Audio systems create the illusion of real musicians performing in an acoustic space. A well-designed audio system surrounds the listener with music. even from behind. High quality audio needn't be limited to one room. Multi-room systems can surround you with music as you walk through your home. We custom install single room or multi-room systems so that they blend harmoniously into your home.

Consider adding music to any room in which you spend a lot of time. Examples: the family room, study, master bedroom, master bath, kitchen, informal eating areas, exercise areas, and workshops. Consider adding music to your outside spaces such as decks, patios, gardens and pools; or, adding music to children's rooms, guest rooms, and public spaces such as foyers, formal dining rooms, and lavatories. The possibilities are endless! The rooms in which you spend the most time deserve the best audio and video performance.

What performance level do you want in each room? Sometimes one room has an especially good audio system for listening to music or a high-performance home theater system for watching movies, sports, and television. The other rooms in the home may have somewhat lower, or dramatically lower performance levels, as desired.

Should all the rooms have the same music source at the same time? If so, choose a "single source" system, as it will be simpler and more convenient for your needs. A single source, single-zone system means all rooms always have the same music. Turning on the music in one room will turn it on in every room. Adjusting the volume will adjust it in every room. This works well for a lifestyle immersed with music so you can walk from room-to-room without missing a note. Warning: All the home’s occupants should enjoy the same music and live a similar lifestyle.

A single source, multi-zone system, means you can have a control for each room for volume. This works well for an open floorplan where different music would conflict. It is good for providing background music for entertaining, and when one of the home’s occupants might want quiet while another listens.

Do some rooms or groups of rooms require the flexibility of listening to different sources? If so, then choose a "multi-source" system. In this type of system, each room or zone of rooms can individually turn the music on, select the source, and adjust the volume. Depending upon the system, there may also be system-wide control from each room. This type of system is best for homes where the occupants often enjoy different types of music. Remember that sources are still shared, so if the system has two CD players, only two different CD’s can be played at once. For home where music tastes differ completely, multiple independent systems are needed. Note that in this type of system you may not be able to play the same music in every room at the same time.

Tip: When deciding which type of system would best suit your needs, temporarily set aside any budgetary considerations. More complex, flexible systems are not always more expensive.

Questions? Contact us here or e-mail us at stegmanav@mchsi.com