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New member Username: Jmca9999Post Number: 1 Registered: Nov-10 | We are doing a renovation and have the opportunity while the walls are open to run wire. I am investigating whole house systems. My electrician is recommending the Concerto by NuVo. It runs on Cat5 wiring and you can put a station in any room. Basically it can use any input, but works well with an IPOD because each room interface picks up the IPOD information. I spoke with a high end local high end Home Theatre Store and the salesman told me that was a mistake. He recommended his system (Control4) because the NuVo was underpowered and the Cat5 wiring was garbage. The Control4 system would also work off of IPOD or MP3 source material, but the system would be twice as much. I only want this system for background music in the house and by the pool. I also wonder, since we are only replaying MP3 files anyway, that sound quality is going to be pretty limited anyway. I am a newbie at this stuff, so any tips would be appreciated. My present system is an HK AVR 435 with Paradigm Studio 20s, a Paradigm CC 570 Center and and Atoms for the rears. The regular posters from this site were really helpful in putting it together. Does anyone have any input on whether these whole house systems are worth the investment? Thank you. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 15532 Registered: May-04 | . I haven't sold the current systems you mention, only earlier concepts similar to. I've always had a problem with any salesperson who would prefer to bash the competition's products rather than sell their own. I consider it cheap and not helpful to the client. Possibly I'm reading more into your post than is there but you can decide that. As to which system to buy, there's not an easy answer to the question. Yes, your sound quality is going to be compromised when you use only MP3 - even for background music. However, with only a HT receiver as your main music source, this might not pose such a great impediment to your enjoyment. I assume you never truly sit and listen to music expecting to be taken away to the actual recorded event. Yes? No? At what I see as a basic set up costing around $8k; http://www.hemagazine.com/NuVo_Grand_Concerto, the Nuvo system looks as though it can nickle and dime(?) you with "options". The Control4 system would at first glance appear to offer more in the long run without the "options" required to put the system into effect. There looks to be more complete control over home automation with this system - if that is what you're after. If not, then you probably don't really need either of these two systems and a simpler approach to wiring a background music system would seem to be in order. The Control4 system appears to have more downloadable programs and future support which I'm not seeing in the Nuvo system. At this point I would say you need to make a few decisions about how you intend to use this system for the next five to ten years. IMO and without much information to go on you seem to be over-buying for a simple background music system. Do you actually want more than that? On occasion you need to tell the electrician and the salesperson they are not listening to what you have said and they are trying to sell you something simply because they don't know how to sell something else which actually fits your needs. On the other hand, if this is the type of home automation you wish, then I would say you should be looking to do this purchase and installation once and not looking back in a few years to what you should have done. Only if the Nuvo system seems to be what you can live with for an extended period and actually what you want would I - at this time - recommend it over other options. . |
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New member Username: Jmca9999Post Number: 2 Registered: Nov-10 | Jan -- Thank you for your thoughtful post. As you suspect, I do rarely sit to listen to music just to enjoy. The system I have presently was used primarily for home theatre and otherwise as background music when we had guests over. That being said, I would like to get some decent sound for the investment. I am much more concerned about sound and adaptability for the future than I am about the other home automation applications. I haven't gotten so lazy that I can't turn out the lights by myself. My concern with the HT salesman was not that he was bashing the NuVo (I did ask his opinion after all), but that he was feeding me a line -- is Cat5 wiring truly inferior? Does it really matter when both systems are basically designed to play MP3 files? Thank you for your input and the link. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 15534 Registered: May-04 | . I would say that for your intended usage, there is no problem with CAT5 wiring. |
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Silver Member Username: SuperjazzyjamesPost Number: 304 Registered: Oct-10 | You might also want to check out The Sonos System John. It's wireless and very flexible. It uses the iTunes program on your computer as a source. It comes with a central control unit, but can also be controlled via iPhone. Another option to consider. I agree with Jan about sales persons who bash the competition. Don't tell me what's wrong with their system, tell me what's RIGHT with yours! The guy at the store needs to think about liability too. He and his employer could be sued if he lies to customers in order to get them to choose what he is selling. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Canada Post Number: 3299 Registered: Jun-07 | I dig the Nuvo, but I also dig the Sonos. Both are totally different beasts however. If you want just a background music system then like Jan said, an easier approach could be taken. Like the Sono's system which is basically a wireless hub for music. It is also now programmable to other music applications other than I-Tunes. The Nuvo on the other hand is full automation, music and so on. There is various wall controls for everything, and the power amps that Nuvo provide are usually multi-zone and very hefty. Depends on what you want. I do not know why Nuvo is getting bashed as if used right is a very nice system IMO. Just possible overkill for you. It depends on how you use CAT5 for it to be inferior. If you just run a single cat5 cable and use a single pair on both ends then it may be inferior (although it should still be fine for your application). If you take the 4 pair (8 cables total) and twist them together making one - and one + then you will have much better results. Example : OS,BS,GS,BrS = - and O,B,G,Br = + If you want to get crazy, take a couple Cat5 cables, twist them tight together. Splice both cables back about two feet on both ends revealing 8 pairs (16 cables) and then braid them together. Use some techflex and heat shrink and your good to go.lol. |
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Silver Member Username: SuperjazzyjamesPost Number: 305 Registered: Oct-10 | Nick, the whole bashing thing is like a mudslinging campain. You know, "Don't vote for him, he did this, this and that!" If you want my vote, sell yourself, don't dish dirt on your opponent. Sales people lose my confidence in them when they put other products down. For instance, a sales person once bashed Yamaha speakers. As far as I can tell, it was only because the store didn't carry Yamaha products. I used to have a pair of Yam floor spkrs and they sounded great. I made a point of not doing business with that individual. The person who got the sale was the one who acknowledged that Yamahas are good speakers, then invited me to hear Mirage omni sat Os3s. I had to twist his arm to get him to connect them to a Denon DRA-397 reveiver (the amp I have), but when he realized that I wasn't bluffing when I said "Do it, or lose the sale." He did it. |