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Author Topic: Multi room audio system  (Read 17084 times)

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Offline WilSurf

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Multi room audio system
« on: February 10, 2014, 05:47:39 PM »
Now I have time to dream about what to do in our new house.

I would like to have audio indoor as well as outdoor. Basically in 3 rooms: kitchen/dining, front lounge and outdoor.
After searching on the web, t is very hard to see the trees through the forrest.
Has anyone experience with these kind of systems?
It would be nice to have a multi source system, but I guess that would make it more complicated.
How hard is to implement in an existing house, by using an existing stereo?
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Offline JD-120

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2014, 06:02:03 PM »
hey WilSurf,

I have not personally installed or used these units in the link below, but have looked at a similar setup as you are describing
I know you can get amps that will accommodate multiple inputs to different speakers (ie kids watching TV on one set, adults listening to music out side). All depends on how much you want to spend.

Check out these units if you have not already

http://www.sonos.com/

In the end, I decided on a much cheaper solution.

Streaming music from my phone / tablet device to a bluetooth portable speaker (the quality of these speakers are fantastic now, even battery operated ones). Best thing is this solution also travels with us on our camping trips.
I thought I was pretty up to date on technology, but only last month a mate of mine showed me pandora. WOW, how cool. now I stream music of my choice to my Bluetooth speakers for free without pirating or ripping mp3's.

implementing something like this into an existing stereo really depends on what connectivity features your stereo has.

sorry, probably not really any help, but hopefully may give you something to think about re other solutions

Justin
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Offline Nomad

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2014, 06:15:58 PM »
Does your amp have A/B speaker option?
I have a Yamaha that can do a split or do it all at once.

The neighbours love it when my kids crank something up on the verandah at 8 oclock on a Sunday morning.....not but my neighbour is a turd so I don't care.

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Offline Marcus73

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2014, 07:01:12 PM »
I looked at doing this with my current set up due to it being 2 zone. After looking at various outdoor speakers I soon realised that to get the sound I wanted outside I'd need to spend about $500+ for 2 speakers. After some serious thought I ended up buying a Pioneer surround system for $400 including amp and 5 speakers. At first I was worried about moisture wrecking it even though it's undercover ( Tassie mornings with temps below zero ) It's now been there for over 12 months without an issue and sounds great


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Offline Symon

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2014, 07:14:25 PM »
http://www.cleverhome.com.au/multi-room-audio-hi-fi.shtml

I'm looking into this as well for my house at the moment.  There are a variety of vendors with different systems, it all comes down to how many features you want and how much you are willing to shell out.
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Offline Crimso

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2014, 06:23:38 PM »
The Sonos system is pretty damned good. Can recommend it.
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Offline Symon

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2014, 06:27:14 PM »
Really not a fan of wireless systems, so that rules out Sonos.
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Offline achjimmy

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2014, 06:31:44 PM »
Trust me on this, having had a succession of systems, receivers and media systems. Go the Sonos.

I have just bought a sonos after trying squeezebox, apple, media player etc etc over many years, user friendless is the goal. Bloody expensive but delivers, they even have amplified zones so just require a set if speakers.
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Offline achjimmy

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2014, 06:35:13 PM »
Quote from: Symon on February 11, 2014, 06:27:14 PM
Really not a fan of wireless systems, so that rules out Sonos.

Symon all the sonos boxes have Ethernet ports for wired solution, but then also transmit there own wireless "mesh" so a daisy chain of wired solutions will support a wireless sonos outside of the wifi range! The only thing that governs this is the wifi range of your Andriod or apple controller. But you can also get or could a sonos controllers that then work on the sonos mesh network.
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Offline ras

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2014, 06:44:28 PM »
Will surf. I have similar requirements to you. I have a front music room a open plan living area and the backyard.

I didn't go for any of these integrated solutions. In the front room I have a 20 year old stereo system that sounds really good. I have a Bluetooth device plugged into the p and stream music that way. Great sound.

In the open plan do the same but have an iPod Dock since haven't gotten around to getting another Bluetooth. For outside I open the French doors. For parties I set up the PA on the back verandah. All bases covered. IPhone and iPad have same music library on them.
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Offline Renno

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2014, 07:20:54 PM »
Quote from: Nomad on February 10, 2014, 06:15:58 PM
Does your amp have A/B speaker option?
I have a Yamaha that can do a split or do it all at once.

The neighbours love it when my kids crank something up on the verandah at 8 oclock on a Sunday morning.....not but my neighbour is a turd so I don't care.
Same as ours, works well. Have the 3.5 to stereo cable for the iPod.
Renno :cheers:


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Offline ras

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2014, 07:57:20 PM »
My stereo supports multiple speakers. But that's not enough outside to do the job properly. PA with 800w powered speakers driven by the iDevice.  You can annoy the crap out of the whole block if you like. For special occasions only.
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Offline Pirate_Pete

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2014, 08:15:23 PM »
I set up a system at my old house.

I had 4 amps in 2 locations
Amp 1 was the surround sound system in the lounge.
         1 set of speakers on A channel did the lounge on surround 5.1
         1 set of speakers on B Channel in the kitchen (stereo)

Amp 2 in lounge
         1 set of speakers in pool yard. (stereo)

Amp 3 in my workshop
          1 set of speakers in my workshop on Channel A (stereo)
          1 set of speakers in other end of pool yard on B channel

Amp 4 in my workshop
         1 set of speakers in the other end of the workshop.

The system was connected to my PC that was set up as a server so it was running all the time in the Lounge with the other HiFi & TV gear via amp 2 & that fed Amps 3 & 4
The TV was set up on Amp 1
Amp 1 & 2 were set up on the others line out so depending what was happening the Surrond sound system could be switched in & out so it could play what Amp 2 was playing with either Radio, CD or PC or TV or the other way round so you could listen to TV from Amp 2

We mainly used the system to listen to the PC as we have about 40g of MP3 files. This was controlled via iTunes with the Remote app on our iPhones or iPads. This was great when having parties as you sat an iPad on the table & told people to choose what they wanted to listen to.

The only Amp I actually paid for was the surround one in the lounge the rest were picked up over a few years as friends updated their systems to surround etc.

I did buy 2 sets of Clipsal weather proof speakers for the pool yard but again I managed to pick up most of the others.
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Offline Pog

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2014, 08:46:55 PM »
Quote from: Nomad on February 10, 2014, 06:15:58 PM
but my neighbour is a turd so I don't care.

Love it!  :cup:
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Offline Basel

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2014, 08:57:46 PM »
X2 for the Sonos. Expensive, but brilliant.
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Offline Sun Boy

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #15 on: February 11, 2014, 09:23:32 PM »
Quote from: Basel on February 11, 2014, 08:57:46 PM
X2 for the Sonos. Expensive, but brilliant.

Can you steam wirelessly from your iPad or I phone though?
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Offline Rob C

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #16 on: February 11, 2014, 09:40:43 PM »
I,m a Sonos fan as well.
The wife sits outside Puffing away and watching MKR (TV is inside outdoor speakers controlled through a Sonos  Amp), I sit inside listening to Music streamed through MOG and looking at Myswag!!!
If I decide to go out to the Garage and tinker on the CT, I simply unplug one of the speakers, take it into the garage plug it into a GPO stream some good old Rock & Roll from MOG crank it up, now that shakes up the street!!!!
Best system that we have had, very flexible and easy to use.

Rob
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Offline Rob C

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #17 on: February 11, 2014, 09:47:49 PM »
Quote from: Sun Boy on February 11, 2014, 09:23:32 PM
Can you steam wirelessly from your iPad or I phone though?

We can stream music from our Phones, Ipad, IPod or our music collection on the computer or via Tunein, MOG, our TV all wirelessly

Very easy to use.
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Offline Basel

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #18 on: February 11, 2014, 09:49:01 PM »
Yes, you can stream direct from an iphone or ipad or just point the sonos to your music library on your PC or Mac. I've actually stopped buying music, I subscribe to spotify and stream it direct to the Sonos system
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Offline cavlux

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #19 on: February 11, 2014, 10:08:15 PM »
X10 on the Sonos. No more cds. No more hours in front of a computer sorting out megabytes (or terabytes) of music (although Sonos supports this). 10-15$ per month with your streaming music site of choice - spotify at the moment. I'm listening to a heap of music I would never have been exposed to before. Different music in different areas etc etc. No doubt over the next few years this will become cheaper and there will be more competition, but I'm getting older and if I kept waiting  I would keep racking up the days of no downtime or enjoyment. Considering I used to be ecstatic listening to a really crappy transistor radio in the 70s that could barely stay in tune to the station and also tape Countdown from the tv onto a cassette player (did anyone else do this?) I find the quality of sound and the lack of cables just awesome.

Shane

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Offline MDS69

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #20 on: February 12, 2014, 08:06:32 AM »
Don't Bose have a multi-room system (wired)
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Offline dwglwc

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #21 on: February 12, 2014, 09:11:26 AM »
I know Yamaha do a true audio & video 3 zone amp.   $1800 approx though
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Offline WilSurf

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #22 on: February 12, 2014, 09:54:49 AM »
More reading to do.
I prefer wired systems, maybe I am old school.  ;D
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Offline HoMErMY12

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #23 on: February 12, 2014, 11:04:17 AM »
DENON do some nice multi zone surround sound amps. Not cheap though.
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Offline WilSurf

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Re: Multi room audio system
« Reply #24 on: February 12, 2014, 11:41:56 AM »
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