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Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0A new space is opening in London that signals where smart building decisions are really made: right at the intersection of design, specification and hands-on experience. We break down Rako Controls’ latest move to strengthen its presence within the specification and design community with Studio by Rako, a new destination in Clerkenwell on Great Sutton Street, now in the final stages of fit-out ahead of an official opening later this summer. What makes this story worth your attention is the intent. Studio by Rako is conceived as a collaborative hub rather than a traditional showroom, bringing together architects, interior designers, consultants, specifiers, installers and clients to explore intelligent lighting control and smart building technology in a practical setting. We talk about why connected lighting systems are becoming central to both residential and commercial projects, and why seamless integration with wider building technologies is now an expectation rather than a bonus. You will also hear what visitors can expect to test and discuss on-site: Rako's lighting control solutions, demonstrated in real-world conditions, alongside automated shading solutions and third-party control platforms. We also outline the venue’s role as an education and engagement centre, with a year-round programme of CPD, technical training, workshops, networking events and product launches, and note that the facility is already open for free client meetings and project discussions by appointment. If you want more CI news, reviews and interviews, visit the Inside CI website, then subscribe, share the brief with a colleague and leave us a review so more integrators and specifiers can find the show.Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0Get the latest News, Reviews and Opinions:Inside CI - https://linkly.link/2cM2pSupport the Podcast by using our Affiliated links:Start earning Microsoft points using the Bing app and get discounts on your Tech - https://linkly.link/2gVsiSupport the podcast by shopping on Amazon - https://geni.us/npUEx An award-winning VPN deal from Surfshark - https://linkly.link/2cM3BStart your own podcast and receive $20 - https://linkly.link/2acMf

Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0A flagship loudspeaker launch is easy to hype and hard to justify, so we focus on what actually changed and why it matters. From Vienna, we report on Bowers & Wilkins unveiling the 800 Series Diamond D5 and explain how the new engineering aims to deliver cleaner detail, stronger imaging, and better control at real listening levels.We dig into the headline upgrades, including the all-new aluminium space-frame bracing system, working with Matrix bracing to tackle cabinet resonance, plus floorstanding refinements such as redesigned damped aluminium plinths, revised top plates, and upgraded crossover networks. We also cover the D5-wide improvements to drive-unit motor systems for lower distortion and a sharper transient response, along with electrical upgrades such as improved crossover components, revised internal wiring, and aluminium-mounted crossover assemblies built for both strength and sound.One of the most interesting moves is the 804D5, which, for the first time, gains an aluminium midrange enclosure derived from the turbine-head approach used on larger models, bringing flagship-style performance thinking to a more compact floorstander. We round out with the full product line-up from the 805D5 up to the 801D5, the HTM82D5 and HTM81D5 centre channels for high-performance home cinema systems, the new finishes, and the confirmed release date and pricing. Subscribe for more custom installation news, share this with a fellow integrator or hi-fi fan, and leave a review with your pick: which D5 model would you most like to hear?Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0Get the latest News, Reviews and Opinions:Inside CI - https://linkly.link/2cM2pSupport the Podcast by using our Affiliated links:Start earning Microsoft points using the Bing app and get discounts on your Tech - https://linkly.link/2gVsiSupport the podcast by shopping on Amazon - https://geni.us/npUEx An award-winning VPN deal from Surfshark - https://linkly.link/2cM3BStart your own podcast and receive $20 - https://linkly.link/2acMf

Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0AWOL just made its projector range easier to understand, and that matters when you are choosing between a long-throw projector for a dedicated room and an ultra-short-throw model for a media wall. We walk through AWOL Vision’s updated product strategy, which brings Valerian into the AWOL family as the dedicated long-throw line, while ultra-short-throw models sit under AWOL Ethereum. If you care about clean system design, clearer client proposals, and fewer naming headaches, this brief is for you. We also dig into the part that will get interior designers and living room cinema fans talking: new Purple Edition and Red Edition finishes for the Valerian Pro line, with black still available for a classic look. The move reflects a broader shift in home cinema and custom installation, where AV gear is treated as part of the room’s style rather than something that must be hidden away. Then we get practical with the specs that drive purchasing decisions: 4K Ultra HD with an RGB triple-laser light engine, quoted at 3,000 isolumens, 110% Rec 2020 coverage, up to 15,000:1 contrast in EBL mode, and screen sizes up to 300 inches. Premium format support includes Dolby Vision, HDR10 Plus, IMAX Enhanced, and Filmmaker Mode, as well as active 3D and Google TV for streaming. Gaming gets a spotlight too, with AWOL quoting input lag as low as 4ms at 1080p/240Hz, plus we cover pricing and the limited-time introductory offer. Subscribe, share the show with an integrator or home cinema fan, and leave us a review. What feature matters most to you when picking a projector?Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0Get the latest News, Reviews and Opinions:Inside CI - https://linkly.link/2cM2pSupport the Podcast by using our Affiliated links:Start earning Microsoft points using the Bing app and get discounts on your Tech - https://linkly.link/2gVsiSupport the podcast by shopping on Amazon - https://geni.us/npUEx An award-winning VPN deal from Surfshark - https://linkly.link/2cM3BStart your own podcast and receive $20 - https://linkly.link/2acMf

Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0Intelligent lighting is moving from “nice to have” to the centre of luxury home design, and Wow House 2026 is a perfect place to see why. We share the latest custom installation news from Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, where Lutron is using a full-scale showhouse to demonstrate how lighting control can shape the feel of a room from morning through to evening.We unpack Lutron’s definition of intelligent lighting as a new category that blends electric lighting, daylight, and automated shading into one joined-up experience. The goal is simple but powerful: rooms that adapt naturally to the people inside them, improving comfort and well-being while also revealing architectural features, materials, finishes, and artwork with far more intention. For integrators and specifiers, it’s a reminder that great outcomes come from designing scenes around real life, not just adding dimming at the end.At the centre of the showcase is Ketra, Lutron’s full-spectrum lighting system, designed to adjust colour temperature and light levels throughout the day and deliver precise colour effects when the design calls for them. We also touch on Orluna CCX architectural luminaires, designed for accurate colour rendering and discreet installation, and integrated with Lutron’s wireless control platform. Then we tour the featured rooms, from a kitchen that shifts from task lighting to entertaining, to a primary bathroom with five location-inspired scenes, to spaces that recreate the feeling of Mediterranean daylight with programmed transitions.If you work in luxury residential design, home automation, lighting design, or custom installation, this brief provides practical talking points to use with clients and collaborators. Subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave us a review. What’s the most important thing you want a lighting system to do in a high-end home?Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0Get the latest News, Reviews and Opinions:Inside CI - https://linkly.link/2cM2pSupport the Podcast by using our Affiliated links:Start earning Microsoft points using the Bing app and get discounts on your Tech - https://linkly.link/2gVsiSupport the podcast by shopping on Amazon - https://geni.us/npUEx An award-winning VPN deal from Surfshark - https://linkly.link/2cM3BStart your own podcast and receive $20 - https://linkly.link/2acMf

Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0A luxury valve amplifier designed to live in a modern rack is rare, which is why the Macintosh MA2375 grabbed our attention straight away. In today’s Inside CI News Brief (Thursday, 11 June 2026), we unpack Macintosh’s return to the integrated valve amplifier category after more than a decade, and what that means for busy custom installation integrators who need performance, reliability, and clean system design.We walk through the core hardware story: a fully analogue valve pre-amplifier and valve power amplifier in a single chassis, rated at 75 watts per channel. We also dig into why the Unity Coupled Circuit output transformer approach matters on-site, ensuring consistent power delivery across 4-, 8-, or 16-ohm speaker loads. If you’ve ever had a project where speaker choice shifts late, or you need broader compatibility across different room zones, this kind of flexibility can save time and reduce risk.From there, we look at the practical features that turn a high-end hi-fi piece into an installation-ready component: PowerGuard screen-grid sensor technology to help prevent overdrive from becoming audible distortion, plus the Sentry Monitor fuseless protection circuit. We cover the 5-band analogue equaliser for straightforward tuning, the configurable phono stage, subwoofer and pre-amp outputs, and home theatre pass-through for hybrid two-channel and home cinema setups. Finally, we touch on control and automation support via power control connections, data ports, and RS232 integration, before rounding off with availability and pricing at £16,900 in the UK (£19,500 in Europe).If you found this useful, subscribe for more fast custom installation news, share the episode with a fellow integrator, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0Get the latest News, Reviews and Opinions:Inside CI - https://linkly.link/2cM2pSupport the Podcast by using our Affiliated links:Start earning Microsoft points using the Bing app and get discounts on your Tech - https://linkly.link/2gVsiSupport the podcast by shopping on Amazon - https://geni.us/npUEx An award-winning VPN deal from Surfshark - https://linkly.link/2cM3BStart your own podcast and receive $20 - https://linkly.link/2acMf

Sign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0A new name has landed in the UK specialist AV distribution world, and it comes with a clear point of view: most projects win or lose at the specification stage. We break down the launch of AV8 Distribution, led by industry veteran Barry Sheldrick, and why his return to a support-led model is designed to help integrators deliver better high-performance residential AV and home cinema outcomes.We talk through Sheldrick’s background across Tag McLaren Audio, IAG, Pulse, and Meridian, including his time building and leading the Distributed by Meridian operation. That history matters because the AV8 proposition feels familiar in the best way: hands-on technical knowledge, close relationships, and a focus on ensuring the system design matches the project's real demands before anything is ordered.From specification support and technical sales assistance to installation, commissioning, and after-sales care, AV8 is positioning itself as the ‘support in between’ that can stop projects being underspecified and protect the client experience. We also explore the decision to work with a more focused set of manufacturers, aiming for deeper expertise, stronger brand engagement, and support throughout the full life cycle of an integrated technology project.If you care about UK AV industry news, residential AV distribution, and what genuinely improves project delivery, you will want to hear this. Subscribe for more Insider CI News Brief updates, share the episode with an integrator friend, and leave us a review with your take: where do projects usually go wrong, design or install?Learn More About AV8 Distrabution - https://linkly.link/2kIUwSign up for our weekly newsletter - https://linkly.link/2gPF0Get the latest News, Reviews and Opinions:Inside CI - https://linkly.link/2cM2pSupport the Podcast by using our Affiliated links:Start earning Microsoft points using the Bing app and get discounts on your Tech - https://linkly.link/2gVsiSupport the podcast by shopping on Amazon - https://geni.us/npUEx An award-winning VPN deal from Surfshark - https://linkly.link/2cM3BStart your own podcast and receive $20 - https://linkly.link/2acMf