I need a Multi Room Receiver with app control

[jma0350]

Hello.

I have never set up a muti-room receiver. Below is what I want. I also want the ability to have different music/entertainment in each of these zones.
1. Media room to have 5.1
2. Room 2, family room will have 2 or 4 speakers. I can sacrifice 4 speakers is there isn't a unit out there that will power it.
3. Room 3, bedrooms will have 2 speakers.

I don't want to purchase any extra equipment due to the placement of equipment. I also want to control everything with my Android Phone. Some type of App. I know this may be difficult, but I think we are heading in this direction. I am also willing to wait as long as someone is working on this.

I want the ability to stream music from my android phone to the receiver. I don't care if this is done via bluetooth or wifi.

I know this is much to ask, but I believe someone will have the knowledge. Please only respond if you absolutely know the answer.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[InTheIndustry]

Hello.

I have never set up a muti-room receiver. Below is what I want. I also want the ability to have different music/entertainment in each of these zones.
1. Media room to have 5.1
2. Room 2, family room will have 2 or 4 speakers. I can sacrifice 4 speakers is there isn't a unit out there that will power it.
3. Room 3, bedrooms will have 2 speakers.

I don't want to purchase any extra equipment due to the placement of equipment. I also want to control everything with my Android Phone. Some type of App. I know this may be difficult, but I think we are heading in this direction. I am also willing to wait as long as someone is working on this.

I want the ability to stream music from my android phone to the receiver. I don't care if this is done via bluetooth or wifi.

I know this is much to ask, but I believe someone will have the knowledge. Please only respond if you absolutely know the answer.

Many thanks in advance.

www.sonos.com . You will need either one ZP120 Per Zone/source or one ZP90 /source. If you have to have different things playing in every room at once than you need a separate zone player for each room. If they can share the same source, then decide how many things you need to play at once and split those up into your amp channels.

Each ZP120 has an amp built in. The ZP90 will need an amp. The Dayton audio 12 channel amp from Parts Express is excellent and an incredible deal for $450. This will power up to six different room for you. Add the ZP90 players and you're all set.

You can control he different room with a free android app through the Sonos players. There is nothing that I know o or have heard in developmentf that will take music from you droid and play it all over the house wirelessly, let alone stream different content at the same time. Sonos will allow you to stream different internet radio stations, pandora, Sirius, and Rhapsody. Best whole house audio equipment bar none. And it's one of the least expensive.

You can do your project for under $3k - NOT including speakers or wire. The Sonos boxes are, for the most part, wireless however.


Hope this helps you. Good luck!

 

[jma0350]

Thanks for your help, but you only dealt with music, not playing in my media room and listening to music in the other rooms. I am surprised that one of the big makers of receivers don't possess this ability.

 

[InTheIndustry]

Thanks for your help, but you only dealt with music, not playing in my media room and listening to music in the other rooms. I am surprised that one of the big makers of receivers don't possess this ability.

Check again, if you research the ZP90 and what it does, I dealt with all of it....

- Purchase a ZP90 for your media room and plug it into your receiver. It's wireless so it will also stream music into your media room.

- The amp will handle 6 pair of speakers and allow for separate sources for each. So, just plug a ZP90 into each input on the amp for the individual rooms. The Sonos app/software has you name each ZP90 as a room which allows you to select the zone and what it's going to play.

If you have XYZ number of rooms you want different control and music in.... you need XYZ number of ZP90. Add a multichannel amplifier (this one is perfect: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-815) and plug a Sonos Zone Bridge into your router, add the app, sync them up and you're done.

- Each of the ZP90 has a line in. So you can run a cable/sat box, CD player, etc. into however many different ZP90s you have and stream them all together, from room to room, or whatever you'd like. All from your Droid.

- Receiver manufacturers are just now starting to add Droid/Iphone control with a little bit of internet radio, rhapsody, etc. But nothing that does multiple rooms with streaming and control like what you asked for. Reason: Those systems already exist as there are a great many whole house audio systems already flooding the market.

A receiver for whole house audio is NOT for people looking for features or control. It's for people looking to hit as low a cost as possible while getting some sort of sound around the house. We've used the Sonos based system I have loosely laid out for you in anything from basic 1 source, multi zone houses on volume controls, to huge 9,000 square foot estate level homes with individual control in every room, to large country clubs. It's an amazing product and will do everything you asked about and more. There is not a lower cost, more easily integrated alternative or a better product for what you asked for. Nor do I see one on the horizon (meaning... years away if at all).

*** EDIT: If you're wanting to control your receiver or other electronics with a droid I can tell you Pioneer offers Iphone/Touch/Pad control, but just over their receiver and BluRay players. Most automation and control apps right now are more Apple friendly than Droid. More droid stuff is coming, though. Those pieces of software require quite a commitment to be able to program and some external hardware.

 

[jma0350]

So this will handle 5.1 action movie while playing two different music stations for the other zones? All at the same time?

 

[BMXTRIX]

You will need to check the Android Market to see if there are apps for the major manufacturers. Denon, Pioneer, and Yamaha may all have a Droid app to run their receivers from Droid devices. Almost all DEFINITELY have Apple compatible apps already. At least, I know Pioneer does as I've seen that one myself.

Then you pick up a 3-zone A/V receiver.

You will still VERY LIKELY need an amp to power the third zone. There are a number of them available, but they will just stay on and ready to use all the time.

Looking at the Android market, it looks like Yamaha may have one...

http://market.android.com/details?id=bsharps.yamahawidget.main

Combine it with a RX-A2000
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/aventage/rx-a2000_black__u/?mode=model

And you are pretty much good to go!