Sonos Amp Multi showcases simpler whole-home audio at AAAV’s show house

AAAV is a trusted audiovisual sales, design, and installation specialist based in Greenfield, Minnesota. Since 2004, the company has been committed to customer satisfaction, delivering whole-home automation, audio systems, networking solutions, and more. Serving primarily the residential market, AAAV’s show house at its Greenfield headquarters demonstrates the technologies best suited for its customers’ luxury homes. AAAV wanted the property to showcase the most popular systems among its customers. Consequently, the company decided to replace its existing audio platform with a Sonos solution featuring the new multizone streaming amplifier – Amp Multi.

Challenge

“We decided to take a step back from overly complex or outdated systems and transform the show house into a clear demonstration of the simpler, more reliable technology our customers could have in their own homes,” says Andy Arvold, President and Founder of AAAV.

“We wanted visitors to experience firsthand how an accessible, easy-to-use system can still deliver a high-quality homeowner experience.” – Andy Arvold, President, AAAV

The previous system relied on a single home automation platform to control music, TVs, security, cameras, thermostats, the pool and garage doors. “If one manufacturer updates its app or system, the change could affect the wider control platform,” explains Arvold. “For our customers, resolving these issues often required one of us to connect remotely or visit the property.” The new approach uses dedicated apps for each technology, creating a simpler system that AAAV could demonstrate to customers before installing it in their homes.

Solution

“We’ve worked with Sonos for a long time and have always had confidence in its products – particularly Sonos Amp,” continues Arvold. “It’s a name people recognize, and the company continues to develop in the right direction. Amp Multi is a great example of that.

“We were fortunate to receive the new device as part of the beta test program and saw it as an ideal fit for the show house’s music-focused zones.” – Andy Arvold, President, AAAV

The show house includes 17 audio zones, with its extensive outdoor system proving a particular highlight for visiting customers. Amp Multi provides eight amplified channels, configured across selected indoor and outdoor listening spaces. Indoors, it powers Episode CORE Series in-ceiling loudspeakers serving the kitchen, dining room, primary suite and billiards room, as well as KEF HiFi Bookshelf Speakers in the office. Outdoors, it powers a combination of Episode Rock Series and CORE Series in-ceiling loudspeakers across the front and rear decks, and the front yard. Five Sonos Amps and four Sonos Ports support the remaining zones.

Amp Multi’s flexible configuration allowed AAAV to assign a single channel to a compact, single-speaker zone, such as a bathroom or office, while grouping multiple channels for larger areas such as the open-plan kitchen and dining room. This made it easier to tailor the system to different room sizes and applications without adding unnecessary hardware. “The 1.5U form factor is particularly useful because it leaves space above and below the unit for convection cooling,” says Arvold. “It allowed us to fit more into the rack without running the risk of overheating.” The audible identification feature also allowed AAAV to locate and activate the unit without trying to read the PIN inside a crowded cabinet.

“Sonos is fundamentally network-driven, so upgrading the eero network at the same time was an important part of the project,” explains Arvold. “We hardwired Amp Multi and the other Sonos components to give the 17-zone system a stable foundation and ensure consistent performance throughout the property. Eero is one of our preferred networking platforms, and the network and Sonos system worked extremely well together.”

Installation and programming were completed through the Sonos app, with no computer required for the main setup. AAAV configured and tested each zone, completed the initial adjustments and had the system operational in an hour and a half. “Amp Multi appears in the app just like any other Sonos zone, so there is no noticeable difference for the end user,” adds Arvold. “The familiar, app-based control experience directly supported our goal of creating a simpler system in which each technology could be managed independently without adding complexity for the homeowner. This meant no additional training was required beyond our usual introduction to the system.”

The renovated show house now demonstrates a complete Sonos ecosystem in which Amp Multi, Amps and Ports operate together through one familiar app interface. “The system debuted at the show house’s grand reopening weekend, with audio playing continuously throughout the house and across the outdoor zones,” concludes Arvold. “It was a great way to demonstrate the flexibility, simplicity and quality of the solutions we install in our customers’ homes.”