Audio Visual Design Group

Whole Home Audio/Video

Set the mood in every room in your home. Wherever you go background music can sooth or excite the senses. Depending on your lifestyle background music can warm up a party or give you a relaxing atmosphere in the evenings with your family. Today there are many products from “multi-source – multi zone”, single “all one zone”, to music functional intercoms. These systems can distribute music from your main entertainment area to your bedrooms, kitchen, hallways, and even outdoors without the bulky & low quality "boom boxes". Some systems allow each room to have its own audio source or to "sub-zone" out it's audio (for example, your master bedroom & bath). We can advise you on what system is right for your needs.

Which rooms will you need music and do you want them to be all together or separate zones? Your budget and how many rooms you would like to provide music in will determine the type, size, and cost of the amplifier. Generally people choose the main thorough fairs in the house, the master bedroom, kitchen, dining room, pool and the patio. Additional rooms can be added later. A good installer will pre-wire speaker and control wiring, along with documentation on where each set of wires are run.

Decide if you are going to locate the whole home audio amplifier and speaker distribution at the main media-room surround sound system. Rack mount equipment can also be centrally located in a closet or bookcase. If you plan to “source” the whole home with the main media equipment you have the answer already. If you would like a separate music source, i.e. an additional AM/FM receiver, CD player/changer, music server or DVD changers, we can help you plan the best location to house this equipment. Some structured wire panels have built in speaker distribution modules and impedance matching units. This is a great place to bring in all the wires along with the other wire systems in you home.

Selecting speakers and the placement should be determined room by room. Serious music listening rooms such as the family room should have speakers spaced equally around the most common listening area. This will create a triangle known as the “sweet spot.” In background type rooms such as the kitchen, placement can be designed around the room decor. Various options are available, such as a stereo pair of ceiling or wall speakers, transducers (hidden behind the wall), or a single speaker designed to give stereo sound from a single location. Dining rooms can have in wall speakers at “knee” height keeping the sound from being in middle of conversations. Larger rooms might have four speakers separated at both ends the rooms to totally engulf the room & evenly disperse the sound. In-wall speakers considerations must be worked around other obstructions in the walls (for example, Light switches, power outlets & sconces).

Controlling the capabilities of the system can be as simple as conventional volume controls in each listening area, a wall-mounted keypad that can change source and music selection features or an all out color LCD touch panel in wall monitor with streaming video. Locations that are convenient, or other spots based on furniture locations, should all be thought out ahead of time. We can give you some advice when the time comes.