Audio setup for vaulted cabin

NorthernLight

NorthernLight

Audiophyte
Hi all, long time reader here, first time poster... look forward to hearing from all of you...

Background: I'm looking to outfit our family cabin with a great sounding audio setup. The cabin is a large open space (living/dining/kitchen + loft) with a vaulted ceiling, about 30x20ft. I'm hoping to wall-mount speakers to create good-sounding audio all around the space... Due to engineering constraints in the exterior walls, I can't use in-wall speakers; and due to the limited floorspace in the living area the on-wall concept makes a lot more sense.

At home I use a Parasound Zamp v.3 powering two Paradigm Monitors and absolutely love how it sounds. This is after using a Marantz system for a decade. For the family, I keep it all dead-simple: Chromecast line straight into the Zamp. Easy. It turns on/off automatically, can be controlled from any phone or voice-activated Google Assistant anywhere. So I want to keep the simplicity at the cabin and try to do something that will feel familiar for everyone. Raffi, Classical, Rock, Country, Hip-Hop... all of it sounds good at home and I want it to sound good at the cabin too.

So, my questions:
1) What's a great setup for wall-mounted speakers? Again, looking for good sound all around the space, not just a dedicated couch/chair. There is no TV :)
2) Should I add a subwoofer?
3) I love the Parasound Zamp's style, form, and simplicity. It doesn't power a sub, however, so if I add a sub what's a good alternate amp?

Thank you all in advance for your thoughts.
 
mazersteven

mazersteven

Audioholic Warlord
How many speakers? Budget for all speakers?
 
mazersteven

mazersteven

Audioholic Warlord
RBH Ultra1

Canton 516.2

Axiom M5
 
Last edited:
WaynePflughaupt

WaynePflughaupt

Audioholic Samurai
2) Should I add a subwoofer?
3) I love the Parasound Zamp's style, form, and simplicity. It doesn't power a sub, however, so if I add a sub what's a good alternate amp?
Yes a small sub would be beneficial. They have their own built-in amplifiers, so an alternative amp isn’t needed.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 
NorthernLight

NorthernLight

Audiophyte
Yes a small sub would be beneficial. They have their own built-in amplifiers, so an alternative amp isn’t needed.
Ok great. Naive question: how do I get the signal to the sub?
(Zamp doesn't have sub output, and the Chromecast only has a signal line out...)
 
nbk13nw

nbk13nw

Full Audioholic
I have a similar cabin. 30 x 35 x 21. Vaulted with a loft as well and open to a kitchen and long hallway. I am running a pair of Infinity RS-II's for mains, a pair of Infinity R162's hung on the back wall for surrounds, JBL 520C center and two Chane TAI-550 subs. Fills the space well. Not an optimum setup for movies due to the limited layout for the surrounds, but does really well with music. Running an Onkyo TX-RZ830 paired with an Outlaw 7500. As mentioned above, subs are a critical part of the setup and due to the size of the space dual subs may be in order.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk
 
WaynePflughaupt

WaynePflughaupt

Audioholic Samurai
Ok great. Naive question: how do I get the signal to the sub?
(Zamp doesn't have sub output, and the Chromecast only has a signal line out...)
You would need a sub with passive (speaker-level) inputs. Not hard to find.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Hi all, long time reader here, first time poster... look forward to hearing from all of you...

Background: I'm looking to outfit our family cabin with a great sounding audio setup. The cabin is a large open space (living/dining/kitchen + loft) with a vaulted ceiling, about 30x20ft. I'm hoping to wall-mount speakers to create good-sounding audio all around the space... Due to engineering constraints in the exterior walls, I can't use in-wall speakers; and due to the limited floorspace in the living area the on-wall concept makes a lot more sense.

At home I use a Parasound Zamp v.3 powering two Paradigm Monitors and absolutely love how it sounds. This is after using a Marantz system for a decade. For the family, I keep it all dead-simple: Chromecast line straight into the Zamp. Easy. It turns on/off automatically, can be controlled from any phone or voice-activated Google Assistant anywhere. So I want to keep the simplicity at the cabin and try to do something that will feel familiar for everyone. Raffi, Classical, Rock, Country, Hip-Hop... all of it sounds good at home and I want it to sound good at the cabin too.

So, my questions:
1) What's a great setup for wall-mounted speakers? Again, looking for good sound all around the space, not just a dedicated couch/chair. There is no TV :)
2) Should I add a subwoofer?
3) I love the Parasound Zamp's style, form, and simplicity. It doesn't power a sub, however, so if I add a sub what's a good alternate amp?

Thank you all in advance for your thoughts.
Your space at the cabin seems fairly large.
If at home you use a Z-amp, I am wondering if your space is as big (or more specifically your listening distance).
I don't know how often you go between them, but it might be useful to carry your Z-amp/Paradigm Monitor system to the cabin and see if it works as well there as it does at your home.
The Z-Amp is not super powerful, but it is a nice unit if you keep listening levels from getting out of hand and I am wondering if you use it in a smaller room or keep the volume down.
Do you know the efficiency of your monitors? I was about to look it up, but see that the Monitor is also available in floorstanding speakers (I am only familiar with the BS version).
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Buy speakers with limited dispersion, or you'll constantly be annoyed by phantom sounds and reflections.

For the sub out, extra inputs/outputs and ease of use, I would look at the Yamaha WXC-50. Use the app to control it and everyone can use it. Sounds good, too- I use one with my Parasound A23 in my system and have been very happy with it.
 
NorthernLight

NorthernLight

Audiophyte
@KEW - good questions. My space at home is a ~15x20 living room that bleeds into the kitchen / dining area. The Paradigms are Mini Monitor v3 (bookshelf size). They have never seemed under-powered. But very good idea to bring these + the Zamp to the cabin and see how it all sounds in that space
 

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