URC, a global developer of smart residential and commercial automation solutions, and Russound, a manufacturer of multiroom audio solutions, have announced a seamless integration powered by a certified Chowmainsoft module. Now, homeowners can benefit from the advanced control of Russound’s SMZ-Series of controllers and streaming products using URC’s Total Control system.
Russound designs and manufactures whole-house audio systems, amplifiers, and streaming products for residential and commercial applications. By integrating with URC’s Total Control, Russound audio systems can deliver unified control alongside other smart subsystems, including lighting, shades, climate, security, and entertainment.
“With the new module, installers gain deeper control over Russound equipment,” states Lars Granoe, VP of product development at URC. “Our dealers get tools to deliver more reliable, responsive systems.”
Russound has a long history of integration with URC Total Control, supporting a wide range of products including the SMZ-Series (SMZ8, SMZ16-PRE), MBX-Series (MBX-PRE, MBX-AMP), and MCA-Series Controllers (MCA-66, MCA-88), as well as legacy XStream products such as the XSource, XZone4, and XZone70V. These integrations provide URC users with capabilities like media browsing and selection, full metadata and album art display, room and zone grouping, and support for both Source Mode and Zone Mode on MBX devices. They also enable event triggers and macro support, allowing Russound systems to operate seamlessly as part of URC’s unified automation environment.
The new Chowmainsoft developed module builds on this foundation with notable enhancements. URC emphasizes that through this integration, IP communication is more responsive, reducing latency and improving the end-user experience. Metadata updates and artwork display occur faster and more reliably, while zone grouping is tighter and better synchronized. Event and macro support has been expanded, enabling more complex automation that combines Russound’s audio with lighting, shades, and other smart home systems. In addition, the module expands compatibility with URC’s broad range of control interfaces, including remotes, touchscreens, in-wall keypads, and mobile apps, giving users intuitive control from any preferred device.
“We’ve worked with URC for years,” adds Charlie Porritt, CEO at Russound. “Chowmainsoft’s module raises the bar with features like better metadata, faster updates, tighter zone syncs. It’s a real win for integrators and end-users.”
