Shopping for a new AVR in the $1000-$1300 range. Current front-runners
are the Onkyo TX-SR805, Marantz SR7002, and Integra DTR-7.8. For the cost to benefit ratio the 805 + an external HDMI switcher leads the pack.
Note that I don't list the Yamaha or Pioneer models due to their
inability to output analog signals through the 2nd zone (according to their instruction manuals).
I want to add a speaker selector to the 2nd zone out for a poor man's whole house audio setup. I have 4 zones planned. Planning on using a Niles SS6 or Speakercraft S4 for the selector.
My question:
Can the internal amps handle driving the extra sets of speakers through a passive selector assuming I have the selector protection circuitry activated? I will be powering all 4 extra sets simultaneously. Don't need excess volume with the other zones, but I would like the audio to be as rich as possible at a decent volume setting. I don't want to spend the extra money for a real multi-channel whole house amp.
Feel free to jump in with any comments on the AVRs also.
My main zone will be a 7.1 setup (at least while zone 2 is inactive).
My distributed zones will be:
A bathroom ceiling using an in-ceiling stereo input single mount from either Speakercraft (aim7 dt3) or Niles (CM730Si).
Set of Outdoor speakers - not picked out yet, but nothing fancy. Sub $200.
Set of Insignia 6.5" bookshelf (NS-B2111) powered by a Rocketfish Universal Wireless Rear Speaker Kit. BTW: has worked like a champ hooked up to my current AVR's main speaker B to add audio to a remote room in my house.
Speakercraft in-wall AIM7 MT One or similar - still picking these out, but they won't be anything too big. Just enough to provide some decent audio to a bar/billiards room.
