Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Whole House Audio: Ceiling Mount PC Speakers?

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
    #1

    Whole House Audio: Ceiling Mount PC Speakers?

    I've been reading and reading until my eyes are bleeding and I can't figure out the best reasonably affordable solution for whole house audio if you want to have a lot of zones (like say 10).

    It seems like there is an option using regular speakers controlled by expensive things like the Russound or things that aren't available any more like the AB8S. The other option seems to be using multiple PC sound cards or multiple PC's using PC speakers.

    So at this point I'm thoroughly baffled but I need to make a decision as to what wiring and ceiling speakers I want installed before the walls/ceiling are done.

    Are there any good PC speakers that can be ceiling mounted?

    How can I decide what type of wiring and what type of speakers to put up there if I can't decide how I'm going to distribute the audio? I want TTS and music running through the same speaker. I was looking at something like this which I think was mentioned here in the forums a while back:

    http://www.parts-express.com/pe/psho...number=300-412

    What would be the safest thing to do if I can't decide how everything is going to be distibuted until well after the walls/ceiling are sealed up?

    I don't understand why it is so complicated and expensive.
    Tags: None
    #2
    You can always put the speakers to the ceiling (many options, depends on your wallet ) .
    How you feed them it's secondary. You can either put two speakers per room or one stereo speaker per room. Wire everything to your HUB/wiring room/man's closet/,,,

    Comment

      #3
      You can also use multiple sound cards connected to amplifiers (even something as small as the Sonic T-amp), and drive normal speakers that way.

      I have speakers from parts express and I wired them with standard 14/2 speaker wire, I love it.

      I use my system same as you plan...TTS and music on the same speakers.

      I distribute with an ESS (the "next gen" AB8ss that only had a few of them made before HACS went out of business).

      I've heard several people who do the distributed audio with multiple sound cards though.

      Ian
      Plugins:
      BLLogMonitor, BLGarbage, BLBackup, BLOutGoingCalls, BLUps, BLRfid, JvEss, DooMotion, Applied Digital Ocelot, AC RF Processor, UltraMon, PJC AVR 430, UPB, Rain8net, DSC Panel, JRiver Media center, Windows Media Player, SageMediaCenter, SnevlCID, MCSTemperature.

      Comment

        #4
        Originally posted by Czechmarty View Post
        You can always put the speakers to the ceiling (many options, depends on your wallet ) .
        How you feed them it's secondary. You can either put two speakers per room or one stereo speaker per room. Wire everything to your HUB/wiring room/man's closet/,,,
        That's my issue. I guess I have to decide if I am going to try to put PC speakers up there or speakers like the ones in the link in my original post. Could those speakers by converted somehow to be run by a PC sound card?

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by completelyhis View Post
          You can also use multiple sound cards connected to amplifiers (even something as small as the Sonic T-amp), and drive normal speakers that way.

          I have speakers from parts express and I wired them with standard 14/2 speaker wire, I love it.

          I use my system same as you plan...TTS and music on the same speakers.

          I distribute with an ESS (the "next gen" AB8ss that only had a few of them made before HACS went out of business).

          I've heard several people who do the distributed audio with multiple sound cards though.

          Ian
          I did a check and Parts Express doesn't seem to carry the Sonic T-amp anymore, but if I understand you correctly, I could install the speakers I referenced above and power them by something like a russound or regular amplifiers or I could use a PC card plugged into this Sonic T-amp which then powers the speakers?

          If that is the case that would at least let me make the decision on what kind of speakers to use (regular instead of PC speakers). Would I need a Sonic T-amp for each set of speakers?

          Comment

            #6
            I only mentioned the Sonic Tamp as an example. I have a couple of them laying around, as well as a few other amplifiers. I picked up a few old fashioned amps at Good Will for like $10 or something.

            But, more directly to the point, yes, you can power those speakers from Parts Express with any amplifier, and have them hooked up to multiple sound cards. the soundcards would be your way of controlling the speakers (volume, on/off, etc), and the amp would be how you power them. any amp will work.
            Plugins:
            BLLogMonitor, BLGarbage, BLBackup, BLOutGoingCalls, BLUps, BLRfid, JvEss, DooMotion, Applied Digital Ocelot, AC RF Processor, UltraMon, PJC AVR 430, UPB, Rain8net, DSC Panel, JRiver Media center, Windows Media Player, SageMediaCenter, SnevlCID, MCSTemperature.

            Comment

              #7
              Originally posted by completelyhis View Post
              I've heard several people who do the distributed audio with multiple sound cards though.
              And with the Hack I posted to the HOW-TO section, you can rename the USB sound cards so they always boot up to the proper location (i.e. card 2 is always card 2, not "whatever" order Windows wants to assign them).

              --Dan
              Tasker, to a person who does Homeautomation...is like walking up to a Crack Treatment facility with a truck full of 3lb bags of crack. Then for each person that walks in and out smack them in the face with an open bag.

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by drozwood90 View Post
                And with the Hack I posted to the HOW-TO section, you can rename the USB sound cards so they always boot up to the proper location (i.e. card 2 is always card 2, not "whatever" order Windows wants to assign them).

                --Dan
                Yes, I had already bookmarked that thread as a must have resource. Excellent work and a big Thanks!

                I'm not sure if that's the way I'll end up going, but it seems it would be cheaper than 2 Russounds.

                What's the most zones anyone has running with the multiple sound cards in one PC solution? I'd need at least 11.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Most folks like ceiling mounted speakers. (Stereo). I have one room with.
                  - Pete

                  Auto mator
                  Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb

                  HS4 Pro - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
                  HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11
                  X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

                  Comment

                    #10
                    I had 10 running at once...

                    I now have 3 (still need to run the wire for the other zones in my new home)

                    --Dan
                    Tasker, to a person who does Homeautomation...is like walking up to a Crack Treatment facility with a truck full of 3lb bags of crack. Then for each person that walks in and out smack them in the face with an open bag.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Originally posted by drozwood90 View Post
                      I had 10 running at once...

                      I now have 3 (still need to run the wire for the other zones in my new home)

                      --Dan
                      Gee Dan, you had to have a huge USB HUB just for those sound cards!
                      I might ask some details about your setup later. (How you switching the cards/zones and how you switching the source - music/announcements).

                      Cheers
                      Marty

                      Comment

                        #12
                        I'm curious as to how the multiple USB sound card solution would work. Let's say that I'm in one room reading and listening to music via the ceiling speakers. Now the "system" needs to make a whole house announcement. How do multi-zone announcements work with individual sound cards per zone?

                        Comment

                          #13
                          I'm curious as to how the multiple USB sound card solution would work. Let's say that I'm in one room reading and listening to music via the ceiling speakers. Now the "system" needs to make a whole house announcement. How do multi-zone announcements work with individual sound cards per zone?
                          I have three soundcards (one onboard, one pci slot and one usb soundcard).

                          Multi zone announcements (if using the speaker client) do work - however I notice a delay on mine and its they are not quite announced all together, usually one card is first - finishes speaking, then the next starts and when it stops the last card makes the announcement. That might just be a fault with my setup but I don't quite have them all say it together at once.

                          Comment

                          Previous template Next
                          Working...
                          X