Sanity check on using AV Receiver for multi room music . . .

[NMG]

Hi everyone. Have a colleague who wants to play the same music source in two different rooms at the same time. Is on a budget. They currently have a low cost stereo receiver with speaker a or b outputs but can’t run a and b at the same time.

Probably not a conventional solution, but do you see any issue with just picking up a basic 5.1 receiver, setting all speakers to full range, use 5 channel music mode and running the main left and right in one room while using the surround channels for the other room?

Seems like it should work in my brain, but just looking for a quick sanity check, LOL. They won’t be playing content loud. Mainly just for background music, etc.

 

[highfigh]

Hi everyone. Have a colleague who wants to play the same music source in two different rooms at the same time. Is on a budget. They currently have a low cost stereo receiver with speaker a or b outputs but can’t run a and b at the same time.

Probably not a conventional solution, but do you see any issue with just picking up a basic 5.1 receiver, setting all speakers to full range, use 5 channel music mode and running the main left and right in one room while using the surround channels for the other room?

Seems like it should work in my brain, but just looking for a quick sanity check, LOL. They won’t be playing content loud. Mainly just for background music, etc.

Do they need to control the volume from the second room? If so, an in-wall volume control could be placed in the second room.

Will they be listening to the same sources in both rooms? If they only need to add one pair of speakers in the second room, a stereo receiver might be usable, if the main receiver has Record Out jacks and is easy to use in that way. If it has Zone 2 output, even better.

If you can show the model of the main receiver, that would help.

 

[Jeepnmon]

Your 5.1 receiver idea could definitely work. I second @highfigh's questions about volume control and sources. That said, here's what I did at our former home. I wanted to run three separate zones outdoors (Patio, Fire Pit, and Pool) but did not want to spend a ton of money especially on some of the esoteric systems. After a lot of research I settled on a Denon home theater receiver (x6200W) that could output the same or different sources to three separate zones. I used a Chromecast Audio (CCA) streaming device as one source on one of the receiver's audio inputs and a Google TV with Chromecast (GTVwCC) streamer as another source on one of its HDMI inputs. Both of these dongles have built-in apps for streaming. With the Denon App I could control the source for each zone as well as the volume and equalizer controls. This set up worked through our WI-FI network and worked without any issues for over five years. Other than the outdoor speakers and my time spent setting it up, I was into it for the cost of the receiver and the two dongles. Hopefully this makes sense.

 

[Jeepnmon]

For reference, here are some bookmarks I saved when setting mine up

Enhancing Our Home Office With Google Chromecast Audio - With Our Best - Denver Lifestyle Blog

We remodeled our home office and added Google Chromcast Audio instead of bluetooth speakers. It is smoother music listening! Stream songs from apps and more

www.withourbest.com

How to Set Up Whole-House Audio on the Cheap with Google Chromecast

Whole-house audio solutions are expensive, and often difficult to set up.

www.howtogeek.com

Create and manage speaker groups in the Google Home app - Google Nest Help

Group any combination of Google Nest or Home speakers and displays, Google streaming devices, and Google Pixel Tablets together for synchronous media throughout the home. You can create pre-set speak

support.google.com

 

[NMG]

Thanks for the replies!

I’m pretty sure it’s a Yamaha R-S202. He uses the Bluetooth from his phone to send it the signal. He doesn’t need to control volume independently in each room and simply wants both rooms to play the same signal at the same time (one source is all that will be used).

 

[lovinthehd]

I'd look at Wiim Amps, for $300 each, might be more capable than an avr in another room.....altho these days at least most avrs can work with an app from the other room.

ps https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/wiim-amp-streaming-amplifier-review.52372/

 

[highfigh]

I'd look at Wiim Amps, for $300 each, might be more capable than an avr in another room.....altho these days at least most avrs can work with an app from the other room.

ps https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/wiim-amp-streaming-amplifier-review.52372/

No network capability- list is shown as $199.

 

[highfigh]

Thanks for the replies!

I’m pretty sure it’s a Yamaha R-S202. He uses the Bluetooth from his phone to send it the signal. He doesn’t need to control volume independently in each room and simply wants both rooms to play the same signal at the same time (one source is all that will be used).

Because there's no way to control line output, the easiest way to do this will be to use a second receiver and connect the record output from this one to the Tape or AUX input, then set the level controls to allow balanced and maximum sound level, then use the phone's volume control for control. The second room could have an in-wall control, in case the other room isn't playing audio. If that room would need to play audio from another source, a separate Bluetooth receiver or streaming device will be needed, with its output going to both receivers. I have used the Miccus Bluetooth receiver and at $50, it's a great deal. The distance range is outstanding.

 

[Trebdp83]

Thanks for the replies!

I’m pretty sure it’s a Yamaha R-S202. He uses the Bluetooth from his phone to send it the signal. He doesn’t need to control volume independently in each room and simply wants both rooms to play the same signal at the same time (one source is all that will be used).

That unit supports A and B speakers being used simultaneously. Does the unit have a defect? Are buttons being pressed correctly until A and B speakers appear together on the front of the unit? WiiM amp is network connectable but powers just one set of speakers with no line Out. So, a pair would be needed for two rooms and perhaps exceed the budget. A 5.1 or more channel receiver with network capabilities and multiple Zone functionality will be the most versatile but may exceed the budget as well.

 

[ban25]

No network capability- list is shown as $199.

Uh...it has both WiFi and Ethernet.

 

[NMG]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone. I saw that you could use speakers simultaneously but I think it said they needed to be 16 ohms.

Do you think he could get away with 8 ohm speakers if they aren’t driven excessively? It’s mainly background music so I can’t imagine he’ll even be using 1 watt of power, LOL.

Will also look into the other solutions and see if he wants to mess around with it. If the A and B doesn’t work, new receiver with zones might be the easiest thing for him to do.

 

[lovinthehd]

No network capability- list is shown as $199.

No, it's 299. It is definitely network capable, even BT.

 

[highfigh]

Uh...it has both WiFi and Ethernet.

WiFi only? FFS!

The link I saw yesterday didn't show this- I found it on Crutchfield's site and that one shows everything.

 

[highfigh]

No, it's 299. It is definitely network capable, even BT.

Crutchfield has it for $199.95.

Yamaha R-S202

Stereo receiver with Bluetooth®

www.crutchfield.com

 

[Trebdp83]

It's simply a miscommunication as others were referring to the WiiM amp, not the R-S202.

 

[lovinthehd]

Crutchfield has it for $199.95.

Yamaha R-S202

Stereo receiver with Bluetooth®

www.crutchfield.com

I was referring to the Wiim Amp, as I thought you were.

 

[highfigh]

It's simply a miscommunication as others were referring to the WiiM amp, not the R-S202.

That will happen when someone refers to an item as 'it'.