Need help/suggestions choosing amps/receivers

[jdh20]

I recently finished a renovation on my house and during the renovation I ran wiring (both 16 gauge and cat 5e for the option of either standard volume controls or keypads) for in-wall ceiling speakers and individual room controls. I am now ready to purchase the remaining equipment to complete my system. I put all Elan ME650 and MM800C speakers in the ceiling (9 zones total) and MM800W speakers in my family room for the rear speakers of the home theater.

I need help selecting an amp for the central stereo and a home theater receiver. Here are my two dilemmas/situations:

Central Stereo
I currently have a Technics SA-DX930 receiver (given to me as a gift about 7 years ago.), Infinity Primus speakers (center channel, front speakers and 12 in. subwoofer) a Panasonic DVD-F87K DVD player and a Pioneer PDP-5070HD television. My thought was to use the Technics receiver and buy a high powered amp and a speaker selector that can handle up to 9 zones and a multi-disc CD player and use all of that solely for the central stereo all controlled by a single remote. This would only allow me to use standard volume controls. This is probably the most cost effective way to do things. However, I have three volume controls on my second floor and six on the first floor. Is there a way with multi-room distribution or whatever else may be available to have just one of the controls on the second floor to be a keypad sot that I can changed between sources and the other two to be standard volume controls along with the six on the first floor. I have no problem walking downstairs to change the source manually from radio to CD but I just figured if I was able to have the option of changing between these two sources from at least one of the three rooms upstairs, it might make things a little easier. Any suggestions on possible equipment to use (i.e. amp, speaker selector)? I am leaning towards just using all standard volume controls because of the cost.

Home Theater
Then I was thinking about buying a new home theater receiver to use along with the DVD player and use that solely for home theater. I would really like to experience home theater and don’t mind buying equipment that is lower mid-ranged or mid-ranged. I am on tight budget and don’t have that much money to spend plus my kids watch TV and movies more than I do, but for the times that I do get to watch a movie I would really like to do so with a somewhat decent home theater system.

If any members think that the Technics receiver is sufficient for home theater, then I will just buy new stereo receiver for the central stereo. Any thoughts on stereo receivers?

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[jcPanny]

Source control

JDH,
I recently installed a 5 room system with impedance matching VCs in each room driven by 2 channels of my Emotiva amp. While cost effective, this type of system does not allow you to have a different source in each room like the distribution amps w/ keypads.

First, I would recommend 1 or 2 Behringer A500 amps (or other stereo amps) to drive the house speakers. Your current receiver doesn't have enough power for 9 pairs of speakers. You will connect the amps to the Zone 2 (and Zone 3) line outputs on the HT receiver. If an amp is in your HT budget, you might consider a receiver and 7 channel amp w/ 4 of the amp channels for the house speakers and 3 channels for the L/C/R with the receiver driving the surround channels.

For control from upstairs, here are a couple ideas.
1. RF remote: I have a URC remote w/ RF basestation that allows me to adjust everyting within a 100' range.
2. IR sensor/repeaters: You can get one or more VCs for upstairs with an IR sensor and use the receiver's Zone 2 remote upstairs. You will need cat 5 from the VC to the receiver and an IR distribution system at the receiver.


P.S. I had good results with the Pheonix Gold VMT-100 impedance matching VCs that cost about $15-17 each. I had problems, however, with a Russound VC that costs twice as much and needs to be replaced.

 

[jdh20]

Thanks for the response. I am somewhat new to all of this so it is a bit overwhelming so please forgive me if I ask very basic questions

this type of system does not allow you to have a different source in each room like the distribution amps w/ keypads.

I am not looking to have different sources playing in each room. Basically whatever is playing (either CD, radio, etc.) will be playing throughout the house in each room.

To be completely honest, I came across the this website for Outdoor Speaker Depot. I thought by using my existing Technics reciever, one of their high powered amps, either the 12 channel or (2) 6 channel speaker selectors and 9 standard volume controls, I could achieve a finished central stereo system. What do you think?

Honestly, I have a tight budget to work with......So I figured the above may be the best solution. If you wouldn't mind, could you please spec out everything that you think I may need (item by item possibly with manufacturer and model number and if possible, cost)

Thank you in advance for your time.

 

[jcPanny]

Review of Phoenix Gold

Check out the review of the Pheonix Gold ATc6 in-ceiling speakers and VMT-100 volume controls I used and my system:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34083

The construction of the Phoenix Gold speakers and especially the VC is very similar to the products from HTD. For about $60/room shipped you can get the speakers and VC I used, the speaker selectors are optional when you have the impedance matching VCs. Try it first with your current receiver and if it doesn't have enough power (speakers are not loud enough in each room) then add a more powerful stereo amp like the Behringer A500.

Here is a simple calculation. If your current receiver has 100 Watts per channel / 9 rooms, you will get a max of 11 Watts per speaker. One of the A500's can deliver >200 Watts into 4 ohms or >22 Watts per speaker.

I would still plan on getting an HT receiver w/ Zone 2 ($400+) and an RF remote ($100+) to help integrate the control of your main and distributed audio system from upstairs.

Distributed Audio System
Speakers and VCs: $60 x 9 = $540
Speaker Selector: Optional
Speaker wire: $.25/foot for 16/4 and $.15/foot for 16/2 from Westlake Electronic
Behringer A500: $180

Main HT
HT Receiver w/ Zone 2: $400+, Yamaha RX-V661 or similar
Universal Remote w/ RF: $100+, Check out products from URC