Multi Room Music Systems

Systems vary and some allow for customizable source for each room. All of this can be managed via a central system that is connected wirelessly to its satellites.

Price

A multi room music system can be as affordable as $200, but it can also easily top $10,000. It depends on the number and size of the rooms and features you need.

Control and feedback

A factor you may want to consider is how the sound is controlled. Lower-end systems allow for one central point of control - the server. High end ones allow for several remote controls, even one in each room. Even remote controls differ. Some satellite speakers and remote controls communicate with the server and display the current song or playlist.

Remote control possibilities

One trend is to minimize the number of remote controls around the house. Another is to use one’s iPhone, for instance, to control a multi room music system among, along with other house systems like air conditioning. This comes really handy, as one is expected to carry around his or her mobile phone. Furthermore, different systems allow for multiple control points, such as a computer, be it PC or a Mac.

A Sony example

Sony provides a range of modular components of a wireless sound system. The Wireless Multi-Room System for iPod and iPhone allows the use any of the two compact Apple devices as a sound source. You simply dock one of them into a Sony cradle, which will broadcast its signal to two (or more) speakers that can be placed in remote locations. Playback can be controlled with a help of a Sony remote control. Feedback is provided both on the remote control and on the speakers themselves. The price tag is some $400 for two speakers and a dock. Variants can pick signals from a PC, for instance, or deliver sound to a living-room home cinema etc. Maximum range is 164ft (50m), although quality decreases with distance and obstacles.

A Yamaha example

The latest release in this field of the Japanese manufacturer is MultiCast2. This is a similar modular system, that can deliver custom audio anywhere in a multi-room location. It is scalable and uses Wi-Fi as a data transmission layer. For instance it can use a computer mp3 or an Internet subscription audio service like Rhapsody as a sound source. The remote controls (called Commanders) and music players are pricier, with one single Commander costing about $500. Nevertheless, feedback is richer.

Other manufacturers include Sonos, Apple, Bose and Raumfeld. A few of the things that producers are currently working on include improvements in: scalability, interconnectivity, range and sound quality, synchronization between satellites and the server, metadata communication speed and choice of audio formats.

Article Source: http://www.seoserviceprovider.com/articles

www.surround-sound-wireless.com is a blog dedicated to bringing you the most up-to-date tech news and reviews on wireless sourround sound systems for your home.

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