Home audio/video setup: How to wire and what equipment do I need?

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Biggest drawback to the 'in-ceiling' speaker in every room is the only way I know to wire those in is to connect a single red/black set of cables from your AVR zone2 outputs to an speaker selector (like an ethernet switch for audio) but you lose stereo at that point and you can't select different audio sources for each room.

i'm also not sure if you can turn some of those speakers on or off using your phone or alexa or something or if you have to manually flip them on the speaker-selector thingie itself.

i'm sure tigerwise will be along shortly to tell me acshulllllly but i think you lose some flexilibity (and stereo capabilities) with those in-ceiling speakers.

There are a bizillion ways to do it but if you were my friend I’d tell you to buy two Onkyo receivers, a pair of speakers for the kitchen, another for rears in the main zone, and a HDMI splitter. You will need other misc parts but that’s the big parts. I’m assuming you have good WiFi in your home ?

Put a tx-nr585 (or higher ) in th main zone for 5.1 and run zone 2 to the kitchen speakers. I’d also put a volume knob in the kitchen, but it’s not necessary. Plug Fire TV into AVR. Gonna need an analog audio for zone 2 if you want TV audio to play there.

Use a tx-8260 (or higher) for the 4 speakers on the outside zone. Could also run volume knobs out there to especially if the stereo is in a remote location. You would also have to get the audio from the fire TV and send it to the stereo. Depending on the output of the Fire TV you have a few options.

Run HDMI to the displays from the cable box, you run HDMI to the AVR first in the main zone then the TV. You need to also run a right left RCA audio out the cable box to the AVR in the main zone and to the outside zone. Gonna need misc y splitters and RCAs.

Downloaded the Onkyo app and use. It will combined all the zones into one handy little app that is so easy to use CADs wife knows how to use it.

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Why do I need RCA outs from cable box if I’m running HDMI?

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This link may help. Basically, you can have:
Sound from HDMI in zone 1 with analog sound in zone 2
Sound from HDMI in both zones
And, of course, analog sound in Zone 1. This post seems to suggest that you can't do analog zone 1 with digital zone 2. Some receivers allow for this. Several Yamaha manual and official-type specs seem to say that there's nothing digital going to Zone 2 with the exception of HDMI on Zone 1. It definitely says there is no optical audio to Zone 2. I also saw somewhere else that USB/iPod won't play on Zone 2.

So when it comes to sources, if you want to be able to play from your set-top box (music channels?) while watching a different HDMI (like your Amazon cube) in Zone 1, you'll want analog from your cable box into the receiver.

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Sounds like there is no way to have ALL my speakers playing same audio source. Am I correct in that?

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That's actually the easiest- if you want to do this, just run:
1) Powered Zone 2 (speaker outputs) in to a 3-or-more pair stereo selector switch then to each speaker (with or without volume at each set of speakers)
This would likely be ideal for your receiver- your app can control Zone 2 volume from the powered outputs but not from the line-level ones
2) Line-level/RCA Zone 2 into either an external stereo amp then selector or line-level selector then 3 amps (which could be more stereo receivers) with or without volume control at each zone

This is where the "There are a bagillion ways to do this" comes from


Basically, if one digital and one analog source is enough for you, you don't need a receiver upgrade. But you will not be able to listen to HDMI sound in Zone 1 and Zone 2. Listening to the same thing everywhere makes it super easy, and your current setup would be fine (with some combination of speaker or line splitter/selectors)


There is essentially no way to listen to 4 different things with your current setup - you've never said you did want this, but I feel like it's important to mention anyway.

So, at most, how many different things would you like to listen to at the same time, and is there some way of making one of them come through analog and one digital? If the answers are "2" and "yes," you will not need a new receiver and don't necessarily need even an external amp, but you would have the option for it.

:eyeroll:

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Sounds much easier than a playbar, a connect and a few Sonos play 1s that can either all share the TV audio or play independent music..all controlled by Alexa dots and zero remotes.

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This will do more, sound better, look better, cost less, and do all the same functions as the Sonos. Plus you forgot about the two outside pair of speakers.

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if you decide the placement is wrong for a particular speaker.. Unplug it and move it.

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If done right the areas will be filled with sound. No need to move them.

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There is literally no installation outside of plugging them in...but then that's where tigerwise racks up the highest margins.

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You’ve showed your ignorance in here plenty enough. People want there shite to look clean and sound good. That’s probably why the OP requested no Sonos. Like I said earlier he can go with Sonos but it will cost more.


Have a nice day

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This will do more, sound better, look better, cost less, and do all the same functions as the Sonos. Plus you forgot about the two outside pair of speakers.

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exactly

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People want there shite to look clean and sound good. That’s probably why the OP requested no Sonos

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yep


I currently have a 3.1 w/ Infinity Beta 20s and 360c w/ a cheap JBL 10" sub. Plan on replacing the JBL with a HSU VTF-2 MK5. (eventually will upgrade the Infinitys) . What would you suggest as my surrounds?

Snagged some JBL SP8CII on slickdeals which I plan to use in the kitchen.

Currently have some Klipsch AW-650s and will be adding some Klipsch CDT-5800-C II for the porch. Is that amp you suggested gonna be enough to push it?

How do I use 2 receivers to push 1 audio signal to 11.1 speakers as you're suggesting? Won't a bunch of RCA splits degrade the audio?

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Is that amp you suggested gonna be enough to push it?

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Generally speaking, yes

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Won't a bunch of RCA splits degrade the audio?

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You just using splitters for for cable TV audio in kitchen zone and the outside zone. Still use HDMI for the main 5.1 zone.

You can do the audio with a three zone receiver. I use a Yamaha RX-A2000, which has three zones. You can select a different source for each zone or use party mode, which sends the same signal to all zones. That particular model has been replaced by a new one, but I'm sure the three zone capability is still there. Anyway, zone 1 can be up to a 7.1 surround. Zones 2 and 3 are stereo. You could split Zone 2 or 3 to power four speakers, but again it is just stereo signal. Plenty of power.

My Zone 2 is wired speakers out back at the pool and Zone 3 is a downstairs playroom. The whole system is controlled by either a remote control aimed at the receiver, or through the home wifi and the Yamaha app. Works flawlessly. It's nice to sit out by the pool and control the entire system using my iPhone.

The important part is that all speakers are wired through the walls and ceiling. I prefer wired speakers. I bought a box of heavy gauge speaker cable from Home Depot and ran the lines myself.

Pre-amps don’t have power.