Need recommendations for multi-room audio

[Wu-Fer]

I’d like to create a multi-room audio system in my house, but not sure where to start. I have standard 5.1 home theater system in the living room and I’m happy with that. But I’d like to be able to send the audio from that system to several other rooms. I’d like send the same stream to every room and control the levels centrally (party mode) or allow the occupants of a room select their own stream and level, using an iPhone or iPad. The stream could come from any phone or a computer on the network or be the audio from the home theater system.

And of course, I want audiophile quality and I don’t want to spend a lot of money. Wireless is preferable, but wired would work OK as well. I’m not averse to setting up an equipment rack in the garage and running wires to each room. I was looking at a Russound system, but it seemed underpowered and the audio specs were vague at best. I was also thinking of Sonos, but my understanding is that there is a significant lag in the stream due to wifi buffering. I tried another wireless solution (forgot which one) a couple of years ago, but it introduced significant lag in the stream. We have an open floorpan so that’s not acceptable.

Has anyone implemented a similar type system? Thanks for your ideas

 

[markw]

And of course, I want audiophile quality and I don’t want to spend a lot of money.

This is going to be the deal killer for you. You might seriously consider hiring a pro to design, install, and program your system. It might appear to be a simple task to you but it's not quite as simple as you to think.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Lots of additional speakers, lots of additional amplifier channels, local control at all zones, it all adds up. A system with local control from a direct-market vendor like Home Theater Direct will set you back $1000, and that doesn’t include any wiring or a single speaker, the latter of which will easily more than double that amount if you are truly serious about audiophile quality. If you can’t find what you’re after from HTD, you’re looking at some really serious coin from a professional installation company.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Wu-Fer]

Thanks for the reply. Audiophile quality might be too ambitious; Primarily, I want to use (or spec) the speakers for each room - some installed in the ceiling and some bookshelf. I don't want to use "wireless speakers" - units that integrate receiver and speaker into a single unit.

I think I have figured out how to do this by using av receivers with iphone control (like Yamaha's RX-S600 in each room and sending a digital audio feed (via coax) to each receiver. I have a Monoprice adapter that taps the digital audio from an HDMI link and that can be routed around the house.

But it would be nice to have a master control panel like the Sonos system. I don't know if the iPhone app can control multiple receivers on the same network.

 

[Wu-Fer]

Let me retract the "audiophile" requirement; I simply want a high-quality stream delivered to each room with sufficient amplifier power (~50w/ch) and speakers of my choosing.

OK, so let's forget about the price for a moment and I'll take care of the wiring and speakers. What I'm looking for is a multi-zone amplifier that can work like a single amplifier for each room. In other words, it can be either controlled individually (volume and source - the source either being the master feed or a stream from a phone in the room via airplay or google cast). In addition, the master control can set the volume level for each room.

A couple of use cases: Party mode, where every zone in the house is playing the same thing. Individual mode, where a user can walk into a room and play whatever they want from their phones in that room.

I have discovered that I can split a digital audio (coax) feed between 2 inputs with no trouble, but I would like to split that coax 5 or 6 ways. Haven't found a gadget to do that, although I can daisy-chain the monoprice adapter to create multiple outputs...

I suppose the other alternative is to go with a Sonos Connect Amps in each room and make the home theater system a destination instead of a source.

I definitely don't want to hire a "consultant" - way too expensive.

 

[markw]

The amplifiers with individual channel controls is the easy part. Niles makes a plethoria of them: http://www.nilesaudio.com/product_detail_amp.php?recordID=Multichannel Power Amplifiers&categoryID=System Integration Amplifiers&catcdID=4

You can even use volume controls in each room.

It's the "remote control" volume and individual input selection where your complications arise