Connected Home: What is the market potential for whole-home audio?

Desirée Webster: Honestly, the market potential for whole-home audio is ever-expanding. Love of music is universal and constant, so the desire to make it part of our homes is only natural. As technology evolves and overcomes the structural limitations of the past, as well as barriers of scope and affordability, the number of homes able to invite music in is growing, and rapidly.
 

CH: What are the latest technology innovations that will help drive this growth?

DW: Most evident is the increasing quality and reliability of wirelessly transmitting audio. The level of flexibility and the reduction of labour that is the result of taking extensive cable-pulling out of the equation make the reality of whole home audio radically more accessible. Additionally, other technologies, like powerline, are also working alternatives geared to the pursuit of retrofitting home audio without drastically compromising sound-quality. The more technologies developed and advanced into stable, high-performing methods of audio distribution, the greater the span of true potential within the market.

CH: To wire or not to wire?

DW: The true answer is not to discount either option. Each option has unique advantages and has specific applications for which they are best suited. In the instances of new builds, Ethernet cabling is still a beneficial inclusion, establishing a solid framework for a multitude of technologies. Wireless solutions can be miracle workers in existing homes for expanding systems. It’s not a matter of whether or not to wire, but rather of knowing when it’s best to use both.

CH: What balance between convenience and sound quality are most people after?

DW: Convenience is an enormous draw. The ease and accessibility of a system that is simple to install, simpler to use and that incorporates the myriad devices and services people use on their phones, or tablets, or laptops, all without fuss, is at the core of what the most alluring audio systems have to offer. But, quality cannot be ignored. No matter how fast the setup, no matter how many streaming stations a system can provide, if it doesn’t sound good, what is the point? Customers are increasingly drawn to convenience, but honestly expect both and if they don’t then installers can educate them on better performing systems, perhaps making better margins in the process. Thankfully, options are available that bring convenience and quality together impressively, for an overall superior experience. 

CH: Why do you think people seem more interested in picture quality above audio quality?

DW: Audio quality is complex and can be dependent on so many variables. For the best possible listening experience, the concerns go beyond the quality of the original recording and the equipment used to reproduce it. Speaker placement, the drapes at the window, menu settings that most people don’t know to adjust or what they mean, can all make a difference. Often, people don’t know what to listen for in order to hear the audio as it was meant to be heard. There’s an increased awareness of picture quality and what kind of difference it makes, as it is easier for people to literally see in front of them. The more exposure higher quality audio gets, the more interest will be generated. Once people hear the difference, they start to really care.