’s upper level, will find a display of interesting accessories in a jewel case at the foot of the stairs. A 55-inch 4K Samsung Frame TV, is mounted on the wall along with a unique Movie Poster Board digital Movie Poster display – a very cool addition to anyone’s Home Theater decor.
The anticipation begins here. You are now on your way to “The Next Level”.
Grand Home Theater Demo Room
On the second level there are three additional demonstration rooms and a custom home kitchen area. First, our master home theater contains the finest home theater components and accessories. Here, a Control4 touch screen control tablet and DBox motion-simulator-equipped plush micro-fiber theater seats put the viewer “in the action.” To summarize, the quality components used in this room currently include:
- Control4 Control System with Control4 lighting
- Front Row power motion reclining theater seats
- 11 channels of Martin Logan speakers
- Anthem Processing and Amplification
- JVC’s latest Laser 8K native DILA projector
- Panasonic’s finest Blu-ray player
- Dbox Motion Simulator
- Stewart Filmscreen’s 4-way masking screen at 135”
- Martin Logan Reference sub-woofers
- Torus power management and Audioquest cabling
- Kaleidescape movie and music management system, and
- Bluesound Node 2 & Sonos High Resolution music streaming
- High Definition TV, Streaming TV and X-Box live complete the smorgasbord.
“If there is a better home theater in terms out right performance or quality of presentation, we haven’t seen it….” Marketnews
“The Loft” Demo Room
Next door to this room is a loft area showing exotic stereo electronics in a home environment. In this convincing living room/ dining area, clients can sit down and review their house plans while listening to music. Or, enjoying a espresso. Moreover, you can listen to high resolution streaming sources, exotic separates and other high-resolution playback components.
Among the equipment auditioned here are brand names such as Martin Logan, McIntosh, Bluesound, Totem, Paradigm, B&W, Definitive Technology and M&K. In addition, the room boasts blasted brick, solid surface granite and hardwoods, with a functional dual garage door divider.
Southwestern Design “Starlight” Demo Room
The third room, and second theater on this floor, features another home theater room installation to die for. It is decorated in bold sweeps of red and yellow with black accents and conveys a southwestern design flair.
This room features a fiber-optic star field ceiling, highlighting the luxury of digital home theaters. Additionally, a Control4 control surface transforms a comfortable living room into a home theater with one button. This action drops the screen, activates Marantz home theater equipment. Also, it adjusts heat, dims lights, and turns on fiber-optic and rope lighting, all while updating emails.
The room demonstrates 8k HDR Laser projection and the latest constant height home theater technology, including the latest JVC, Panamorph and Stewart offerings. Moreover, this room can be accessed and controlled from any PC or personal electronic device in the building. This access can be via the web. Or, from wall-mounted Control4 touch screens, located at strategic points throughout the building. Uncompressed movies are played via Zappiti, or streamed over the LAN at 4K HD resolution from a multi-terabyte Kaleidescape server.
Smart Home Automation Demo Room
The kitchen area blends open concept design with cherry wood, stainless steel, and granite. Additionally, renowned local designer Paul Mercier crafted its lighting. The integrated control system manages lighting, sound, video, security, and heating, altering the ambiance with just one keystroke.
Moreover, the kitchen, often the heart of the home, exemplifies the enhancements of home automation! It includes a cozy home office. Here, you can also experience Paradigm and Martin Logan in-wall and in-ceiling speakers in a realistic setting.
Calgary’s Control4 Authorized Dealer
In downtown Calgary, our audio visual design center proudly showcases our ability to create and integrate Control4 whole house management systems. Here, we display a complete range of low voltage keypads and intriguing touch screens throughout our building. These innovatively replace conventional light switches. Furthermore, they integrate Mac and PC-based media with a media server and security devices. Thanks to Control4 home automation, we’ve recently achieved the ability to manage these lighting and entertainment systems with unprecedented simplicity.
Furthermore, our simple yet powerful system controllers enable us to put the entire building into an intelligent power-saving dormant state. Specifically, this coordination includes heating, cooling, lighting, security, and video surveillance systems. As a result, these all activate with a single button press labeled “goodnight.” Additionally, the systems we use and demonstrate are directly applicable to our clients’ needs.
Moreover, we have designed ‘macro-based’ features like a “Staff Meeting” button and “Working Late.” Particularly, these cater to our company’s unique requirements. These features, coupled with our custom-integrated systems, highlight K&W Audio’s commitment to providing and embodying the best in our offerings.
We invite you to come by for a visit and see what possibilities exist!
