According to the CEDIA web site, each year, “…the association recognizes the best of the best in the residential electronic systems industry.” Out of hundreds of submitted Manufacturers’ Excellence Award entries, only the most innovative and beneficial products are deemed worthy of the coveted prize.

“From the start, we designed Collage to not only drive retrofit sales, but to also steer the industry toward retrofit business as the best opportunity for thriving in any economic conditions,” said Charlie Porritt, Russound’s CEO. “We see Collage and Powerline Carrier technology as the most logical move for custom install professionals who are ready to jump into the retrofit market.”

The Collage Powerline Media and Intercom System is designed to fully maximize an IP backbone established over a home’s 110 volt residential wiring, giving the user access to all of their content on their network as well as Internet services such as Rhapsody®. As it is a scalable system, there is no penalty in cost for installing one or two zones, or as many as 10.

Unlike other Powerline Carrier systems that require a central hub, the Collage system is decentralized, making its expansion linear, and allowing zones and sources to be placed anywhere in the home. This design allows Collage to be a low-cost investment for consumers who want to begin with two or three zones before expanding to additional areas at a later date.

In addition to the Manufacturers’ Excellence Award, Russound walked away with three additional honors at the show.

– BEST (Best Electronics Systems Technologies) Award for No New Wires Transmission Technology (Collage Powerline Media and Intercom System)
– Excite Award for In-Wall Speaker (Acclaim 7W51SFT)
– Resi Award for Best AV Processor/Receiver (C-Series Multizone Kit KT1-C5)

“Collage may be our star attraction at the moment, but it is hardly the only featured newcomer this year,” added Porritt. “We are thrilled to receive so much recognition from our peers and the press.”