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Create the Ultimate Outdoor Sound System with Coastal Source Create the Ultimate Outdoor Sound System with Coastal Source

From Bollards to Landscape Speakers, Create an Audio Enthusiast-Worthy Soundscape Outside

At GHT Group, we’re proud of the audio brands we work with. Names like Bowers & Wilkins, MartinLogan, Klipsch, and many more are known for their vibrant reproduction of sound, which is also a way of saying, we know what good audio is!

When you take the audio outside, there are some different challenges in achieving high sound quality. Lack of walls to reflect sound, ambient noise, and wide-open spaces all play a part in requiring more planning for a great outdoor sound system for your Brookhaven, GA home.

While there are several excellent choices for outdoor speakers – and we offer many – there is one company that we particularly like not just for sound quality but also for the complete solution they offer. Read on to learn more about creating your ultimate outdoor soundscape with Coastal Source.

Crestron HomeTime: Video Conferencing for the Smart Home Crestron HomeTime: Video Conferencing for the Smart Home

Working and Keeping in Touch from Home Gets Easier with Crestron

With the challenges of the pandemic still with us, working and schooling from home will be a continuing reality for the better part of 2020 in many areas. Major tech companies like Google have already announced they will continue work-from-home policies into 2021. Educational institutions at all levels are also grappling with how to resume classes, and many will adopt remote approaches in the short term. 

In this environment, communicating effectively from home has become critical. Communication is not just for work and school; maintaining social contacts with family and friends is also needed to not feel isolated.

Crestron has thought about this, too. A worldwide leader in enterprise video conferencing, audio-visual, and commercial automation, the company is bringing that expertise to improve communication and collaboration from home. Of course, Crestron is also a leader in smart home automation, so it couldn’t be a more perfect fit.

Keep reading to learn more about Crestron's new HomeTime, which brings together sophisticated video conferencing, communication, and home control to your Atlanta residence.

How to Put Together an Outdoor Home Theater How to Put Together an Outdoor Home Theater

Part 77 of a 102-Part Series

OK, we’re only joking here; we are nowhere near 77 articles on the subject of outdoor home theaters. However, it is a subject we love to write about, as few things bring as much pleasure as watching a good flick under the stars on a warm evening.

In this installment, we will show you how to put together a budget-friendly system for relatively impromptu home theater sessions on the patio. Unlike other options we've discussed in the past, it's not a permanent setup, but one that can be put up and put away reasonably quickly. What's more, this setup's components can also pull double duty indoors, like in a kids-oriented game room. 

Intrigued by this idea for your Roswell, GA home? Let's dive into what you'll need.

Love the Bass, Hate the Box? Love the Bass, Hate the Box?

JL Audio Subwoofers Bring the Low-End Grunt without the Bulk

If you’re not a home theater or audio aficionado, you might think a subwoofer is a speaker you don't need. That is, until you hear the very same set of speakers you have, in your room, with a well-integrated subwoofer (or two). We'll put some money on the chance that you won't want to go back to your system sans subwoofers.

We will grant you that if you have some incredible full-range speakers, like B&W Diamonds, or others of that class, you may not want for more bass. Still, you might be surprised at how much the right subwoofer can add to even the best speakers' sound quality. The reason is that bass is foundational for music and movies, adding fullness and depth to the soundstage that gives the sound more gravitas and impact. We're not talking about rumbly, sloppy bass here. We're talking about punchy, tight, fast, and impactful bass that keeps up with the most complicated movie soundtracks and music.

Perhaps we’ve convinced you that you need a subwoofer, no matter what your system looks like. But, you say, I don’t want the big box in my listening room/home theater/media room/escape room. Once again, we'll grant you the point that most subwoofers are lacking in the aesthetics department. But we have a solution for you, too: the architectural subwoofer. Yes, subwoofers can be built into the wall and even the ceiling.

Read on to learn more about JL Audio architectural subwoofers for that room in your Atlanta home where you want to hear the bass but never see the box.

Explore the Ketra Lighting Difference Explore the Ketra Lighting Difference

Tunable Lighting Is Not All the Same

At this point, you may have heard of tunable lighting. We've written a bit about it on these very pages. And if you have looked at LED lighting fixtures and bulbs lately, you might notice that many are incorporating color-changing capabilities that enable the "tuning" of white light.

To review (don't worry, there's no test at the end), tunable lighting is the ability of artificial light to change its intensity and hue to mimic how sunlight varies throughout the day. Why is this important? Light affects us in subtle ways, and our bodies respond to the rhythms of natural light. The ability to change the color temperature of white light is a recent feature of LED lighting technology.

Quite a few competitors have emerged in tunable lighting. But you should know that not all tunable lighting is the same. Let’s explore one of the most highly touted features of tunable lighting – warm dimming, and how Ketra, a pioneer in this space, does it better. Read on to learn about how Ketra lighting is different and what it can do in your Buckhead, GA home.

3 Approaches to Building a Smart Home with Control4 3 Approaches to Building a Smart Home with Control4

No Matter Which Way You Go, You’ll Be on the Right Path

Many people approach the idea of making their home "smart" differently. For years, our industry thrived on simplifying the control of AV equipment. That may not be the first thing you think of these days when it comes to smart tech, but it is still very much integral to the smart home experience. For others, it might be automated lighting and climate control, as those are also uber-popular do-it-yourself smart home products.

Still, others might place more importance on home security, as smart sensors, cameras, and locks offer more ways to keep an eye on the homestead and maintain safety. And there’s more, like automated pool equipment, irrigation systems, and other devices you can turn on or off or control their behavior.

The one thing you want to do when starting with smart home technology is to choose a system that can grow with you and accommodate a wide range of devices and skills to make home control effortless. For many Buckhead, GA homes, the right system that ticks all the boxes is Control4. Keep reading to learn why Control4 is the centerpiece of your smart home, no matter which feature is the most important to you.

How to Add Drama with Landscape Lighting Design How to Add Drama with Landscape Lighting Design

Elevate Your Home’s Appeal When the Sun Goes Down

You know what they say: Everything looks better in the right light. We have been known to use a turn or two of this phrase when talking about lighting on these blog pages. Just like photography is all about capturing the image in the right light, lighting can do the same for your home's appearance.

While there's equal parts art and science to interior lighting design, landscape lighting has its tricks, too. Even an average house—not that we're suggesting yours is average—can look amazing with the right landscape lighting design techniques.

Keep reading for the tricks of the trade in landscape lighting design that can make your Johns Creek, GA home the toast of the neighborhood when the sun sets.

Monitor Your Home from Anywhere with a Security Camera System Monitor Your Home from Anywhere with a Security Camera System

Always Know What’s Happening at Home

Life is hectic, and sometimes we forget. We forget to close the garage door when rushing to work and getting kids to school. We don’t recall if we locked the back doors to the patio. And if things were really hectic, we might not remember if we turned off a gas fireplace or burner.

Is there a way to have another set of eyes and ears looking after your house when no one is home? That’s where a security camera installation for your Buckhead, GA home can help. With today’s smart cameras, you can monitor your home from anywhere that you can connect to the internet. 

Today’s smart security cameras are packed with features to make it easy to worry less and get peace of mind that everything is OK at home. And when it’s not OK, you’ll be the first to know to take the appropriate action. Read on to learn more!

3 Ways You Can Save Energy with Lutron Lighting Control 3 Ways You Can Save Energy with Lutron Lighting Control

Go Green, and Save Money Too

One of the greatest benefits of smart technology is the capabilities it gives us to do things easily that were once both hard and expensive. Lighting control is one smart technology that can benefit any home. And while we’ve talked extensively about the many aesthetic, safety, and other benefits of lighting control, we want to swing back to a core one – efficiency.

Lighting control is one of the simplest, most straightforward ways to save energy. And Lutron lighting control is one of the easiest ways to corral, command, control, and cajole your Atlanta home's lighting into doing your bidding. Read on for three simple (did we already say simple?) ways that Lutron helps you save the environment and pad your wallet, too. 

Want to Get the Most Out of Your Home Theater Installation? Want to Get the Most Out of Your Home Theater Installation?

If You Haven’t Tried Video Games, You May Be Missing Out

A home theater can be a significant investment. A large screen, the audio system, lighting, control, and seating can all add up. Granted, your home theater doesn’t have to be just for movie watching. It can be the place for Netflix binges, sports, gathering together to watch presidential candidates debate, and more.

However, sometimes all this content doesn’t take full advantage of everything your Marietta home theater installation can do. If you've invested in multichannel Dolby Atmos sound and the latest projector or 4K TV with HDR, you want to take advantage of it! Yet many streaming and cable TV offerings don’t use these features. Some movie and show soundtracks don’t use the surround audio channels much, and many are not mastered for the high-contrast imagery that HDR can display. 

You might be surprised at what we’ll suggest. Try video games!  Even if you’re not a gamer, you might be blown away by the storylines, cinematic presentation, and incredible use of sound that comes with the best of today’s titles. 

SEE ALSO: Do You Enjoy Netflix in Your Home Theater?

Spring Into Fall with Smart Home Automation Spring Into Fall with Smart Home Automation

Spice Up Your Routines For Working, Learning, and Playing at Home

If our clever title has you lamenting the end of summer in Georgia, we did not skip the season by Springing into Fall. Indeed, please read all about enjoying summer fun with outdoor entertainment technology. But as you read this, you are quite likely wondering what might be happening with school schedules this fall, given the ongoing pandemic.  

As your local smart home company in the Atlanta area, we can offer you some innovative ways to have smart technology make the new home routines for work, play, and fun a little more manageable, and, dare we say…fun! Not only that, but we can also show you this tech in action at our 20,000 square foot showroom in Marietta. Keep reading for some ideas that may spark your imagination. 

SEE ALSO: The Three Things to Look for in a Smart Home Company

Miss the Drive-In? Build an Outdoor Home Theater! Miss the Drive-In? Build an Outdoor Home Theater!

Enjoy Movies Under the Stars, No Car Needed

We love a home theater, whether it's indoors in a dedicated space, or outside. Like an indoor home theater, your outdoor home theater can be anything you want it to be. For some, a proper home theater indoors is a dedicated space with a giant screen, a great sound system, and comfortable seating. Or it can be a media room with the audio and video chops that also pull duty as a game room or living area.

An outdoor home theater for your Alpharetta, GA home can be much the same. GHT Group has dedicated solutions that are more theater-focused and outdoor entertainment systems that you can use as your own outdoor drive-in, minus the cars. Let’s explore some options below - it’s easier than you think!

3 Features of Control4 Automation You Might Not Know 3 Features of Control4 Automation You Might Not Know

Learn How Smart Your Home Can Be

We’ve dedicated a lot of virtual ink on these pages to the wonders of home automation. From audio and video systems that almost run themselves, to lighting, motorized shading, climate control, and security, home automation systems like Control4 make everything in your Johns Creek, GA home run like a finely tuned machine. We may also have referred to it as an orchestra, but we think you understand the idea.

Having done many smart home projects over the years, we're always amazed at our clients' imagination when it comes to automation for their homes. If it is technically possible, we'll strive to make our clients’ automation dreams a reality.

With that in mind, we'd like to tell you about a few more things you can automate with a Control4 smart home system. Keep reading!

What to Listen to on Your Whole Home Audio System What to Listen to on Your Whole Home Audio System

Comparing the Most Popular Streaming Music Services

We live in a world of almost limitless content. In cable TV, an old joke was, "we have 300 channels, and there's nothing to watch." You'd be hard-pressed to make that joke today with the wonderful world of streaming content so readily available to us. With Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, Apple TV+, Disney+, and so many more, it's difficult to think about not finding something you want to watch.

But this blog is about audio, not video! And the amount and range of music we can call up with a few flicks on a touchscreen are equally amazing. Today’s streaming music services boast 40 million-plus tracks of recorded music available in an instant, whether it’s from 60 years ago or today’s top hits. It’s equally difficult to imagine not being able to find some music you like to listen to on a streaming service. 

You might be wondering, what's the difference in streaming services? Isn't the music library much the same? The short answer is yes. But the way you find that music, and how you interact with it is different. Some folks feel very strongly about their preference for Spotify over Apple Music or vice-versa.

So which service should you use on your whole-home audio system in Atlanta? GHT Group isn't here to tell you which one is best – that's up to you. The good news is that all the ones we'll discuss here work with whole-home audio systems we recommend like Control4. 

Read on for a brief overview of five of the most popular streaming services to see which ones are for you.

SEE ALSO: Upgrade to the Luxury of Whole Home Audio with Control4

Reimagine Your Lighting with LED Light Fixtures Reimagine Your Lighting with LED Light Fixtures

LED Lighting Is Not Just about Efficiency

New technologies sometimes transform entire industries - or bury some and create new ones. LED technology has transformed many industries. It replaced bulky CRT based monitors for computers, led to brilliant, efficient, and lighter laptops, is steadily replacing analog instruments and all types of lights in automobiles, and has revolutionized TV screens

In home lighting, LED technology may not create a total revolution, as your house will still look like a house. But LED light fixtures in homes lend new flexibility in lighting design, last much longer than other lights, and of course, are far more efficient for your Atlanta home.  

Let's take a look at a few ways you can use LED lighting to rethink the light in your home.

SEE ALSO: Learn About Georgia Home Theater’s New Brand Partner: DMF Lighting