Here is the problem.
I have a Samsung BD1250 HTIB (with Samsung TV) setup with proprietary/pin speaker outputs in my living room. It only has one HDMI port and no additional speaker outputs besides the ones above. Good sound system for the living room/TV room, but clearly limited as a receiver/amp.
I also have quality UNPOWERED old Bose and Affinity speakers and some good Yamaha outdoor speakers installed in other rooms in the house and outside. All three sets of additional speakers have wires running from speakers into the living room. (I just had some work done outside and in living room, so I had the whole thing wired -- now trying to figure out system).
Here is the catch:
Clearly, I can set up a multi-speaker (A/B) receiver to power the different areas. However, the goal is to have these additional speaker systems (even though wired) act as different ZONES and be able to mix and match zones through a streaming player. For example, I want to have our BD player running in the TV room for the kids while the adults are outside listening to iTunes or internet radio or Rhapsody (we live in NC, so the house is bigger than most -- 4800 s.f. -- and is mostly plaster walled).
My options(?):
a) Buy a Sonos system and two additional zones. Expensive, but very effective. Also would burn some serious juice as I would have to run a lot of ZonePlayer 120s.
b) Set up several Squeezebox zones with SB receivers. The question I have is how to get both power AND signal to the speakers. I can get the signal through $135 SB receivers, but how do I power up the three speaker pairs and still keep them separate? (This does NOT have to be a waterproof solution as everything comes through the living room.)
c) Buy a 3 zone receiver/amp system like a Yamaha/Sony at $2000 (3 amps embedded). Cool system, but lots of extra steps to get the zones working right on both SB receivers and the Yamaha. Also, the $2K is more than I want to spend.
I think a) is the best bet, but expensive.
Therefore, b) is probably the most affordable option, but I cannot get my head around how to power up the individual speaker pairs inexpensively and easily and use them as zones.
Or am I simply over-thinking this and there is a cheap/easy solution that I am missing altogether?
Thanks! A great forum!!
I have a Samsung BD1250 HTIB (with Samsung TV) setup with proprietary/pin speaker outputs in my living room. It only has one HDMI port and no additional speaker outputs besides the ones above. Good sound system for the living room/TV room, but clearly limited as a receiver/amp.
I also have quality UNPOWERED old Bose and Affinity speakers and some good Yamaha outdoor speakers installed in other rooms in the house and outside. All three sets of additional speakers have wires running from speakers into the living room. (I just had some work done outside and in living room, so I had the whole thing wired -- now trying to figure out system).
Here is the catch:
Clearly, I can set up a multi-speaker (A/B) receiver to power the different areas. However, the goal is to have these additional speaker systems (even though wired) act as different ZONES and be able to mix and match zones through a streaming player. For example, I want to have our BD player running in the TV room for the kids while the adults are outside listening to iTunes or internet radio or Rhapsody (we live in NC, so the house is bigger than most -- 4800 s.f. -- and is mostly plaster walled).
My options(?):
a) Buy a Sonos system and two additional zones. Expensive, but very effective. Also would burn some serious juice as I would have to run a lot of ZonePlayer 120s.
b) Set up several Squeezebox zones with SB receivers. The question I have is how to get both power AND signal to the speakers. I can get the signal through $135 SB receivers, but how do I power up the three speaker pairs and still keep them separate? (This does NOT have to be a waterproof solution as everything comes through the living room.)
c) Buy a 3 zone receiver/amp system like a Yamaha/Sony at $2000 (3 amps embedded). Cool system, but lots of extra steps to get the zones working right on both SB receivers and the Yamaha. Also, the $2K is more than I want to spend.
I think a) is the best bet, but expensive.
Therefore, b) is probably the most affordable option, but I cannot get my head around how to power up the individual speaker pairs inexpensively and easily and use them as zones.
Or am I simply over-thinking this and there is a cheap/easy solution that I am missing altogether?
Thanks! A great forum!!
