Home MP3 Dock and Speaker Setup

[danegreat]

I'd like to setup an MP3 player as a jukebox with the ability to run external speakers mounted elsewhere in the house as well as a couple of outdoor speakers for the patio. I'd like to have an A/B setup so I can run all the speakers at once or just inside or outside only, if desired. I'd also like to hook the LCD TV in the kitchen to the speakers. I'm thinking the MP3 with a dock, digital receiver with the indoor (4) and outdoor (2) speakers. Is this more involved than I'm considering? Is there a better way to go to achieve my goal? I'm just looking for decent sound quality and ease of use without spending a fortune. Any assistance to get me on the right track would be appreciated.

 

[MDS]

A receiver with zone 2 capability will be required. An MP3 dock would be convenient but not absolutely necessary unless you like the features it provides like the ability to scroll the song info on the receiver and control it with the receiver remote (or universal remote programmed from the receiver remote).

The complications (minor) will arise due to multiple sets of speakers.
- If you have the main room speakers and one additional stereo pair in the patio, the zone2 feature of a 7.1 receiver will allow you to play 5.1 in the main room and stereo on the patio at the same time.
- If you want more than that number of speakers (you should said 4) you will need either impedance matching volume controls or a speaker selector to drive multiple pairs of speakers from the single zone 2 speaker output.
- As far as the LCD tv also playing over the speakers (any of them) that will work if you can run the audio and video of the TV to the receiver. Then it will be just another source input to the receiver.

 

[danegreat]

Thanks for the reply MDS.

So if I understand correctly, a receiver that has A/B capability (what you are referring to as 2 zone?) would work? I believe there are receivers that advertise A/B and A+B. To me that means you can run A and B simultaneously or just A or just B. Is that right?

No dock means I can just cable the MP3 directly to the receiver input. OK.

Thanks again!

 

[MDS]

I meant Zone 2 (sometimes called multi-room/multi-source). If it is multi-room only that means that you can play the same source to two zones (say living room and patio). If it is multi-source that means you can play different sources in the two zones. Most receivers with Zone 2 allow multi-source and from the description of your plans I think that is what you need.

A+B is not a good way to do it. It would be equivalent to multi-room in functionality but is much harder on the receiver. The A & B terminals are wired in parallel and having two sets of speakers at the same time lowers the impedance and is harder to drive. The manual usually has a caution about the impedance issues although some brands like Onkyo automatically force the receiver into stereo mode only. If you want to be able to have multi-channel in the living room from a DVD and something different in the patio at the same time you will need a receiver with Zone 2 capability.