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Hands On: Does Russound Collage Live Up to Hype?
Russound’s much-hyped powerline-based Collage system is shipping.
It's promising that the retrofittable Collage will breathe new life into the existing home audio market.
Just before Russound began shipping Collage, I was given the opportunity to install one in my house for an upcoming CE Pro product review.
We’ll soon have a full report on the system. For now, here are my impressions of Russound's Collage system after living with it for a couple of weeks.
Retrofit-Friendly?
Collage shouldn’t provide any problems in a retrofit environment as long as the technician follows the company’s sequence of steps for installing the product.
In an interview back in November 2008, CEO Charlie Porritt told CE Pro that dealers can expect to get full training support from the company at venues like EHX Spring from Russound's TEC (Training, Education and Certification) Group.
With the system integrated into my home network, I’ve been able to access files from my iTunes via a third-party DLNA software program and, more importantly, use the trial subscription of Rhapsody that comes with the system.
The keypad's interface is similar to that of an iPod and, without explaining it to her, my wife was able to drill down into the interface to do things like play children’s music in our kids’ rooms and navigate other features of the streaming music service.
Rhapsody Is Key Selling Feature
The ease of install and the Rhapsody service are the selling points. What shouldn’t be overlooked, however, are its intercom functions and its ability to allow installers to add zones and other features on the fly.
That aspect, which homeowners will be able to buy a la carte, will be something that installers can really sell to their local markets. Say, for example, a client only has money for three zones. The integrator can install those zones and then revisit the rest of the home later as the customer has more money or desires add-on options such as the upcoming iPod dock and legacy interface.
It’s not often that something lives up to the hype this industry tends to create for products but, in the case of the Collage, I think Russound’s enthusiasm for the product is founded in reality.
At EHX, Russound Collage will have a strong presence. The company will have two active, working displays in its booth, as well a working system in the Retrofit Demo Area on the show floor. Finally, Collage training will take place on Thursday, March 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 203A.
Russound is sponsoring the Retrofit technology track at EHX Spring in Orlando, March 25-27, 2010.
Electronic House Expo Spring 2010: The New Opportunities Show, March 25-27, 2010, Orlando, Fla.
Smart Energy | Commercial | Home Health Tech | Recurring Revenue | Digital Content | Retrofit
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News · Additional · Opinion · Audio · Distributed Audio · Speakers · Video · Digital Media · Events · EHX Spring · Electrical · Intercom · Network · Retrofit · Russound · Collage ·About the Author
21 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Hi Nutonian,
Many dealers I have spoken to either have an electrician on staff or a relationship with one. This is necessary in our space to accomplish most things. Dealers doing lighting control, automation, hanging flat panel displays and projectors and specifying power requirements for things like racks of gear all need an electrician’s help to accomplish this. This is no different. There are also many company owners in our space that have full service electrical and low voltage operations. One of them who comes to mind is actually quite high up in CEDIA. Within our space the need to interface with an electrician is increasing. When we move into the smart grid, alternative energy interfacing and the like it will also warrant it.
Quote:
>Admin: edited; no dealer pricing on a public site, please
Although I support the action, I think this kind of thinking will be the death of the custom install industry. If you think you can hide this information from today’s consumer you are sadly mistaken. You have to be able to compete without a margin shell game.
But how does it sound?
Audiophile, HiFi or LoFi?
Hi Al, the sound is dependent on a few factors, including the speakers, the room environment and the content that you are listening to.
The sound quality is good, it’s not pure audiophile, but there isn’t a multiroom audio system that any audiophile would consider for critical listening use.
Listening to mostly music from the Rhapsody service, I have found the system to meet my requirements of having music at my fingertips throughout the upstairs of my home.
In addition, it’s allowing me to explore new music, which is a plus for any music fan.
If I were to characterize the sound quality it’s on par or slightly better than traditional FM radio. I don’t know the bitrate stream of Rhapsody, but it’s probably in line services like XM/SIRIUS.
Bob,
Glad to hear you’re still enjoying the Collage system.
Just a quick clarification on bitrate. The majority of Rhapsody tracks are 192K 44.1K audio samples. XM and Sirius are variable bit rate but at a much lower average of < 50K.
It’s always difficult to compare Analog like FM to compressed digital like Rhapsody, but I find Rhapsody to sound better than FM with more dynamic range and better frequency response.
Of course the real value in Collage is that it brings more music into your life by providing access to your library and Rhapsody in rooms you would have never otherwise considered a listening area.
Codes are different from state to state and in some cases city to city or county to county.
Many CE Pros have electricians on staff or work with an electrical business already, this is not an obstacle for most electronics professionals.