Dallas-Based DJ Jagger Puts Studio-Quality Audio in Every Room With the ELAN g! System
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It’s safe to say that DJ Jagger knows a thing or two about music after more than 30 years broadcasting on 102.1 The Edge in the Dallas, Texas area. So when Jagger and his partner, Patrick, decided to build their automated dream home in North Dallas, they hired local integration firm Eco High Fidelity to install an ELAN g! system that makes it easy to play the perfect tunes in any room.
According to Tommy Kissell of Eco High Fidelity, Jagger’s top request for his home technology was an immaculate audio system that delivers pristine sound in every room, not just in the high-traffic areas. With 30 audio zones meticulously designed down to the smallest detail, the system ensures the highest fidelity of audio throughout the entire house with Paradigm reference in-ceiling speakers and ELAN S1616 amplifiers. The result is that every bedroom, hallway, shower, bathroom and even the kitchen and pantry are audio powerhouses. Although movies and TV are essential, the owners intentionally minimized the video areas and installed only three TVs to ensure more family time and to emphasize audio.
“With two young daughters, Jagger and Patrick are always on the move,” Kissell said. “Our marching orders were to create a system that allowed seamless transition as they walked through the house. Imagine spending your childhood surrounded by studio-quality audio and a DJ dad who is a walking encyclopedia of music. Something tells me we will see their kids on ‘Rock & Roll Jeopardy’ someday.”
To provide limitless options of music, the integrators built the system around streaming music services rather than traditional media formats. For example, the S1 Digital Music Streamer with over 241,000 songs allows Jagger to play his personal library along with Spotify, Pandora, Sirius and FM stations. The new technology from S1 allows the client to attach any subscribed music service to the system with two-way feedback. The S1 Streamer combined with the ELAN g! system allows Jagger to select his favorite music from his smartphone or tablet while sitting by the pool or anywhere else in the home. An Apple TV box also allows anything to be played seamlessly through the wireless network via Airplay.
The newly finished mid-century modern home was designed by Artex Development, which has collaborated with Eco High Fidelity to create a number of state-of-the-art integrated homes in North Texas. The standards of a project like this required detailed planning from beginning to end. In collaboration with Artex, Eco High Fidelity applied a turnkey system using methodologies mastered from previous projects. The collaboration between Eco High Fidelity and the mechanical, electrical, pool, irrigation, security and landscape contractors were key factors in the design process. The project required constant communication, so over the course of the two-year project, not a single week went by without a detailed conversation about automation and its role in the house.
To manage the massive data traffic within the house, Eco High Fidelity turned to the new Pakedge CP36 to guarantee a strong Wi-Fi signal throughout the house. The enterprise-grade router allows simultaneous internet use, automation and control through the ELAN g! system.
Showing their commitment to creating a perfect system, the integrators also made every effort to keep the system affordable, hidden from view and simple to use. “We designed the Lutron RadioRA 2 system with centralized switches to make it more like the high-end HomeWorks QS system. Although it required detailed planning and collaboration, this is a good solution for builders and homeowners to achieve elegant lighting control designs without breaking the bank. A group of switches is located in the master closet, while the owners control the lights via a variety of keypads and ELAN g! interfaces.”
Of course this project also came with some special requests. As a morning show host, Jagger has a very early schedule, so they programmed low-level light pathways to allow him to get up in the middle of the night without waking his family. The ELAN g! system gives the owners full control of the home’s surveillance cameras, irrigation, pool controls, multiple climate zones and a full-fledged security system. Because they work through ELAN g!, each subsystem can be monitored for sustainability using a detailed usage and event history.
With several ELAN HR2 remotes providing global coverage and full control from any room in the house, in addition to a centrally-located 7-inch ELAN touch panel, the family is never more than a touch away from the ultimate home control experience.
