kitchen in-ceiling (recessed) solution

[teoman73]

Hi all,

We're planning a refurbishment of our kitchen.

Was wondering if anyone can provide some idea/solution for fitting in-ceiling speakers Music is streamed wireless via my NAS and controlled via my Andriod or Ipad?

Also.. we have a hi-fi in our living room (vinyl + CD player). Is it possible to stream the audio from my amp over to the kitchen speakers, if possible?

Thanks

 

[Arcam_boy]

Depending on what amp you have you may have a 'Zone 2' which will allow you to switch to a separate 'zone' i.e the kitchen and power the speakers that way. However you'd need to run some speaker cable from your amp in the lounge to the speakers in the kitchen.

Another option, which I'd personally go for, would be to buy a Sonos Connect Amp (used to be called a ZP100 or ZP120) which will connect your NAS/Spotify/iTunes etc and also power a set of in-ceiling speakers.

Another third option which will be much easier to install and sound easily as good, unless you're buying high end in-ceiling speakers, is to buy a Sonos Play 3 or 5 and have that on the wall in the kitchen. Again it'll work with your NAS/Spotify etc. We have a play 5 and it sounds very good indeed for what it is.

 

[BlueWizard]

The SONOS Connect:Amp is both a streaming device and amplifier in one.

The SONOS Play 3 and 5 are self-contained unit - Streaming, Amps, and Speakers all in one unit.

Both these units can be controlled with a Smart Device (phone, pad, tablet, etc...).

There are currently a wide range of streaming products available, some cheap, some expensive, some with amps, some without. SONOS, if you like the style, are well regarded and reasonably priced, and if my Internet connection would straighten out, I would verify that they also have Wireless Network capability.

Sonos CONNECT:AMP Wireless HiFi Player

Sonos Bridge Wireless HiFi System

Sonos Play:3 Wireless HiFi Player

Sonos Play:5 Wireless HiFi Player

Sonos Wireless Music Systems, HiFi Players, Controllers, Speakers & Accessories

If this style doesn't appeal to you, there are other brands to consider.

As to in-ceiling speakers, there are several to choose from, but you need to consider the quality you want and need. You want reasonably full range speakers.

Next, in-ceiling speakers and more importantly their wires do not magically appear in the walls and ceiling. To get the wiring in, that typically means tearing up the walls and ceiling. Not a problem if you are already remodeling, but a mess if you are not.

There are places that specialize in In-Wall/In-Ceiling speaker. Though I don't know of any specifically; I tend to run cross them randomly while searching for something else.

However. HIFIGear has a very good selection of In-Wall/In-Ceiling speakers -

Best In Ceiling Speakers | In Wall Speakers | Flat Speakers | Hifi Gear

Though many of the speaker makers like B&W, Monitor Audio, Tannoy also have In-Wall/In-Ceiling speakers, SPEAKERCRAFT is a large international manufacturer of this type of speaker, and have the longest list and widest range found at HiFiGear -

Best In Ceiling Speakers | In Wall Speakers | Flat Speakers | Hifi Gear

As a general guide rule - You get what you pay for.

Steve/bluewizard

 

[teoman73]

Would this work?

Sonos Connect to my Hi-fi Rega amp (living room)
Sonos PLAY-3 speakers in my kitchen (as opposed to in-ceiling speakers)

My NAS (digital music) has an ethernet cable wired to the router directly.

Thus, am I able to stream my NAS music to the kitchen & hi-fi system?

Do I need to purchase a Sonos Bridge? assumption Sonos Connect & PLAY-3 can communicate with each other via the router wireless?

 

[BlueWizard]

The Sonos Bridge allows for WIRELESS Networking -

Sonos Bridge Wireless HiFi System

• Connect to a router to set up your Sonos wireless network
• Sonos music players can go anywhere and work wirelessly
• Perfect for homes with less accessible routers
• Extend the range of your existing network

The Bridge only costs £39, it might be worth it. Though if you have wired Network connections to your main system and into the kitchen fo the Play-W, then not much point in the Bridge. Still, if you can't run cables from your router to the respective locations, wireless is a good option for a very modest £39.

But, in general, yes, a non-Amp Sonos Connect on your main system and the Play-3 in the kitchen should get the job done. The Play-3 is reasonably compact and I suspect it could be placed on a shelf and potentially mounted on the wall. One in place, you really don't have to fiddle with it, everything is controlled with the Smart Device App.

Sonos Wireless Music Systems, HiFi Players, Controllers, Speakers & Accessories

The most versatile wireless speaker

• Three custom-designed drivers with dedicated amplifiers
• Stream your entire music library, popular music services, and internet radio
• Start with one, add more over time to fill your home with music
• Simple to set-up; control from anywhere with your smartphone, tablet or PC/Mac
• With the SONOS BRIDGE, Sonos music players can go anywhere and work wirelessly.

Keep in mind at the link above, for £298, the Play-3 system come with a Bridge. Though the Play-3 can alos be used wired if that suits you. In that case, the Play-3 is about £260 without the Bridge.

There is a video on this page demonstrating the Play-3 system.

Sonos Play:3 Wireless HiFi Player

Scroll down to see the video.

There is another video on this page, focusing more on the Bridge. This video covers a lot of the products, so well worth watching -

Sonos Bridge Wireless HiFi System

For what it is worth.

Steve/buewizard

 

[teoman73]

Ah ok.. I assume the PLAY 3 and the SONOS Connect would have wireless capabilities which can be connected to the router directly..

That means I need to buy the BRIDGE and wire that to my router? In order for the SONOS devices to talk to the router and have access to my music via NAS?

 

[BlueWizard]

The devices can be direct hard wired to the Router.

As to the wireless aspect, I'm not sure. I assume what you are saying is that your existing Router is already wireless. But, though I can say with certainty, the wireless transmission between SONOS devices might be proprietary. You would have to ask the dealer about that.

But assuming the wireless aspect is NOT proprietary, then if your router has wireless capability, that should be enough.

Again, you would have to contact SONOS or speak with a knowledgeable dealer.

If you need the Bridge, then I think one Bridge can serve many devices all over the house, each remote device still able to operate independently. Connect the Bridge to the Router and that's all you need.

Again, as to whether this will work with your own standard wireless Router, I can't say. You could perhaps download the manual for the PLAY devices and see if it says whether standard wireless networking is all you need.

It is even possible that each Bridge is a wireless receiver for each device. So, your routers standard wireless transmission communicates with the Bridge Receivers on each device. Again, I don't have enough experience to say specifically how this works, but you should be able to find out.

There is a forum specifically for Audio Streaming. You will certainly find people there with more direct experience. It might be worthwhile to post there with a link to this thread. Perhaps they can answer your question -

Streamers & Network Music Players | AVForums

Sorry, I can't really help you on this specific issue.

Steve/bluewizard