Hands On: Does Russound Collage Live Up to Hype?

Ever since Collage was first announced at CEDIA Expo 2008, Russound has been promoting the heck out of it.

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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