Captain Caveman
Active Member
Just visited the Proficient Audiowebsite and it appears they have a couple new whole house audio products coming out. Anybody have any more info than what appears on thier website?
M6 by Proficient Audio? More info needed.
- Thread starter Captain Caveman
- Start date
upstatemike
Senior Member
I like the 6 zone dual tuner unit but I'm not so sure I like their keypads. Let me know if you find any pricing.
We're a dealer for Proficient and have been selling & installing lots of their speakers, but have to admit that I don't have any direct experience with their whole-house audio systems.
The M4 recently started shipping and retails for $1800. The six zone M6 with built in tuner is not available yet and will retail for around $3000.
I was expecting a visit from my Proficient rep last week but our schedules didn't pan out... let me know if you have any specific questions and I can get you some answers.
Cheers,
Paul
The M4 recently started shipping and retails for $1800. The six zone M6 with built in tuner is not available yet and will retail for around $3000.
I was expecting a visit from my Proficient rep last week but our schedules didn't pan out... let me know if you have any specific questions and I can get you some answers.
Cheers,
Paul
upstatemike
Senior Member
Seems expensive compared to Russound. Probably on par with nuvo Grand Concerto?
The M4 is similar to the Russound CAS44K, but the M4 has 30w per channel & 6 sources compared to the CAS44 which is 20w per channel and only 4 sources. Retail pricing has the M4 is $300 more.
The M6 is more difficult to compare as the features don't match really well with the Russound products? It it most similar to the CAA66K, but again provides more power and more importantly includes the dual tuner. Retail price on the M6 is about $900 more than the CAA66 setup which you can add the Russound dual tuner for $700 and still come out a couple hundred ahead.
Remember that all these comparisons are based on retail pricing... street pricing hasn't really been established on the Proficient gear yet.
Proficient recently "Flashed" their website making it more difficult to get to the "meat & potatoes". Here are some links to the product sheets for both the M4 & M6:
http://www.proficientaudio.com/Data%20Shee...ata%20Sheet.pdf
http://www.proficientaudio.com/Data%20Shee...ata%20Sheet.pdf
Cheers,
Paul
The M6 is more difficult to compare as the features don't match really well with the Russound products? It it most similar to the CAA66K, but again provides more power and more importantly includes the dual tuner. Retail price on the M6 is about $900 more than the CAA66 setup which you can add the Russound dual tuner for $700 and still come out a couple hundred ahead.
Remember that all these comparisons are based on retail pricing... street pricing hasn't really been established on the Proficient gear yet.
Proficient recently "Flashed" their website making it more difficult to get to the "meat & potatoes". Here are some links to the product sheets for both the M4 & M6:
http://www.proficientaudio.com/Data%20Shee...ata%20Sheet.pdf
http://www.proficientaudio.com/Data%20Shee...ata%20Sheet.pdf
Cheers,
Paul
upstatemike
Senior Member
Russound also displays some info at the keypad (radio station, volume level, etc.) where Proficient does not. Also haven't heard of any automation system planning to support the Proficient system?
I guess the biggest factor though is that there is dealer/street pricing out there for Russound. I don't know where to get better pricing on Proficient (or nuvo for that matter).
I guess the biggest factor though is that there is dealer/street pricing out there for Russound. I don't know where to get better pricing on Proficient (or nuvo for that matter).
Yes, the higher end Russound systems that utilize their RNET protocol (CAV6.6 & CAM6.6) work with the UNO keypads to provide metadata feedback the the keypads. These systems take you up into a higher price range so aren't really a direct comparison to either of the Proficient systems.
We carry Nuvo too and offer discounts to message board members ambitious enough to ask... just send me a PM if you're interested to compare some pricing.
Cheers,
Paul
We carry Nuvo too and offer discounts to message board members ambitious enough to ask... just send me a PM if you're interested to compare some pricing.
Cheers,
Paul
Captain Caveman
Active Member
Pkoslow, thanks for the links to the pdfs.
Here is my 2 cents on the M6 and the Concerto.
The Concerto provides 10 more watts per channel, and 2 additional non-amplified zones.
When used with a Nuvo T2 AM/FM/XM Tuner the keypads can provide station call letters, name of the artist, etc. and provide function feedback when you press a button.
Not only will it integrate with the T2 Tuners but now Nuvo has just introduced a music server and soon will have an iPod dock that can display information to the keypad!
Nuvo also combines all the Cat5 cables into one wall plate, which means less cable clutter.
Another consideration I think is worth mentioning is that the tuner on the M6 is integrated with the Amp. I am not crazy about that. Kinda like having a DVD player built into an expensive plasma, if the the player goes the whole unit has to be shipped back for repair.
One feature of the M6 that I did take notice of is the contact closure, perhaps used with macros to control drapes, motors, etc. If you already have a HA system then it probably won't be used.
I guess the biggest factor in this comparison is price, Smarthome sells the Concerto for $7000 without the tuner! Of course you can pick it up much less than that, but I imagine the same holds true for the M6 when it does hit the market.
If the M6 price is half of the Concerto, then it will command the market for this kind of technology. However if money does not matter the Concerto wins my vote.
Here is my 2 cents on the M6 and the Concerto.
The Concerto provides 10 more watts per channel, and 2 additional non-amplified zones.
When used with a Nuvo T2 AM/FM/XM Tuner the keypads can provide station call letters, name of the artist, etc. and provide function feedback when you press a button.
Not only will it integrate with the T2 Tuners but now Nuvo has just introduced a music server and soon will have an iPod dock that can display information to the keypad!
Nuvo also combines all the Cat5 cables into one wall plate, which means less cable clutter.
Another consideration I think is worth mentioning is that the tuner on the M6 is integrated with the Amp. I am not crazy about that. Kinda like having a DVD player built into an expensive plasma, if the the player goes the whole unit has to be shipped back for repair.
One feature of the M6 that I did take notice of is the contact closure, perhaps used with macros to control drapes, motors, etc. If you already have a HA system then it probably won't be used.
I guess the biggest factor in this comparison is price, Smarthome sells the Concerto for $7000 without the tuner! Of course you can pick it up much less than that, but I imagine the same holds true for the M6 when it does hit the market.
If the M6 price is half of the Concerto, then it will command the market for this kind of technology. However if money does not matter the Concerto wins my vote.
upstatemike
Senior Member
Plus the nuvo stuff is supported by Stargate, HAI, and other automation controllers. It will be interesting to see what the pricing on the Grand Cencerto ends up being. (Probably super high with the capacitive keypads!)
