Whole home audio question

 

New member
Username: Debbiecoffin

Post Number: 1
Registered: Oct-05
Hello, I am a novice so plese be patient. and thanks for looking. I have a large home which has been 75% gutted and I intend to install a multi room audio system. I have seen that there are wall plates with ipod connections for individual rooms but I am interested in having the computer/ itunes as the main source for the house. or at least as one source. My question is.... is this possible? Can a minijack go from the computer to a multizone amplifier to the entire house? What possibilities exist here for the digital music library. Again, I have a large house and will have many zones. Possibly as many as 11 pairs and 8 singles (but I haven't figured out how to do that yet).

I will have this work done by an experienced professional but I would like to be as knowledgable as possible before I start this discussion with the installers.

thanks for any advice or information. Debbie
 

Gold Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 6333
Registered: May-04


Debbie - I don't think I fully understand all of your questions, but the answer should be you're on the right track to everything you want. Not sure why you want a minijack as opposed to a hard wired system; so I don't know the answer to that question specifically. And I have to admit to not knowing what you mean by, "What possibilities exist here for the digital music library." Which digital music library are we talking about and what do you want to do with it?

Single speakers in one area are accomplished either trough stereo to mono transformers or some in wall manufacturers are now making dual voice coil in wall speakers which do the downmix at the voice coil of the speakers.


Since you are committed to using a professional installer (something I strongly recommend), get at least two bids, and any references, if possible. Most established installers can arrange an audition of their work at a past client's home. Often these are the people who can answer some of the most pertinent questions you'll encounter in the process. After you've decided on an installer, take their bid sheet and give a call to the manufacturer of their preferred whole house distribution system. I don't want to suggest you won't get help here, but the manuifacturer can give you instant feedback and will know of any updates that should be incorporated into your system.




 

Silver Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 986
Registered: Sep-04
Debbie,

My understanding of your request is this. You wish a computer with an itunes library to be used as a source for several rooms (possibly up to 20?) in your house.

In essence it is certainly possible to do this. How you do it depends on your budget, the level of upset in the house you're prepared to put up with and the quality of the system(s) you want installed.

There are two main technologies that enable digital multiroom installations - wired and wireless. A wired installation guarantees the best quality and can be used for analogue as well as digital. These systems usually have wall mounted controllers, sometimes located in purpose made intelligent light switches. Brands would be Living Control, Crestron and Linn. These are the expensive, full-function, quality end of the multiroom market.

However, the real expansion in multiroom in the last couple of years has been in the wireless space since routing wires is a right pain. You can get a lot of functionality for a lot less outlay in the wireless space. For example Sonos (http://www.sonos.com) make a system which is wireless and can drive up to 32 rooms independantly. This allows you to choose the same music to be played in all the rooms or you could theoretically have 32 different pieces of music playing concurrently, one for each room! The system has a portable control unit which allows you to choose music from your itunes library. I believe it can also be used to get internet radio as well, but you'd have to check on that. You can buy extra controllers and the Sonos module just needs a pair of speakers added to give you sound.

Another inexpensive alternative is to use something like a ROKU Soundbridge or a Slim Devices Squeezebox. Both the Soundbridge and Squeezebox can stream digital music off the 'net or off your iTunes server. You can have up to 6 Soundbridges on a network I believe. You can have up to 20 Squeezeboxes. The Soundbridge uses Apple's DAAP technology to directly control iTunes whereas the squeezebox has its own proprietary software. Each of these devices need either an amplifier and speakers or a pair of powered speakers to give you sound. Both Soundbridge and Squeezebox can be run in wireless mode. The Soundbridge can be wired - not sure about the Squeezebox.

Good luck!
Frank.
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