Incorporate the latest home networking systems into your build and enjoy your music in every room without cables and clutter.
By Chris Haslam
Multi-room audio networks give you the freedom to enjoy the Archers in the kitchen, the latest podcasts in the study and Dire Straits (if you have to) in the living room - all without a speaker or ugly black box in sight. Just as you think about the mains and lighting wiring, sockets and switches in your building plans you can run audio cables all over the house and with the help of in-ceiling speakers and a central home hub, you can enjoy all your music and media in every room.
For around £500 you could have a basic wired or wireless set up for two different rooms, spend £5,000 and you'll be able to get a multi-zone system in several rooms that will allow you to listen to different sources. Spend over £10,000 and you'll be able to enjoy the very latest touch screen keypads and have complete control over your entire music, and even movie collections both stored and online.
This sophisticated wired audio system gives you complete control and total flexibility. There are hundreds of options available, from colour touch screen wall panels that can control audio, video, security and even lighting, to simple push button panels for playing music in the garage.
Because the system is bespoke you can go crazy and add music, movies and internet access in every room. At its heart, the Systemline Music Server acts like a huge jukebox, storing thousands of albums, and with three separate outputs, it means three different songs can be played in three different rooms all at the same time.
Systemline is a high-end, bespoke solution and unless you're an extremely capable electrician, it's well worth calling in a custom-installer to fit it as part of your self-build project.
Cost: Bespoke installations can cost from £1,000 to £20,000, depending on your requirements.
Contact: www.systemline.co.uk
If you only want to listen to two sources of music (CD and radio) in only two rooms, then you'll only need a very basic system like the MusiQ IS. The MusiQ controller can send music to two different rooms that your hi-fi isn't in (kitchen and bedroom) meaning you can listen to two sources in two different rooms at the same time. You control the CD player or tuner with a simple remote control as well as built-in wall controls.
This is only a very basic system requiring very little wiring, but at well under £1,000 it gives you the chance to add hi-tech home-automation to your build without blowing the budget.
Cost: Around £550 (with one wall controller).
Contact: www.armourhome.co.uk
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