The Digital Home

With the housing market being the slowest is has been in over twenty years, Bay Area homeowners are looking for new ways to grow equity from within. The homes that have experienced the greatest increase in equity all have one thing in common… attention paid to a superior audio/video system. These homeowners understood they weren’t mere houses being built but rather dream homes. 

These are places to unwind and relax. Vessels to have friends gather and celebrate hard work and achievements. Nothing brings together a group of friends better than music. There are three basic elements to any good whole house audio/video design: sound quality, equipment control, and system affordability.

1. Sound Quality has never been better. But an understanding of which type of audio will meet your needs is important. Background audio is for general entertaining/listening. Critical listening is an audiophile’s or purist’s hobby, and wall placement will be vital in creating an acoustically proper room in which to enjoy this music.

2. In today’s market of digital technology, Equipment Control can be achieved from any point in the house. Advancements in wiring and digital communication from the Control Room to the various slave locations (each Zone/Room to be controlled) have brought about a whole new age of operation flexibility. No longer is a family required to run all the way back to the family room to turn on the system nor fast-forward the CD player. Instead, controls in each zone allow the control room to be accessed. Seeing which artist is currently playing out the various 4000 or so songs allows one to have a commanding control of your sound system. Nor do you need a separate satellite or cable box to be connected with every television in the house. Larger than normal homes may have six, eight, maybe ten rooms but have only three occupants living in them. Why have ten satellite receivers when only three units will be used at any one time?  

3. System Affordability With this ease of operation between rooms, reducing the cost of a system is achieved without need for separate components in each room. System Affordability takes into account this multiplication factor. For example, with an integrated system, one CD player can work for the entire home, removing the need for a CD player for the family room, one for the living room, the master bedroom, and then the garage. Multiply this cost savings with all the other components to be incorporated—a radio receiver, MP3 player, digital media storage server, digital satellite or cable box music—by all the rooms where this flexibility is needed, and whole house audio/video savings really add up. The savings that come from buying fewer components can be used to purchase better quality equipment, investing in state of the art technology, or even more music and movies to enjoy.  

Speaker placement is critical for the style of sound intended. Remember to always plan for your speakers during the design phase. “Good speakers are critical for your style of listening, and they become part of your walls and ceilings,” says Stuart Lee, principle audio/video systems designer of Hi Def Audio Video. New high performance invisible speakers are now available that completely blend into the sheetrock. When properly installed it IS IMPOSSIBLE to visually detect where the speakers are installed. 

Placing speakers in the ceiling is quite popular and great for general entertainment and background music. However, the more critical the listening, the lower the speakers should be positioned in relation to seating height to create true, stereo imaging.  

Whenever using ceiling speakers, give some thought to what may be located overhead. Ceiling fans can cause intermittent sound waves if speakers are placed behind the fan’s blades. Two story homes can present design concerns, since sound can travel through the ceiling to the floor above. If there is living space directly above, the use of a back box to encapsulate and confine the sound within the ceiling rafter bay will prevent it from bothering anyone upstairs. 

Finish surfaces also influence a room’s acoustical character. Hard surfaces like hardwood flooring, glass, tile, and marble cause echo within a room. Soft surfaces like rugs, draperies, and soft, cushiony furniture all absorb sound waves to prevent echo.  

Digital Technology Insures “Ease of Operation”

Many of today’s advanced AV System controllers incorporate the latest in matrix-based technology to distribute several audio/video sources out to multiple listening/viewing zones simultaneously. Dad can view and listen to his favorite satellite program in the den. The kids can enjoy rock ’n roll by the pool, while mom relaxes to classical music in the tub.

A well-designed system takes into account this “Ease of Operation”. You can’t always depend on your high school genius to be home when you want to tune into mom’s favorite soap opera or dad’s hockey game. To get started your best bet is to consult your local AV system designer. Even though whole house audio/video is a complex subject, it’s not difficult to get started on making smart decisions. A qualified professional can address your concerns and help you select an affordable, easy-to-use system that meets your requirements. Scheduling an estimate in your home is a good place to start. Visiting a showroom enables you to view firsthand the myriad of options offered by the AV specialist industry.  

For further information, contact Stuart Lee at (408) 887-4479 or visit Hi Def Audio Video at 1610 Monterey Road in San José.