NEXT

After tirelessly visiting the numerous condominium sales centres around the city, you’ve finally decided on that perfect new place to call home. You’ve managed to find a location near your office which affords fantastic amenities and close proximity to boutiques, fine dining and cultural centres. An attentive concierge staff and the ever-vital underground parking space and biggish locker are almost too good to be true.

The second wave of challenges surface as you begin to make a floor plan. Where do you put all those belongings that are essential to everyday life? Figuring out furniture positioning is relatively simple–especially when you’ve hired an interior designer – but where do you place the television, the stereo, other components and all the CDs and DVDs you’ve collected over the decades?

Our years of experience advising downtown home entertainment clients have revealed a few key strategies for solving these issues. The best way to begin is by making a short list of the essentials. Ask yourself a few pertinent questions: Is it necessary to have more than one TV in my condo? Do I really need all the CDs in my living space if they are already loaded on my computer and iPod?

The single biggest conundrum with integrating a home entertainment system into a condominium is choosing the appropriate television. A wall-mounted, flat panel television will immediately open up valuable floor space. While the size of the TV is a personal choice, a basic rule of thumb is to choose a TV which has a diagonal measurement of 2 to 3 times the distance you will be sitting from the set. Both LCD and Plasma sets offer excellent viewing technology. Factors such as size, room placement and ambient lighting should be carefully considered before making your purchase. When making a decision on a flat panel television regard buying a Sharp Aquos, they have a wide selection of LCD sets and the largest market share in its category in Japan, their home market. Panasonic is another wise choice as they are consistently rated #1 in consumers’ magazines. For the ultimate in high performance digital entertainment technology, consider the KURO models from Pioneer.

The sound system, whether used primarily for music or movies, would be the other main challenge to setting-up a highly effective and seamless home entertainment system. Where to place all those speakers, you ask? Several manufacturers have developed “virtual surround systems,” giving the viewer/listener the surround sound experience without requiring a room full of speaker units. Hook-up your iPod, store your CDs, sit back and enjoy the pleasure of an uncluttered environment. One of the common misconceptions is that having speakers in more than one room poses a logistical nightmare. Some people may think that the increased number of speakers will annoy their neighbours. The truth is that placing speakers in even two rooms will likely cause you to play music a little softer since most people turn up the sound to hear it throughout their living space. New “simple-wired” and wireless solutions allow you to have music in a second or third room at the volume level you desire. Virtual surround systems from manufactures like Bose provide superior sound. The latest Bose 321 system will also allow you to internally store and manage your music onboard (200 hours worth). Denon has a new system which is wall mountable, plus they offer the slimmest sub-woofer on the market.

Bay Bloor Radio 416.967.1122, www.baybloorradio.com