Custom Installation How-To

In celebration of 60 years developing some of the highest quality sound reproduction products in the world, McIntosh releases the MXA60 Executive System, the company's first standalone integrated audio system.

Simplicity and home theater equipment don’t often seem to go together. With the constant influx of new products and upgrades, it’s hard to maintain a user-friendly environment. After all, how can you simplify your surroundings and stay ahead of the technology game at the same time? Media servers can help solve this problem. They bring all of your movies, music, and photos to a central location and then let you access it from all around your home. Media servers also provide the integration you need so you’ll be able to just sit down and enjoy your movies and music. What a concept.

Nearly 5 years ago, I read an article in the Lifestyles section of the Orange County Register that caught my attention. A family in an average Orange County neighborhood put in a front projector and large screen to enjoy big screen movies at their house with friends and family. They told of how wonderful it was to see movies at home this way and I wanted to explore that experience.

What makes a home theater unique depends on the personality and vision of the homeowner. In this Tiburon, CA home, the client, who is a playwright, wanted a comfortable space that was also dramatic and transitional where she could relax for hours watching independent films, invite friends in for deep conversations, or be enveloped in creative thought.

Many people love the idea of a house-wide audio system, but they may not love the idea of paying to have one installed. Plus, the fancy features that come with dedicated multiroom audio systems — such as keypad controllers with metadata feedback, and the ability to divide a home into numerous listening zones — might be more than what many people actually need.

In fact, for the way many people actually live, two listening zones may be the perfect amount: a “main” zone linked to the TV/surround system and a secondary zone for playing music, radio, or something else in a different room. Think one person watching Oprah’s Life Lessons, while a second seeks refuge on the patio with ESPN radio and a beer. If a two-zone audio system sounds like it would fit your bill, chances are that you’ve actually got most of the components for it already on hand.

Long before I met my wife I dreamed of having my own home theater, many ideas have come and gone since then, but I always knew that I wanted a dedicated theater in a classic style. I finally came one step closer to my dream in 1999 when my wife and I bought a new home in the suburbs, although it would be years before I would actually start my project. I began researching and collecting items from the past, and in 2006 I finally got the nod from my financial advisor (that would be my wife) though there was one caveat ... I was put on a very strict budget.

Music servers are everywhere these days. Simple or complex, inexpensive or expensive, technically you're using one right now to read this webpage. But not all music servers are alike. The audio quality can vary greatly. For example, things like well designed digital to analog converters (DACs) are a huge part in getting good sound from your digital music.

Enter Olive. The San Francisco based company has been making gorgeous high-end music servers for several years now. With the 06HD, they're aiming right at the audiophile market.