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Figuring out the right setup for your high-end audio involves various steps. As people focus on finding the highest-quality speakers available, often forgotten is the heart of your stereo system: your receiver or amplifier. Having the best speakers on the planet won’t matter if you can’t get crisp, quality audio to them. Depending on how you want to use your system, your space, and budget limitations, and your personal tastes, we help you figure out if the high-end audio solution in your Lake Forest, Illinois home should be built around a receiver or separate components.

SEE MORE: How to Extend the Reach of Your Favorite Entertainment

 What Is the Difference Between an Amplifier and an AV Receiver?

When choosing between an amplifier and receiver for your high-end audio setup, you're actually choosing between a receiver and what the AV industry calls ‘separates.' This means instead of putting all your components in one box, you buy each separately.

An AV receiver is an all-in-one solution. It includes a tuner, preamplifier, and an amplifier. The tuner pulls in your audio signal; the preamplifier extends the signal to get it to the amplifier which powers up the signal to get it to your loudspeakers. These receivers usually have two to nine channels to meet surround sound demands. Each channel corresponds to a different speaker in the room.

Figuring out which technology is the best fit for your Highland Park, Illinois home can be an intimidating task. Whether you’re looking for a full smart home solution or an upgrade to your family room, you want an impressive system that’s reliable while still falling within your family’s budget. As the premier Control4 dealers in the area, one of our primary roles is to be your technology advisers. As part of that role, we'd like to introduce you to Control4's new EA series which gives you intuitive control of your favorite technology and entertainment. Check out our latest review to see some of the series’ best features.

SEE MORE: How to Extend the Reach of Your Favorite Entertainment

Control of All Your Home’s Technology

The new EA series (which stands for Entertainment Automation) is focused on creating a unique entertainment experience while making your home smarter. It can control products capable of high-resolution audio and 4K video while managing your lights, thermostat, security and more from the same system. Your entire home can be controlled from a smart remote, touchpad or the Control4 mobile app.

Easy Access to All Your Favorite Entertainment

Selecting the type and size of your video display is one of the first steps of home theater design. While many people are adamant that a theater is not complete without a screen-and-projector combination, there are also benefits to going with a large flat-panel television instead. Below we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of each option to see which one works best for your Glencoe, Illinois home.

SEE MORE: What Are the Best Uses for Your Home Theater System?

Screen

Pros: A screen-and-projector setup gives a home theater design more authenticity. It helps viewers feel like they’re really in a theater environment. One reason has to do with is aspect ratio. The preferred ratio for studio productions is 2.35:1 which is not available on any TVs on the market. So if you want to perfectly recreate the images from a commercial theater at home, a screen is the way to go.

Unveiling your outdoor spaces as the hot summer months approach doesn’t have to be a hassle. Need a quick way to transform your patio, pool or backyard? Add functionality and beauty to your space with a comprehensive landscape lighting system linked to your whole home lighting control. Fashionable lights highlight your Winnetka home's best features while sensors keep pathways lit at all times. Everything is easily managed from the smart device of your choice. Read on for some tips to a successful system!

SEE MORE: Enhance Your Home’s Style With Smart Lighting

1. Connect Your Landscape Lighting to a Smart Control Solution

The benefits of a landscape lighting system are numerous, from increasing your security to adding personality to your home. However, many people shy away from a comprehensive system because it can be difficult to manage multiple fixtures spread over such a large space. We incorporate your system into your home lighting control and smart home automation solutions.

This way you can manage your system from the same user interface you use to control indoor lights, security, audio/video and more. That interface can be accessed from a smartphone, tablet or touchpad depending on your personal preferences. Below we’ll also talk at how sensors, scenes and schedules help you manage your system.

In a recent study looking to gauge the growth of new technology, Realtor.com found the top ten markets for smart homes. Sitting at number seven is Chicago, Illinois likely due to the budding markets of its Northern suburbs including Lake Forest, Glenview, and Evanston. But what exactly constitutes a smart home? A smart home gives you interconnected and remote access to your technology. It can start with a few connected devices and ultimately evolve into a smart home automation system.

SEE MORE: 3 Reasons to Upgrade to a Smart Home

While it may be tempting to create a connected home by collecting the latest devices that hit the market, we recommend embracing a comprehensive solution from the start. This way you won’t have to deal with systems that can’t communicate with each other, are prone to break and aren't primed for growth. Below we’ll take a look at some of the advantages of working with a professional when installing a smart home automation system.

Bringing All Your Technology Together

Many smart home products are praised for their simplicity. All you have to do is connect them to the internet, download an app and enjoy the benefits. The problem with this approach is that you’re going to end up needing a “Home” folder on your iPhone to keep track of all the apps you need to follow your daily routine. There’ll be one to change the lights, one to lock the doors, and one to adjust the temperature.