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    whole house audio

    Hi, im currently building a house, i want to design the whole house audio system,what options do i have that i can control music for 5 zones, sync some of the zones of all of them for party mode,choose different music from my library for every zone, use my touchscreen running HSTOUCH to control the whole system?

    What are my options (apart of russound or nuvo), thanks.

    #2
    I used to be into audio many years ago always buying newest, most feature laden etc that existed.

    I would say if you are an audio aficionado go with the "state of the art" independant zoned/amplified and RS-232/Network controllable system out there (you mentioned Russound and Nuvo). These can be controlled via HS without the use of their zoned keypads and with a touchscreen. There are many more. I am not sure but the oldest and most established will stay put in this economy.

    You can use HSTOUCH to control an HS based audio system whether it be on a wireless tablet or mounted in a wall. I currently have a TS in the garage and stream music and audio to the device all the time. I have an independant audio amplifier connected to the TS PC in the garage.

    Personally I have 8 audio zones set up with HS using a "legacy" AB8SS. You can't buy an AB8SS new today but may be able to buy a used one. I did a quick Google search and there is one company out there making a similar "speaker" switcher controllable via RS-232 but I don't believe there is any HS software for it. The primary sources are HS and my current MM reciever (which only has 2 zones and is "old"). The HS server primary uses TTS across to these zones. I have configured the ability to stream internet audio and music to same said zones.

    In 6 of the zones; IE: Master Bedroom, childrens bedrooms (2), garage, family room and study I have installed independant sound sources. Just a simple AB switch to switch from internal to external audio. In the master bedroom the sound is further subdivided to two zones (master bedroom and master bathroom). I also have multiple independant audio sources here. Another MM receiver and networked media player. In my kids bedrooms there are secondary MM receivers so that they can leave it to the "house" sources audio or play whatever they want on their MM receivers. As the system evolves may migrate the audio only pieces to a more robust zoned whole house system. Currently now though just looking to upgrade my "legacy" main MM receiver to something which will utilize HDMI (and have upconversion) and may still have only two zones.....
    - Pete

    Auto mator
    Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
    Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
    HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

    HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - 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

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      #3
      There aer also people doing multiple soundcard setups, amping each sound card and having HS control it, and using some sort of interface for local control of volume/on/off/etc (upb, x10 stick-a-switch, etc).

      Pete,
      mind sharing those results of the google search? I know there are some people on the board trying to make a HS controllable speaker switch, if you found an ab8ss "like" device, maybe it would avoid them reinventing the wheel.

      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.

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        #4
        Not really an AB8SS but somewhat similiar and RS-232 control.

        http://www.burstelectronics.com/as8x8.htm
        - Pete

        Auto mator
        Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
        Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
        HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

        HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - 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

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          #5
          For the price of the video and audo burst electronic devices, you could buy a B&K whole house 8 zone amp.

          StevenE
          Why oh why didn't I just leave things alone, they had been working.

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            #6
            Kind on a tangent but found my old receipt for the AB8SS which I purchased in August of 2003. It was originally $159.00 plus $10 shipping.
            It was a reasonable price for what it does.

            Here's an "old" circa 2006 AV Distribution Matrix comparison -

            http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/archi.../t-770585.html
            - Pete

            Auto mator
            Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
            Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
            HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

            HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - 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


              #7
              You may want to take a look at SONOS. I haven't integrated with hstouch but it has a great ipod touch app, there are a couple of homeseer plugins and web based controller. Can be hardwired to the network and can be extended easily using it's own wireless mesh. Excellent multizone audio solution. Very cool new S5 model which has been getting good reports on their forums.

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