Lode Audio iOS App Update
In our last newsletter, we announced that we were soon to be launching our latest iOS app update. We are delighted to say that it is now live and that since its launch at the beginning of August, it has already proven to be a huge success, with the performance exceeding our customers’ expectations.
Featuring industry-leading browse functionality with zero-latency performance, our dedicated iOS app suite offers extremely quick cover-art population, gesture swipe (inc. swipe back to seamlessly knit together music browsing) and single or grouped room control.
Available now, if you haven’t already tried it, we urge you to visit the app store and download this crucial update. Not only will it mean perfectly-stable control of your Lode LA4 Music Server, it will also significantly increase the customer experience. Seriously, what is not to like about that!
Coming Soon – Crestron Driver Update
Although our products have integrated with Crestron for many years, we have been working exceptionally hard to add the latest functionality that our customers have been requesting. The new release of our Crestron driver will bring it a lot closer to our own iOS app, which is already being used extensively. Crestron users will be able to enjoy the dynamic browse and queue functions as well as experience improved cover-art integration with a faster response time to background image change when tracks are skipped. Although not quite as fast as our native iOS apps, this refresh will provide a much enhanced user experience.
New features at a glance:
- Dynamic browse of streamed or network-stored music
- Stable queue for all music content
- Improved cover-art integration
- Faster response to background image/track change
If using Lode products within Crestron systems, this update will change your customers experience of media browsing with Crestron. We’ll keep you posted on the availability of this update.
Fully Loded!
We are often asked where our products are used, both by architects, system designers and integrators alike. In the first of a new series of features called “Fully Loded”, we have asked an integrator to give their experiences of using our products (in this case our LA4 Audio Server) and how well they have integrated it into an install. Due to the secretive nature of the CI business, we cannot reveal the name of the installer or the client but we are sure that the image below proves that it is a very serious installation:
We recently had a prestigious project in Regent’s Park. We decided to use Lode as our music system as we had heard great things about it and the system did not disappoint. We installed four LA4’s in our main headend rack, giving 16 zones of 32-bit audio. Physical installation of the units was simple and the programming very intuitive and very fast – update the system, name your zones and add your services.
Once installed and programmed, we were blown away with what we heard. We used Audio Control amplifiers and B&W speakers everywhere – a mixture of in-ceiling and bookshelf. Admittedly there was a fuller response from the bookshelf speakers but I’ve never heard ceiling speakers give so much.
Our control system here is Control4. Integration into Control4 was seamless. Add the drivers from the Control4 database, say which room is which and we were done. We have nice control from the control4 handheld remotes but it’s really on the (Lode) app where you get the best experience. Easy to use and responsive despite not being able to edit the Control4 environment. Also, when browsing our music on the iPads, all Lode zones appear as an Airplay option. So if we just want music, we don’t have to touch Control4 – too easy!
Judging by client feedback and ease of install, I can’t wait for the next one!
