[cntr_ice_junkie]

I can't seem to find much mention of reviews of the Digi-5 stuff from Xantech on here. Has anyone done a DIY install of this and what do they think and how does it compare? Looking to do a 4 to 6 zone installation with 2 sources and may expand later. Looking at the 4x4 kit they sell with the D5SH4 hub.


Any thoughts or feedback?

 

[Ruff H2O]

I'm also interested in any feedback from someone with experience. Thanks.

 

[rmml]

i've just begun installing aton's digi5 in my new home, very easy to install and set up. the sound is better than back ground sound. i looked at xantech's system but went with aton, went with their video router as well.

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

I've been looking at finding the best value for the buck for an audio only solution for 4-to-6 zones, I don't need video distribution but am interested in having sources located away from the distribution hub. For me, I'm also very interested in mounting it in a structured wiring cabinet.


ATON DIGI5 around $1000 for 4x4

Pros: No speaker homerun, Doorbell/phone mute

Cons: No simple solution for remote source


Xantech DIGI5 around $1050 for 4x4

Pros: No speaker homerun, natively supports remote source input, structure wiring mount, programmable input name on LCD

Con: No doorbell mute, different color faceplates are spendy


Breathe Audio 4x4 for $500

Pros: Multicolor wallplates included, has doorbell/phone mute option

Con: Gotta homerun speakers, only 15W per speaker (versus 30W), Non-expandable, no simple remote source solution, no LCD touchpad


For all of the systems, if you want to go to 6 zones the cost is roughly 2x. Was leaning towards Xantech but I'll have to go revisit the Breathe solution. If you step up to 6x6 you get 20W per speakers. Could live with giving up the structured wiring of Xantech to gain doorbell mute and save cash. Would need to solve the remote input and see if there is any simple L/R Analog over cat5 options out there.

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

Nevermind, I can solve the remote audio problem with a simple balun for about $120 per source I guess. Hmm...

 

[rmml]

did you look at aton's expansion router, it can be used with remote sources, however you do loose p/db...

http://www.atonhome.com/DH46XHub.html

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

Yeah, that's not quite the same thing that I'm looking for, maybe I called it the wrong thing. In this case that is only available to that local zone. I want a source to exist away from the hub that can be used by all of the zones.

 

[rmml]

using the dhsip, it allows you to place sources anywhere.

anyways, good luck finding what you need.

wouldnt it be great if "they" could design exactly what "we" need/want

 

[Ruff H2O]

Newbie so not trying to be offensive but why do the sources have to be next to the hub?


THREAD HIJACK

I ask because I would like my main floor tv to be available (audio only) to the other zones. I was planning on sending tv audio (via receiver) down to the basement, across the basement to the hub/controller. I would need 75ft of toslink or RCA cables (depending on what the hub would accept) to accomplish this . . . right? Am I way off base here?


I thought I'd run HDMI from cable HD DVR box to tv (for picture), then digital optical from cable HD DVR box to receiver, receiver would power left, right, center & sub, then either digital optical or RCA out of receiver to the basement hub. Will this work?

THREAD RETURED


Bryan

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

Bryan,


There are some options, like the Breathe solutions that I was looking at that have either RCA or Digitial (coax/optical) inputs on the digital hub. So if you want a source to be located somewhere else you have to get the source to the hub. As you are thinking, you can do that by directly running a cable but depending on the distance this might be tricky. Another way to do this is over cat5 by using a "balun" to convert the audio input to cat 5 and then back to RCA/coax at the hub.


Some solutions, like the Xantech Digi-5 help you with that by explicitly letting you have an input elsewhere and hooking up ethernet to the hub. It's like 1/2 of the balun setup you would need in the other case.


As mentioned above, the dhsip for the ATON lets you do that as well but I think it requires that extra hub which isn't required for the Xantech.


My $0.02 -- I'm just figuring it out, I only learned about baluns while doing research earlier in the week.

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

So I ended up purchasing a Digi-5 4 zone-4 source kit and installed all 4 zones about 1.5 weeks ago. I got the one that mounts in a structured wiring cabinet was I didn't have any sort of a rack system.


Overall I've very happy with the system and everything is as advertised. The sound is great and full with all 4 zones on. One is even outdoor on a patio. I like the keypads and the ability to program the displays on them. I wish it had doorbell/phone mute now that we're blasting music all over the house but I knew going in it didn't have it. I can post pictures if people want to see it or have questions.


Right now I have only 1 source (squeezebox) but I liked it so much I ordered another 4-zone hub and 2 more keypads to expand to 6 zones. One zone (garage) is already wired and waiting for it to show up so I'll know more about the expansion functionality. Also this 5th zone will be the first time I have a source local to the keypad.


Overall very happy and think this is a good medium end system w/o going too cheap or too custom but don't have much to compare it to.

 

[wcasalinuevo]

cntr_ice_junkie,


Great to know it's working out. I'm also looking at the Aton model for my home. My biggest worry is the sound per channel. I'm worried that 30 watts would not fill the room. How is the sound in one zone? My other thought was to use an Audio switch and distribute the sound via amplifiers to the rooms. This is the most complicated and expensive solution, but the amount of sound I can get is only limited by the amp and speakers.


Thanks in advance for any advise and or help.


Winston

 

[cntr_ice_junkie]

I don't really have anything to compare it to but I know I wanted the 30W over some of the 15/20W solutions out there. It's as loud as I'd want everywhere except maybe the garage but I have a feeling part of that is really old speakers I mounted in not so optimal places. The patio zone and all of the other zones have all the power I need.

 

[ravi355]

I installed the Xantech Digi5 last week and not sure why the sound quality is not that good . I mean , I tested the speakers when installed by playing songs from a CD changer and hooking them directly to the Speakers and the sound was good . But once I attach the wall controllers and Xantech 4 zone controller , the same songs sound so Bad . I mean there is no good base in the sound .


I even fiddled with the setup settings and still cannot figure it out . Could it be due to the fact that the cat5 is about 100ft ?

 

[FiSKARZ]

Sorry for digging up an old thread, but I recently joined the forums and posted details of my Xantech D5RHK install with photos:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1314335


Hope that is useful..