It seems that to get a Marantz SR5500 to function in a multiroom environment you have to purchase another @#$%! amp...!! Guess the dealer wanted the sale rather than provide customer service. I wanted A/B speaker switching and he said yes.... -multiroom it has!! Now I'm stuck with it. -does anyone know of way or tweak or speaker wiring set up to get the SR5500 to switch to room 2 without the additional "control signal reciever avaialble from you Marantz dealer..."
I have setup my SR5500 in a 5.1 config with Definitive ProCinema 60 in room 1 and a pair of Bose jewels setup in room 2 connected to the Surround Back M.Speaker terminals as the manual suggests but no joy from the room 2 speakers. Have been throught the manual and tried the recommended setups to no avail... Anyone out there with a workaround or even better a solution...??? Thanks...
What do you want? Just A and B speaker switching? Buy a switch box. If you want to run distinct sources to each speaker pair, you will need enough amplification channels to mirror the number of source channels you are using. One stereo souce = one stereo amplifier. Two stereo sources = two stereo amplifiers. You can't make one amplifier play two distinct sources and send each one to a different location.
The SR5500 has 7-channel amplification and SHOULD be able to provide a separate source to a second zone using the rear surround channels. This would allow you to use a 5.1 setup for your main room, and a stereo setup for your second room.
The other way to do it DOES require a second amp, and that is by using the Multiroom preouts, but you should not have to do this if you are using the rear surround channels for your second zone.
Have you selected "None" for Speaker Size for your rear surrounds in the main speaker setup menu? If not, you are choosing a 7.1 setup and then you can't run a second source to your second zone via the rear surround channels.
(A separate issue is the matter of controlling the second zone remotely, which requires an IR receiver in the second room.)
I hope this helps. If not, then I'm not sure what your problem is. Good luck!