The U.K., based smart home and AV equipment distributor AWE Europe has transformed its Show Apartment in Epsom, Surrey, into Europe's first Sony Professional Crystal LED showroom, inviting everyone in the custom installation industry the chance to see for themselves just how “awe-inspiring” the company’s massive display can be.
The installation was the highlight of this month’s AWE Expo 2026 event, which saw industry professionals, custom installer and system integrators converge on at AWE Europe’s biggest showroom to enjoy hands-on demos of the most cutting-edge residential home entertainment technology.
The three-day trade event was a major success, with attendees given unprecedented access to premium cinema, audio, networking and lighting solutions from AWE’s portfolio of partner brands. But without doubt, it was the Sony Crystal LED display centrepiece that really stole the spotlight. AWE was officially chosen to host Sony Professional’s first European Showroom for Crystal LED technology, and promptly installed a colossal 165-inch display that acts more like a digital canvas than a cinema screen thanks to its breathtaking visual characteristics.
HDTVTest has written about Sony’s Crystal LED displays before, and they represent the pinnacle of Direct-View LED or dvLED and MicroLED design, combining the infinite contrast of OLED with the stunning, ambient-light-crushing brightness of commercial signage.
The Sony setup wasn’t just about the Crystal LED display, though. The main showroom also integrated Stealth Acoustics Invisible Speakers and RAY healthy lighting technology in a demonstration of how premium technologies from different brands can be installed in a room without impacting the aesthetics through clutter.
Within the space, attendees were given the opportunity to see direct side-by-side comparisons of some of the most advanced display technologies around, including OLED, RGB LED, LED and CLED displays made by brands including LG, Hisense and Sony. The idea is to provide professionals with a clear idea of the merits and drawbacks of each technology’s performance, design impact and space planning requirements.
The bespoke cinema rooms that were a major draw of previous year’s exhibitions returned once again in 2026 with significant upgrades, offering two distinct demonstration environments. The premium Reference Cinema was enhanced with DIRAC Active Room Treatment. It pairs custom acoustic optimisation with an Epson QL7000 projector that boasts a massive 10,000 lumens of brightness and an Adeo screen. Meanwhile, the Performance Cinema was the venue of an eagerly-anticipated live projector shoot-out. There, installers were able to compare and vote on the performance and capabilities of leading Epson, Optoma and Sony projector models under identical lighting conditions, backed by a full audio demonstration featuring Marantz and Bowers & Wilkins hardware to inspire mid-range projects.
There were also a number of highly flexible living space concepts on show. These included a completely refreshed Music Room focused heavily on two-channel Hi-Fi and multi-room audio setups, putting the Denon Home 200, 400, and 600 series through their paces alongside premium Bowers & Wilkins and Marantz equipment. Another major talking point was the brand-new Media Room, built around Stealth Acoustics’ 8th Generation Invisible Speakers, Sony BZ displays, architectural B&W speakers, and eero networking, proving that flexible work-and-play spaces can deliver audiophile performance without compromising interior design.
Last but not least, the Gallery showcased vital custom installation essentials, including infrastructure hardware and racks from brands like Kordz, URC, HDA, Kinetik, Bowers & Wilkins and Sanus.
AWE Managing Director Stuart Tickle said AWE Expo 2026 was a massive success. “It has been another fantastic Expo, a real showcase of what our industry does best,” he insisted. “The fully refitted main showroom and media room generated brilliant conversations, and it has been hugely rewarding to see the upgrades across the whole Show Apartment land so well with visitors.”
For custom installers that were unable to attend the event, or attendees that simply want a closer look with more personalised treatment, AWE is keeping the Epsom apartment open all year round. It’s taking bookings for client demonstrations now.
