Simple Request that seams difficult

[downchild21]

Hello,

I need some expert advice. I have a 2 room set-up that i'm finding difficult to get set up properly.

Room 1 - Main Home Theater

Yamaha RX 820 ( New and will likely be returned)
Axiom Speakers with Center Channel and Sub
iMac with 50 Gb of music

Room 2 - Great Room

Zone 2 , has Orb Audio Sub and Sats ( which I have to say I'm extremely impressed with for the size).
Ipad , Iphone , Ipod etc using Airplay or remote ap to iPad.



I'm generally happy with this set-up except I have one major issue. 95% of the use of this equipment is to play music in zone 2. Zone 2 on the 820 is almost useless. It will not support optical from the iMac, doesn't have any tone control, slacker sounds very flat off of the iPad etc. I also need to run a variety of aps to make this work which is making things difficult for guests and some family members .

The fix for this isn't a cost issue, I just want it to work simply and quality sound is important. As crazy as it sounds, my old set - up on Denon that had speakers a/b or a and b with optical in was far simpler to use except it didn't support optical in zone 2.

In my mind, I picture having a very utilitarian 2 amp set-up , press power on an amp for zone 2, start iTunes or slacker on the iMac etc. I think I need a product from a manufacturer that supports optical and is very plain , i'll use the remote feature on my iPad to control the music in zone 2. The on-screen menu on the receivers works for me but has to go for everyone else . Is there a 2 amp , pre-amp set-up ?

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

 

[slipperybidness]

Hello,

I need some expert advice. I have a 2 room set-up that i'm finding difficult to get set up properly.

Room 1 - Main Home Theater

Yamaha RX 820 ( New and will likely be returned)
Axiom Speakers with Center Channel and Sub
iMac with 50 Gb of music

Room 2 - Great Room

Zone 2 , has Orb Audio Sub and Sats ( which I have to say I'm extremely impressed with for the size).
Ipad , Iphone , Ipod etc using Airplay or remote ap to iPad.



I'm generally happy with this set-up except I have one major issue. 95% of the use of this equipment is to play music in zone 2. Zone 2 on the 820 is almost useless. It will not support optical from the iMac, doesn't have any tone control, slacker sounds very flat off of the iPad etc. I also need to run a variety of aps to make this work which is making things difficult for guests and some family members .

The fix for this isn't a cost issue, I just want it to work simply and quality sound is important. As crazy as it sounds, my old set - up on Denon that had speakers a/b or a and b with optical in was far simpler to use except it didn't support optical in zone 2.

In my mind, I picture having a very utilitarian 2 amp set-up , press power on an amp for zone 2, start iTunes or slacker on the iMac etc. I think I need a product from a manufacturer that supports optical and is very plain , i'll use the remote feature on my iPad to control the music in zone 2. The on-screen menu on the receivers works for me but has to go for everyone else . Is there a 2 amp , pre-amp set-up ?

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

I think digital on zone 2 is kind of a rare find. I think there are a few out there that can do it, If so then someone here should be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Adam]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

Some thoughts:

1. Do you use speakers in both rooms at the same time? If not, then you could consider getting a speaker switch box and running all of the speakers off of the main outputs. With that, you could run room calibration separately for each room (if your receiver supports multiple settings, and I'm not sure if the RX-A820 does), and you could use any input for the second room that you can use in the main room.

2. If cost isn't an issue, have you considered having two receivers - one for each room? That way, I know that you could do room calibration in each room, and running the receivers might be more intuitive to family and guests because they would be right there in the room with them. That does, of course, depend on the sources that you want to use. So far, you've mentioned playing music over Apple devices, and you can distribute those wirelessly between rooms.

3. An Airport Express would allow you to connect to your Apple devices and output either a stereo analog signal or a digital optical signal, and you could connect it in the second room to either an amplifier (so, no room calibration) or a second receiver.

Just some thoughts. There are others here that have whole house audio distribution systems, and they might have some good insight for you.

 

[macddmac]

I think you need to step up to the 1010 to get the digital output to zone 2 (PCM )
Better yet, get a denon 3312/13 and get built in AirPlay as well
Cheers,Mac

 

[KEW]

(curmudgeon voice on)
Old School?
Two rooms = two systems

Don't need no stinking zone crap!

 

[slipperybidness]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

Some thoughts:

1. Do you use speakers in both rooms at the same time? If not, then you could consider getting a speaker switch box and running all of the speakers off of the main outputs. With that, you could run room calibration separately for each room (if your receiver supports multiple settings, and I'm not sure if the RX-A820 does), and you could use any input for the second room that you can use in the main room.

2. If cost isn't an issue, have you considered having two receivers - one for each room? That way, I know that you could do room calibration in each room, and running the receivers might be more intuitive to family and guests because they would be right there in the room with them. That does, of course, depend on the sources that you want to use. So far, you've mentioned playing music over Apple devices, and you can distribute those wirelessly between rooms.

3. An Airport Express would allow you to connect to your Apple devices and output either a stereo analog signal or a digital optical signal, and you could connect it in the second room to either an amplifier (so, no room calibration) or a second receiver.

Just some thoughts. There are others here that have whole house audio distribution systems, and they might have some good insight for you.

Good point. I much prefer a completely separate system for each area. I really don't see the usefulness of zone2, except maybe for some patio speakers. I suppose it could save some $ with 1 central receiver, but what a hassle. I like the flexibility of separate systems and ability to juggle components and speakers between the 2.

 

[downchild21]

2 receivers it is..thanks