Home audio systems have never been better, more flexible, or more economical.
If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your old home sound system, or realize that there’s more to life than a boom box, or iPod…well, you’re right.
And if you think that you need to spend a fortune to get great music…well, you’re in for a surprise.
Wealth Advisory Associate Anita Srivistana and her husband were frustrated by the audio set-up in their Ridgewood, NJ home. The Bose home audio system that was installed over five years earlier in several rooms had become unreliable. The family was unable to hear music dependably in the kitchen or dining room. Their hope was not only to hear good music in these key rooms, but also extend the audio sound system capability into the living room. And they wanted to keep equipment costs reasonable.
Anita Srivastava, wealth advisor and Ridgewood, NJ homeowner, wanted a better home audio system.
Bergen IT’s analysis showed that the wireless functionality of the home audio system was compromised by interference in the 2.4 GHz wireless spectrum. And after discussion with the family, we came up with an installation strategy that would meet their listening and budget needs.
Home Audio Systems: Consider Listening and Budget Needs
It was decided to leave the Bose system in place for the family room, since it still functioned well as a surround sound and remote control unit for watching TV and movies.
But in the rest of the house the goal was listening to good-quality music, without spending a large sum on equipment and installation. Bergen IT recommended the Sonos family of products as an easy-to-use and extremely flexible system.
Sonos: Flexibility, Quality, and Affordability
A Sonos Bridge was connected to the network wireless access point in the kitchen. This provided wireless connectivity and control to every Sonos device being installed. The Bose speakers were left in place in the kitchen and dining room.
The Bose amps were taken out and replaced with a Sonos Control:Amp. The single Bose amp and speaker unit in the dining room was replaced with two Sonos Play:1 speakers working in stereo. Four more Play:1 speakers were added to the living room for encompassing sound.
Four speakers were installed in the living room for full-featured sound.
Once everything was installed, the Sonos app was downloaded to the family’s smart phones, tablets, and a Mac computer. Using the app, all the speaker sets were assigned into Zones: Kitchen, Dining Room, and Living Room. In the living room, the four speakers were divided into two stereo sets. By doing this, each set of speakers could be controlled independently, both for volume and for selecting the music source.
Connecting to the iTunes Library
Once the Zones were set up, it was time to connect to the iTunes Library on the Mac. After ensuring that the iTunes Library was configured for sharing, it took only a few minutes for the Sonos system to connect to it. Now hundreds of tunes are immediately available to any Zone in the house at any time. With input from each member of the family, internet music services (Pandora, SiriusXM, Rhapsody, etc.) and internet radio stations (local, national, and international) were also added.
Out with the old kitchen speakers, and in with the new!
A few hours of work turned a house of tech frustration into a home of listening pleasure, where each member of the family now has immediate access to music in any room with a Sonos device in it.
Audio and Home Theater Solutions
Want to get the right audio or home theater solution for you? Bergen IT provides expert and affordable consultations and installations.
Learn more about our audio and home theater services now.
Contact Bergen IT:
201-689-1823
Bergen IT is a client-centered, comprehensive tech support and strategy company for businesses, professionals, and homeowners. The company services customers in the NJ and New York City metropolitan area, including northern New Jersey (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, and Passaic, NJ), Manhattan and the Bronx, Rockland and Westchester, and can remotely assist clients across the USA.
Bergen IT provides computer, mobile device, audio, TV, and home-theater services. Its focus is on providing personal attention, reasonable rates and top-notch expertise. For more information, go to: www.bergenit.net.