INDOOR AUDIO SYSTEMS
WHY YOU WANT AN AMAZING AUDIO SYSTEM IN YOUR HOME
HOW WE LISTEN TO MUSIC TODAY: First there was vinyl, then the AM and later FM radio, then eight track, cassettes, and then CD’s, and now, vinyl has made a comeback. And for good reason — it sounds better than the other formats. Turntable sales and vinyl record sales are exploding. There’s nothing that sounds like properly mastered vinyl — except reel to reel tape at 15 or even 30 IPS, which is sadly not around anymore.
And now there is streaming. Today’s generation only has the experience of hearing music on an iPhone with earbuds- and they think that sounds great. It doesn’t. Not even close. Its convenient, yes, but good sounding? Nope. Some streaming services sound better than others, but none sound as good as physical media, especially vinyl. Try comparing a song streaming to the same song/album played on a great home system. No comparison.
WHATS A DAC AND DO I NEED ONE? if you’re trying to play music from your computer to an audio system, theres a problem if its a digital signal. The audio output of most computers is analog. Feeding an analog output to the unused input on an amplifier or receiver will work fine. However if your computer outputs a digital signal you will need to convert that digital signal to analog to feed your system. If your amplifier or receiver has digital inputs (coax is the orange input) you already have a DAC to convert to analog. But, the DACS in a computer or an inexpensive receiver can provide a pretty lackluster performance. In this case, an external DAC (digital to analog converter) will give a much better sounding result. Most external DACs will sound much better than what comes in your computer or receiver/amplifier.
That said, if you want the best sound for your music, you need a good audio system.
WHY YOU NEED BENTLEY ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS FOR YOUR HOME AUDIO
This topic is my passion. I grew up with an audio loving father. He owned a car radio shop in Hartford which opened in 1952 until he retired in 1977. Today, we carry some of the best brands in audio. Brands such as Cambridge Audio, Monitor Audio, Integra, Coastal Source, Music Hall, Denon and Marantz.
Highlights of a few of these brands follow:
Cambridge Audio is a British company which offers only stereo equipment. No surround or home theatre. Amplifiers, preamps, CD players and transports, speakers, turntables, DACs, streamers, and killer ear buds. All the electronics in my personal system is by Cambridge Audio. Enough said. I’m as picky about how equipment sounds as I am in all of our installations.
Monitor Audio is another British company. Do you see a trend starting here? Speakers are what they specialize in, as well as amplifiers for custom integration installations. The speakers I personally use are Monitor Audio.
Integra is the custom installation division of Onkyo. I’ve been a dealer for both since the 1980’s, and I still use them today. Integra receivers are the mainstay of what we use today. They integrate beautifully with Control4, and is basically all we use for our installed systems.
Coastal Source is outdoor audio from another planet! I’ve heard and sold other brands over the years which were the best at the time- then I heard Coastal Source, and now it’s all I offer. Nothing else comes close. It took me three years to become a dealer, but I hung in there and was finally awarded the line. Their speakers are powered by Powersoft DSP amplifiers, which are made in Italy. Their amplifiers and their DSP combined with Coastal Source speakers are a killer combination. Coastal Source products are developed and tested for reliability in their Marathon, Florida facilities. Being in the Florida Keys, if any piece of equipment can last there, it will last anywhere. In June 2024 we installed a full Coastal Source system at the outdoor display of EA Quinn Landscape on Commerce Street. Take my word on this. There is nothing else that comes close to sounding like this!
Aside from having the best brand for your music, installation is key. You want the right amount of sound, configured in the best locations, in order for those systems to shine. With Bentley Electronic Systems’ knowledge and background, you can be assured that your system will be installed and setup for the ideal listening experience.
