Stereo Advantage Closed, Park Place Installations To Step-Up

Stereo Advantage Closes After 40 Years in WNY

Stereo Advantage recently announced that after 40+ years of serving the WNY community, they are shutting their doors. In the Stereo Advantage Press Release earlier this week, The store founder, Tony Ragusa remarked that “while it is a quiet, peaceful end to an era – there is no better place to build a successful business than Western New York.”

The founder of Park Place Installations, another WNY residential & commercial AV supplier & installer, Jay Park states that “after 15 years in this industry, I agree with Tony [Ragusa], the key to success in WNY is building and contributing to a strong community around you. Park Place Installations is excited to take on the challenge filling the inevitable void that will be felt by Stereo Advantages farewell.”

While it’s hard to see one Buffalo institution shutting its doors; the prospect of new, young companies rising up to carry on the torch is exciting to watch, and we’re looking forward to what Mr. Park and his team have to bring to the table for our city.

 

About Park Place Installations

For more than 15 years Park Place Installations has been your source for the professional installation of the latest home entertainment systems, home automation systems, HDTV’s, and whole-house audio and video systems. Keep your home or business up to date with the latest and best electronic systems! We service and upgrade all systems no matter who installed them. We are craftsmen who have designed and installed AV systems in over 500 homes, restaurants, office buildings and more.

We serve the Buffalo, NY and Greater Niagara and will be happy to talk to you about your needs, no matter how big or small.

A Professional AV Integration Might SAVE You Money!

If you need AV integration in a conference room, bar, restaurant, or other commercial setting, you have some big choices in front of you.  Of course everybody would like their commercial audio visual installation done by experts but many opt for the DIY route instead. Most people who shy away from a professional AV installation do so as way to cut costs.  What would you think if we told you going with pro AV installers could actually be the cheaper option?

It’s a common misconception that hiring professional AV integrators will always be the more expensive option.  We would like to share some information that might help you decide how to approach your next commercial AV installation in Buffalo.  Here’s 3 cost effective reasons why you should be sure to hire the experienced engineers from Park Place Installations!

AV Integrators Will Know What You Need

You’re an intelligent consumer and you know exactly what you want your commercial AV systems to do for you.  When it comes time to make it happen though, it’s easy to get bogged down with all the options out there. Time and again we see people who try to do it themselves and wind up with unnecessary/ more expensive equipment than they need.  Perhaps the biggest cost effective benefit of hiring professionals is you get to abuse their knowledge. They’ll help you determine the perfect equipment to buy according to the needs and budget of your commercial AV setup.

Cheaper Equipment Through Partnerships

AV installation companies often form a symbiotic relationship with name brand manufacturers.  This allows companies like Park Place the right to sell the best equipment, and usually at a lower cost than you’d find on the consumer market.  Hiring a partnered company might allow you to be more creative with how you utilize your budget. Park Place is proud to be able to offer top brands like Sony, Ring, Eero, and Benq for your commercial AV integration needs.

Minimize Extraneous Costs

All the money you spend on a commercial AV installation is never going to be for the equipment alone.  Even if you think you can buy and install the audio visual systems yourself, there are always hidden costs.  Between shipping costs (if you order online), extra trips to the store, or the time of the install itself, you’ll often wind up spending more than you anticipated.  With professional AV installers, you’ll know all the costs upfront. And of course you can rest easy knowing the project will be completed the right way and on time.

You can trust Park Place Installations for all your Buffalo audio visual needs.  Over the years we’ve handled many commercial AV installation projects in the community in and around Buffalo NY.  We’re ready to help if you have any questions or concerns about your newest commercial AV integration. Feel free to give us a call at any time to set up an appointment for a new audio video installation in Buffalo.

Commercial Audio Systems | What You Need To Know

Opening a bar, restaurant or any commercial venue isn’t easy.  With so many big decisions to be made, it can be easy to overlook the importance of commercial audio systems.  Some business owners will opt for the quick and easy option: setting up an off-the-shelf home audio system rather than spending the extra money for a professional commercial AV system installation.

Perhaps you’ve been in this boat and figure that you just need something simple to be able to play sound in your restaurant.  Don’t make the mistake of assuming a consumer sound system will work well enough for your bar or restaurant audio system needs.  Here’s a few examples of why you should think twice before cutting costs on audio visual systems for restaurants.

Durability and Performance

Consumer audio equipment is usually only intended for a few hours of use each day.  This means it will break down faster and be much less reliable over time. Commercial audio systems on the other hand are built to handle more stress.  More rugged wiring and electrical components make commercial audio systems the way to go if you plan on pumping sound into your restaurant for most of the day.

Keep It Cool

Home audio systems typically don’t encounter issues with overheating. Natural convection is enough to keep things cool over a few hours of use.  However, restaurants are a whole different environment than a typical living room and natural cooling isn’t as effective. The less ventilated environment often requires more sophisticated techniques to keep from overheating.  Make sure you at least get a consultation from a professional before you attempt an audio system installation in Buffalo.

Different Kinds of Audio Systems

The biggest difference between consumer and commercial audio systems is in how they’re wired.  Commercial audio systems use balanced lines (positive, negative and ground) whereas consumer equipment uses unbalanced lines (positive and ground only).  The biggest drawback of an unbalanced system is the potential for interference. In a commercial setting this becomes a serious problem because of the extra signals floating around from WiFi, TVs, radios and other devices.

Where To Put Your Commercial Audio Systems

Bars and restaurants can be pretty noisy which means providing quality audio can be a challenge.  DIY audio installs usually wind up with speakers placed wherever it’s most convenient. It’s common for business owners to put speakers and audio systems up and out of the way rather than finding out the best acoustic location.  A team of experienced engineers is essential to getting the most out of your audio/visual systems for restaurants.

To make sure your commercial AV system installation in Buffalo goes well, look to Park Place Installations.  Our team of experts have been handling AV integration in Buffalo for years. Call us today to get a quote or if you want more information on how we can help setting up your commercial audio systems.

“Alexa, Are You Listening?”- The Latest on Alexa Home Automation

Alexa has become a household name since early 2017 when Amazon released they affordable home automation system. Alexa made everyone’s life easier by having learning capabilities and other tricks that made life a little more comfortable and more entertaining. But, in the latest reports, Alexa might be learning a little too much about us when she is in our homes. Park Place Installations has the latest news on some of the more controversial articles relating to Alexa and other home automation systems.

The Patent

According to The Independent, Amazon filed for a new patent in April 2018. This would allow for Amazon and all echo products to “voice sniff” conversations happening around the device. This information would be collected and analyzed, to be used for advertisements. Now, Alexa and other Amazon echo products are hardwired to only record conversations when the wake word “Alexa” has been said. The voice capabilities for Alexa are used for playing music, controlling other smart home devices, and ordering products off of Amazon when instructed. AS of right now, Amazon saves those voice files on a server, but the user can listen to and delete those recordings if they so choose.

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The Fear

Most people against this patent are afraid that this new patent is an invasion of privacy. The patent suggests that Alexa would be able to recognize the words “love” and “hate” to recommend products from Amazon presumably on users need. But, is having every conversation in a household recorded seems to be going too far?

Amazon argues that this technology is light years away. Amazon made clear that it does and is not able to collect such data at the moment. The company also said that they might not even use the technology described in the patent.“We take privacy seriously and have built multiple layers of privacy into our Echo devices,” said an Amazon spokesperson.

As a leader in home automation, Park Place Installations wants to keep you informed and updated on all the latest news when it comes to smart homes! When looking at home automation devices, Alexa and the Amazon echo are the popular choices.

Park Place Installations has all the information you need on home automation systems in Western New York. We work with the best brands to get you the products you need to create a smart home! We service all of Western New York with home automation devices and technology that will bring you into the 21st Century. Call us today so we can start working together toward your future smart home!

Keep in touch with our blog to learn the latest news on home theater, smart homes, product spotlights, and much much more! If you have a question, just fill out our contact form here or leave a comment!

Home Audio Install for Summer 2018

As the weather warms up, it is time to update your home. Are you looking for a new way to bring fun to your home this summer? A great way to start is with a home audio system. Boston Acoustics has many options that will allow you to make your home the place to be this summer. There’s no need to plan a family vacation! Park Place Installations has all the details on these products to make your stay-cation one to remember!

Boston Acoustics has home audio systems for every budget. Their products are easily installed and have  a sleek look that will compliment any space. Park Place Installations has the latest information on these products so you can choose the best home audio device to install in your home!

Voyager

The Voyager series is designed especially for outdoor use. The Voyager Outdoor Speakers allow you to enjoy your favorite music and media even when you’re outdoors. Specially voiced for open-air use, the speakers are able to project audio in a focused area and prevent sound diffusion. This makes the Voyager speaker series an ideal sound solution for less-than-optimal acoustic environments: mount them outside of your house, on a deck, or even on a boat. The speakers are also versatile enough to use indoors.

HSi

The HSi in ceiling speaker combines sonic accuracy with remarkable value. Your favorite movies and music will play loud, long and distortion free, and you’ll give up nothing in the way of living space. Designed for stunning sound and ease of installation, HSi 270 in-ceiling loudspeaker expands the realm of quality sound to create an audio system that pleases even the most critical ears.

Bravo 20

In a corner, at the ceiling, on a wall, floor or shelf, there are few places in a room the Bravo 20 can’t handle. The Boston Bravo 20 is a multipurpose, high performance loudspeaker whose unique design fits discreetly anywhere in your home . The Bravo 20 is the perfect choice when you want the speaker to disappear, but can’t cut holes in your walls.

SoundWare

From these small speakers, you still get high fidelity sounds.Like Soundware’s larger cousins, these Speakers can be placed on a table, shelf or even on the floor in a variety of positions. The speakers can be hung flush on a wall or tucked away in a corner with the included mounting brackets. Articulating bracket allows you to angle the speaker towards the listening area.

Each of these speakers has unique features that only Boston Acoustics can give! Not sure which one will work best in your home? Call Park Place Installations so we can help! We are able to pick the best speakers for your home audio! We will make sure you are getting the best possible speakers for your home audio setup! Enjoy your stay-cation this summer with a new home audio system installed by Park Place Installations!

Things to Consider When Buying Speakers for Your Home Theater

If you’ve always wanted a home theater, but haven’t ever gone through with it, it’s never too late. It could come as a major project, but when you’re all finished and you’re sitting back watching your favorite team or film on the big screen, it will all be worth it. One of the most important decisions during the process is making sure you get the right surround sound speakers. Here are a few things you should think about when you decide to make the move toward choosing speakers.

You can buy the best surround sound system on the market, but if it isn’t setup properly you won’t get the full effect. Your experience will also fall short if you have a professional home theater installer install the system, if the product you choose lacks quality. So first of all, ensure you choose a proper team that will ensure everything is not only installed properly, but organized in an manner that is organized and easy to access.

Most new media contains audio data that will tell the surround sound system which side the sound should come from. If you’re not setting up the speakers properly, the sounds won’t come from the right places, in relation to the position of your speakers. This will also alter your experience. If you have a multi-speaker system positioned the right way, it will make all the difference.

You might not know, but 5.1 surround sound, or 7.1 surround sound refer to the number of speakers versus the number of subwoofers. The more speakers that surround you, obviously give you a more life-like experience. It’s easy to get caught up in name brands, but make sure you do your research in terms of functionality and lifespan. Some surround sound systems might seem like a good deal because they are made by a high profile brand, but could be dated.

Park Place Installations can help you choose the best surround sound speakers for your home, and we can put it all into place for you. If you’ve been thinking about starting a home theater of your own, but get stuck looking at prices and talking to a 16 year old kid at Best Buy about what you should get, give us a call. We know our stuff, it’s what we do!