I attended the Springsteen concert recently at the "Q Arena" along with thousands of other "Baby Boomers". I was blown away by the intensity and emotion that this 60 year old rocker still had for his music. I listened to him belt out the "Born to Run" album in its entirety with the same entensity he did 20 years ago. It occurrred to me that he still has what many of us have lost...passion for good music! We have become convinced that digital, compressed music played through head phones induces the same passion that great music played on a high performance sound system does. NOT!
Don't get me wrong, I understand and subscribe to the use of digital music, especially when convenience and circumstances dictate it. I readily admit that my "IPod" is as much a part of my excercise wardrobe as my tennis shoes!
But what do you do when you have had a bad day at home or in the office? Try sitting down with some high-performance speakers, kick-ass sound system, and "uncompressed" music...you will re-discover what you have been missing. If your stereo system has gone by the wayside over the years, I encourage you to seek out a Custom Audio/Video Dealer and audition one now!
Don't trade convenience for quality. Today, we can store and distribute native music and video media without sacrificing quality. My clients never stop thanking me for bringing music back into their lives!
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has a website with unbiased information on upgrading your sound system and choosing a reputable Custom Audio/Video Integrator for the design and installation of your system:
http://www.digitaltips.org/audio/buyingGuides.asp Digital Tips Buying Guide
http://www.digitaltips.org/locators/techhome/default.asp Locate an Installer
And if you need some advice remember to ask Your Technology Advisors @
"Leading by Design"
We get asked this question a lot at Audio Video interiors. Here is the typical scenario; you research your equipment for your new Home Theater or you go to a Retail Electronics store. You choose what you believe to be the best gear for your budget. You either take it home and install it yourself or you have a contractor do the installation. At last, the moment you have been waiting for; you get to watch your first movie! Then disappointment sets in as you notice your speakers are not sounding great in your new room or that stunning HDTV video you witnessed in the store does not look quite so crisp!
What went wrong?
Many people...and unfortunately, many electronics store clerks...do not know that the room size, shape, wall and floor surfaces, and speaker placement have more to do with good sound reproduction than the gear does. You can take a premium speaker array, like Revel for example, and put them in a bad acoustical environment and they will in fact sound bad! Here is an excerpt of a recent article by Brent Butterworth titled "Why Installers Should Do Audio Measurements" where the author is speaking to Audio/Video installers:
"We bet we can guess the total cost
of your audio test gear: $45. That's the price of RadioShack's Model 33-4050
analog sound pressure level meter, which is the sole audio measurement device
many installers own. And that's a shame, because real audio measurement gear
can improve the performance of your installations far more than any component
upgrade can." Mr. Butterworth closes by stating:
"Not only can these products help you fine-tune your theaters, they'll also show your clients that you're serious about giving them the best performance. And in our opinion, that alone is worth the money you spend on measurement gear."
The solution...find a Audio/Video integrator who has training in small room acoustics, test equipment, video calibration equipment, and trained staff who know how to use it. Look for companies who have employees with Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Certifications, Home Acoustic Alliance (HAA), THX Certification, or Image Science Foundation (ISF) to name a few. A company who specializes in the professional installation of Home Theaters and Audiophile Music systems will be able to maximize your investment in quality audio and video equipment. You can research your potential Audio/Video company by going to these sites:
Our office gets more and more questions regarding Audio/Video technology every day. It's confusing out there.
Will my old TV work when the Digital Transition finally
gets here? When will it get here?
What cables do I need to hookup HDTV?
What is the best size room for a Home Theater?
What is the relationship between the size of the projection screen and the projector?
My best advice in general is, it is not about the gear...it is about the Team behind the gear! What do I mean by this? It's simple, there is a great deal of very good equipment available today. Unfortunately, their is a lot of not-so-good equipment out there. Sales numbers aren't a good indicator either...the number one selling flat screen TV at the local discount big box store has some of the worst performance characteristics. Here's the magic bullet...find a Custom Audio/Video dealer that has a proven track record. Check their referrences, look at their lines, research their training and certifications. If you pick the right company, they can guide you through all of the equipment selections, budget considerations, and most importantly, can install it in a professional manner.
However, until that time, please feel free to take advantage of our expertise. I have a team of the best technical minds in our industry at my disposal. Post your questions and I will do my best to point you in the right direction!
You can post here, go to our web site: www.audieovideointeriors.net or email me direct @ michaelp@audiovdeointeriors.net.
"Audio Video Interiors has begun 2009 where they left off in 2008 by being notified that they are a finalist in two national design awards for the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Mark of Excellence Awards", states President, Michael A. Pope. Audio Video Interiors entered two categories in this year's competition; Best Retrofit Project and Best Lighting Control Project. The winners will be announced in March. Wish us luck!
Audio Video Interiors is N. E. Ohio's premier Custom Audio Video Integrator specializing in designing, managing, and installing home theaters, distributed music, smart-home technology, lighting control, central vacuum, and security for homes and businesses.
This project involved a 12,000 square foot home built in the 1990's. The owner wanted to have a distributed music system, and several flat screen entertainment systems retrofitted into their home. Additionally, the existing TV and telephone cabling was obsolete. Running new wire to virtually every room in this large home was quite a challenge. Once completed, our client was thrilled with the results. They can listen to music in 8 different rooms, each with a different source and watch their movie collection distributed to various rooms.
This project won the Crestron "Brilliant Lighting Design" Award earlier this year. Mission objective: integrate everything. Lighting, HVAC, audio/video, security, access control, and CCTV systems all controllable and accessible through one central easy-to-use platform. This was the ultimate goal of the systems designed for this project. Audio from sources such as AM, FM, and XM radio tuners and Kaleidescape music players can be routed to any of the home’s 32 audio zones, including three surround sound areas. Video from sources such as high definition satellite receivers, Kaleidescape movie players or one of the 32 cameras can be displayed on any of the home’s five plasma televisions, wired touch panels and in the dedicated home theater. The sixteen HVAC zones can be monitored and controlled via any of the nineteen touch panels throughout the home. Whole house lighting including LED and fiber optic sub-systems can be controlled through the touch panels or keypads. The security system can be monitored, armed or disarmed through the touch panels. Select operations can be performed remotely by the homeowner through an E-Control application. Cameras and security status can be viewed, security system can be armed, climate controls can be monitored and adjusted and lighting scenes can be activated from a virtual touch panel on the homeowner’s computer.
The system also includes an award winning dedicated home theater which won the Electronic House 2007 “Best Home Theater $250,000 & Up” Gold Medal. In addition to best-of-class equipment, the theater’s performance is enhanced by its acoustical design, treatments, and construction.
There is a lot confusion out there regarding consumer electronics. With analog TV broadcasts ending in February and Retail Electronic Stores going out of business in record numbers. Consumers are inundated with technical babble from inexperienced sales staff and misleading manufacturer ads. Consumers have purchased HDTV Flat Panel TVs in record numbers, yet many people don't have HDTV sources hooked up...and don't even know it. The solution is in choosing a professional installation company that has the knowledge and training to provide consumers with the information, in simple terms, that they need to make educated purchasing decisions. With this in mind, I am reprinting a document prepared by our industry's leading association designed to advise consumers how to choose qualified designers/installers. Any questions on upcoming electronic purchases can be directed to the Technology Advisor blog or our web site directly; www.audiovideointeriors.net
If you are bewildered about the consumer electronics age, Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) offers 10 Smart Consumer Electronic Tips for your home environment. The 10 Smart Consumer Electronic Tips provide you with a concise and informative list of helpful hints to assist you in making smart decisions when purchasing home consumer electronics. The 10 Smart Consumer Electronics Tips is a collaborative effort developed by members of CEDIA. Members of CEDIA are knowledgeable and talented professionals representing all facets of the industry from designers/installers to manufacturers and sales representatives. CEDIA developed this list of recommendations after many hours of collaboration between our members. Our goal for developing this list was to take an active role in providing assistance to the consumer. These tips cover four areas: innovation, investments, integration and ease of use. Although this advice is geared toward the homeowner, it is also beneficial to the builder, architect, interior designer and custom electronics professional. When building or remodeling, the designer or builder may use this list as a reference for making recommendations on home integration to their customer. Here is the list:
Please utilize only Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association – CEDIA -- professionals ensuring your dollars are invested well while focusing on the design, integration and installation.
This post brought to you by Michael A. Pope, President of Audio Video Interiors and his quality cast of Technology Advisors.
I am the owner two technology companies that design and install Custom Audio/Video & Security solutions for homes and businesses.
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