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New member Username: LaneIdaho Post Number: 2 Registered: Feb-06 | I am in the market for a new receiver - but I want to power speakers in 5 - 6 rooms. I don't need loud, I just need good sound. I've looked at multi-room amps but I've also read that I dont need multiroom and can get by with a receiver and speaker selector with IM volume controls in the rooms.... true? |
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Silver Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 774 Registered: Apr-05 | Yes it is true. The question is do you want a multi-zone receiver, where you can watch TV in one room and play a CD player in the other? Or do you simply want to put sound, the same sound, in a bunch of different room. If the answer is the former, then you look into a 2-3 zone amp. They have some with up to 9 speaker outputs that will cost you about 2-4 grand. (look into Denon). If your answer is the latter, then just get a good high powered receiver whose sound you like and either split the channels or get a speaker selector. |
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New member Username: LaneIdaho Post Number: 3 Registered: Feb-06 | Thanks a million - no, I have a separate home theater for TV. I only want to be able to run the single source - same sound - in several rooms in the house. I do want volume control in each room, however. So, based on your answer (and 2-4 grand is out of my range) it sounds like a good receiver is the way to go. Two questions: 1) You say high powered receiver - how high? 2) I understand about a speaker selector, but I dont know what you mean by splitting the channels? Oh - one more- anything particular I should know about the volume controls? Thanks for the help! |
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Silver Member Username: GmanMt. Pleasant, SC Post Number: 835 Registered: Dec-03 | A speaker switcher with the requisite number of paired speaker outlets(from a company such as Niles) would work great with a reasonably powerful receiver, as long as your other speakers aren't power hogs. It certainly will work excellently with most in-wall, in-ceiling, and easy to drive 8 ohm mini-monitors. I have in-wall volume controls in 4 rooms to work with a Niles speaker selector and it works great. Particularly good for parties, when people are moving around the house. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 7600 Registered: May-04 | If you choose to go with a speaker switching box, I would suggest you spend the extra money and purchase a switching system that uses an autoformer. The amplifier will be much happier and better able to drive the speakers no matter what combination you have playing. The autoformers will accomplish "impedance matching". They can be either in the switch box or the indiviual volume controls for each pair of speakers. http://www.inwallstore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=i&Categ ory_Code=impedance |
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Bronze Member Username: HarrypalmerBellevue, WA Post Number: 15 Registered: Feb-06 | Promoting your own website again Jan? I caught you now! |
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New member Username: LaneIdaho Post Number: 4 Registered: Feb-06 | Great - thanks. So, it sounds like I won't need a multiroom amp, though some people tell me I do.... Gman, when you say "reasonably powered" receiver - what wattage? You have 4 rooms, I'm looking at 6, does your system have capacity for more? Jan - thanks for the info. That link was helpful to understand IM. I didn't see mention of autoformers on the speaker switches listed - do they all have them? Anything special I should know about volume controls? (BTW, I'm putting this in existing construction so wiring will be a challenge) Thanks for all the help |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 7605 Registered: May-04 | The link was to explain impedance matching. I don't know the company and am not endorsing their products. They might be good and might not, I don't know. Put something along the order of "multi-room/whole house audio systems" into a search engine to get some more thoughts or whole house distribution. Systems can be simple to extremely elaborate in what is offered today. After reading what's available, you might decide to go further with this whole house plan. IR remote systems allow control of the system from another location but require more wiring complexity. Multi channel amplifiers have become available for this type of application and offer advantages over a simple switch box. Certainly if you decide to switch to a multi zone configuration at later date the multi channel amplifiers are more flexible. Over and above that, they are simply less hassle to deal with when running more than an extra pair or two of speakers. They eliminate the need for autoformer based switches by assigning a channel to each speaker. If you go this route, it is still best to avoid simple L-pad type volume controls as they tend to load down the amplifier to adjust volume. Weigh the cost and complexity of installation and operation with each choice and decide which best suits your budget and desire to install the needed equipment. |
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New member Username: Dan_masonCrenshaw, CA USA Post Number: 1 Registered: Feb-06 | impedance, use Viagra . . |
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New member Username: Dan_masonCrenshaw, CA USA Post Number: 2 Registered: Feb-06 | Everyone knows Ford makes the best cars. Well Bose makes the best speakers. Buy Bose and make your life easy. |
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Silver Member Username: GavincummNew York USA Post Number: 626 Registered: Feb-05 | for recievers with dual zone capablities: Integra Pioneer Elite some Yamaha Here are some more suggestions from HTD... take a look at their website, they have a decent selection of amps, volume controls, etc. etc. etc. that go from 4 to 12 zones (rooms), and are priced VERY reasonable. take a look! http://www.htdaudio.com/whhoaucoandp.html |
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New member Username: LaneIdaho Post Number: 5 Registered: Feb-06 | I'll check those out, Gavin- thanks. The HTD stuff is pretty interesting and yes, reasonably priced. Jan - the multi-channel amps you referred to - is this HTD stuff what you were talking about? How's the audio quality? |
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Silver Member Username: GavincummNew York USA Post Number: 637 Registered: Feb-05 | I have no experience with HTD, but being that it is an amp / preamp system, you would be getting better audio quality than what you would get from a big box retailer. Integra and Pioneer Elite both have outstanding audio quality. You will do well with both of those brands. Integra is the high end brand of onkyo, and is MUCH smoother, and more musical sounding than the more common onkyo brand. Integra removes the grain that plagues most of the onkyo reciever line, and are a hair warmer. Pioneer elite are rich sounding, and VERY smooth. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 7609 Registered: May-04 | I don't know the line but the idea is what I was referring to. |
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New member Username: LaneIdaho Post Number: 6 Registered: Feb-06 | Still looking for info .... another question: Instead of a receiver, would I be better off, for this application, getting a multi channel amp and connecting my CD to it - I also have a couple of old, but functional stereo receivers - should I use them instead of buying a new receiver and connect them to an amp? |
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Silver Member Username: GavincummNew York USA Post Number: 690 Registered: Feb-05 | I don't quite understand the connect the old recievers to the new amp idea. If you are going where I think you are, that would blow it up. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 7645 Registered: May-04 | I'm all for using what you already own. That is, if you know how to make it work and things don't become a jerry-rigged web of wires and switches. Because, unless things are laid out and installed in a very logical order, meaning basically an audio rack like you would see in a studio where you can have easy access to the back of the amplifiers, once you have any problem, tracking the wiring through a maze of old receievers hooked to a switch box and some not hooked to a switch box, you'll be wishing you had never thought of using a couple old receivers when a new multichannel amplifier would make the whole process so much simpler and straight forward and probably not have the problems a couple old receivers will have. That doesn't even address the situation of teaching someone else how to get the system to play when you're not around. Gee, it kinda sounds like I'm not in favor of using a couple of old receivers; doesn't it? |
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New member Username: LaneIdaho Post Number: 7 Registered: Feb-06 | OK... never mind that idea- I see your points and I dont want to cheap out on this thing... So, I'm still exploring between the multi-channel amp approach and simply the receiver/speaker switch method. I really sounds like that latter would work for me and leave me some financial room for higher quality components? A local shop is telling me to consider the Nuvo systems - interesting and not too awfully expensive - any thoughts on that? |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 7646 Registered: May-04 | Nope. Don't know them. |
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New member Username: LaneIdaho Post Number: 8 Registered: Feb-06 | How about dual zone receivers - perhaps thats a way to get a second "zone" to avoid overloading a receiver with 6 speaker pair? I've looked at the Denon DRA-685, but I see that it requires a second amp - other ideas? |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 7684 Registered: May-04 | That is essentially what "dual zone" means. The receiver has output capability for a second zone. I think Onkyo still makes a couple receivers with a small amplifier built in for the second zone, but, in my opinion, you will do better by choosing a "dual zone capable" receiver and an appropriate amplifier. |
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New member Username: LaneIdaho Post Number: 9 Registered: Feb-06 | Sounds like this is a better approach then? I'm thinking that I can put one part of the house on each zone and spread the load. But, now, as to the second amplifier - what sort of device do I need to do this? Also, is there any reason why this won't work if I"m going through a speaker selector? Thanksg again for the help |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 7700 Registered: May-04 | Dual zone has nothing really to do with the "load". It implies you will have one (or more) areas which can run an independent source different from what is playing throughout the second zone distribution network. Normally, dual zones in a typical whole house network today refers to a HT sourced room playing a video while the rest of the house listens to a CD or such other source. It means you and your buddies can watch Oprah while the wife and kids listen to an opera CD. The level of sophistication in zone allocation is your choice and can include more than merely switching a music source to the rest of the house. Needs, desires and budget will determine what you finally install. How you arrange the two (or more) zones is up to you and, I guess, it could be construed as relieving the load in some ways. Usually you use either a multi-channel amplifier to run the second zone locations/speakers or you use a single stereo amplifier to distribute the signal through an impedance matching speaker selector as we discussed earlier. It is atypical to run a speaker selctor with a multi-channel amplifier. It can be done, but this would somewhat imply poor system planning on your part. |