which multi room audio system to chose

[woby]

I am looking to install a multi room audio system in my home that I prewired for 12 different audio zones. I have been looking at a few different choices including Nuvo, HTD and Control4 and am looking for feedback on which would best satisfy my desires. What I am looking for is the ability to have multiple independant source choices but most importantly being able to control these from the wall mounted controls. What I really like about the Nuvo system is that it appears as it is the only one that will provide data from the source to the wall control. Such as if listening to sat radio it will display the channel and song title or allow you to browse your Ipod music lists on the wall control. As far as I can tell it is the only system to provide this? I really liked the control4 but it seems like this is only available via a TV or through a handheld device. From what I can gather with the HTD systems is that it will provide data from its built in MP3 player only on the wall units. Am I missing any alternatives and is the Nuvo Grand Concerto my best option?

[Tunksy31]

It all depends on how much you are willing to spend. There are numerous companies that provide complete feedback to the room controller but you need to have the budget in place to do it. Control4 and I believe Nuvo are only available through a dealer and not available direct to the end user. Although you can find what you need on the net the companies will not supply you with programming or end user support. If you are looking into Control4 I would also suggest Crestron Adagio with APAD controllers. Again only available through a dealer but will offer you way more than Nuvo and Control4 are able to offer.

[woby]

Tunsky - I have found that you can get the Nuvo via internet dealers and can install them DIY but control4 is another beast. That is my main concern with control4, they are worse than Apple! I don't like that any time you upgrade equipment you have to have a dealer configure it for you, over its lifetime I would be paying quite a few 'hidden charges' as I replace equipment. Budget is somehwat a concern but am willing to shell out the aproximate 4-6K that the Nuvo demands to meet my control desires as I am prone to loosing remotes and hate the idea of having one strapped to you at all times to be able to use its features.

[cavu]

Originally Posted by woby

What I really like about the Nuvo system is that it appears as it is the only one that will provide data from the source to the wall control. [...] Am I missing any alternatives and is the Nuvo Grand Concerto my best option?

If you are fixated on having to get out of your chair and walk to a wall-mounted control to view track info or skip a tune or search for a track, carry on.

If you would like the ability to do all of that from your lap and then store that dedicated control on a wall-mounted cradle, or use an iPad or an iPhone or a netbook computer for all of those functions, check out the SONOS system!!!!!

See their DEMO.

[audacity]

I'll second the Sonos recommendation. It meets all your stated requirements. If you want want wall-mounted controllers, get iPad wall mounts.

The primary reason why I'm not a fan of traditional whole-home audio system is that the software/user interface is horrible when compared to what you can do with Sonos or even Squeezebox. Sonos invests more on the software side of the equation, and integrates with more online music/audio services than the traditional multi-room audio systems.

I mean, just have a look at these control panels and then look at the Sonos controllers and you see a decade of different between from the user interface perspective.

Or, look at the APAD controllers that Tunksy31 recommended. To add insult to injury, to get this user interface from 1990, you need to run a bunch of additional wires in your walls!

I can appreciate the point of view that someone wants to have a bunch of in wall or in ceiling speakers throughout the house and not "see" any stereo equipment or zone players, but then at the very least use Sonos Zone Players at the central "home" point(s) of speaker wire terminals.

[woby]

Thanks I will look into sonos! I have also started looking into Russound but am disheartened by the low wattage per zone. I really do like the wall keypads for the fact that remotes and little kids don't mix well and that if you have guests over and they want to control the music in their room I don't have to have a bunch of extra remotes and have to train them how to use them. In a perfect world I would like the dedicated wall mount controllers and remote capabilities. I have quite a bit of research to do but would like to see the possibilities of incorporating a system such as Nuvo or Russound with control4. You could in theory control via keypads and wireless if control4 could 'learn' the Nuvo or russound. I do agree that the HTD control leaves something to be desired but Russound and Nuvo are quite nice (in my opinion).
I have heard through a dealer that wireless systems do lose some sound quality and that things like electrically heated floors and ceramic tile (??) can cause difficulties with wireless systems (I have both). Does anyone have any experiences with this?

[cavu]

Originally Posted by woby

I really do like the wall keypads for the fact that remotes and little kids don't mix well

In a perfect world I would like the dedicated wall mount controllers and remote capabilities.

The dedicated Sonos controllers have wall mount cradles. My Sonos controllers are "normally" at home on their wall-mounted charging cradles, displaying album art or even just the time. If you are really hung up on "in-wall keypads", just leave them there.

The rest of the time, the Sonos remote is in my lap; it is easier to see the album art and other info or create playlists or search for new music..

if you have guests over and they want to control the music in their room I don't have to have a bunch of extra remotes and have to train them how to use them.

Unless you are an anal control freak, the Sonos remote practically becomes the centre of attention at parties, sitting on the dining room or coffee table !! Guests pass it around and marvel at their ability to find their favourite song of all time and play it within 30 seconds. Entire evenings are spent trying to "name that song in three notes". (I use Rhapsody with millions of tracks available but you can use Pandora and several other services.)

Most friends who have experienced it have gotten their own Sonos setups.

If someone can't figure out how to use a Sonos controller in about 30 seconds, they shouldn't be allowed outside by themselves.

wireless systems do lose some sound quality and that things like electrically heated floors and ceramic tile can cause difficulties with wireless systems

Nonsense. Sonos systems use digital "Wifi" type technology - there is no degradation - it either works or it doesn't. But Sonos go a large step further using what they call "Flex-Net" technology - the Sonos units act as repeaters for each other so any given unit can communicate with any of the others. If for some reason a Sonos zone can't communicate with the others (like its too far away in the pool house, garage, bomb shelter or granny flat) you can use a simple CAT5 cable.

[woby]

Man do I ever ask a lot of questions! I have been snooping at the Sonos system and have even more questions. I want to use in-ceiling speakers that I have prewired for 12 different zones in my house. If I went with a Sonos system would I then have to purchase 12 zoneplayers such as the 120 and 12 sonos controller 200's to have the ability to listen and control music in each room?

[jimmvv]

I gutted my home a couple of years ago and strung CAT-5 throughout for network and audio connections.
I chose a NUVO Grand Concerto unit and I have to say it's run continuously since it was installed and I've never had an issue. I have use it to broadcast Sat Radio, a 160GB iPod in a cradle and AM/FM Radio across 6 zones in the house.

In short, I love it.

The wallmount keypad is easy to operate and it displays metadata on-screen in each room. I can listen to the iPod upstairs while my wife has the radio on in the living room.

HOWEVER: I can appreciate the comments from some about the upside of a system such as SONOS.

Couple of things:
- my iPod is holding approx 17,000 songs (all legal, btw) and it takes forever for the thing to sync after you pop it out of the cradle. In fact, I don;t even bother removing it any more.
- the thing is VERY expensive. I was deep in the throes of a full gut reno so at the time, the cost, while not insignificant, did not deter me at the time. This was a completely emotional purchase and while I do not regret it (it's great, it really is), the thing is over-priced.
- After you drop huge bucks on the unit, make sure you budget to have the thing properly installed. As someone here said earlier, the software is truly from another time: non-intuitive and intentionally vague (in my opinion). Budget at least $1,000 to get the thing put together and programmed.

SONOS is dead simple to set up, program and change as necessary. NUVO is impenetrable. And if you decide to make a change to the programming, keep your installer's number handy.

So on balance, woudl I buy another NUVO? Yes - if it were priced differently. These day's the streaming media rigs have come a long way and I would seriously consider them before I dropped $7,000+ on a NUVO rig.

That said, for everyone out there - if you have the chance to run wire throughout yoru house, dont; delay: RUN THE WIRES... whether you use em of not in the short run, you will eventually be happy you did!

[lex_rx]

^$7K Nuvo includes 6 pairs of speakers, wiring, 6 controllers with metadata, install, and programming?

That's not bad. My HTD system and builder-installed 5 pairs of speakers, pre-wire for speakers for patio is probably about C$5,500. Of course, a builder- installed 6-zone Nuvo would have cost me about $7K as well.

This was the cheapest of the systems that I looked at including Russound, Sonance, and a couple others.

Of course we like to play around with HTD's intercom and keypad as source functionalities.

At the end of the day, enjoying music with family, priceless. So enjoy.

[audacity]

Originally Posted by Tunksy31

Although Sonos is a good solution for a lot of people I think the OP is looking for something a bit more advanced than what a Sonos system is able to offer.

When you say advanced, what do you mean exactly? When I was comparing different systems, it wasn't the cost that attracted me most to Sonos (compared with the competition), it was the capabilities. Specifically, it supports a wide range of audio formats, proprietary audio book formats (i.e. Audible), and it integrates with streaming audio services on the internet - so you don't need to bother with managing your own collection of MP3s, if you don't already have a large collection.

For people who want a solution that "just works", I think a Sonos system with a music service subscription is about as good as it gets.

And since you seem to have some industry experience, can I ask you: what other alternatives are there available for people like me (Audible junkie) who want to listen to books from their Audible account and control it via a whole home audio system? What about listening to music from a Napster or Rdio subscription service? What about having a modern user interface?

When Googling the various systems that you refer to, I come away thinking that none of these companies seem to employ user interface designers. Or, if they do, they need a new ones. It's pretty amusing that so many of those systems have arrow keys on them for navigation. You know, like how we would design user interfaces for MS-DOS software.

[danthelabman]

Hi ,Just joined this forum and have some questions on what to look for hooking up our new house. All wiring was put in when house was built with wires ran for cinema room and ceiling speakers in every room,. Wherw do i start looking for systems ? Do i look at a receiver or a computer in the tv room that feeds music to all rooms that have a location to put in controls ready to connect? Looks like your budget determins a lot about the system you can put in . Any advice for where to order these controls,what option is there etc. I am just starting to research this stuff as i am tired of the MiMouse stereo in one room.Time to set up properly.Thanks Daniel

[DustyTHX]

Budget will always determine what kind of system you can put in. Sonos is a great solution for the "average joe" that wants to listen to music in different rooms, house wasn't preired, and doesnt care about sound quality. However if your home has been prewired properly with proper audio video distribution then there is a plethora of solutions available ranging in price some starting at a price point that would make Sonos blush. I would suggest contacting your local custom audio video installers. They usually have a wealth of knowledge regarding this stuff (It's what I do for a living) and hopefully can steer you in the right direction. Hope ths helps

[Deca]

I have a Russound solution that I really like. The in wall controllers are nice and work well but I really like how the ipad interfaces with the system. The russound system has plenty of power for my home. I do run a seperate amp as an input to power some outside speakers around the pool area which works well.

[kulkulkan]

I have the HTD system (I have 6 zones, 3 sub-zones) and it is great. They also have a new 12 zone system. Also, looked at Crestron (way too expensive), Sonos, and Nuvo - but wanted a DIY hardwired system so went with HTD and impressed with it.

I might add on Sonos as one of the main source (and zone) - it can be quite complementary.