Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Tim Harvey]

I'm looking to setup a multi-zone Home Audio System with the following characteristics:

  * Headless WinXP system running MC 11
  * NetRemote on WiFi enabled PocketPC
  * Multiple zones for livingroom, bedroom, guestroom, porch

I've already got the WinXP system up and runnign with MC and have been using NetRemote with it using standard multimedia speakers.  Now I'm ready to add some additional zones at other locations around the house.  I'm looking for recommendations on audio distribution.  I was thinking I would use 4 sound cards (probably the internal soundcard on the motherboard + 3 USB sound devices such as the Turtle Beach Audio Advanced) a 4-source 4-zone audio amplifier and 4 sets of ceiling mounted speakers.

Does anyone have any recommendations for any of these:
  * low cost but good enough quality for room music USB audio device
  * 4-source 4-zone audio amplifier
  * ceiling speakers

Or, does anyone have any different suggestion for the distribution method?  I've seen 2-source 2-zone audio amps (AudioSource AMP100 50W per zone) amps for appx $110 which seems pretty affordable, but I would need 2 of them.  I'm not sure if 50W per zone is enough or what speakers I should use.

Thanks for any information!

Tim

[meep]

Hi

I've been wanting to build sopmething similar for some time. Like you, got the PC, Mc and Netremote up and running. Spent some time figuring out how to run multiple zones out of my M-Audio delta 410 but have that working now, (should be aboe to get 4 stereo analogue pairs and a digital out giving me 5 zones in total.

Was stumped at the amplification stage too and was looking at the multi-zone amp option. However, a couple of things struck me;

1. MC/Netremote has all the zone controls I need so I just need amplification
2. Multi-zoones amps are expensive.

I'm also into hi-fi and some people on a board  I belong to started raving about this puppy;

http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/audio/6cd8/?cpg=froogle

I bought a few and am very impressed. They are simple devices with manual controls but in my test zone, it works great and I can use MC/NR for volume control. Set the amp vol to the highest you will go and use NR vol from there.

I'll have 4 zones driven for under 160 plus shipping. They are loud and sound great.

hope that helps.
 
Peter

[Tim Harvey]

1. MC/Netremote has all the zone controls I need so I just need amplification
2. Multi-zoones amps are expensive.

Yes, MC/Netremote can control the zones but in my example I desire to have each zone be able to have a unique source (multi-source from the amp point of view, multi-zone from MC's point of view).  Therefore I need either 1 audio card per zone, or the ability to provide multiple zones per audio card.  The M-Audio Delta 410 looks interesting but probably too much for me, and my AudioServer system only has USB expansion at this point.  It does however have an internal 'VIA AC'97 Audio' device (its a Via EPIA-M1000 motherboard) which supports 6 ch audio and I'm trying to figure out if it can be configured somehow to have 3 zones of 2ch audio.  If not, I'll use the low-cost Turtle-beach Advanced Audio USB devices.

What speakers are you using and are you happy with them?

Tim

[meep]

Well, I'm planning multi-source per zone as well.

The Delta 410 has inputs which are assignable in the control panel. I would plan using this feature, automated using Girder (www.promixis.com) to assign external sources to different zones. This is bypassing MC for external sources and also requires some custom netremote and girder programming. That's the plan, lets see how it works out!

My spakers are just anything I had lying around. Apart from my Home Theater (http://www.meedja.ie/ht) where I have B&W CDm1NTs for stereo duties, I have some Bose 601s in the kitchen and some cheapie panasonics from a midi system in another room.

My plan is to get the server/software end right first and then start adding speakers to various rooms. They will be the last thing on my shopping list.

Cheers

Peter

[Tim Harvey]

I ended up buying and installing the following:

  • Audiosource AMP 100 (dual stereo source, dual stereo output, 100W) - http://www.audiosource.net/amp100.html (~$110)
    • 50 watts RMS per channel power amplifier with complete custom installer feature set
    • Bridgeable outputs for 150 watts RMS total output power
    • 2 stereo inputs with automatic priority override, and one auxiliary output
    • A, B, or A+B Speaker Selector Switches
    • Front-panel mounted Volume and Balance knobs
    • Manual or Signal-Sensing Power-On
    • 5 way speaker wire binding posts for bare wire or Banana plugs
    • 50 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohm loads with .02% THD+N
    • 60 watts RMS per channel into 4 ohm loads with .02% THD+N
    • Maximum 8 ohm stereo output power at 1% THD+N: 60W
    • Maximum 4 ohm stereo output power at 1% THD+N: 75W
    • Maximum 8 ohm Bridged-Mono output at 1% THD+N: 160W
    • Input needed to reach full output: 1.4v
    • Frequency Response: (20Hz-20kHz)+1dB, -0.5dB; (5Hz-65kHz)+/-3dB
    • Signal to Noise Ratio: 107dB (A-Weighted)
    • Dimensions: 2.9"H x 16.5"W x 9.25"D
    • Weight: 9.6 lbs
    • Power Consumption: 500W   
  • AudioSource IC8S Round Ceiling Speakers – http://www.audiosource.net/ic8s.html (~$77/pair)
    • 8 in two way 100 watt speaker (28Hz to 24kHz)
    • 25mm (1in) pole mounted swivel tweeter

The speakers installed in a breeze (about 10mins each not counting running wire in the attic) in the ceiling as no brackets were needed (they hang/latch on the drywall).

Everything works really well and sounds great!

Note:  After installing the AudioSource AMP-100 I realized that it doesn't do exactly what I thought it did:  It does have 2 independent stereo inputs, but it only amplifies 1 stereo channel.  It will select 1 channel over the other (I think ch1 has priority but I can't recall).  This is kind of a bummer as for 2 independent source audio zones I'll need a 2nd amp, but if I don't mind playing the same source in 2 zones at the same volume this will work fine.

I'm still on the lookout for a decent priced multi-source amplifier: one that will amplify and output 2 to 4 stereo sources.  I've seen some high end ones but they start at $700 or so.

Tim

[jojo1967]

I'm looking to setup a multi-zone Home Audio System with the following characteristics:

  * Headless WinXP system running MC 11
  * NetRemote on WiFi enabled PocketPC
  * Multiple zones for livingroom, bedroom, guestroom, porch

I've already got the WinXP system up and runnign with MC and have been using NetRemote with it using standard multimedia speakers.  Now I'm ready to add some additional zones at other locations around the house.  I'm looking for recommendations on audio distribution.  I was thinking I would use 4 sound cards (probably the internal soundcard on the motherboard + 3 USB sound devices such as the Turtle Beach Audio Advanced) a 4-source 4-zone audio amplifier and 4 sets of ceiling mounted speakers.

Does anyone have any recommendations for any of these:
  * low cost but good enough quality for room music USB audio device
  * 4-source 4-zone audio amplifier
  * ceiling speakers

Or, does anyone have any different suggestion for the distribution method?  I've seen 2-source 2-zone audio amps (AudioSource AMP100 50W per zone) amps for appx $110 which seems pretty affordable, but I would need 2 of them.  I'm not sure if 50W per zone is enough or what speakers I should use.

Thanks for any information!

Tim

I'm not sure if you found your solution yet or not, but thought I'd recomend www.smarthome.com They have some great informaton and products for multi-room sound and video.  Along with X10 Lighting control etc.  They also have great prices on long patch cables to make the connections to different rooms.

Myself, I have an amp/receiver in each of the 3 rooms, running long patch cords to each.  I'm still working on the whole zone issues.  I like the music the same through out the apartment.  I'm toying with different sound cards in my system, etc.  So far the cmedia cards I get for $6.99 at www.compgeeks.com work surprisingly well in my system, and for my setup, with great separation etc.  The SNR seems quite decent too.

Right now I have splitters to each system, and am sure I'm losing signal.  I'm trying to, and looking for suggestions on the best way to handle my setup with the best sound possible.

In my office and living rooms, I have fairly inexpensive home theater systems (5.1) that I picked up for under $200 each at wal-mart.  They are decent for the price.  In my bedroom I have a Midland surround system normally used on computers. (4.1) setup, though the back isn't working right now, apparently this is needed from the sound card.  If I could somehow get USB power in the bedroom I'd set up the SIIS pro 5.1 in the bedroom as a stand alone, hooked up from the main line to the input.