Need receiver recommendations for multi zone audio system

[dwareham]

Newbie here, and do-it-yourselfer...

Our house is pre-wired for a home audio system. I have 9 zones (20 speakers) and 2 of those zones are outside. The ceiling speakers are 8 ohms each and 5-75 watt.

Each room has a simple volume control.

I just picked up a speaker selector (Niles MSA-10A). Now I need to find a receiver capable of powering the system.

We only need one source (plan to plug PC into receiver and use iTunes so we can control it remotely via iPhones). We're fine with listening to the same thing throughout all zones; no need for different music in different zones.

So what are the minimum power specs for a receiver that won't under-power the system but also won't bust my wallet? We're likely to turn on several rooms at a time but not blast the music in any (well maybe one...).

So how many watts do I need? Should I go for the biggest watt (1500 or 3000?) receiver, or what else should consider besides watts, given that I have a speaker selector with impedence matching?

Again, looking only for something to plug my PC into and blow that music throughout, without damaging the speakers.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Highbar]

You said that each zone has a volume control, do the volume controls have impedance matching in them? If so than you wouldn't need an impedance matching speaker selector. Where you are hooking up the receiver how many speaker cables are there to hook up? As long as you're not looking for a lot of volume and just background music you wont need huge amounts of power.

What kind of speakers are they that are installed? Do you have any specs on them?

 

[dwareham]

Yes, the volume controls have impedance matching but I bought the speaker selector before I knew that. (Got a great deal on it so couldn't pass it by.)

Volume controls are Proficient Audio VC60i, 60-watt, impedance matching with autoformer.
Speakers are Proficient Audio, C605, 5-75 watt, 8 ohms, 90 db and 45Hz-20Khz.

We have a command central area where all the speaker wires terminate. Each zone has four wires (white, green, black, red), but each zone has 2-4 speakers.

We won't need lots of volume but I do want to ensure I have enough power to turn it up occasionally (in one room only most likely).

I thought there might be a common way to figure this out, like for instance since I have 20 speakers x max 75 watts each, I might need a receiver capable of 1500 watts (assuming all volume controls are maxed out in all zones).

Is that correct?

Or should I base it on something more reasonable, like 20 speakers x 20 watts each (for decent background music, plus I can turn some rooms up if all rooms are not on simultaneously) for a 400 watt receiver.

Or maybe shoot for something in between?

Overstock.com has some pretty powerful receivers for $200-ish: PylePro PD3000A 3000-watt Receiver.

My thinking is that our speakers are already good enough that the quality of the receiver shouldn't matter that much. We're also not very sophisticated in terms of being able to hear much difference in receivers. My main concern is not to over- or under-power the system.

Thanks again.

 

[MDS]

We have a command central area where all the speaker wires terminate. Each zone has four wires (white, green, black, red), but each zone has 2-4 speakers.

The four conductor wire is for two speakers. By convention, black and red for one speaker and green and white for the other. The four conductor wire likely goes to the volume controls and from each VC a 2 conductor wire to each individual speaker. A 'zone' can be anything you want (any number of speakers), depending on how you wire it.

I thought there might be a common way to figure this out, like for instance since I have 20 speakers x max 75 watts each, I might need a receiver capable of 1500 watts (assuming all volume controls are maxed out in all zones).

No. That is the max per speaker (and often very conservative) and you won't be putting that much power to them on a continuous basis. Your problem won't be with power, it will be with impedance. Depending on how many pairs you put together, the impedance may be lower than a typical receiver can deal with - even with impedance matching VCs. In other words, the VCs maintain an impedance you set but the more pairs tied together the lower it is going to be. Speaker selectors often maintain 4 Ohms across however many pairs it is designed to support and a receiver will struggle with a 4 Ohm load.

You will have to decide how to separate things into 'zones'. If you have 20 speakers (say 10 pairs) and wanted each to be a separate zone, you'd need 10 channels of amplification (ie. not a receiver).

Receivers with zone 2 capability can be used if you could split up some of the speakers (say inside vs outside). If you were to use zone 2 for outside, those 4 speakers could be tied to together with impedance matching VCs and wouldn't put too much strain on a normal receiver.

 

[dwareham]

We are wired for 9 zones, which are controlled by 9 different volume controls. One of those zones has four speakers but the rest have two each.

So one zone (ie one input into the speaker selector) will have four speakers and all other zones / inputs will have two. I figure between the impedance controls at each VC and at the speaker selector, I should be okay. But please tell me if you think it'll be an issue.

So you think that rather than a speaker selector / receiver setup, I should add a 10-channel amp? Then plug my PC directly into the amp? I don't want to have a bunch of components... almost went with only an amp with my PC plugged to that but thought the speaker selector would give the speakers more protection.

Thanks

 

[MDS]

With a speaker selector you only need a receiver, but check what impedance the selector will maintain. Most Niles speaker selectors say 4 Ohms and only the beefiest receivers can handle 4 Ohms.

 

[dwareham]

I think I'm okay with the speaker selector. The spec sheet says:

"The autoformers maintain a nominal 8 ohm load on the amplifier, even if all ten pairs of speakers are playing at the same time."

So now I'm back to my original question: what specs should I be looking for in a receiver?

Thanks again. : )

 

[Lordoftherings]

Three options, with one for about $2,000.

#1. The Niles SI-1230 is a 12-channel power amplifier with 30 watts per channel (40 watts into 4 ohms), and it retails for $1,350.
Or the Niles SI-1260 has 12 channels rated at 60 watts per channel (80 watts into 4 ohms), it retails for $2,250.

* Now you need an additional 8-channel amp to power all your 20 speakers.
The Rotel RMB-1048 is your ticket, with 8 power amps rated at 40 watts per channel (60 watts into 4 ohms), and it retails for only $799.
#2. [Best option] Or get two of them (Rotel), and add a 4-channel amp, like the NAD C 945BEE (40 watts per channel/8 ohms), retails for only $499. Use the NAD for the zone with 4 speakers.
Total cost, less than $2,100. This is your best value.
And I'm sure that you'll get a good discount too.

#3. As an alternative for a 12-channel power amp, there is the Russound R1250MC, that retails for only $1,499 (50 watts into 8 ohms, and 80 watts into 4 ohms per channel).

>>> So, if you have a party, and like to have music in all your zones, you're in business. The #2 option is the best one, and if I was in the same situation than yours, that will be the one that I personally choose for my home.

Bob

 

[dwareham]

Yikes! I'm looking for something much less expensive...!

 

[Lordoftherings]

Yikes! I'm looking for something much less expensive...!

Then why do you have 20 speakers in 9 zones in the first place???

>>> Just buy three cheap 7.1-channel receivers for about $600,
and put the three of them in 7.1-channel stereo audio mode. You can even add one more speaker (you now have 21 separate power amps for 21 speakers)*.

* The speaker #21 is for the Mono Zone 10 (waterproof speaker for the bathtub perhaps).

 

[bandphan]

The behringer ep2500 amp would work to power them.

 

[dwareham]

"Then why do you have 20 speakers in 9 zones in the first place??? "

LOL -- I know! The house came with all this stuff. I'm pretty sure that's why these folks went into foreclosure. : 0

Anyway, thanks for the tip; I'll look into that and also the Behringer: EP2500.

Or any other receivers y'all recommend. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[bandphan]

"Then why do you have 20 speakers in 9 zones in the first place??? "

LOL -- I know! The house came with all this stuff. I'm pretty sure that's why these folks went into foreclosure. : 0

Anyway, thanks for the tip; I'll look into that and also the Behringer: EP2500.

Or any other receivers y'all recommend. I appreciate the feedback.

its an amp, not a receiver

 

[popotoys]

Why not just start out with powering only a few of the zones and then build from there?

 

[Lordoftherings]

The behringer ep2500 amp would work to power them.

Which ones, the ones in the bathtub? I'ts a Mono Zone with only one speaker.
But unless you bridge that Behringer amp, then I guess that'll do just fine.

"Then why do you have 20 speakers in 9 zones in the first place??? "

LOL -- I know! The house came with all this stuff. I'm pretty sure that's why these folks went into foreclosure. : 0

Anyway, thanks for the tip; I'll look into that and also the Behringer: EP2500.
Or any other receivers y'all recommend. I appreciate the feedback.

LOL... I see, foreclosure, that figures.

Just check on the used market (Audiogon, Videogon...), amplifiers are very cheap nowadays.
The brands are not that important, as long that you stick with the big reliable names (Rotel, Arcam, NAD, Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer...).

Bob

 

[Lordoftherings]

Why not just start out with powering only a few of the zones and then build from there?

Again...