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New home setup - wiring/speakers done

post #1 of 15
4/26/12 at 9:52am
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone.
Just moved in to a new home. Right now the house is prewired for whole house audio I just need a recommendation on how best to get it up and running.

Here is what we have:
Basically 4 zones, each with speakers in-ceiling
1. outdoor by pool - 4 speakers
2. master bathroom - 2
3. study - 2
4. combo of kitchen/dining room and adjacent rooms (previous owner has these speaker wires all wired together) - total about 8 speakers

He had it set up that the speakers terminate in the basement...just some bare wire.

In the living room he had it set up where a wire was going from his receiver and down to the basement. He plugged this into an amp (which i need) then the whole house speakers into the amp. All using the zone 2 of the receiver.


This is rather easy to replicate. BUT I am looking for something a little more.
Is there something I can use that I can use my iphone/ipad to control each of the zones from anywhere in the house? I want to be able to stream from my computer or play sirius over the house.

I have 2 sonos5 sets I used in my previous house. I can use these anywhere but like how I can just pull out the phone and have music. I want to do that with the in-ceiling speakers.

Originally I was going to somehow hook an airport express into the receiver and airplay music to it and then to the whole house audio. But I am not sure if there is a control unit I can use in the basement that I can have a bit more control over? And something that is relatively easy to install.

Thanks
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post #2 of 15
4/26/12 at 11:55am
Since you're already familiar with Sonos, replace the Play5 with one or more Connect:Amp units, or a Connect and an external amp(s).

Do you have any local volume controls in the zones?

Jeff
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post #3 of 15
4/27/12 at 12:47pm
Thread Starter 
So with this do I have to have a different one for each of the 4 music zones?

Now I only have one input from the living room going down into the basement.....dual RCA plug I think IIRC. Will I need a splitter for this and then to each of those wifi units?

edit... yes each room has a volume control on the wall.
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post #4 of 15
4/27/12 at 12:52pm
A single Sonos Connect:amp connected to a speaker selector (mostly to get the impedance-matching) in the basement would be the cheapest. Sonos Connect with a (larger) external amp would probably be better for 4 zones.

Put the Sonos in the basement, you can use your RCA plugs to bring the Sonos output to the living room, too. Basically the reverse of what was there before...

Jeff
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post #5 of 15
4/27/12 at 2:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jautor View Post

A single Sonos Connect:amp connected to a speaker selector (mostly to get the impedance-matching) in the basement would be the cheapest. Sonos Connect with a (larger) external amp would probably be better for 4 zones.

Put the Sonos in the basement, you can use your RCA plugs to bring the Sonos output to the living room, too. Basically the reverse of what was there before...

Jeff

sorry for my ignorance but I am not seeing what you are describing.
Why would I want the sonos output to the living room when what I would need (i think) is to go...

Iphone/itunes/reciever......to the basement.....thru sonos....and through the whole house speakers?

I do not have the engineer brain so .. bear with me... =)
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post #6 of 15
4/27/12 at 3:12pm
Place the Sonos in the basement, either using the model with a built-in amp (Connect:Amp), or the un-amplified version (Connect) and an external amp. Connect speakers to an impedance-matching speaker selector and then to the amp. That takes care of your ceiling speakers.

If you also want to listen to the Sonos as a source in your living room (zone1) setup, you can use the analog output from the Sonos. Feed audio to the RCA jacks in the basement, connect the other end in the family room to a source line input on your AVR. Control the Sonos with your iDevice for both...

Jeff
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post #7 of 15
4/28/12 at 7:39am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jautor View Post

Place the Sonos in the basement, either using the model with a built-in amp (Connect:Amp), or the un-amplified version (Connect) and an external amp. Connect speakers to an impedance-matching speaker selector and then to the amp. That takes care of your ceiling speakers.

If you also want to listen to the Sonos as a source in your living room (zone1) setup, you can use the analog output from the Sonos. Feed audio to the RCA jacks in the basement, connect the other end in the family room to a source line input on your AVR. Control the Sonos with your iDevice for both...

Jeff

Do you know of a speaker selector that can be controlled either with the sonos iphone unit....or something I can link to remotely? For example if I am outside and start streaming music via the sonos, instead of going through all the speakers just the outside ones? And then remotely pick something else to play through a different zone?

edit...prefer something iphone contolled
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post #8 of 15
4/28/12 at 8:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bush224 View Post

Do you know of a speaker selector that can be controlled either with the sonos iphone unit....or something I can link to remotely? For example if I am outside and start streaming music via the sonos, instead of going through all the speakers just the outside ones? And then remotely pick something else to play through a different zone?

edit...prefer something iphone contolled

The speaker selector is just there to get the impedance correct (assuming your volume controls, like many of them, don't do a good job of that). You just leave all the speakers "on", and control volume (or turn them all the way down for "off") in the rooms. So you manually control volume in each room, but don't have to go downstairs.

A good step up would be something like the Aton IR controllable selector, which also allows for remote volume control:

http://www.atonhome.com/DLA4Room.html

To run this from your iPhone, you'll need an IR app (Roomie, iRule, etc.) and a compatible IR repeater (Global Cache iTach).

Or just add more Sonos units and divide your zones appropriately.

Jeff
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post #9 of 15
5/8/12 at 7:20am
Thread Starter 
Will this work

1. Put an apple express in the basement to connect to my current network to get a hardwire ethernet port.

2. Plug it into my sonos wireless bridge

3. Purchase 4 Sonos Connects

4. Plug connects into a multichannel amp

5. Plug zones into the amp


If I am thinking about this correctly, from the iphone/ipad I should be able to play each zone separately with volume control either with the iphone or the wall switches.

I should also be able to play through my existing sonos5 speakers in other places if I choose.

I would prefer spending a little more for ease of control (more sonos units) rather then rigging up a speaker selector with IR/RF inputs and different iphone apps.

will this work?
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post #10 of 15
5/8/12 at 7:49am
MAYBE.

Connecting the bridge wirelessly is not the best idea, so if you can get actual wired ethernet to it, go that route instead.

A good plan is to always minimize the amount of wireless communications you got going at any given point in time
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post #11 of 15
5/8/12 at 8:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bush224 View Post

Will this work

I don't think you need any of that except the Connect:amp units. They can connect to WiFi already.

Quote:


If I am thinking about this correctly, from the iphone/ipad I should be able to play each zone separately with volume control either with the iphone or the wall switches.

Well, actually it's both, which can be a pain. If you lower the volume from the wall control, you can only raise it so much with the iDevice app... You should get in the habit of using one or the other. I'd leave the wall controls normally at 100%, and use them only to lower volume temporarily.


Jeff
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post #12 of 15
5/8/12 at 8:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jautor View Post

I don't think you need any of that except the Connect:amp units. They can connect to WiFi already.



Ah, I see. I could use 4 of those and control each individually from the iphone.
without the need for another amp.

My wifi base is on the opposite side of the house and is why I think I would need at least a wifi extender in the basement. I could always set up an airport express as the extender and leave the connection for my receiver or some other piece of theater equipment.
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post #13 of 15
5/8/12 at 9:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bush224 View Post

My wifi base is on the opposite side of the house and is why I think I would need at least a wifi extender in the basement. I could always set up an airport express as the extender and leave the connection for my receiver or some other piece of theater equipment.

Co-locating wireless devices near a WiFi repeater does no good. Repeaters are for extending the range beyond that location. Meaning, if the repeater can get a WiFi signal from the base, so could other wireless devices sitting next to it.
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post #14 of 15
5/8/12 at 9:28am
Thread Starter 
So what other option do I have to boost the signal for the sonos system? I am using an airport base station located up one floor and on the opposite end of the house, pretty decent distance.
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post #15 of 15
5/8/12 at 9:31am
I would try your existing Sonos unit there and see if it streams fine before doing anything. A music stream is pretty low bandwidth, doesn't take much of a signal, as long as it's consistent...

Jeff
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