Music and Sound (M&S) and Nutone make music and ring the doorbell

Many of my clients’ homes are pre-wired with an intercom system by generally one of these 2 brands. These devices are never to be confused either in use or sound quality to a room by room installation of stereo speakers with a volume control. However, each has its own unique advantage. Recently I repaired an M&S system for a client in Paradise Valley. They had purchased the replacement head unit (main unit) and were attempting a self-install. They had done all the proper research and had ordered the correct replacement unit. But they could not get the wire length to work on the new unit. I moved the external power supply closer to the installation and the system worked as promised. I have never been a big proponent of said units. But in retrospect, it is clear that these units offer something to the homeowner which, for some people, is exactly what the doctor ordered. That is to say that classical, jazz or easy listening music (primarily music without singing) can be played at extraordinarily low volumes and can be enjoyed throughout the house without being overwhelming. My younger self would not agree with nor write such nonsense; my older self has come to realize that often times people like the sound of a quiet system playing.

I rediscovered how a little bit of sound coming from an outdated plastic box on the wall is really quite comforting. You can move away from it and it gets quiet…sit close and you can hear the words. I started to understand this better when driving with my father in law, who would play his classical music so low in the car that once the road noise came up you could no longer hear the music. Slow down or stop and there it is in all its low dynamic, low everything- all of which we typically talk about as being great for listening to music. Not gone is the simple, comforting, non-enveloping sound which is very easy to live with for long periods.

I am firmly placing myself in both camps of both personal usage and belief. It seems there are times when you want the music or sound to simply keep you company. It is your “I will pay attention to when I can” sort of belief.
I am starting to think that perhaps the best way to enjoy music is by letting your activity describe what is best. If that means turning on the TV and playing your favorite music from the music channels on cable or satellite, that might be just right. However, if you are having a party and you want to liven up the atmosphere, this will not cut it. You will need that room with a decent system, or in most of my clients’ cases, the whole house system which allows music of choice to play inside and out. There mostly is no escaping the music so please only play techno music if you are trying to get people on the dance floor. Do not play your music too loud, especially for too long. Ask close friends if the volume is good and if they like your choice of genre. I love classical music, jazz, country, reggae. Try to choose a music genre which makes the crowd happy. Use your cable or satellite music provider to pick a type of music. As the night goes on, change channels to accommodate the hour.
If you have an M&S Sound or Nutone system in your home that needs repair and or replacement please give me a call. We can make it work!

Slow down and enjoy!