There’s a concept called the “paradox of choice.” Taken from the title of a 2004 book by Barry Schwartz, the notion can be (grossly) oversimplified thusly: There are so many options within every single segment of consumer goods — of any kind — that making an informed, rational decision is almost overwhelming. It’s especially true when it comes to audio equipment — from streaming devices to speakers, there’s simply a lot of stuff to choose from.

You’ve likely had this experience when you’ve set foot inside a big-box electronics store. There are so many options for getting music and movie soundtracks from the source to your ears, any newbie thinking about upgrading their audio experience is likely to become bewildered. Beyond the sheer volume of products, there are also reams of industry jargon and spec-sheet-terms to contend with.

Here's how you can cut through all that noise — pun intended.

“I ask homeowners, ‘How do you already live? What is your current lifestyle? What are your habits?’”
- Sonia Hernandez, Crestron Business Development Manager

“Distributed” Versus “Whole-Home” Audio

Two terms that need clarification before we dig into specifics are “whole-home” and “distributed” audio. Crestron’s Senior Design Showroom Manager Bryan Celli makes the distinction: “Whole home audio can kind of evolve without planning. You can buy individual local plug-in speakers (with amplification built right into the unit — these are called 'active' speakers) and have music play through them, whether it's Bluetooth or it's a Sonos Wi-Fi enabled unit. It's not always integrated. With distributed audio, your sources and amplification systems are centralized in one place, and the signal is sent from there to the destinations — where the speakers are located. It's more streamlined — it’s a better-quality solution.” This also means that if new technologies or better sources come along, a hard-wired infrastructure will be able to handle the upgrades — the entire system won’t suddenly become obsolete.

When you’re remodeling or building a home, that’s the time to think about distributed audio: Cables are run behind the drywall just like your electrical and plumbing systems, and that means that speakers can be placed anywhere. Plug-in “wireless” speakers still need power, remember — and unless you really like the looks of a tangle of extension cords, placement is limited to electrical outlet locations.

Your Listening Habits

The next step in designing an audio system is about you, the listener — and not what you’re going to buy.

Instead of immediately comparing speakers and amps, take a look at how you live your life, says Sonia Hernandez, a business development manager who handles the operation of Crestron’s Houston showroom. “I ask homeowners, ‘How do you already live? What is your current lifestyle? What are your habits? When you wake up and you go downstairs, for example, do you tell Alexa to play some jazz music while you're making your coffee?’”

Celli agrees. “I think the biggest factor is the discovery process,” he says. (The “discovery process” is just that — the conversation between the homeowner and the eventual system designer/installer, who’s often referred to as an “integrator.”) “Understanding how they listen to music and how they're going to use the system is key,” he notes. “Are they big on entertaining and having people over? I know that's more of a pre-COVID question, but we're going to get back to having parties again.” You’ll also want to have a discussion about your music library. Is it all streaming? Do you have vinyl? And did you know you can integrate that turntable rig into the larger system?

Another aspect to consider: Is a portion of the system dedicated to movies? Do you want to give those speakers the ability to play music, too? “Many times, people want the movie experience to be different than the music,” says Celli. “I’ve run into a number of people who hate how music sounds in surround sound — but they can’t watch a movie without it being in surround sound.”

"The preference we hear the most: People don’t want to see those speakers."
- Bryan Celli, Crestron Senior Design Showroom Manager

Now to the Gear

Let’s use this hypothetical: You’ve decided you want music in the kitchen, the dining room, and maybe a bedroom or two, maybe the home office as well. You’d like a surround-sound system in the living room — something that matches up beautifully with that 4K TV you love for movies and sports. Your daughter wants to hear Billie Eilish in her space while you’d prefer Bach while you’re at your desk. “The amps that we offer — with the streaming solutions built in, with their intuitive controls — the quality and performance of these products make them an excellent solution,” says Hernandez. (The devices offered by Crestron have been put through an absolutely brutal testing process, too: prototypes have been chilled, cooked, beaten, and overburdened with data, and only when the product passes that battery of exams is it put on the market.)

As for speakers, in-wall and in-ceiling options are available. Each have their applications, says Celli – and some of that’s determined by the environment. “If you’ve got concrete ceilings in an urban high-rise, obviously in-wall speakers are the pick,” he notes. And this is why it’s important to consult with someone who knows their stuff: In-wall speakers in an urban environment can bug the neighbors. Beyond those considerations, a condo with a great deal of glass or other hard, reflective surfaces won’t be a great a listening environment. “Fortunately, there are a lot of sound absorption and diffusion products out there to optimize the listening experience,” says Celli. There are signal processors that can help adjust the audio as well. Furthermore, companies that handle end-to-end solutions — from source to speakers — can assure the listener’s getting “matched” components that work and play well with one another.

When it’s possible, most homeowners prefer ambient music delivered via overhead speakers, while having movie audio delivered from in-wall models. (The exception here would be a media system engineered for immersive audio — there’s literally an overhead channel at work.) Celli notes that, “I think that the conditions of the space are dictating wall-versus-ceiling. But the preference we hear the most: People don’t want to see those speakers.” Beyond audiophile setups with “statement” speakers, the trend away from freestanding units to components that disappear into a room’s aesthetic has become pervasive.

Audio, of course, can be a part of a larger immersive experience. Hearing music or movie soundtracks with clarity and impact is one experience — but audio as a part of a larger home automation system can really be magical. “For those that are not living with home automation, they don't understand it until they experience it,” notes Hernandez. Celli has a formula for building what’s called a “scene”: “If eight times out of ten, when you come home, you want the music at 30% volume, the shades dropping to 75% closed, and the temperature set at 71 degrees — those are all the settings we’ll put into a one-button control.”

“That one-button scene-setting blows people’s minds,” says Hernandez. “It’ll even make a convert out of someone who says they ‘hate tech.’”