Speaker Selector dumb question

[shanerocks]

I have been searching for a while now and cant find my answer. I have a Denon AVR-890 and want to hook my zone 2 to a speaker selector. Problem is the zone 2 is rca jacks and all the speaker selectors are speaker wire clip ins, is there a speaker selector with rca inputs, or is there a cable that i have to buy or make?

 

[Rickster71]

The RCA outputs are just to send Zone 2 to another amp or receiver. There are no speaker zone2 outputs on that AVR
EDIT: There are two ways to use zone2; the second is on page 54 of your owners manual

 

[shanerocks]

so in order for me to hook up a speaker selector on a zone 2 i need a reciever with speaker zone2 outputs?

 

[Rickster71]

I made an edit please re-read my post.
There are two ways to use zone-2

 

[krzywica]

so in order for me to hook up a speaker selector on a zone 2 i need a reciever with speaker zone2 outputs?

Those are "preouts" that would feed an audio signal to an external power amp. You could pick up a cheap 2 channel amp if you wanted to utilize this feature. I would search your local Craigs List for "DJ Amp" or "Pro Amp" and see what you come up with.

 

[shanerocks]

ok so if i want to use option 1 amp/assign i can connect that to a speaker selector and run more speakers from that? Is that enough power for easy listening?

 

[j_garcia]

You are probably better off using an external amp anyway, even a cheap one. The way it works usually is you can use 2ch of the main system (surround back) to power zone 2 and as a result you are only able to have 5.1 in the primary zone.

 

[Rickster71]

ok so if i want to use option 1 amp/assign i can connect that to a speaker selector and run more speakers from that? Is that enough power for easy listening?

Are you using both 'Surround', and 'Surround Back' now?
You'll only need the speaker selector if you're already using the 'Surround Back' outputs with outer speaker.

Edit: I agree with J-garcia. That's the way I'd go too; much more flexibility.

 

[shanerocks]

just the surround, 5.1, but using the surround back, would only give me 2 speakers in 1 room i have 2 rooms and with 2 speakers in each that i also want to install a wall mount volume control with IR so i can change radio stations/skip cds etc, so would i need a selector for that. I agree with J-garcia option, but i kind of wanted the least amount of equipment as possible, this is all going into a new home to be built, so i am trying to figure out whats best.
I want...
1 main system with 5.1 living room
1 master bedroom (2 in-ceiling speakers) with wall volume/IR on zone-2
1 patio (2 speakers) on zone 2 also with volume/IR
maybe that will help with best options

where would the IR connect to on the reciever?

 

[j_garcia]

I would do RF for Zone 2. IMO, a better option than IR repeaters, though I think they make volume controls that have the IR target built in. With impedance matching volume controls, you might not even need a speaker selector for just two pairs. Use the preamp outs to feed the external amp (which does not need to be in the main system area) and that feeds to the volume controls in each room. So instead of a switch you'd just have an amp. The thing with impedance matching setups is you need an amp that is stable to lower impedances, something that a typical receiver's Zone 2 amplification is probably not up to the task of compared to an external amp. Adding RF to a system is pretty simple as well. Parts Express has the Audiosource Amp100 for $149 but I've seen it on sale there as low as $80. It is 2 Ohm stable. I have one that I am going to use for my deck speakers and it is a pretty good amp for the size and price.

The system I did was a 3 story house with 3 sets of speakers powered by a stereo receiver feeding an impedence matching speaker selector with individual volume control. So the music system was separate from the main HT and fed the rest of the house, controlled by RF so you didn't need to "see" the system, which was in the attic/room. This also meant an additional source was needed to provide the music however.

 

[MDS]

I want...
1 main system with 5.1 living room
1 master bedroom (2 in-ceiling speakers) with wall volume/IR on zone-2
1 patio (2 speakers) on zone 2 also with volume/IR
maybe that will help with best options

where would the IR connect to on the reciever?

You can do that with the single zone 2 speaker outptus on the AVR but there will be a catch. You would have to wire the master bedroom and patio speakers in parallel and use impedance matching volume controls in each room. With that setup, those two rooms on 'zone 2' would play the same source at the same time (although you can turn one or both rooms off using the volume controls).

Most speaker selectors provide impedance matching too but many of them maintain 4 Ohms which is too low for your receiver and is also the same as not using one in the first place (if you have only two rooms on zone 2).