The 21st century is giving us numerous ways to listen to and control our music. Not only can we now distribute tunes around our homes with the touch of a button, but the wonder of metadata feedback actually lets us know what's playing as well. The only downside: Most systems that let you view iPod and satellite-radio song information in your bedroom still require complex professional installation.

Although multiroom audio systems from Kentucky-based NuVo Technologies are sold through professional installers, they're also available from shops that cater to the do-it-yourself crowd. The company's latest, the NuVo Grand Concerto multiroom audio system, comes in a just-add-speakers-and-sources bundle with everything you'll need to get your housewide audio system up and running. This one-box solution provides a six-source, eight-zone system that powers as many as 12 speakers with 40 watts each and provides metadata feedback and keypad control to boot. And while TV manufacturers have been dangling organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology before us as the Next Big Thing, NuVo has actually delivered, using it for the displays on its new keypads.

Setup
The Grand Concerto system includes the NV-18GM multiroom controller/amp, six NV-18GCP keypads, an IR system remote, an EZ port connection hub, six IR emitters, and a Cat5 network cable.

The system handles as many as eight zones but has amplification for only six. Adding Zones 7 and 8 requires separate amplification, and NuVo offers the Zone Pak ($699), which includes a P2100 100-watt stereo power amplifier, an additional keypad, and cables. For large houses, two Grand Concerto systems can be connected for a 16-zone, six-source system.

The Grand Concerto's back panel includes status inputs for power management of components that don't have discrete power commands, trigger outputs for each zone, a bidirectional RS-232 port for a third-party control system, and both fixed and variable line-level outputs for each zone.

NuVo keypads are powered and communicate via Cat5, and standard two-conductor wiring feeds the speakers. Each pad has two RJ-45 ports — one for NuVoNet communication and another for the optional NV-LSI24 ($99), an automatic override that enables a local amplified source (such as a TV) to play through the room's speakers.

The first bit of the Grand Concerto's genius lies in the EZ Port connection hub. The double-gang-sized hub enables simple and professional-looking termination of as many as 20 keypads. Up to six NuVoNet-capable sources and the NV-18GM connect to the front, making for a tidy installation.

My demo system included NuVo's NV-M3 music server (three sources), the NV-T2FX AM/FM/Weather plus XM dual-source tuner, and the NV-WIPS wireless iPod dock. NuVo also offers a dual AM/FM/Weather tuner ($799) and a dual XM model ($1,399), plus a wired version of its iPod dock ($299).

When the tuner and the server are connected and powered up for the first time, the system prompts you through selecting the inputs they are connected to on the NV-18GM. A rotary switch on the iPod receiver and dock tells it which input it is connected to. And that's all the setup required when using NuVoNet components.

The system ships with NuVo's Grand Concerto Configurator software (Windows 2000-, XP-, and Vista-compatible) to speed you through the setup. Except for programming IR codes from non-NuVo components and assigning names to audio zones, however, all configuration can be done right from the keypads. This great capability permits quick tweaks without breaking out a computer. Programming is downloaded using a serial cable (included), and all keypads are updated from the main unit with only a single download. One caveat for DIY-ers: Teaching the system new IR codes requires hardware available only to NuVo dealers.

A variety of useful adjustments are included, such as zone turn-on volume, overall maximum volume, party turn-on volume, and whether a zone is included in party mode. Additionally, you can tweak performance by turning on loudness compensation, adjusting the volume level of each source, or employing a huge ±18-dB range of bass and treble adjustment.

The Short Form

Price $7,392 (as tested) / nuvotechnologies.com / 513-347-2180

Snapshot

Sexy OLED keypads and straightforward installation are the focal points of this competent audio-distribution system.

Plus

•DIY-er's dream, with simple setup and programming •Music and control in less than 9 inches •OLED pads look great and are easy to read

Minus

•Loading M3 server is a pain •Amp not suited for high volumes or large rooms •Limited wireless range on iPod dock

Key Features

•System as tested: Grand Concerto System ($3,495) NV-18GM controller/amplifier (6) NV-18GCP OLED keypad controllers RC1 IR system remote EZ port connection hub NV-T2FX AM/FM/Weather/XM tuner ($1,099) NV-M3 music server, 160 GB ($2,199) NV-WIPS wireless iPod dock ($599) •6-source/8-zone audio controller •12 x 40 watts amplification •OLED keypads •Wireless iPod dock option

Other cool features include exclusive source control, which gives priority control to a certain zone, and the ability to choose which sources are available on a zone-by-zone basis, great for "reserving" a stream on the M3 for your listening. Zones can be grouped together in large areas (for playing the same source), but they still allow independent control and volume adjustment. Plus, a password-protected zone-lock feature can be useful for avoiding Risky Business incidents while you're away.

Performance
Undoubtedly, the Grand Concerto's coolest feature is the keypads, and the OLED displays look great. The 2.7-inch screen shows as many as eight lines of extremely bright text that's readable in virtually any lighting. An adjustable "time out" can dim or turn off the display after a set time, a feature that will be welcome in bedrooms. Each pad also includes an IR sensor that can be enabled or disabled.

The keypads use capacitive touch and are completely devoid of "hard" buttons. The result is a very sleek and modern look, especially with the black bezel. (White, almond, and ivory bezels are also available.) My first keypad samples were from an initial production run and were a bit hypersensitive, picking up some commands while my finger merely hovered near the panel. Fortunately, NuVo addressed this issue, and the current keypads respond only when touched.

There are only eight "buttons" on the keypad screen, and most handle multiple duties; for example, the play/pause key does double duty for cycling through the tuner bands when playing the radio. This keeps the pad clutter-free, but it also means that getting to a specific song or source often requires multiple button presses.

The NV-T2FX tuner comes with antennas for both off-air and XM reception and includes a combiner for sending both signals over a single run of RG-6 coax cable. Each tuner also features an auxiliary input, enabling connection of two additional sources to the system. The tuner's front panel is packed with buttons offering full control over all functions, and it also displays the currently selected station, signal strength, and XM channel metadata.

Because of the limited number of buttons on the keypads, hardcore channel-surfers might feel frustrated. Fortunately, multiple stations can be stored as presets and selected from the "Favorites" menu. The tuner supports RDS information from FM stations that broadcast it, and this info scrolls across the keypads, making it a "poor man's" alternative to XM's metadata.

The NV-M3 music server is unlike any other I've reviewed. It has no CD drive, no video output, and no network connection. Transferring music requires direct connection via USB to a computer running Windows Media Player version 11. NuVo will soon make available a wireless adapter so the server doesn't need to be carried to the computer for downloads, but USB file transfer is s-l-o-w any way you cut it. My transfer averaged 10 gigabytes (GB) an hour, and filling the server's entire 160-GB drive would take . . . a long time. Also, the server's compatibility with only Windows Media Player will be a limitation for some existing music collections.

Once it's running, however, the server handles its job admirably, packing a ton of technology into a chassis less than 2 inches high. The NV-M3 serves up three simultaneous streams of MP3, WAV, or WMA files, including those with WMDRM10 (Windows Media Digital Rights Management). It also has a cool front-panel display that scrolls what's currently playing on all outputs. But the best reason for buying this server is that it's a NuVoNet device that requires no programming and displays its metadata on the keypads.

Being able to stream music wirelessly from an iPod sounds like a terrific idea, and when the NV-WIPS wireless dock was within range, it worked perfectly. The receiver immediately recognized the dock and my iPod and let me access all my tunes via an interface similar to the NV-M3 server's. When even one wall was in the way, however, range was severely limited, and I could never get it to work through two walls. Depending on the size and construction of your home, the wired dock might be a safer bet.

Although digital amplifiers seem to be the wave of the future, I've yet to run across one that has won my heart. The Grand Concerto's are rated at 40 watts into 6 ohms (instead of the more typical 8 ohms) and 0.4% distortion at one-half power, meaning that hard driving isn't their specialty. In the real world, this translated to decent sound at low levels in typical-sized rooms. Output was low over nearly the first half of the volume-control range. Above halfway, the amp produced modestly loud sound until about 80%, where it started sounding pushed and strained. I wasn't able to drive my outdoor pool speakers to acceptable levels without excessive distortion. If you have large spaces, or areas requiring full-range output, you should definitely budget for additional amplification.

Bottom Line
The NuVo Technologies Grand Concerto multiroom audio system is in many ways a do-it-yourselfer's dream. If you stick with NuVoNet sources and use the EZ Port hub, it'll work fine and look like it was installed by a pro. But beyond this simplicity, the sheer amount of technology and performance that NuVo has crammed into so little real estate is downright impressive: My entire system stood less than 9 inches high! The OLED keypads look great and will garner attention, virtually begging to be touched and played with. Replace the skimpy built-in amps with something more powerful, and you'll have a system that will satisfy practically anyone.

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