Distributed Audio | SoundVision

My Favorite System – By Scott Klein, SoundVision Technician

Posted on: 09-23-2011 in: Blog

Until fairly recently, if you wanted different music sources playing throughout your house, a common solution was a 2 zone system configuration. This gave you the ability to mirror music playing in the family room (where system is) to other rooms with in the house, or you could play something else entirely. For example, with a 2 Zone system configuration you could watch a DVD in one room, and play music in the others. The challenge we had with this particular configuration was that it is fairly limited. If you were in a different room and wanted to switch what you were listening to, you would have to go all the way into the family room to change the source. Additionally all of the rooms set up on Zone 2 have to be on the same source. So, if someone was watching a movie in the family room and you were listening to Journey in another room, the other rooms could only listen to Journey (which might be ok, if you are a huge Journey fan).

Over the past couple years Sonos has been taking over the Job of Zone 2. Sonos is a networked music system. What this means to you is; you can now listen to your entire music library, internet radio, podcasts, etc. in any room of your home, even your backyard. Unlike the 2 Zone system configuration, you can listen to whatever you want in whichever room you like, and you are no longer limited to two sources. Sonos also allows you to control the source (Ipod, XM Radio, Spotify) and volume from within the room via your smartphone or iPad. All that, without having to purchase an big expensive system

With Sonos you get a lot more flexibility and control than you ever got out of a 2 Zone System. The good news is that you can easily replace your 2 Zone system by using your existing equipment and purchasing a Sonos Zone Player from SoundVision. Because of the ease of installation and the flexibility of the Sonos system, this has become my favorite system to install. It’s really great to see how excited our clients get about the Sonos system once they make the switch from a 2 Zone configuration.

If you are currently only enjoying 2 zones in your house and you want more, give us a call. I would love to come out and install my favorite system in your home.

Outdoor Entertaining, Home Theater Style

Posted on: 08-18-2011 in: Blog

The Bay Area is a truly incredible place to live. I can’t tell you how often I’m on the phone with people from all over the country that would trade places with us in a heartbeat. One of my favorite things about living here is the weather. It’s warm, mild and perfect for outdoor entertaining. Beautiful weather, family, friends and good food are really the key to making an outdoor get together memorable.But what makes a patio party a remarkable entertainment experience? SoundVision does.

Ever wanted to watch the big game from your patio bar? Control what song you are listening to and the volume while you are in the Jacuzzi? Or maybe crank up Led Zeppelin as you BBQ while the kids listen to Justin Beiber at the pool? Now you can.You can pretty much have anything you want in the world of outdoor HDTVs. You can choose from LCD or LED Flat screens or even projection screens. These can be installed wherever you like, flush mounted to an exterior wall , on a motorized lift at the end of your pool, the possibilities are endless. A motorized lift gives you control to have it ascend from its hiding spot whenever you’re ready to watch. Next, you can enjoy high-performance audio all around your patio, yard, pool house, bocce ball court, etc.There are several attractive speaker options and designs– popular choices are speakers that resemble rocks, speakers mounted under eaves, landscape lighting speakers and even underwater, underground speakers and subwoofers. These come in all shapes and sizes andwill be expertly installed to fit into your landscaping and match your home exterior. Your swimming pool and spa equipment can even be automated, heating hot tubs and turning on underwater lights from your web enabled smart phone.

Not only can these electronic enhancements make your outdoor space extremely impressive, it’s easy to use. You can control everything from wherever you are; home, office, vacation home etc. Weatherproof keypads and volume controls can be installed on an exterior wall, allowing you to choose sources and set the volume without having to go back inside. Or, lose the wires and enjoy even more control with a wireless remote, touchpanel, tablet or smartphone.Now that almost everything you love about your home theater and home audio systems are available outside, trust me, you’ll discover a new appreciation for the great outdoors.If you would like to explore your outdoor options or have any questions, feel free to call our office at (415) 456-7000, send me an email or visit our website today.

What is the Best A/V System on the Market?

Posted on: 07-25-2011 in: Blog

We were recently on a project where the homeowner had the electrician take care of the A/V system. This was a good electrician, and he did an admirable job proposing and installing the one system he was familiar with. When he started getting in over his head, he brought us in to help.It very quickly became evident that the system the electrician planned for, was not the best system for the client. When the client asked him why he did not consider other options, he found himself in a very uncomfortable situation.The builder took me aside and asked me “What is the best A/V system on the market?”It can be confusing, as there are a lot of A/V and control systems to choose from: Sonos, Savant, AMX, Control-4, Crestron, Elan, Niles, Nuvo, Speakercraft, Russound, Colorado-VNet, URC , Harmony, HAI, Insteon, Lutron, RTI, etc.Each of these products are great. If you talk to the manufacturer, or believe what they say online, every one of them will meet your needs.However, we have had the opportunity to work with every one of these product lines, and we have discovered that they are not interchangeable, and there is no “One size fits all”.In this case, we were able to remove the system and install a less expensive, more flexible system that the homeowner is thrilled with.We have 13 years of experience using all of the major A/V and control systems on the market. We are constantly having in-house trainings and attending seminars to stay current on all the major technologies.We are fortunate enough to work with very good architects who know that you can’t shoe-horn every customer into the same design. They have a process where they interview the client, introduce them to various concepts and help them determine the best design based on their preferences.A good electronic systems contractor should have a similar process.When you are considering a new system, let us show you what is available so you can see which solution is best for you.

Want to really love your music?

Posted on: 07-15-2011 in: Blog

Try listening to it on a great audio system.

I remember in college I would just sit and listen to one CD after another. Remember being excited to hear a new album? I couldn’t wait to hear each new track. We had a pretty good stereo system, and we listened to music all the time. Of course, the system was just in the living room, so we would crank it up so we could hear it throughout the house.I love music, I listen to it in the bathroom when I get ready in the morning, I listen in the car, on my bike, in the office. It just makes the day feel less serious and more enjoyable.Now that I have “grown-up” my family’s house has an audio system with speakers in every room. We can turn on whatever we want with the touch of a button on a keypad, iPad, iPhone, etc.. It is definitely an upgrade from the college system, and I still use it all the time.I recently set up a high performance audio system in my garage. I spend a fair amount of time out there in my workshop, and we had some gear in the shop that I wanted to listen to.I think I had forgotten how good a high performance audio system could sound. I find myself just sitting out there and listening. I am actually excited to hear the next song. It reminds me of being back in college. I think I feel like the guy in the old Maxell commercial, remember that one… Maxell ad.I can’t tell you how many times I have had clients tell me they do not want a high performance audio systems because “ they cannot tell the difference”. Well I can guarantee you can tell the difference, anyone can. The difference is huge. It is one thing to decide you do not want to spend the money on a performance audio system because you can’t afford it, or you do not like music very much (yes, sadly these people do exist). But please do not deceive yourself. With a high performance audio system you can feel the music. It is not necessarily louder, just more clean, clear, crisp and powerful. It is an experience I had taken for granted for a long time, and now that I have immersed myself in it again, I cannot believe I have missed the music for so long.It is a totally different experience to close your eyes and feel like the artist is sitting right in front of you. It makes it fun to re-discover your music library. Enjoying each song to a degree you forgot was possible. It is an experience I would love to share. Let me know if you are interested.

Whole House Audio – It Can Get Even Better

Posted on: 06-15-2011 in: Blog

One of the best and least expensive ways to enhance the ambiance of your home is with music. Whole-house music systems have speakers in each room so you can have music playing throughout the house.

We have been installing these systems for years and have hundreds of happy customers.Everyone knows they are great for parties, but they are also simple to operate and great for everyday use.Recently a few of our customers have wanted to take it to the next level. By adding a subwoofer to some of the more heavily trafficked areas they have created an amazingly full, rich sound that really makes you feel like the music is all around you.

Achieving really deep bass and reproducing it

in your home audio system

at real-life levels is easy.

The quality with most whole house audio systems (usually a combo of in ceiling and in wall speakers) is good but if you really want that deep base you can feel you will want to add a Subwoofer. Subwoofers integrate smoothly into the whole house audio systems, increasing (intensifying) the bass without causing peaks or dips. This way you can listen to your music anywhere you want AND you can also have deep rich bass tones.Subwoofers can be hidden in the ceiling, in the walls, in cabinetry or under furniture. They have very flexible placement options. And, by adding a subwoofer to a room, you can take a nice sound system and make it amazing.Let us know if you have a room or outside area where you would like to augment the sound quality with a subwoofer. You will not be disappointed.SoundVision makes sure every system we install fits in seamlessly with your home’s existing décor. Speakers are placed inconspicuously in ceilings, walls, custom cabinetry or on bookshelves. We even install completely invisible speaker systems for those focused on maintaining existing aesthetics.

Take it from us, adding a subwoofer is an enhancement you won’t want to live without.

Whole House Music, Sonos Style

Posted on: 10-18-2010 in: Blog, TechNotes

If you’re interested in a music system distributed throughout your entire house , Sonos makes an awesome suite of streaming audio devices that are compact, stylish, and are simple to operate.Music at any LocationEach of the Sonos units connects wirelessly to your router so it can access your music library from anywhere in the house when connected to your favorite speaker, receiver, or other audio components. The beauty of the Sonos system is that each unit can also be controlled independently. So, blasting your favorite tunes in the workshop doesn’t affect what being played in the living room.Music from Multiple Sources.Connecting Sonos audio players with your digital music library is a snap. It can wirelessly interface directly with your PC, Mac or NAS and is compatible with all of the most popular audio file formats including iTunes, MP3s, Flacs, WAVs, and more.Another key feature of Sonos is access to an assortment of internet radio. You can chose from over 100,000 national and international stations including NPR, LastFM and SoundVision favorite, Pandora.Controlling Sonos SystemsSonos audio systems are also very simple to operate. There are a few control options including the Sonos handheld controller, through your PC or Mac, or even on your iPhone or iPad.If you or someone you know would like more information on what you read here or have any questions, feel free to call our office at (415) 456-7000, send me an email or visit our website today.

James Outdoor Landscape Speakers

Posted on: 08-23-2010 in: Blog, TechNotes

Local speaker manufacturer James Loudspeakers (of Napa) offers a truly stunning line of outdoor landscape speakers that are designed to not only blend in with your garden, but also sound amazing. Never before have we seen speakers that seamlessly integrate with landscaping this well and sound so perfect. Here are a few of their options.Satellite SpeakersThe James satellite speakers are the driving force behind the Landscape speaker line. They are designed to resemble outdoor lighting and can easily be mounted in the ground, on the wall, or even on a tree.

There are many installation options for the satellite speakers

3-Way Planter SpeakerThis attractive speaker is built into a teakwood planter box. Its weather treated, sounds fantastic, and best of all it’s fully-functional as a planter box.

James Planter Box Speaker

Subterranean Subwooferthe James line of subwoofers truly completes the outdoor entertainment environment. This powerful subwoofer is built to be installed underground.

James Subterranean Subwoofer shown here with unit installed underground.

Installing Outdoor Landscape speakers will ensure that your next BBQ will amaze your guests as the music seemingly emanates from the garden.

Why Apple TV is Just Too Darn Cool

Posted on: 09-30-2009 in: Blog

AppleTV OK, let’s face it: Apple TV probably isn’t the most popular product to have ever come out of that sometimes mysterious place at 1 Infinite Loop. However, Apple TV’s relative lack of popularity is confusing to us here at SoundVision, especially since it’s such a cool product. Now that our friends at Crestron have updated their line of home automation products with the ability to control Apple TV from an in-wall touchpanel or handheld remote, we’re recommending Apple TV to all our customers as a simple way to access your iTunes library and photos through your SoundVision system. And now that Apple just dropped the price on the 160 GB version by $100, purchasing an Apple TV has never been easier. Here’s just a few of the reasons why we’re so enamored with this product:It “just works.” – I’m sure you’ve heard those two little words in reference to Apple products in the past, but believe us when we tell you that it absolutely applies to this product. Using Apple’s Bonjour technology, Apple TV will automatically find an iTunes library on your local network and instantly make your digital music files available to listen to through your SoundVision media system. Select music by browsing through rich, detailed album art on your TV, or use a touchpanel or handheld remote. And if you’re an iTunes user on a Windows PC, there’s no need to worry–this also “just works” for you as well.Your family photos, in glorious HD. – When was the last time you lugged out a photo album? If you’re like us, it’s been a while. Our photos live digitally these days, whether its in an online photo gallery or on your computer’s hard drive. With Apple TV, we can set it up so it syncs with photo albums on your computer or stored on the Internet in a Flickr or MobileMe gallery.Rent movies or TV shows instantly. – Apple TV makes a trip to your local movie rental store a thing of the past. Renting or purchasing a movie through Apple TV is as easy as a few clicks of the remote, and at just $3.99 per rental, it’s a great deal. Most titles are also available in high definition.Access online content. – Apple TV frees online media like YouTube and podcasts from your computer and puts them front and center in your living room. Whether you want to catch up with your favorite podcast from anywhere in your house via a distributed audio system or watch the Evolution of Dance in your theater room, Apple TV in your SoundVision system can make it happen.Are you using your Apple TV in ways we haven’t mentioned here? If so, leave a comment and let us know about it!

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