Quieting the High-Tech Luxury Home

Internet-enabled, voice-activated "smart" devices have infiltrated homes, making it possible for people to adjust their bedroom temperature, turn on their oven or order a pizza merely by speaking the command. But talking and beeping devices, combined with other noise-emitting items like TVs, phones and iPads, have created a high-tech racket. It's the opposite of the peaceful retreat many homeowners strive to create. "Homes have suddenly become more'live,' " says Steve Haas, an acoustical consultant who works in luxury residences. "It emphasizes the need for better control."