Frustrated with your sound system? No one seems to be able to fix things for you? Spending a fortune for "solutions"? Read on...
There have been much discussion lately on audio integrators/sound companies that have installed a sound system for a customer and left the customer quite dissatisfied with their system, and the service they have recieved. Many times, these customers go to another company who offers a "solution" that will fix the problems caused by the first company. These solutions often leave the customer even more frustrated, and pulling their hair out to find a real solution. Its not hard to understand why many of us integrators encounter customers that are frustrated, and less than willing to just sign over more money.
Its important to fully understand what issues your sound system might have, before you can find a good solution to fix it. As an example, I encountered a church that had a sound system installed a number of years ago. A member of the church had offered to install and design a system for the church. With the exception of some good choices in gear for the system, the system was a mess. Poor speaker placement were to blame for a great deal of the problems. The church, now found themselves unwilling to spend more money after the fortune they had spent on this supposed "solution". Many in the church questioned the real cause of the problem. Rather than spending more money, blaming the sound guy seemed like a good idea. My point: its always crucial to understand the cause of the problem first.
Finding the cause: You might be finding yourself unsure how to go about finding the cause. You may not be completely tech savvy. This is why you hire an outside integrator, right? Start contacting local integrators. Check out their website, and look at other work they have done. Look for places that might be similar to yours. Many integrators will not charge to come out and do a site survey or consultation. Take advantage of these offers, and use them. Have them come out and take a look at the system. Describe to them the things you think are wrong with it. An experienced person will be able to give you some ideas based on your situation. They can give you a better idea of what might be causing the problem, in addition to how much any work, service, etc., might cost. Check the company and owner out. Generally speaking, its wise to find someone that has a good presence online and is highly involved within his industry. If the company offers a blog, it would be a great idea to check it out. Then, get other consultations from similar companies. After getting several companies to provide you with a consultation, you should have a good idea of what the real issues are in your system.
Which company to choose?: this is the next part of the process. You might receive several competitive offers, and now you must decide who would be best to hire. This is a tricky part. Many of us would be inclined to go with the lowest bidder. I would highly suggest you not go this route. After doing research, choose an integrator/sound company that has a good deal of experience. They should have a good presence in the industry.
You might ask for references, or look at other projects they have worked on. Resources on the internet can be important and useful tools for researching companies. Look for a company that is established, and whom you feel confident. Most important, what is their policy on training, and after sales support. You might end up paying a bit more for a company that offers excellent after sales services and support, however you will be thankful of the added expense when it results in less headaches.
No matter where you are located, you will find good and bad integrators. I have met many people who have been customers of these kinds of integrators who are merely interested in a sale, and disappear once the sale and install is completed. Doing a bit of shopping and research can offer big pay offs. I encounter many houses of worship that are "tainted" by a sound system installation went wrong. They are frustrated, and not sure who to trust. I hope that some of my suggestions will be of use to you reading this.
Source: ezinearticles.com