The Boston Red Sox’ newest relief pitcher, Mark Melancon, knows all about the quest for the perfect pitch.
While the perfect knuckleball or slider can take a career to master, it took Melancon just a few minutes to find the ‘perfect pitch’ in his Houston, TX area home with the Niles ICS Whole-Home Audio System. Now Mark can enjoy his favorite music wherever and whenever he wants with 11 audio zones that he controls with a Niles iRemote and simple in-wall Niles Contact keypads.
According to Melancon, who pitched two seasons for the Houston Astros before joining the Boston Red Sox roster during this past off season, “The previous owners had a Niles system installed, so in the process of purchasing the house I got to try it out, and it just blew me away. It was so easy to use for all kinds of music in every room, and then they pulled it out and took it with them when they moved out. Honestly, all it took to convince me to install the Niles ICS system was a couple minutes using the touch screens and listening to the awesome sound quality.
“My favorite part of the system has to be the iRemote,” Melancon said. “It lets me go through the entire system and change the music source and the volume for any zone in the house, even when I’m out in the yard. Sometimes I even use it to play pranks on my wife, like changing the music on her when she’s in the living room and I’m outside. I also like the touch screen displays in the wall because they’re easy to use, and they really add another element to the house; people see them when they’re walking through and it catches their interest.”
According to installation expert Prashant Mody of Modia, “The family wanted to have fast, easy access to all of their music in every room and outdoors, so the Niles ICS System was the ideal choice. We often have to show our clients exactly what their new home tech can do for them, but this system really explains itself, as Mark learned when he toured the open house.”
In addition to the home’s seven indoor audio zones outfitted with Niles CM series ceiling-mount speakers and a new SW8 compact subwoofer in the living room entertainment center, there are four outdoor zones featuring Niles GeoRealistic Rock Speakers and OS Series Outdoor Speakers. When the Melancons are out in the yard the Niles iRemote gives them quick access to all of their music sources, including iPods, Pandora, am/fm radio and Sirius Satellite Radio, which they may add when they return after the baseball season.
Melancon said that the whole-home audio system has made his mornings brighter, and when he wakes up he goes right for the Contact keypad.
“The first thing I do in the morning is hit the keypad in the bedroom so there’s music playing when I get down to the kitchen, so my wife and I can jam out to some tunes while we have breakfast. Then I usually head outside to do some work and put on music wherever I am.”
“I dreamed about having a house for so long,” Melancon said. “With the Niles audio system I can make any spot in the house the perfect place to relax, work, or whatever I need to do, and it makes the house that much more special. When I come back to Houston after spending the season in Boston, I’ll be able to simply press a button and feel at home again.”