seperate audio in 2 different rooms?

[bluebeard]

Hello, my first post here. I don't know too much about audio, but I am interested in learning. I bought an amp today (Yamaha RX-V1500) and the salesman told me that I could use it to listen to different signals in seperate rooms. The manual doesn't seem to be too clear about how to do this. The only thing I found was something about setting a zone 2 and zone 3, but it said to do this you need to buy another amp. Is this my only option? What I want is to be able to watch TV with 5.1 in one room and listen to a CD in the other, just on 2 stereo speakers. Do I have to go out and spend a bunch more money to do this? I really appreciate any advise you can give me. Thanks.

 

[markw]

Salesmen, gotta love 'em.

He may not have told you the whole story. I'm not intimately familiar with your amp but I can offer some general advice to help get you started on your journey.

Yes, a "two zone" receiver can send a 5.1 signal to one zone and a 2.0 (stereo) signal to another zone and each can be controlled independently. Exactly how is somewhere in your manual. Good luck on that one.

But, as you've found out, you may need another power amp for that second zone.

All is not lost yet. Some 7.1 receivers allow the use of five of those channels for zone one and the additional 2 channels for a zone two application. If this is the case then you're all set. Again, your manual* has the answers to where you stand.

If not, then your original thought is correct. You'll need a two channel power amp for the second zone.

*Or, since you purchased from a local B & M, you might stop by and have the salesman explain how these things work on your particular unit. Bring your manual when you go.

Personally, my feelings on this "zone two" stuff is that if you need to purchase a power amp on top of your existing receiver, a separate two channel receiver would do the trick just as well. Heck, a Sherwood stereo receiver is available for under $90 at circuit city, J & R and, I'm sure, other places as well. A friend has had one for over two years now and, for what it is, it does the trick. And, DVD or CD players are a dime a dozen nowadays.

 

[df4801]

You do NOT need a separate amp for zone 2.
Just use the presence/ zone 2 connections to hook up two other speakers.
Your unit has an internal amp for zone 2.
Its all in your manual.

 

[bluebeard]

Thanks guys. I've read the manual and it's a bit confusing to me. At one point it sounds like you don't need another amp, then the next page it sounds like you do. I'll try connecting them to the presence. I appreciate the quick responses.

 

[5.1 DTS guy]

Are there any speaker outputs left on your receiver? On my Yamaha receiver there are two "banana plugs" to output stereo sound into another room via the A to B speaker switching (im not sure if I can listen to them simultaneously though).

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker A / B connections

Almost every receiver uses the same amp for the A and B speaker connections including my Yamaha HTR-5860. If you connect two 8 ohm speakers to a single amp channel (Speaker A and B), the receiver will see a 4 ohm load which will overload most receivers. Thus, you can run Speaker A OR B.

On the Yamaha 1500 specifically, 2 of the amp channels are assignable. This allows the receiver to power a 7.1 channel system, 5.1 + presence channels, or 5.1 + powered Zone 2.