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Bach Here Beatles There X-Box, Too PUHLEEZE.

Further to another post where I have been asked to help a friend with their house renovation, could anyone give their opinions on a SENSIBLE multi room system.

I realize that firms like Crestron etc may be booming, but I have yet to meet anyone who ever really wanted to listen to Bach in one room, the Buzzocks in another, while their husband watched sports, someone else watched a movie and they were cooking spaghetti or something while their kids played PS2.

Worse, I have been to several dinner parties where the newly rich host neurotically jumped up and down to adjust the malfunctioning panel of their multi room system, couldnt located disc number 7000 or whatever they wanted to play. As an added bonus, it all sounded like CRAP through their designery hidden speakers. (Of course, I as an old school audiophile, jump up and down neurotically with my 2 channel system but that is a different matter.)

So I would like to propose a SIMPLE and GOOD SOUNDING hub and spoke system where at the nucleus of the house there is a monster audio/home theatre system of fabulous quality. And then, branching out, you can remotely monitor and independently adjust the audio and volume in other rooms, or if necessary, simply play music throughout the house.

Which, at the end of the day, is not so far from "speakers 1 and speakers 2" on a Fisher 500 or something, circa 1965. Back to the future!?

So your opinions on clean, simple, good sounding "multi room" music greatly appreciated.

Cheers.
cwlondon

Showing 1 response by lugnut

lugnut
1,190 posts
 
Based on your previous post about this I assume your friend is well heeled. You must admit the room is a little over the top. A hint is that you've given no budget to consider.

A couple of things you really should consider is that a quality manufacturer of such whole house components will make them feature rich and able to accomodate different needs down the road. You don't need to use the additional features to enjoy wonderful integration and great sound. Another practical consideration should be given to the remotes. How good they are is a function of ease of use, range and durability.

The company audiophiles love to hate does the whole house thing better than anyone else is Linn. Even their in wall and ceiling speakers are very, very good. Simple is nice. So is maximum flexibility. Linn incorporates both better than any other manufacturer I know of. It won't be cheap but it will be bullet proof.

Don't take this the wrong way but one cannot buy a new luxury car with roll up windows and an am radio. You really shouldn't expect to be able to buy precisely what you want as it doesn't make any business sense at all.
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