OTHER TECH

Wouldn't it be great if your new home already had a first-rate entertainment system built in? Some developments now allow buyers to choose from a number of systems that are installed and programmed before they even move in. Hoping to make JBL-based home theaters as de rigueur in luxury homes as Viking ranges and Sub-Zero refrigerators, Harman Consumer Group has teamed with a developer and a custom installer to offer turnkey home-entertainment packages at Andalusia at Coral Mountains. (The 680-unit development is located in La Quinta, California, about 25 miles from Palm Springs in the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains.)

•Photo Gallery

The partnership among JBL's parent company Harman, custom installer Radio Active, and developer Drummond Company lets buyers of any of six different home models (ranging from 2,900 to 5,000 square feet) order one of several preassembled JBL home theater systems when they sign a contract to buy the house. Prospective owners can visit one of the on-site models to get some hands-on experience with the gear and to see how it can be integrated into the home's decor.

Each of the houses in the Andalusia development comes with extensive pre-wiring as part of its purchase price, which can range from just over $1 million to about $2 million. Owners can buy one of the stock systems as displayed or go for a variety of options, including a selection of video displays. System prices - which range from about $15,000 to $45,000 - include having the gear installed and calibrated to Dolby and THX specifications. Some HDTVs and Crestron control systems are extra.

For homeowners, the A/V process begins once they've signed a purchase agreement with the developer. After discussing the design elements of the project with Drummond's internal design center, the buyers meet with Radio Active - the developer's exclusive custom installer - to consult about the various A/V, communications, and security options.