Residential Systems recently announced the winners of our Best of Show awards at ISE 2024. The products were nominated by the manufacturers and a team of judges was employed to walk the floor and rate the products on a number of criteria, including their value, impact, and how unique it was to the market.
Here is additional information about each winner, taken directly from the product’s entry form.
Ascendo The32 SUB PRO Sealed
At the core of the Ascendo The32 SUB PRO Sealed infra-sub is a 32-inch custom-built super-woofer, boasting 90 mm of linear travel. The32 SUB PRO displaces 23.9 liters at half a stroke or 47.8 liters (equivalent to one and a half cubic feet) at maximum capacity. This feat translates to pushing as much air per maximum stroke as 15 standard 18-inch subwoofers. As Geoffrey Heinzel, the designer, emphasizes, The32 SUB PRO boasts the highest acoustic output density per occupied space in the domain of infrasonic output.
More Info: https://www.aia-cinema.com/products/subwoofers/the32-sub-pro-ps.html
BZBGEAR BG-Air4Kast Wireless Extender
The BG-Air4Kast is an advanced 4K@60 Hz HDMI wireless extender kit consisting of a transmitter and receiver. It leverages ipcolor STREAM technology for high-definition, near zero latency video transmission. Operating on the 5G wireless frequency band, it delivers stability, anti-interference capabilities, and safety. 4K@60 Hz resolution can be transmitted over a 100 MB cellular network while the bit rate adjusts automatically depending on different network environments, ensuring stable transmission performance. The BG-Air4Kast supports wireless transmission up to 164 feet (50 meters), offering a solution for wirelessly transmitting video in applications such as video conferences, home entertainment, and multimedia education.
Other key features include HDMI loop out on the transmitter, IR passback, compatibility with 5G wireless frequency bands, and interference mitigation through SSID pairing and channel switching. The BG-Air4Kast wireless extender can also be upgraded via a Micro USB port.
More Info: https://bzbgear.com/product/4k60-uhd-hdmi-2-0-wireless-extender-kit/
Crestron Home OS 4
Crestron Home OS 4 is the latest update to the smart home platform. Crestron Home 3.0 saw nearly two dozen updates, all informed by a combination of dealer and end-user feedback and beta-testing in the field. Ultimately, that feedback drove the development of version 4, featuring a profoundly better user experience that will be easily navigable by both new and previous owners of the Crestron Home platform.
The graphics, icons, and layout of the Crestron Home OS 4 have all been updated and refined to make the user experience much more fluid. By placing more filters on a single screen, the new UI allows the homeowner to find functionality in any room or zone with fewer taps. Other key upgrades and refinements include a compact room list that allows homeowners to see and control various parts of their residence at once. The new whole-home paging feature on touch screens lets homeowners make announcements to the entire household or a select group of rooms with one touch. The end-user schedule feature allows homeowners to schedule events and automate tasks without a call to the dealer. This is the most granular system customization that has ever been made available to the end user.
More Info: https://www.crestron.com/Products/Featured-Solutions/Crestron-Home/Crestron-Home-OS4
Kordz PRO SlimCat Patch Cord BeltPak
One of greatest issues systems technicians face in networking installations is the transport, storage, and unpacking of scores, if not hundreds, of individual patch cords and disposal of their packaging waste. While some multipacks exist in the market, they place multiple patch cords into a single pack, which can damage the individual patch cords in transit. That’s why new Kordz PRO SlimCat Patch Cord BeltPak is a revolutionary packaging design that addresses numerous common frustrations and saves systems technicians time, money and waste on their networking projects.
The same Kordz PRO SlimCat Category 6 patch cords technicians know and love are now available in a patent-pending, installation-friendly multipack ‘belt’ that’s easy to carry and handle on the job. BeltPak comes in strips of 5 or 10 individual patch cords that are easy to count and sling over the shoulder, leaving an installer’s hands free to complete tasks and carry other equipment.
The perforated paper packaging easily tears open and produces much less waste than traditional patch cord packaging for quick clean-up and disposal. The 100% recyclable materials support the increasing demand for sustainable installation practices. Plus, the quality materials and manufacturing processes used in Kordz PRO SlimCat patch cords mean they are made to last, so the patch cords don’t end up prematurely in landfill. What’s more, every Kordz PRO SlimCat patch cord remains individually tested, before being individually sealed into BeltPak and quality assured.
More Info: https://www.kordz.com
Meridian DSP9 Loudspeaker
The Meridian DSP9 digital active loudspeaker achieves the perfect synthesis of function and form with a beautiful aesthetic and world-class audio engineering. Advanced engineering was used to create the striking sculptured exterior lines and the sophisticated three-dimensional spaces within the cabinet to enhance performance. The curvature of the exterior also minimizes unwanted diffraction of the sound produced by the drive units.
Meridian Select Finishing option gives you the choice of blending into the room with a complimentary finish or standing out with a bold, vibrant color, finished in matte or gloss. The Meridian technologies deployed for DSP9 include Digital Precision, Q-Sync, True Link, True Time, E3 Bass, Image Focus +, Pro-Active Bass, Pro-active Thermal, FFA, Free-Q, Perfect Balance and BSM.
More Info: https://www.meridian-audio.com/products/loudspeakers/reference/dsp9/
Russound AVA-Series Mini-AVRs
Russound’s AVA-Series Mini Audio Receivers (Mini-AVR) are small and mighty. Leveraging Russound’s legacy in audio performance and quality, they introduce the convenience that installers and homeowners have wanted. Designed for custom installation specialists, they provide compact, plug-and-play amplification for 2.1 and 3.1 audio systems with Audio Return Channel (ARC) HDMI. They include a fully integrated, highly efficient Class-D amplifier with digital inputs, 100-240V 50/60 Hz universal power supply, built-in Bluetooth 5.0, subwoofer output with gain control, and an IR remote control and external receiver.
Russound’s Mini-AVRs not only are compact, but also speed up installations with ARC HDMI. These highly flexible receivers pair with existing soundbars or speakers and boast a footprint of only 1.6 x 5.7 x 7.9 inches — perfect for small spaces and installing behind the TV, on the wall (wall-mounting bracket included), inside an in-wall box, or within furniture. They deliver high-quality performance, thanks to the Class-D amplifier with 50 watts per channel.
Installers can connect additional audio sources via analog and digital audio inputs, including an optical audio input and a line audio input. Other ports include a 2-channel speaker output (left, right) for the AVA2.1, and three channels for the AVA3.1 (left, right, center); subwoofer output; line audio output; infrared in and out for use with the included IR Receiver with IR Receiver Eye; 100-240V 50/60Hz power input; and USB-C for firmware updates. Built-in Bluetooth 5.0 allows users to listen to content from a phone, tablet, or computer. The inputs also can be used to convert the AVA-Series into a mini receiver supporting up to four total inputs (HDMI, digital optical, line-level stereo, Bluetooth).
More Info: https://www.russound.com/products/amplifiers/mini-avrs
Samsung The Wall All-In-One IAB
Samsung’s The Wall All-in-One (Model IAB) represents a leap forward in display technology and the viewing experience. The Wall is currently available in three different models: 4K 146-inch, 2K 146-inch, and 2K 110-inch. Each model features a 16:9 aspect ratio, catering to a wide range of immersive home theater setups that are sure to impress any houseguest. Ultra Chroma Technology brings lavish, vibrant colors in every scene to life in TV, movies or even gaming. Narrower wavelengths produce RGB colors two times purer and more accurate than conventional LEDs.
The Built-in Control Box makes it easy to get the display up and running quickly, with no concerns about the configuration process. Connections for multiple devices allow users to easily switch between different inputs easily. The displays also feature 20-bit processing to present precise color mapping with faultless accuracy. Deeper bit depth at low grayscale also delivers extraordinary contrast ratio and smooth, natural tones.
Convenient installation features include a pre-adjusted seam and a Pre-Assembled Frame Kit. This kit makes the whole installation process simple and fast. It includes the display’s internalized deco bezel and an embedded media player S-box, which also lowers the total cost of ownership. This installation process is so efficient, The Wall can be installed in as little as two hours.
Snap One Triad Passive Soundbars
Triad Passive Soundbars elevate the Triad audio experience with upgraded technology and aesthetics. With new 5- and 6-inch driver offerings in addition to previous 3- and 4-inch sizes, three configuration options, custom lengths up to 86 inches to fit nearly any size display, and six expertly designed colorways, the new Passive Soundbars deliver the high-end sound that Triad is known for with a visual statement that commands attention. Give customers beautifully designed color options for common décor palettes or choose custom veneer and paint to display proudly or hide easily for an immersive home theater experience.
More Info: https://www.snapone.com
Wall-Smart Universal Access Point Ceiling Mounts
Given consumers’ heavy reliance on technology and network access, it’s easy for smart devices to quickly overtake the interior of a home or business. Thanks to a new concealed mounting solution from Wall-Smart, the essential access points needed to provide the desired network coverage can finally go unnoticed, hidden completely within the ceiling surface yet still easily accessible and fully operational.
The new Universal Access Point Ceiling Mount from Wall-Smart creates a moisture-resistant, well-ventilated cavity in new and existing ceilings. The matte white cover is paintable to fit in with the surrounding color selection. Like all Wall-Smart design-forward mounting solutions, the Universal Access Point Ceiling Mount provides a flush finish with the surrounding ceiling surface.
The design and build quality of the Universal Access Point Ceiling Mounts protects the residing equipment from loss, damage, and overheating, enables ease of use, and ensures uncompromised Wi-Fi performance.
The Universal Access Point Mount comes in three sizes (S, M, L) to fit the widest possible range of devices. A fully flush new construction version and a retrofit version are available for easy installation in existing drywall. In addition to a cover, included with the Universal AP mount is a magnetically detachable backplate for ease of installation and service.
More Info: https://www.wall-smart.com/ws-for-access-points.html