How do you add multiple speakers to a single volume control?

[hdi man]

How do you add multiple speakers to a single volume control? I have a MA1240a Multi-Zone 12 Channel Amplifier with 2 stereo zones and 2 additional zones with 4 speakers each that I would like to place on 2 seperate volume controls. The point of this is so that I have simplicity not volume controls for every pair of speakers. this is just background music so I am not in need of power or superior sound quality.

All feedback is welcomed!

Thanks
Brandon

 

[fuzz092888]

You still need something to feed that amp a signal. Are you saying you have 4 zones, 2 stereo and 2 "other" zones or did I misread that? I mean, how many zones are you using? If you get a receiver with 2 zones you should be able to control the volume for both zones separately, and some receivers have a function called whole house mode or party mode that allows you to send the same signal to all zones and control the volume for all speakers connected to those zones with the main volume control. This is also possible with a receiver that supports 3 zones, but I don't know of one that will do 4 zones.

This is just one option, there are probably others and other guys can chime in.

 

[agarwalro]

You need to read up on installing a distributed audio solution like this one. The Faq and Help section of the linked website are a really good place to start.

 

[hdi man]

I will be using a universal Ipod dock with rca out as a source. This is a one source system as the Ipod dock will be placed on the universal Bus In. There will be no reciever. Just an Ipod dock. I am setting this system up for someone. If it were my system I would go with Russound.

So if I have one Russound 125w Volume control, can I connect more than 2 speakers to it? I guessing I would have to set the impeadance on it but someone had to run into this problem before. In this case I would need to connect (4) 8ohm speakers to one volume control.

 

[BMXTRIX]

(START EDIT)

Oh, and you can connect 2 pairs of speakers to one volume control without any issues. No need to set the ohm rating or anything on the volume control. That is for a non-multi-zone amplifier.

SOURCE (iPod/etc.)->BUS INPUT ON AMPLIIFER
Stereo Zone 1 Output of amplifier -> VOLUME CONTROL -> 2 left speakers/2 right speakers
Stereo Zone 2 Output of amplifier -> VOLUME CONTROL -> 2 left speakers/2 right speakers
Stereo Zone 3 Output of amplifier -> VOLUME CONTROL -> 2 left speakers/2 right speakers
Stereo Zone 4 Output of amplifier -> VOLUME CONTROL -> 2 left speakers/2 right speakers
Stereo Zone 5 Output of amplifier -> VOLUME CONTROL -> 2 left speakers/2 right speakers
Stereo Zone 6 Output of amplifier -> VOLUME CONTROL -> 2 left speakers/2 right speakers

(END EDIT)

If you have a multi-channel amplifier, there will be some volume control setting for each zone, but if you are coming out of the headphone jack of the iPod, you can just use the volume control of the iPod to change the volume globally.

Otherwise, it should be a pre-amplified volume control level which gets adjusted. Especially with a 12-channel amplifier like you are describing. You really can't bring multiple channels from a amp into a volume control and adjust volume that way. You want to use some sort of pre-amp to adjust volume or do it directly in the iPod.

eBay has some preamp volume controls available...
TCC TC-754 Phono Preamp w/ 3 AUX Line Level Inputs & Volume Control | eBay

They would not be in the room needing volume control, so I'm just a bit confused by the setup which is being looked for here and how the 12-channel amplifier was purchased without a proper design ahead of time.

Almost always, 12-channel amps drive one or two pairs of speakers per output, and that runs to an in-room volume control. So, you get 6 volume controls and up to about 24 speakers on it in 6 different areas.

OR - a controllable preamp is hooked up to 6 (or so) controllers in multiple rooms.

 

[Gordonj]

You can also run a 70 volt system (which is designed for BGM systems) and get 70V speakers such as by JBL or Tannoy. All your speakers could then be driven off of one 70v amp channel and the wiring for the VC and the whole house becomes very simple.

You will still have one VC per each room/zone but one home-run per each zone tied together at the one 70v amp channel.

Each speaker is assigned a "tap value" such as 4W and then you add up your tap values, account for line/transformer loss and you have your amp size.

Gordon