Newb with a new house pre-wired in multiple rooms/need set up help

[tcdawg]

I am a total newb to the new world of AV stuff. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Just bought a new to me house. Pre-wired with 5.1 in the living room, two speakers in the ceiling in the kitchen and two speakers on the wall outside on the patio. The kitchen and patio speakers have volume control knobs on the walls.

I want to connect all these up to a AVR so that I can listen to whatever is coming through the receiver...comcast cable(HDMI), Blue Ray(HDMI), Ipod, pandora(either through the ipod or through wifi on the AVR) in all the rooms. Being able to play something different in the kitchen and patio(zones?) would be fine but not necessary. Basically, I want to hear the movie or game I am watching on TV on all the speakers.

What receiver would work for this and how would I set this up?

From my research, being limited as to what I understand, 9.2 systems don't necessarily give out the audio signal from the digital(HDMI) to all speakers?

Thanks!

 

[crossedover]

The denon x4000 will output digital audio sources through the zone 2 and 3 preouts. Then you can add a 4 channel 2 source amp to power the zones, giving you control of multi source multi zone.

 

[tcdawg]

The denon x4000 will output digital audio sources through the zone 2 and 3 preouts. Then you can add a 4 channel 2 source amp to power the zones, giving you control of multi source multi zone.

thanks for the reply. Good info.

I really don't want to mess with adding amps or other stuff. Would love to use one AVR to keep it simple.

Like I said, I am a newb, but it seems like a 9.2 system would run 9 speakers with audio coming from a digital source like HDMI.

 

[crossedover]

Not gonna be easy that way unless you get a flagship avr with assignable channels. And running a second zone assignable powering 2 zones at once probably will lead to problems at moderate levels. So the street price of the aforementioned setup will be around $1500. A flagship avr 2500 plus.

 

[tcdawg]

Not gonna be easy that way unless you get a flagship avr with assignable channels. And running a second zone assignable powering 2 zones at once probably will lead to problems at moderate levels. So the street price of the aforementioned setup will be around $1500. A flagship avr 2500 plus.

Gotcha.

Could I use a 5.1 AVR for the 5 living room speakers and then run audio out from the AVR to another receiver to power the other two sets of speakers? Would this allow all the speakers to have audio at the same time? That does contradict my statement of trying to keep it simple but I guess keeping it simple is relative.

edit: or could I use this, Russound X75

 

[lsiberian]

It sounds to me like you already have amplification for the kitchen and outdoor speakers. If that's the case an AVR with 3 zones would do the trick.

 

[tcdawg]

It sounds to me like you already have amplification for the kitchen and outdoor speakers. If that's the case an AVR with 3 zones would do the trick.

That is what I am unsure of...the two other zones do have a volume control dial but I have no idea if there is any amplification for them. Is there a way I could figure that out?

 

[adk highlander]

Not really. You have to remember that a 5.1 or 9.1 setup is not meant to play the way you are describing. It is using the 5 speakers in a surround mode and not in a stereo or mono application. The amps are not meant to drive all 5 speakers at full power all the time. You really should use separate amps for each pair of stereo speakers or a each mono speaker.

You could use a 3 zone setup like the X4000 like Crossedover suggested but you will need at least one external amp for one of the zones. I have a 4520 and I can assign individual amps to each zone but I don't think the X4000 will do that but it will allow digital sources for those zones where the 4520 is analog only except for zone 4.

 

[crossedover]

Gotcha.

Could I use a 5.1 AVR for the 5 living room speakers and then run audio out from the AVR to another receiver to power the other two sets of speakers? Would this allow all the speakers to have audio at the same time? That does contradict my statement of trying to keep it simple but I guess keeping it simple is relative.

edit: or could I use this, Russound X75

That will work, but a 4 channel amp will ad that flexibility that you might want. When adding that amp you will need a speaker selector also, so at that point...... get a 4 ch amp

 

[lsiberian]

That is what I am unsure of...the two other zones do have a volume control dial but I have no idea if there is any amplification for them. Is there a way I could figure that out?

Hookup your laptop with a y-cable.

 

[lsiberian]

That will work, but a 4 channel amp will ad that flexibility that you might want. When adding that amp you will need a speaker selector also, so at that point...... get a 4 ch amp

Until we establish if these speakers are already powered I'd caution against buying any amps. Definitely not 4-channel ones which will certainly cost more than 2-channel ones.

I suggest you start taking pictures OP. I want to see every connector and ever volume control. Let's find out what we have before we throw money at the problem.

 

[tcdawg]

Hookup your laptop with a y-cable.

Gotcha, thank you

 

[tcdawg]

That will work, but a 4 channel amp will ad that flexibility that you might want. When adding that amp you will need a speaker selector also, so at that point...... get a 4 ch amp

Thank you. That sounds like a good solution. Do you have a suggestion for a 4 channel amp/speaker selector?

 

[lsiberian]

Thank you. That sounds like a good solution. Do you have a suggestion for a 4 channel amp/speaker selector?

You only need this if your speakers aren't powered already.

 

[tcdawg]

Until we establish if these speakers are already powered I'd caution against buying any amps. Definitely not 4-channel ones which will certainly cost more than 2-channel ones.

I suggest you start taking pictures OP. I want to see every connector and ever volume control. Let's find out what we have before we throw money at the problem.

10-4. I'll determine if the speakers with volume control are amplified. They are pre-wired through the walls and I have access to the end speaker wires. Does the Y cable connected to my laptop connect to the speaker wires?

I can take pictures of the volume knob or possible take the knob and faceplate off the wall to take a picture of the entire volume knob unit. Or should I take pictures of the speakers themselves?

Thanks for the help, very much appreciated.

 

[crossedover]

They are not unless you see an amp at the head in

 

[crossedover]

NuVo Digital Power Amplifier, 4x60:Amazon:Electronics

 

[tcdawg]

They are not unless you see an amp at the head in

Sorry for the newness...what is the "head in"

 

[crossedover]

Sorry for the newness...what is the "head in"

Where all the wiring comes together. ADK was also correct about the russound, no need for a speaker selector. So that solution will work in a 7.x setup where the two surround back channels are used to power one zone.

 

[lsiberian]

10-4. I'll determine if the speakers with volume control are amplified. They are pre-wired through the walls and I have access to the end speaker wires. Does the Y cable connected to my laptop connect to the speaker wires?

I can take pictures of the volume knob or possible take the knob and faceplate off the wall to take a picture of the entire volume knob unit. Or should I take pictures of the speakers themselves?

Thanks for the help, very much appreciated.

You need an amp. I suppose that NuVo will do. I've never even heard of the company though.