[fsts2k]

Hi, I just purchased a new house that was built in 1999 with "whole house audio"; okay, not whole house but some. There are a pair of speakers in each of the following rooms:


Kitchen

Living Room

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom


Here is my problem. The old owners (as you would expect) stripped out all audio equipment, there are currently five pairs of speaker wire (one extra) as well as a blue pair with something at the end that states IR. Each room has a volume control in the wall and what appears as an IR eye. I would guess that the blue wires are for an IR repeater and then the old system simply used remotes to point at the volume controls to select source and volume (no zones). Since I am starting from scratch what would you recommend I do? I would like to use keypads but since I do not think I can run new wire I might be stuck with the IR. Do I have any options, or what would you do here? I have a Russound CAV6.6 system in a lake house with cat 5 wire run all over, thats nice, and not something I have here. Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks


Kevin

 

[CVanMeter]

Sounds like you already see your limitations with the wire as you stated... BUT ...


Several years ago I was doing the electrical and security on a new home, but the homeowner was having a friend do the sound system. Multi Million Dollar home, yet the "friend" only ran 16\\4 to each volume control with no Cat-5e or other control wires. I asked him if he didn't feel like he was going to limit how nice of a system his wiring would accomodate. He informed me he was going to install a multi zone, multi amp system that communicated back to the source equipment via the speaker wireing only. I think he said it was made by a company called "Matrix" or something like that. If such a system works as this installer suggested, it might be what you need to give you some of the features your Russound system gives you now. Maybe someone out there knows about this "Matrix" or other such system and can chime in.


PS.... I did a quick Gooogle and found this

http://www.amx.com/matrix/

 

[robertmee]



Quote:
Originally Posted by CVanMeter /forum/post/0


Sounds like you already see your limitations with the wire as you stated... BUT ...


Several years ago I was doing the electrical and security on a new home, but the homeowner was having a friend do the sound system. Multi Million Dollar home, yet the "friend" only ran 16\\4 to each volume control with no Cat-5e or other control wires. I asked him if he didn't feel like he was going to limit how nice of a system his wiring would accomodate. He informed me he was going to install a multi zone, multi amp system that communicated back to the source equipment via the speaker wireing only. I think he said it was made by a company called "Matrix" or something like that. If such a system works as this installer suggested, it might be what you need to give you some of the features your Russound system gives you now. Maybe someone out there knows about this "Matrix" or other such system and can chime in.


PS.... I did a quick Gooogle and found this

http://www.amx.com/matrix/

Huh...That's pretty interesting. Never new "Speaker Wire Technology" existed. However, as Matrix has been acquired by AMX, I don't think it will be A) inexpensive or B) DIY. Maybe QQQ can chime in here as he has a long history with AMX products.

 

[fsts2k]



Quote:
Originally Posted by CVanMeter /forum/post/0


Sounds like you already see your limitations with the wire as you stated... BUT ...


Several years ago I was doing the electrical and security on a new home, but the homeowner was having a friend do the sound system. Multi Million Dollar home, yet the "friend" only ran 16\\4 to each volume control with no Cat-5e or other control wires. I asked him if he didn't feel like he was going to limit how nice of a system his wiring would accomodate. He informed me he was going to install a multi zone, multi amp system that communicated back to the source equipment via the speaker wireing only. I think he said it was made by a company called "Matrix" or something like that. If such a system works as this installer suggested, it might be what you need to give you some of the features your Russound system gives you now. Maybe someone out there knows about this "Matrix" or other such system and can chime in.


PS.... I did a quick Gooogle and found this

Thanks!


That's pretty cool, I am going to start searching it out. I have a family member that put in whole home audio back in 97 which was speaker wires, volume controls, and keypads but if I recall, the keypads all had to be individually programmed to send the IR signals over. I do not think there were CAT 5 cables put in the wall, I need to check out their system. This did not have 2 way comm though which it appears MATRIX does.


Again, thanks for the link; any other ideas?

 

[CVanMeter]



Quote:
Originally Posted by robertmee /forum/post/0


Huh...That's pretty interesting. Never new "Speaker Wire Technology" existed. However, as Matrix has been acquired by AMX, I don't think it will be A) inexpensive or B) DIY. Maybe QQQ can chime in here as he has a long history with AMX products.

I had to assume that if fsts2k owns a lake house with a Russound CAV6.6 installed, and this is just another home he as aquired, he may not be stuck on a limited budget. I also did not notice where he stated he was looking for a DIY system. I concluded he just was intersted to see what his options where.


I know I am usualy willing to do what work I can on my own vehicles, knowing if needed I may need to get a mechanic to address issues beyond my ability.

 

[fsts2k]



Quote:
Originally Posted by CVanMeter /forum/post/0


I had to assume that if fsts2k owns a lake house with a Russound CAV6.6 installed, and this is just another home he as aquired, he may not be stuck on a limited budget. I also did not notice where he stated he was looking for a DIY system. I concluded he just was intersted to see what his options where.


I know I am usualy willing to do what work I can on my own vehicles, knowing if needed I may need to get a mechanic to address issues beyond my ability.

Thanks, to clarify,


I am on a limited budget... I just do not know what that is

I would like to do as much as I can, I programmed much of the Russound system. I am looking more into this Matrix but I cannot find anyone that sells it. It appears AMX purchased Matrix in Dec of 06, so maybe they are still getting it out. Has anyone used this system or something else like it?


Thanks


Kevin