AUDIO/VISUAL: NuVo Essentia – first Whole Home Audio System w/ Energy Star

Now we are talking, AND we are listening! Coming to the green scene near you is eco-friendly audio and visual gear.

I’m David, and I am one of the Co-Founders at GetWithGreen.com.  We are pleased to now open our Audio/Visual category (see the link to your right) with our first article about the FIRST Whole Home Audio System to receive ENERGY STAR compliance.  The company is NuVo.  The product is Essentia.

What is a whole home audio system?

Imagine walking through your newly remodeled home, and as you pass from room to room, the same sound/audio emits from speakers in your ceiling or walls. It sounds as if the music is following you throughout your house vs. coming from those ugly boxes that your husband has bolted to the walls in your family room.

Whole home audio systems “pipe” music (e.g. radio, CD, DVD, internet radio, iPOD, etc.) to whichever room you want to hear it. They allow you to have one type of music (iPOD) playing in one room like your Master Suite, and CD music playing in another like your child’s room. Each room controlled via small remote controls, or touchpads.  All while your stereo equipment is sitting in one room (not scattered in different cabinets throughout your home).

Essentia – Six Sound Sources, Six Listening Zones

We are going to warn you, this next part is going to go a bit techi on you, but it’s necessary when talking audio visual.  Stick with us…

Essentia delivers sound from up to six different sources (those noted above like CD, etc.), and to six different listening zones in the house (e.g. master suite, kitchen, etc.).

The Essentia E6G includes a control pad interface, with OLED display providing full metadata feedback (you can read information about the song, artists, etc. that is playing). Coplanar buttons provide a smooth, clean finish with the overall polycarbonate surface, making the entire control pad water-resistant.

Utilizing the same NuVoNet interface as Grand Concerto (a different NuVo product) to provide full data feedback from any NuVo source unit, the Essentia Suite appears simple to install.

Essentia features Philips Class D digital audio amplification to deliver sound throughout your home, which adds energy efficiency while running.

Essentia’s RS-232 bidirectional control interface allows it to be controlled from most home automation systems.  NuVo systems come complete with all necessary components for installation, including keypads. All that is needed are speakers, wire, and audio source equipment, and you can enjoy the power of Essentia in no time.

The Essential carries an MSRP of $2299, which is a bit lower than other products that are not as energy conscious.  Essentia units can be purchased through the NuVo dealer network.

Click here for a complete NuVo Essentia Technical Spec. 

NuVo and Energy Star

Presently for Home Electronics, ENERGY STAR measures energy consumption while equipment is in “standby” mode.

“Americans spend more money to power home audio products when turned off than when actually in use.” – ENERGY STAR, EPA, DOE.

The Essentia consumes less than 1 watt of power in standby mode, exceeding the ENERGY STAR requirements for standby power consumption.  Essentia is the first whole home audio system to operate at this level, and to receive an ENERGY STAR stamp of approval.  We as homeowners should watch the power consumption of devices like this.  For example, there are some high-end video serving technologies (store your DVD’s and then play them back on your TV) on the market that consume so much energy that you can actually track their impact on your utility bill!  We’ll talk about those to go with, and those to stay away from in the coming months. 

Clearly there are many things for A/V (audio visual) enthusiasts to consider when integrating audio and visual into our remodel, GetWithGreen.com believes Essentia is one to look at, and applauds the effort from the NuVo team.  

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