Editor’s Note: This article is part a CE Pro series examining the forces that shaped the custom-integration channel in 2025. Throughout December, CE Pro will share perspectives from respected industry voices to help integrators close out the year with a clearer view of where the market is heading.
Ari Supran, CEO of Sonance says 2025 underscored the growing demand for design-forward, architectural technology that blends seamlessly into the home. He points to strong momentum behind lighting and small-aperture audio, increased designer influence on projects, and the shift toward AI as a practical efficiency tool rather than a novelty. Together, those trends signal a market that increasingly values simplicity, performance, and aesthetics in equal measure heading into 2026.
CE Pro: How did homeowner expectations or project demands shift in 2025?
Ari Supran: Homeowners are increasingly concerned with how their homes should look and feel, favoring architectural, design-forward solutions. Technologies that disappear into the environment are increasingly in demand.
CE Pro: Which categories surprised you in terms of growth or slowdown?
Supran: From lighting to small-aperture speakers, the less visible the technology, the more market traction it gains. Customers increasingly understand that balanced, distributed audio isn’t just about sound quality—it contributes to the overall comfort of a space. Performance and aesthetics are no longer trade-offs; they’re expectations.
CE Pro: What major product launches or acquisitions had the biggest impact?
Supran: For Sonance, the Blaze Audio acquisition is really exciting. We can now bring commercial-grade amplification to the residential CI channel in 2026. Our new UA-2-125 amplifier delivers premium audio to secondary TV spaces without compromising design, and our expanded Small Aperture portfolio now gives integrators more tools than ever to bring high-performance audio into any space with a minimal visual footprint.
CE Pro: How did AI adoption or workflow automation evolve across the channel?
Supran: AI has moved from experimentation to everyday use. More integrators now apply it to real workflows, and the conversation has shifted from novelty to efficiency. As vendors, we have a role to play by helping integrators embrace AI in practical, ethical ways that genuinely upskill their teams.
CE Pro: What trend or technology failed to gain traction despite early interest?
Supran: Technologies that added complexity without clear value faded fast. The market favors the simplicity of solutions that improve the homeowner’s experience without getting in their way.
CE Pro: How did collaboration with builders, designers, or architects change?
Supran: Designers’ influence continued to grow, with many becoming the primary decision-makers. Success now depends on integrators speaking the language of design and on our industry’s ability to seamlessly connect technology with design and comfort.
CE Pro: What lessons from 2025 should the industry carry into 2026?
Supran: AI is more capable than most realize already, and it’s only getting better. Integrators should embrace AI to upskill and empower themselves and their employees to create efficiencies, reduce manual processes, and repurpose their time to more value-added activities, like servicing their customers.
