A little background on whole-house audio systems…
Whole-house; Multi-room; Multi-Zone; Distributed Audio
These names get used almost interchangeably when describing a system that allows you to conveniently distribute music throughout your home. A whole-house audio system is convenient, modern, easy to use and fun for the whole family. It delivers startlingly clean music whenever and wherever you want it.
The concept behind a whole-house audio system is to run wire during the construction of your home to allow for a keypad or volume control in the rooms of your choosing. The system is then combined with in-wall, in-ceiling, or indoor/outdoor speakers depending on the application. The audio amplifier and source equipment that power the system are then tucked away in a closet or basement to provide a very clean look. The only items that you see are your keypad, which provides your interface to the system, and the speakers, which easily blend in with the décor of your home.
To help you better understand this technology; it is important for you
to know the meaning of some of the key terms.
A “zone” is an area or room
in your home that is equipped for listening to music. “Zones”
can include areas like your kitchen, master bedroom, patio, deck, garage
or basement. Our most common 6-zone package includes the following zones:
1) Kitchen
2) Patio or Deck
3) Master Bedroom
4) Master Bathroom
5) Office / Den
6) Dining Room
A “keypad” is the interface to your system. It is built in the wall similar in size to a light switch. “Keypads” become the center of your whole-house audio system as they give you the control over your components. “Keypads” allow you to do such things as turn your system on/off, control the volume, choose your source, and even include a built in infrared sensor so it can send remote control signals back to your source equipment. “Keypads” are typically backlit to allow easy operation when the lights are off.
A “volume control” is like a keypad but it only allows you to control your volume. It provides a more affordable solution in a whole-house audio system, but lacks in allowing you the flexibility to control your components.
The term “source” is used to describe what audio devices you have connected to your system. A “source” can include just about anything that has left/right audio outputs (red/white RCA). Common devices include CD changers, DVD players, Stereo Receivers, Cable and Satellite receivers for digital music channels, MP3 Players and IPOD’s, and satellite radio components.
A “single-source” system means that you can only have one source playing at a time in any of your zones. You can have more than one source hooked up to your system; you just can’t play, for example, a CD in one zone and the radio in another at the same time. You are limited to only one source at a time.
“Dual-source” means that you can play two different sources at the same time. You can have a CD in the kitchen and listen to the game out on the deck.
“Multiple-Source”, “Four-source”,
“Six-source”, “Eight-source”. This equates to the
number of different sources that you can have playing at the same time.