Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Squeezebox to multi-room speakers help needed

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Squeezebox to multi-room speakers help needed

    I've searched around and don't think I'm repeating this...

    I have a Squeezebox and want to connect it to ceiling speakers in at least 3 but preferably up to 6 rooms. Ultimately then to control it with Homeseer but I've seen some useful posts on that.

    I've looked at all sorts like Russound, Opus, ELAN and so on but is there any device that will take a digital optical or stereo phono audio feed from the sqeezebox then send it out to 3-6 rooms via speaker cable?

    The next problem is powering the speakers. The hi-fi I have in the kitchen is a single unit, with two speakers. The speakers connect to the main unit/amp with speaker cable only e.g no separate PSUs - I was hoping to acheive the same thing with the in-ceiling speakers if that's possible? As far as I know that makes them standard issue passive speakers?

    The closest I've found so far is this (http://www.keene.co.uk/electronics/m...p?mycode=BT913) from Keene but it takes audio in via speaker cable and I don't yet know if it can power speakers..

    If I do end up with active ceiling speakers, what's the best way to power them - provision a separate ring into the attic for them or spur off something?


    Thanks.
    Last edited by ; May 28, 2008, 01:59 PM. Reason: Updated text. Added Homeseer reference.

    #2
    Not sure exactly what you are looking for but...

    1- Best option is to have a Squeezebox in each room. This provides full control as well as a display in each location. I have 14 of them and it works great. This is also what Slim Devices intended for multi-room installations.

    2- A russound or other multi-zone amp will do exactly what you suggest taking the RCA line from the Squeezebox and send the speaker level audio out to 6 zones. You can have local volume controls this way but no remote access to the Squeezebox display or control. I think the zones can be controlled from HS.

    3- A speaker switch such as an AB8SS can feed off the output of you existing receiver to distribute the speaker level audio. If the amp in your receiver is not big enough to drive all the zones you can use a small parasound Zamp or similiar to drive the speaker switch. (Just Y the RCA line from the squeezebox to feed both the receier and the Zamp.) The Zamp will sense the audio from the Squeezebox and turn on when there is music playing. The AB8SS can be controlled through HS to turn individual rooms on or off.

    Using powered ceiling speakers seeems tricky because you would have no HS control unless you switched the power to each zone on and off somehow.

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks for that upstatemike. I had a look and the AB8SS (or ESS ?) looks good. 14 Squeezeboxes, that's impressive!

      I don't really need more than a central audio source/control at the moment (it's kind of proof of concept and once the missus realises it's great, it will be far easier to expand it/put something more elaborate - expesive - in)

      Has anyone got any experience with the ESS and multiroom audio, how have you got it set up?
      I'm trying to find out how it all hooks up, from what I can tell the audio source connects to an amp, or a reciever then to the AB8SS/ESS then speaker cable to the speakers? Does the AB8SS/ESS pass through power to the speakers from the amp then? How do you work out the necessary power spec of the amp/reciever?

      Thanks.
      Last edited by ; May 29, 2008, 03:04 PM. Reason: updated text

      Comment

      Working...
      X