Conventional audio systems are typically isolated to a single room. Whole House Audio systems take it a couple steps further in that it allows you to have multiple audio sources like an ipod, DVD player or a digital media server and be able to listen to it in every room of your home. You could even listen to your audio outside on your patio. Each room would have it's very own keypad or LCD touchpanel that allows you to select the audio source and control the volume. LCD touchpanels even allow you to select a particular playlist from your ipod, find a particular CD or artist that you would like to listen to or even select from a list of radio stations that you enjoy.
There are many different styles of home theater speakers at many different price points to choose from. So you have the ability to select a really nice pair of speakers in your favorite listening areas and select a more economical set for background listening areas.
A whole house audio system allows you to turn on your favorite artist or tune in to your favorite station or program and wander anywhere in the house or out on the patio and not miss anything because your audio is everywhere.