Quality over Quantity in AV system design

CIE's HowToAV talks to CEDIA AV expert Hugo Fitzjohn about why quality over quanity is the bext concept for residential AV system design.

What makes a quality AV system design?

Instead of selecting various AV products and trying to sell as much as possible, the focus as an AV provider should be on specifying quality products and designing a system to provide the end user with an overall a great experience.

For example, AV systems in the home; instead of putting products in each room we should be using the budget wisely and focusing on the areas of the home that really matter, (where people are actually going to be using the equipment). By using less but higher quality products, not only do we create a great experience for the end user, we also reduce the labour and installation needed therefore increasing profitability.

As well as focusing on quality kit we should also consider the sources we get audio/music from, traditional methods such as vinyl and CD’s as well as digital streaming and playback from smart devices as this drives the design of an audio visual system. By catering for all different sources we are giving people something they are going to love and use.

Quality AV system design tips:

• Refresh the way we are thinking as both distributors and manufacturers - focus on the delivery of quality AV system design and the service you provide to the customers.
• Use the budget on quality equipment that will give a tailored AV experience incorporating higher quality and more reliable hardware which will ultimately increase customer satisfaction.

What are the top elements of quality AV system design?

1. Functional - If the system does not function then there is no point! To have good functionality the system should work every time and be simple to use for everyone.
2. Adaptable - As technology is constantly changing having an AV system design that enables expansion is key. Not only does this extend the AV system's life span, but it also cuts down costs as adding to an existing system is a lot more economical than replacing with a different system.
3. Low maintenance - All electronics are prone to failing at some point in their life span. However, having an AV system designed with the the customer fully aware of elements that are likely to fail first and how to easily replace those if needed cuts the maintenance down, as well as being more affordable. 
4. Responsive - In any great AV system design, each product should respond to each other without any issues.
5. Details - The detailing of an AV system design is crucial; for example where the speakers should be placed to ensure everyone can hear clearly. Without these types of details the quality of the AV system design is questionable.

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