HomeTronics Lifestyles has been a fixture in custom installation in Fairfield County, Connecticut, for decades. The company, which has locations in New Canaan, Durham and Cromwell, started in business in 1978, primarily focused on security initially. But president Jim Sweeney evolved the company to be custom AV specialists and has never looked back.
One of the hallmarks of the company is that Sweeney embraces new technologies for his clients, and high-performance wireless audio is one of his latest passions. The company’s satellite location in Cromwell is dedicated to providing quality demos for clients. The small, appointment-only showroom is outfitted from an audio standpoint with KEF LS60 wireless speakers, KEF LS50 bookshelfs, and KEF Blade freestanding speakers. Three separate demo areas in the showroom are set up using not only KEF, but Salamander Designs furniture and seating, displays from Sony and Samsung, and full control from Elan.
“HomeTronics is proud to show the new KEF LS60s, which are the first high-performance wireless speakers,” says Sweeney. “They are designed with 1400 total watts of power/700 watts per cabinet. They deliver an amazing sound out of a very small speaker cabinet.”
For the demo of the LS60s, HomeTronics uses TIDAL to stream music, but they also let customers stream the audio from their own phones to the speakers. So they can showcase the power of the TIDAL, Sweeney will often also immediately stream the same song the client used from their phone with TIDAL so they can hear the difference.
That demo is followed by a demo of the Blades, with sources from Bluesound, HEOS or from a turntable.
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“When customers are listening to these speakers, I always see smiles on their faces, and the hair raises on their arms and necks. They just can’t believe the sound that is coming out of a wireless set of speakers,” he says. “One of the things that HomeTronics always forewarns their clients is that ‘if you listen to them, you will own them.’ Whether we are demoing outside audio or inside 2-channel audio, once you hear them, you will want to take them home.”
Palak Purohit, customer service rep at HomeTronics, also works closely with customers to design their listening space in terms of colors and aesthetics.
“When I meet with clients, the best part is when we have attached all the electronics and they are just so happy because everything is design-centric,” she notes.
