Lake Shore: Quiet Name, Top Sound

By Bill Ernst

There’s a lot about Lake Shore Automation in Sanford that isn’t apparent at first glance. Even the name doesn’t reveal much. You might have driven past the unassuming showroom on S. Park Ave. without noticing it. If you happened to see the sign near 2nd Street, it doesn’t tell the whole story either. And if you visit the showroom, you won’t be blown away by its looks. You’ll see some comfortable leather couches and chairs, and a few entertainment centers and speakers in a row with large-screen TVs above.

But, Lake Shore is an exclusive dealer of Totem Acoustic speakers. And those speakers—among the finest in the world—will blow you away with their full range of expressiveness and micro nuances, even at low volumes. The sound is incredible.

Automation Experts
Software automation—the replacement of manual operations with computerized methods—is the backbone of this company: Lake Shore has been providing command and control software to the US military for the past 10 years, and recently provided software and installation services to the Forward Headquarters of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) at Al Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar, the largest center of its kind in the world. If they can meet the software automation needs of the US military, home automation projects are a piece of cake for them.

While some shops call anyone who can program a remote an “automation specialist,” Lake Shore is the real deal. They’re experts at making the complex simple. With one control pad (or several, if you prefer), you can remotely control music, TV and, of course, sound. Lake Shore can also customize a system to control security and surveillance, lighting, and energy efficiency, allowing you to do remote security checks (one simple example: being able to check on the kids playing outside while you’re making dinner in the kitchen) and remote energy operation (for example, turning on the A/C in your vacation condo before you get there). Lake Shore can tie all of these devices together.

Engineered for Perfection
Lake Shore has three divisions: Automation, Digital Media, and Software & Engineering, whose knowledge is what makes the seamless integration take place flawlessly. Lake Shore Software & Engineering is owned by Michael and Barbara Landt. As company president, Barbara Landt oversees operations, ensuring that the team runs efficiently and exceeds client expectations.

Michael Landt, director of engineering, has a background in software development that dates to the early Apple II days. He’s still an active Apple software developer. In college he dreamed of being a recording studio engineer. His engineering background and understanding of the physics of sound accounts for how Lake Shore can take the listening experience to the next level. But it’s Michael’s passion for music, and that of Lake Shore’s team members and consultants—the “audiophiles and techies”—that makes Lake Shore cool to work with.

Once you select your speakers, Lake Shore customizes them to your specific needs and physically positions them, giving the sound space to “breathe,” so that they work to their fullest potential.

There’s a lot you can’t see at Lake Shore, such as their understanding of the physics of sound, having a refined ear, and caring enough to do a top-quality job. But when you’re in the market for a new home audio-visual system or want to expand and integrate the one you have, make an appointment to visit Lake Shore’s Experience Center, and see how good your life can sound.

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Lake Shore, 200 S. Park Ave., Ste. 110, Sanford; 407.302.2100; lakeshoresoftware.com.