Day-to-day activities are almost always made better when you can listen to your favorite music while doing them.

Whether you’re taking care of chores around the home, enjoying a meal with friends or family, or simply looking to unwind after a hard day of work, music and other forms of audio entertainment play a vital role in our lives. So why not make it easier to enjoy the music you love anywhere in your home?

This is where distributed audio and video comes into play. With the right combination of components, software and know-how, you can enjoy whatever audio content you want throughout your home with ease, even as you move from one room to another. Read on to see how the right audio video distribution setup can enrich your Little Rock, AR home.

SEE ALSO: CHECK OUT OUR INTERACTIVE SMART HOME DEMO

COMPONENTS

The basic elements of a multi-room audio system aren’t terribly hard to come by. At the absolute basic level, all you need are a handful of wireless speakers and an app that can link and control those speakers. If all you’re looking for is an easy way to enjoy high-end audio in more places in your home, you can buy a couple wireless speakers from Best Buy and download the DTS Play-Fi app, which lets you stream music and control speakers across a range of manufacturers.

If you’re a smart home owner, though, or want a system with more robust capabilities, you’ll want to take it to the next level. You’ll likely want your home audio system to work with your home theater or surround sound system, which means you’ll want to purchase a receiver, soundbar, or similar that can handle the surround sound piece. You can also include a voice-controlled smart speaker like the Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple HomePod to add more functionality to your system.

SOFTWARE

What really makes a whole-home audio distribution system work, however, is the software. In many cases, you’ll likely be stuck using the proprietary brand software that comes with the speakers, as manufacturers want consumers joined on one electronic ecosystem. With that in mind, there are still come important distinctions among brands that can help you make the right decision for your situation.

The first factor to weigh when choosing brands and software is whether the speakers will run on their own mesh network or on your home wi-fi network. Speakers that run on a mesh network, like Sonos products, work by initially connecting through your wi-fi network before forming their own subnetwork. Because the speakers aren’t running on your regular network when you’re streaming music or otherwise using them, this type of system tends to give you better performance. Other speakers connect using your normal wi-fi. This can sometimes cause performance issues, as the strength of the connection will depend on the strength of the wireless signal throughout your home.

The other consideration when it comes to choosing speakers is whether the app allows you to stream multiple sources to multiple devices and rooms, or if you can only stream a single source across multiple devices. Sonos and systems that work with DTS Play-Fi allow multiple sources to be beamed to multiple devices, while systems that use Apple’s AirPlay 2 or Google’s Chromecast software only allow one source to be heard across devices. Which type of system is right for you depends on your needs, budget and other considerations. You’ll also want to ask about how well your chosen speaker brand works with voice-controlled devices.

OTHER TIPS AND TRICKS

We’ve covered the major pieces of setting up a multi-room audio system, but there are a few other factors to be aware of. You’ll want to be sure your home network can handle the extra strain from any new components you install. You’ll also want to ensure your new speaker network doesn’t interfere with any existing automation systems in your home.

The easiest way to get an ideal whole-home audio system is to have it professionally installed, and we at Audio Dimensions are more than ready to elevate your home listening experience. To learn more about our services, call our Little Rock location at (501) 223-1115 or visit our website.