Music is a huge part of our lives, and these days we all have more choices of where that music comes from than ever! Where does your music come from and how do you enjoy it?
AM Radio, FM Radio, XM/Sirius Radio, HD Radio, Internet Radio, Pandora Radio, Rhapsody, iTunes/iPods, CDs, YouTube, Cell Phones... and that's not even a complete list, but it's a good place to start. Now consider how you enjoy that music... In your car, in or throughout your home, through personal music players/iPods, outdoors, on your computer, through your TV?
Part of my job, as a CI, is to allow my clients to access and enjoy as many of these sources of music, in as many of these places as possible. In some ways it's become easier to manage this, but in other ways, it's more difficult than ever. But by figuring out what you want to listen to, and where you want to listen, it's easier to design a system to achieve your goal.
First, decide what you enjoy listening to. If it's only iTunes for example, great. If it's iTunes and something like, Pandora Radio, well then add those to your list. Pay close attention to what sources you just can't go without on a daily basis.
Next, create a list of all the places you want to be able to enjoy that music. Is it in your car? In the kitchen during breakfast? In the back yard while you barbeque?
You also might want to take note of HOW you and other members of your family wish to listen to music. Do you invision the same song being played throughout your home? Or will everyone be listening to something different? Will it be a mix of each of these scenarios? This is where things get a bit complicated, but the steps above will help you, and companies like ours start to put together a plan.
We install many different kinds of "distributed audio systems" in my line of work. For example, we can install a system where every room in the home has a set of speakers, and a keypad or remote to control the music source and the volume. Everyone can listen to something different, at the same time. Or, they can all be set to play the same thing, like you might want if you were throwing a party.
Other, more simple systems can play just one thing at a time, but in different areas in the home.
The options are numerous, no doubt about it... but that's a good thing because it allows us to design systems for all budgets. The most important thing is to have a good idea of what you want to acomplish, and after that, a good CI can help make it a reality.
I grew up in a house filled with music... and now that's exactly what I do for a living, help others enjoy their favorite music, in their favorite place... their home.
If you have any questions about whole home music systems, but just don't know where to start, give us a call, it's what we do!
-Keith
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