how to setup multiplezone

bhutnath

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For those that haven't read my last thread "need help with choosing a system", let me clarify that I have no idea about AV speakers and any thing related.

I have decided that I need a new sound system. I was considering the Bose - lifestyle 48, when on advise from some on this forum and many over the net I have started looking at component based solution. This seems to be a time consuming(!) and complex process. I have had a chance to listen to a few speakers/amp combo and they are way better than Bose (in similar price). However the sheer complexity is scaring me back into Bosses arms.

Bose lifestyle 48 offers a neat feature. You can save all your music centrally and then access it at different locations. As many as 12 different zones can be set. Each zone can run its own music independent of the other.

How do I replicate this?
 
bhutnath,

Stay away from Bose no matter what. Absolutely waste of money and that too lots of it. You can have 2 units, 1 for movies and 1 for music and both better for the price of a single Bose unit.

Let us know where/on what do you listen to your music primarily i.e. PC, iPod, CDP, DVDP, etc. and also what's the primary content i.e. mp3s, Audio CDs, etc. Based on this info, I am sure many members will give valuable inputs and help you out.
 
Mutlizone setups require a receiver capable of supporting multizone and active speakers in the other rooms/zones. Basically this means that there is a dedicated set of amplifiers that drive the speakers in the ZoneB, connected to the amp via cables.

Most commercially available receivers support 2 zones.

Answer this question first:

- What is the most important feature for you that will drive your decision ?
- Movies in a living room ?
- MultiZone capability ?
- Music in multiple rooms, but stored centrally ?
- Dedicated HomeTheatre room with the best equipment ?

Commercially available multizone receivers supporting more than 2 zones are Philips and Sonos that I've heard about. They stream music wirelessly to the other rooms, with a active speaker setup + wireless client in each room.

If you want multizone capability without using the likes of Bose/Sonos/Philips,
you need:

- Dedicated HT in a living room with a full feature 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system.
- Dedicated FileServer holding all your music and videos.
- Multiple HomeTheatre PCs with ITunes and WiFi in each room.
- Active Speakers for each room connected to the HT PC.
- Apple Airport Express WiFi router / Access point.

Use the Shared directory on the fileserver as the iTunes repository for all the PCs in each room to play your choice of music.

The HT PC can also double up as a TV receiver if you have LCD monitors.

From one of the PCs, stream your music to the Dedicated HomeTheatre in the living room using the Apple Airport Express router.

Other combinations:
- Share individual iTunes libraries across all PCs without using a fileserver.



Comments / suggestions from the more experienced sound gurus welcome.
 
Dual zone is a general pain in the neck though I have set some systems up with this. Some things to consider,

You will need IR transitter to work with the remote. YOur receiver should support this in the back (there is an out called IR)

You cannot play zones A & B simultaneously

You will have 2 spkrs for zone 2 while 5.1 set (7.1 for only newest receivers). Unless you have dual bass outs, there wont be a sub for B.

How will you run the wires?

Its a neat concept in very restricted environments but not very practical in my view.

re: Bo$e, I will let others do the talkin <wink>
 
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