Topic: How to set up a 4 zone home audio system (Read 13019 times)

Jim Van · « **on:** January 06, 2012, 06:48:02 pm »

I have a dedicated music PC and looking to install 4 music zones. 1) At the PC location, stereo, 2) Great room 45 feet away, stereo; 3) Pool area 40 feet away, mono with two speakers and 4) Boat deck 100 feet away, mono with two speakers.
What would you recommend to do this project?
Does someone have a 4 zone sound card that could be used?
Jim

pcstockton · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2012, 07:31:18 pm »

Naim Audio.

The Qute specifically. All in one. Great DAC. Worth every penny even if used as a streamer/DAC only.

JimH · « **Reply #2 on:** January 06, 2012, 07:45:31 pm »

Welcome to the forum. Nice problem to have.

Most sound cards with enough outputs would work. A 7:1 soundcard could be split into 4 two channel zones, for example. Try a search here for m-audio.

pcstockton · « **Reply #3 on:** January 06, 2012, 10:33:45 pm »

can't MC output to 4 zones simultaneously? That prompts the question of how many unique Renderers/Zones MC can handle?

MrC · « **Reply #4 on:** January 06, 2012, 10:58:08 pm »

Quote from: pcstockton on January 06, 2012, 10:33:45 pm

can't MC output to 4 zones simultaneously? That prompts the question of how many unique Renderers/Zones MC can handle?

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=49217.msg337101#msg337101

pcstockton · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2012, 12:34:02 pm »

Well then I would roll with:
- NDX in Main Listening Room (wherever you have pre, amp, etc)
- SuperUniti in Great Room
- Uniti at Pool
- UnitiQute at Boat

You would only need speakers for the the latter zones. I assume you have a dedicated 2 channel set-up somewhere for the NDX.

All are UPNP Renderers. Serve up to each with MC and one library.

Control it all with any number of iOS devices.

OR you could go with a NaimNet solution. Although it would be a bit more expensive and I dont think wireless.

Mediahome · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2012, 12:38:17 am »

Jim,

When asking for "what should I buy" questions it is helpful to provide a budget number so that the responses that you get are more meaningful to you. PCStockton really likes his Naim equipment but he just recommended a $16,000 setup for you. I am going to guess that when you said "mono with two speakers" out to the boat dock you weren't thinking about putting a $2000 UnitiQute out there. (BTW - it will probably be easier just to do stereo everywhere.)

JimH was probably closer to the mark for you. The M-Audio sound cards that he mentioned are very good. I have also used the ASUS cards - with the Uni Xonar drivers you can get 4 stereo zones out of 7.1 sound card.

Audio Engine makes a nice little wireless audio adapter that you can use to send 2 zones out to your pool and boat dock. Their W1 adapter is being replaced by a W3 which is not available quite yet. You can still get W1's from Internet resellers though. Add some powered outdoor speakers and you are in business. If you want remote control you can run Gizmo on an Android tablet pretty inexpensively. If someone drops it in the water at least a replacement is less than the deductable on your homeowners insurance.

You have lots of options for the main listening room and the great room. I would suggest that you read through the forums to zero in a bit more and then ask more specific questions.

Mediahome

Jim Van · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2012, 12:16:46 pm »

Mediahome
Thanks for the response; I am trying to keep my cost as low as possible.

I am also looking for some kind of fiber cable connection for my longest run because being in another building.
Again thanks, Jim

JimH · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2012, 01:20:53 pm »

If cost is an issue, you could just get several cheap audio cards.

pcstockton · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2012, 02:16:35 pm »

Why not a variety of Squeezebox products?

No cables needed, unless you want to roll with the more reliable Cat-5 connection or your wifi doesn;t extend out to the dock.

With the new Logitech Media Server, the units show up as DLNA zones/devices in MC.

You could then control it all with JRemote or MyRiver Apps and iOS devices. Or you could control directly on the units themselves. Then they would go through the Logitech server. Either way it results in the same deals.

You could use Squeezebox Touches in places you have amps/speakers, and the BoomBox where you dont.

Easy as pie.

-Patrick

WinoOutWest · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2012, 02:25:13 pm »

Jim Van - do you want zones playing separate music or do you want them all the same? I wanted the same thing playing everywhere and I've done a super cheap whole home audio setup using one really good analog sound card distributed via a combination of Analog over Cat5, Rocketfish wireless Audio sender receivers that works quite well.

pcstockton · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2012, 06:11:06 pm »

Quote from: Mediahome on January 09, 2012, 12:38:17 am

PCStockton really likes his Naim equipment but he just recommended a $16,000 setup for you.

The dude has a "great room", a "pool", and a "boat dock". Presumably a boat as well.

It seemed like a high end solution would be desired.

Squeezebox should do the trick.

Jim Van · « **Reply #12 on:** January 30, 2012, 07:04:11 pm »

Ok I have two sound cards installed now and able to set up 3 zones. Audio sounds great in all 3 zones. Running MC 17.0.68

Having a problem when I unlink two zones. I link zones 1 & 2 and when I unlink the zones, music is still playing on both zones and then I go to stop the music playing in zone 2 my PC locks up. I must reboot it to get things back to normal. When I reload MC my link is still in place (zone 1 to 2) I can remove the link and start music in either zone.

I search for a fix no results any suggestions?
Jim

Scolex · « **Reply #13 on:** January 30, 2012, 07:23:37 pm »

Do you get a blue screen or is the computer just unresponsive?
What cards are you using and what format (ASIO, WASAPI, Kernel Streaming, etc)
Does the same thing happen if you stop playback before unlinking?
What about a system memory dump file or MC log.
Sounds driver related to me.

Jim Van · « **Reply #14 on:** January 31, 2012, 06:41:52 pm »

Thanks Scolex
My sound cards are Soundmax integrated didgal audio and 2 Creative Sound Blaster Audigy.
After unlinking first, then stopping the music in zone 2 the PC freezes, no cursor movement. I must turn off the PC.
Starting music on zone 1 then link it to zone 2 everything is OK. I am able to stop the music and then remove the link with no problems.
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Jim

Scolex · « **Reply #15 on:** January 31, 2012, 07:05:58 pm »

Just to try and isolate a possible driver issue see if it makes a difference when you use the 2 Sound Blasters vs 1 SB and the integrated.
You didn't say what output mode you are using. To find it right click on each zone in the tree and select playback options the mode is at the top of the audio section. I suggest one that bypasses the windows audio stack (ASIO or WASAPI) and use MC's internal volume control.
How are the cards attached to their respective zone (integrated-analog, SB1-analog, SB2-SPDIF)
I am wondering this because if any are connected via SPDIF you can use 1 less card to once again possibly rule out a driver conflict.

Jim Van · « **Reply #16 on:** February 24, 2012, 06:50:30 pm »

Thanks Scolex for your info:
I had a major problem when I updated my sound drivers and had to do a system recover. My current issue is when I link zone 2 to 3 the sound is garbled and distorted.
My configuration is:
Zone 1 is an internal SoundMax IRQ 17;
Zone 2 is a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy IRQ 22 Driver date 6/13/07;
Zone 3 is a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy IRQ 21 Driver date 7/8/05
Having same driver for both SB, the PC locks up when linking Zone 2 & 3
All 3 Zones Output Mode are Kernel Streaming
All 3 zones are connected as analog, Z1 to a 5.1 power amp, Z2 to a PylePro PCA2 & Z3 to an RCA wireless speakers. None are connected as SPDIF
I can link Zone 1 to 2 or Zone 1 to 3 with no problem
Linking zone 2 to 3 the sound is garbled and distorted
Linking Zone 1, 2 & 3 the sound is garbled and distorted

Most of the time I can stop the music when the sound is garbled/distorted verse rebooting
Some time the PC locks up, no cursor movement and I must boot the system.

Any suggestions?

Jim Van · « **Reply #17 on:** March 01, 2012, 06:18:54 pm »

Does anyone have suggestions as to why my PC locks up when I link zone 2 & 3?
Thanks, Jim

JimH · « **Reply #18 on:** March 01, 2012, 06:23:50 pm »

Try build 98 from the top of the MC17 board.

Try Direct Sound for all zones, just to see if it helps.

pcstockton · « **Reply #19 on:** March 01, 2012, 06:38:59 pm »

Quote from: Jim Van on February 24, 2012, 06:50:30 pm

Any suggestions?

No offense, and I dont mean to be a smart ass, but... How about ditching the sound card method and use something that is more easily geared towards "full-house" audio.

A variety of Squeezeboxes seem to be perfect for you. With Whitebear Server you could easily use MC to control all zones.

-patrick

GadgetBoy · « **Reply #20 on:** July 11, 2012, 06:21:27 am »

I know I am a little late to the game here, but I have an M-Audio Delta 410 and I love it.

I also like the fact that it takes up 1 slot and I get 5 stereo soundcards. And not a lot of crazy drivers need to be dealt with or "hacking" to turn a 7.1 card into something else...

Just my 2 cents...

SeldomSeen · « **Reply #21 on:** August 14, 2012, 11:47:54 am »

Quote from: GadgetBoy on July 11, 2012, 06:21:27 am

I know I am a little late to the game here, but I have an M-Audio Delta 410 and I love it.

I also like the fact that it takes up 1 slot and I get 5 stereo soundcards. And not a lot of crazy drivers need to be dealt with or "hacking" to turn a 7.1 card into something else...

Just my 2 cents...

I'm fairly new to this, especially on the computer hardware side of things. I just want to confirm what you're able to do with this card. At $100 it seems almost too good to be true.

With this card installed, a single instance of MC can output 5 different streams of analog stereo audio simultaneously?

This would be perfect for my situation.

Can gizmo control each zone?

Would this require a fairly powerful PC, or does the card do all the work and an old single core p4 that I currently use for single source audio do the trick?

Thanks for the tip!

gworrel · « **Reply #22 on:** September 07, 2012, 11:08:48 am »

I also have the M-Audio Delta 410. I use it for multi-zone use with J River. The card allows setting up multiple zones. It has 4 pairs of RCA analog outputs and one digital output so that would give you 5 zones. Each zone can be playing a different stream from MC. When sending the same output to multiple zones, the zones do not sync well. There is a sync adjustment but I have found it too cumbersome to get the outputs synced when the zones are within earshot of each other. I have not experimented much with gizmo but I definitely think it can control each zone.

This is an older card so I am sure you can easily use it with an older computer. My guess is that the computing power required is minimal.

I have 4 inexpensive Insignia stereo receivers ($30 each on eBay) stacked in my basement, one for each zone. I have been using this system to provide music for my outside deck for a couple of years. I am just now putting ceiling speakers in several rooms in the house. Because of the syncing issues, I am planning to connect all the in-house speakers to one zone and use a speaker switch to handle impedance matching for the amp. With a volume control in each room, I could turn on the sound as I walk in. Maybe Version 18 will fix the sync problem, but I think it is a Windows issue.

Another interesting inexpensive option is a switch box from Hometheaterdirect which allows 6 sources and 6 zones with in-room selection and volume control keypads. http://www.htd.com/Products/mid-level-whole-house-audio/MC-66-Multi-Zone-Controller. MC could be one of the sources.

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Author Topic: How to set up a 4 zone home audio system (Read 13019 times)