Musical Images

[carefactornil]

Anyone got anything particularly good or bad to say about the people/installations from Musical Images? Specifically the Edgware branch as they're my local. Thinking of getting them to do a complete install and just thought I'd check to see if anyone has done something similar with them.

Cheers.

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

I have been to do calibrations in system that MI have installed. On instruction of the owner not of MI, I may add. The quality of work looked good to me and the client seemed happy. He is a forum member and had some issues with a PJ that seemed to eventually be resolved to his satsifaction. I do not know which branch it was. I do think they have one central CI team though who do all the big jobs on behalf of their branches. Could be wrong of course.

Gordon

[carefactornil]

Thanks Gordon - may well end up calling on your services.

What's a PJ?

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

PJ: Projector

[pemberto]

I have had two install's by MI and I wont be having a third.

Let me explain, on my first install money was a little tight having just paid a shed load of money for some new gear. I asked if they could set the system up for me. Wiring of speaker cable was OK as I did not want the carpet and floors lifted. I then asked if they could run the cables to the TV in some trunking along the skirting board. I did not want anything permanent. Half way through the day I get a call from the Mrs. who was very upset.

MI had drilled a 2inch diameter hole in the wall behind my kit, ran some 2inch black drain pipe around the front of my house to the bay window. In the middle of the bay window they came up the wall so that it was smack in the middle of wall and drilled another hole so that they could run the cable to the TV.

As you can imagine I was a little bit ****** off.

Armed with this knowledge and having read a bit more about installs I was determined to get a better install on my next house. The budget for the new kit and install was around 35k. I had asked MI if they would come in and do the install. We had a site survey and a complete plan of what was going to happen. Just before the work was going to start I lost my job and all came to an end, well almost.

I had paid MI a 4K deposit so I asked if they could do the install so I could at least have my system working in the new house. So the plan was to install a 7.1 speaker system with very discrete wiring. Install a Lutron Graphic Eye and have 9 downlighters installed and pre wire for a projector.

The wiring for the speakers was really good at the speaker end, but to run the cable back to the amp, they stuck white trunking to the wall and cut in the coving. So to the left of the TV you have a 2 lots of white trunking for all the speaker and projector cable stuck to the wall. I am sure it had a big finger pointing at it, saying look at me - White trunking on the wall.

The lighting was another saga. The Lutron controller was fine and it works really well. I wanted a series of lights down the side of one wall to provide a wall wash effect, instead I got a 3 x 3 grid of lights that really don't add much to the room, and to top it all a third party business partner of MI that designs lighting for the really big installs said that the lighting design was pants and was surprised by MI's install.

Would I use MI again. No, Not in a million years.

[dc007]

Originally Posted by Gordon @ Convergent AV

I have been to do calibrations in system that MI have installed. On instruction of the owner not of MI, I may add. The quality of work looked good to me and the client seemed happy. He is a forum member and had some issues with a PJ that seemed to eventually be resolved to his satsifaction. I do not know which branch it was. I do think they have one central CI team though who do all the big jobs on behalf of their branches. Could be wrong of course.

Gordon

That'll be me, Gordon

Over all, I'm very satisfied with the job. Neat and tidy finish, very discrete. The 'aftersales' has been very good, too. The PJ issue was more with SIM than Musical Images, and I feel MI fought my corner well, eventually replacing the PJ with an upgraded different brand when the issue couldn't be resolved.

My system has been built over a period of two years (three bonus payments !). It's changed and adapted a little from the original plans, and I've found MI helpful and accomodating.