Fall 2008 issue of Horizons

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT The Sound Room (cont.)

The Sound Room has grown up along with the home entertainment industry, opening its second location in Chesterfield in 1986, expanding to its current location at 1661 Clarkson in 1991, and unveiling an expanded showroom at 11641 Olive Blvd. in Creve Coeur in 2000. “The move from analog to digital systems and the CD player transformed everything. Then we had high-fidelity VCRs and sound systems in TVs. In the past two to three years, we’ve seen the explosion in home automation and control systems, whereby our systems control everything from lighting and HVAC to entertainment and security. It was the birth of the networked/connected home. Now everyone is moving to high-definition.” Today, video surveillance and remote access, whole- house integration and energy-saving systems are driving the market. The Sound Room’s customers can monitor properties remotely from a laptop and/or send instructions to the home. “In the past, these systems were just for rich people,” says Young. “Wireless technology and economies of scale have made these systems much more affordable. A whole new market of home owners has opened up for us.”

With the buying power of the national retailers and the emphasis on service and installation, The Sound Room is able to attract today’s middle-class home owner as well as the high-end user. “We want to give the customer the best system for his or her needs,” says Young. “Today we see younger buyers, families as well as empty nesters. It’s all over the board.” The Sound Room goes the extra mile in delivering customized turn-key systems. In addition to designing, installing and servicing the equipment, it also offers an easy-to-use software integration package that allows customers to upload their personal DVD or music library, which can be easily accessed through a touch screen. The program even rearranges viewer menus and offers selection suggestions based on the last entertainment option selected. “If the family is in the home theatre and just finished watching ‘Aladdin,’ then similar preferences will be next on the menu,” says Young. “If the teens are into action movies, then the menu options will reflect that. Again, it’s all about making it interactive and user-friendly.”

29 ◆ fall 2008 issue