If you're considering a multi-room music system for your home, you're in the right place. In this article, we'll take a quick look at a range of multi-room solutions to give you an idea of what's involved and which options might be a good fit for you.

As you shop for a multi-room system, there a few key questions to keep in mind:

• Are you installing your system in a finished home, or in a home that's currently under construction? If you're adding a system to a finished home, a wireless system will often offer the easiest, most straightforward installation; systems that require substantial in-wall wire installation are generally better for homes still under construction that don't have drywall or insulation up yet.
• Does your home already have a CAT-5 or CAT-6 network installed? Many multi-room systems communicate over CAT-5 or CAT-6 cables, so you might be able to take advantage of an existing network. See the "Wired setup" column in our comparison chart for a quick look at which systems use CAT-5.
• How many rooms do you want to have music in? Make sure you choose a system that can accommodate your preferences.
• Do you want to be able to select different songs in each listening area?
• Do you want to be able to access your digital music collection, or conventional music sources (like a CD changer), or both?

For a quick look at some popular options, check out the comparison chart at the end of this article.

If you'd like help planning your own multi-room system, you can contact a member of our A/V Design Group at 1-800-555-9407. They can give you customized, room-specific system proposals, free of charge.