09.05.2007 — Russound's recently-introduced Sphere Certified Integrator Program could be very beneficial to custom installers.

The program provides established Russound dealers with rewards incentives, like exclusive access to the company's high-performance E-Series of products and companion training curriculum.

What's the Big Deal?

Jeff Kussard, vice president of strategic development for Russound, says that the newly established program goes beyond the traditional product and support measures available elsewhere in the industry.

"We have taken the input we get from our customers, sales force and our distributors in order to take advantage of the advances in technology," he says. "We wanted to continue the process we had begun with our content delivery processes. For us, [the E-Series] is a clear step beyond what we are currently doing with our RNET products. In simple terms, it's an opportunity to leverage new technologies."

The E-Series will include a finalized version of the ACA-E5 Controller Amplifier prototype shown at Spring EHX. The ACA-E5 will be capable of controlling up to 12 sources over eight zones. The company will also launch the KLK-E5 Click Wheel Keypad, which features a menu-driven interface, and the SMC-E5 Smart Media Console powered by Intel's Viiv technologies and Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system.

Kussard describes the SMC-E5 as the next generation of Russound's original aggregation media management SMC device, but with a higher level of performance, functionality and expandability that will lead the company into areas it hasn't been in the past.

"It will move us into home theater as the heart of a theater system. It will also move us more into the systems integration space, where we will leverage our relationship with Exceptional Innovation. With the Lifeware enhancements, the E-Series will move us into the whole-home control space."

Education Opens Doors

Supporting the entire E-Series initiative is its qualification requirements. Anyone interested in obtaining access to the line must have certified education from a recognized trade organization and RNET Training from Russound.

Kussard explains that the access covers two tiers of industry professionals. "There are two components to the certification: installer and dealer," he says.

"On the dealer side, there are program requirements for dealers, such as minimum quantities. Other keys regarding becoming a Sphere dealer are: you also have a Sphere-certified installer on staff, you have to be a qualified member of a trade association -- such as CEDIA, CEA and BICSI -- and you have to carry the required license requirements in your local community.

"Our online tools that support this program will list the organizations," says Kussard. "As an installer, you don't have to be CEDIA certified, but you have to have Russound RNET training and this is because RNET will be a part of the program. We want to focus on the technologies that are unique to the E-Series without having to go over our existing technologies."

Kussard estimates that once someone is enrolled in the program the Sphere certification process should take about 30 days. The training materials will be available 24 hours a day on the company's Web site, in the form of Webinars and other training tools.

"Eventually," Kussard says, "the classes will be offered in Newmarket [the New Hampshire home of the company's corporate office], but initially it will be offered online.

"This will allow us to reach as many people as quickly as possible. Our first challenge is to get the work force certified. So, we choose to leverage our Web tools for our first rollout. Once we can get some dealers certified, we will incorporate the certification in our on-the-road and in-house training. We will, however, rely on Web training for the first six months."