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The Benefits of Multiroom Audio (1/4/2006)

By Frank K. Sterns, Niles Audio Corporation

Chances are your home is the most important thing in your life. Whether it's your first starter or ultimate dream-come-true masterpiece, your house sets the stage for the way your family lives and plays. That's why you should consider personalising your home by fine-tuning its ambiance to envelop your senses in every possible way. Blending high fidelity and architecture is one way to complement your individual lifestyle. Because it's not just how your home looks that makes it magic to live in, it's also how it sounds that sets it apart and enables it to touch your family and friends in special ways.

Home theatre Installation by Audio Video Lifestyles, Jacksonville, FL, USA)

You see, over the past decade, sound around the house or 'multiroom audio', has become a necessity for contemporary living. Having sound around the house in the old days was a limited proposition. Typically, it involved a boom box or mini stereo system in every room. But that just doesn't cut it today for several reasons. First of all, the vast majority of boom boxes and mini systems look and sound terrible. Secondly, it simply takes up too much space to have five or six separate sound systems spread throughout the house. And lastly, the advent of digital music sources like satellite radio and iPod storage has family members wanting to enjoy their favourite radio stations or private music collection anywhere in the house, not just in one location. This is why multiroom audio is becoming popular. It enables everyone in the family to listen to whatever they wish, whenever they want to and wherever they desire to listen. To better understand the benefits of a multiroom sound system, it's important to understand what such a system is made up of.

Advances in speaker design

With all of the modern advances, sound still comes from loudspeakers, but the loudspeakers used in today's multiroom systems look and perform far better than loudspeakers did in days of old. Today, multiroom loudspeakers are built right into walls and ceilings. That's because technologies have advanced to the point where the sound of in-wall or ceiling-mount loudspeakers rival old style bookshelf or floor standing loudspeakers. So your house gets all that great sound and none of the ugly baggage associated with box-type loudspeakers. Outdoor sound is also growing in popularity. Millions of people are discovering that the outdoor spaces around their houses are just as important as the ones indoors. So, naturally, they want to personalise these areas with sound too. Well here's some good news, modern loudspeaker manufacturers have figured out how to provide stellar sound from loudspeakers in weatherproof cabinets that blend seamless with their architectural surroundings yet provide living room-quality sound outdoors. This means that you can personalise every space, indoors or out, with terrific sound.

The Niles DS8500AT 8" DS Directed Soundfield ceiling-mount loudspeaker

Niles Plasma High Definition wall-mount loudspeakers

Multizone receivers

The advent of multizone receivers makes it possible to listen to anything, anywhere - even if someone else is using the sound system. That's because multizone receivers have the capacity to provide great sound in a number of rooms or zones simultaneously. Unlike ordinary sound systems that are limited to playing one sound source at a time, the new world of multizone receivers makes it possible to listen to background music in the home office while the news is on in the master bath and the kids play music from their digital collections in their rooms, all at the same time. So everyone gets the exact music or programme material they want without hassle and without bothering anyone else. Multiroom audio, made possible by this new breed of electronics, delivers unique and personal sound for every one in the family or for every entertaining occasion.

The Niles GXR2 multizone receiver with modules for all popular sources, and handheld remote

Adding value

Best of all, there is no clutter. That's because most of the components of multiroom audio systems are concealed. For the first time, all of your programme material can be accessed and controlled from conveniently located keypads or hand held remote controllers. No more shelves of components or clunky table radios. The elegant and intuitive user interfaces of sophisticated multiroom audio systems blend seamlessly with your dˇcor and complement your lifestyle. Making them as much of a joy to operate, as they are to listen to.

Niles wallmount system control keypads

Multiroom audio adds pleasure and value. Along with elevating the quality of home life, homeowners that invest in multiroom audio systems are likely to see enhanced home values. That's because multiroom audio systems add to the panache and differentiate your home from others making it more attractive to potential buyers. Great sound around the house is an important touch point that lets everyone know how special and well thought out your home actually is. So, not only are you likely to get hours of living pleasure from your multiroom audio purchase, you are likely to recoup your investment. Now that's what I call real value!

Frank K. Sterns is the president of Niles Audio Corporation, a 27-year-old company that is recognised as the first name in custom installation, manufacturing and marketing products that range from loudspeakers to distributed audio systems.

www.nilesaudio.com