Its all about the experience, not the equipment!

By Aaron Reilly

After the newness of a piece of equipment has worn off, you will either appreciate or regret the sensory experience provided to you by that device.  Therefore, make sure when buying A/V and automation equipment to focus on the experience you will have when using it more than the specifications, features, and brand name.  Many people forget very important aspects of a product such as ease of use.

When you buy a piece of electronic equipment, there are several phases that you almost always go through that define whether or not that device was a good purchase for you.

1. anxious to get it
2. researching the right piece for your wants and needs
3. making a purchase
4. buyer's remorse (whether you feel that you spent too much or got too little)
5. loving or hating the device
6. using the device as intended
7. retiring or replacing the device because it either died, became obsolete, or annoyed you enough to get rid of it

Sometimes you will hear that the most important aspect of your purchase decision is the equipment itself.  Other times, you may hear that the installation makes more difference than the equipment.  Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses.  Better equipment will amost always perform better than lower end stuff when installed identically, but usually only marginally so.  In order to maximize your step 5 above, there is a balance of equipment performance, features, and installation that must be found and based on your personal preferences.  Focus on that balance is what "Concentric" is all about.