Don Bendell
Owner
Louisa’s Movie House and Electronics, Durango, CO
louisasweb.com
Wanting to put an end to all of the travelling he was doing as a sales rep in another industry, Don Bendell with the help of his wife opened Louisa’s in November of 1999. With an evolving customization base, Bendell says his store currently focuses on video and audio distribution. He has been a Niles Audio dealer for two months.
How do you rate the Niles ICS System?
After completing my first installation recently, I give the Niles ICS System an A+. I first saw the Niles GXR2 (the muscle of the ICS System) at CEDIA 2011 integrated with the ELAN g! System. I was attracted to it because of the multiple Pandora accounts it can hold, an industry first. As a multi-zone, multi-source music system with iTunes, Rhapsody, and Sirius satellite radio integration, multiple Pandora accounts and unlimited Internet radio stations, it is the ideal audio distribution system for my clients.
For what types of installations is it best suited?
Most of our clients want access to their iTunes libraries or Pandora throughout their home. They are looking for the most music without a monthly subscription. The Niles GXR2 is absolutely one of the best out-of-box product solutions to date. The GXR2’s interchangeable modules, like the IM-NET card, allow me to customize the receiver to provide all of the input sources each client wants. With other manufacturers you need to buy a separate piece of hardware to connect networked audio inputs, which is an overly expensive way to stream one iTunes library or Pandora Internet radio.
What is one feature of the ICS System that stands out in your projects?
The IM-NET card is the best source control I have seen in distributed audio systems. It provides a very intuitive browser for music libraries, Rhapsody, Sirius, Pandora with multiple accounts and unlimited Internet radio stations. When paired with the Niles keypads it is an incredible product, and it becomes even more powerful when it’s integrated with an ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System, allowing for iPad and iPhone control. The Niles ICS System is by far the best multi-zone, multi-source system for whole home audio distribution.
What features would you like to see changed or added?
The Niles GXR2 is a pretty well thought out system. In the future I might like to see a receiver model with a larger chassis that offers more zones without needing to add a second chassis.
