Whole home audio recommendations??

[l.todd]

I am about to have a major remodeling of my home. I currently have 2 separate audio systems to provide multi-room music. An outdoor system set up on a very basic Kenwood that supplies a sunroom and then 3 pairs or outdoor speakers in my pool/entertainment area. I use a roku and TV to stream Pandora or Spotify. It is all wired. Then a second multi-room receiver (Breathe Audio) that powers my bedroom, kitchen, a den (that is going away) and my bathroom. Again, this is supplied by an Amazon device to stream Pandora of Spootify. Because they are separate devices, they do not stream the same music at the same time. Neither of these receivers has HDMI. The Kenwood is RCA jack, and although the Breathe one could use optical, I use RCA jacks for it as well. I don't need critical audio in either area, more background music for parties, etc.

I plan on keeping all 8 pairs of speakers and possibly add 2 more, one for a dining room and one for a living room. I'd like to get all 8 pairs and the 2 new ones on the same page. I suspect I will have to go wireless with the 2 new ones, but maybe not.

Any ideas as to how to incorporate something like Sonos or something else to get all 8 pairs and the 2 new ones synchronized? Will it be an issue with lag at all if some speakers in the house are wired and others are wireless? If I had one Sonos receiver inside, would I need a second one for the outside, and have them playing the same thing?

 

[Funky Bunch]

I don't know if Roku or Amazon have something similar, but Google Home allows me to add devices to a Speaker Group and all the speakers play in sync. But they all are google devices. My outdoor speakers have a Chromecast Audio (this is discontinued but one of my greatest $30 purchases ever) that streams Spotify. If I had a bunch of these connected throughout the house, I think it would do what you're asking. I do have other Google Homes and Minis around the house that do this but it's not having real speakers.

 

[l.todd]

I don't know if Roku or Amazon have something similar, but Google Home allows me to add devices to a Speaker Group and all the speakers play in sync. But they all are google devices. My outdoor speakers have a Chromecast Audio (this is discontinued but one of my greatest $30 purchases ever) that streams Spotify. If I had a bunch of these connected throughout the house, I think it would do what you're asking. I do have other Google Homes and Minis around the house that do this but it's not having real speakers.

That makes sense. Maybe Google has something that I could use and then connect it to the same receivers, and use a couple of their speakers for the wireless. Been thinking that as part or the remodel, may just do an entire smart house with Google.

 

[red/green hawk]

One word...Crutchfield.

 

[Funky Bunch]

That makes sense. Maybe Google has something that I could use and then connect it to the same receivers, and use a couple of their speakers for the wireless. Been thinking that as part or the remodel, may just do an entire smart house with Google.

I also have Nest Wifi. The access points for those are also speakers and they can be put in the speaker group. They sound isn't bad on those and the Homes. It works for me, but I'm not really an audiophile

 

[bagdropper]

You'll laugh, but this is what I use.

If both receivers have an FM tuner, go with a CCrane FM2 transmitter. With a very simple DIY mod (turning up the gain pot inside the unit to max, instructions galore how to do it on YT etc, takes 5 minutes at most), if I can find an open frequency locally that has no interference from nearby stations, I get fairly reliable stereo reception up to roughly 75 feet and sometimes even longer.

Just hook it into a laptop/cell phone etc (or get a cord from where ever that goes composite to phone jack female), and voila. Just have to adjust/balance the input gain on the CCrane with the output volume of whatever device you use as a source (keep the peak light in the green, red means your sound will clip), sounds pretty damn good for what it is.

Been using this for years across 3 rooms and an outdoor shed/garage receiver. One source and no lag whatsoever to 4 receivers - from good ol' fashioned FM radio. $70 plus taxes etc. About the only difficulty is finding the sweet spot to have the source at. Higher is better (6 foot phone jack input cord, and there is an AC power included but runs on 2 AA batteries too), between the two receivers in your case would be best.

It was an inexpensive, easy solution. Not perfect, but nothing inexpensive is really for what you want to do. There are some other transmitters out there with a LOT more power (basically illegal output up to a couple miles) but those are much more expensive.

 

[l.todd]

I also have Nest Wifi. The access points for those are also speakers and they can be put in the speaker group. They sound isn't bad on those and the Homes. It works for me, but I'm not really an audiophile

I have Nest as well. Should take a look at their other products. Thanks.

 

[l.todd]

You'll laugh, but this is what I use.

If both receivers have an FM tuner, go with a CCrane FM2 transmitter. With a very simple DIY mod (turning up the gain pot inside the unit to max, instructions galore how to do it on YT etc, takes 5 minutes at most), if I can find an open frequency locally that has no interference from nearby stations, I get fairly reliable stereo reception up to roughly 75 feet and sometimes even longer.

Just hook it into a laptop/cell phone etc (or get a cord from where ever that goes composite to phone jack female), and voila. Just have to adjust/balance the input gain on the CCrane with the output volume of whatever device you use as a source (keep the peak light in the green, red means your sound will clip), sounds pretty damn good for what it is.

Been using this for years across 3 rooms and an outdoor shed/garage receiver. One source and no lag whatsoever to 4 receivers - from good ol' fashioned FM radio. $70 plus taxes etc. About the only difficulty is finding the sweet spot to have the source at. Higher is better (6 foot phone jack input cord, and there is an AC power included but runs on 2 AA batteries too), between the two receivers in your case would be best.

It was an inexpensive, easy solution. Not perfect, but nothing inexpensive is really for what you want to do. There are some other transmitters out there with a LOT more power (basically illegal output up to a couple miles) but those are much more expensive.

That is amazing. Not sure I cold figure it all out, but that is very clever.

 

[UNIowaHawk]

Skip the built in is my opinion. I finished our basement (all by myself thank you very much) and since I had a blank slate I decided to install the speakers in our ceilings and walls. Sure they are great for watching movies and things, but they don't provide much more than a sound bar. Granted, I am not an audiophile, but it was a waste of money and when we move I can't take them with. I would just go with a Sonos (or something) in each room.

 

[longliveCS40]

I would buy this:

Monoprice 6-Zone Home Audio Multizone Controller and Amplifier Kit, NO LOGO - Monoprice.com

Distribute and control music and other audio material to up to six stereo speaker zones using this 6‑Zone Home Audio Multizone Controller and Amplifier. This multizone control

www.monoprice.com

It's 6 zones and you have 8 pair of speakers so you would need to have 4 speakers running from one zone (maybe 4 of the speakers by your pool) and then the rest of the pairs would have their own zone (allowing separate volume control and to play their own source)

The amplifier is 4 ohm stable so for the 4 speakers you decided to run together, you would just wire them in parallel (+ of each speaker wired to each other and then to amp and same for -)

You would connect your ROKU to one of the inputs and could then play it on 1 or all zones. You could add additional sources like a receiver to do FM, etc.

I've messed with different DIY methods, and while they work, this makes it much more simplistic and is hard to beat for the cost.

 

[l.todd]

Skip the built in is my opinion. I finished our basement (all by myself thank you very much) and since I had a blank slate I decided to install the speakers in our ceilings and walls. Sure they are great for watching movies and things, but they don't provide much more than a sound bar. Granted, I am not an audiophile, but it was a waste of money and when we move I can't take them with. I would just go with a Sonos (or something) in each room.

I already have a number of wired options already in place, particularly outside. In the new areas, I am thinking wireless, but would like to have everything connected to the same source.

 

[l.todd]

I would buy this:

Monoprice 6-Zone Home Audio Multizone Controller and Amplifier Kit, NO LOGO - Monoprice.com

Distribute and control music and other audio material to up to six stereo speaker zones using this 6‑Zone Home Audio Multizone Controller and Amplifier. This multizone control

www.monoprice.com

It's 6 zones and you have 8 pair of speakers so you would need to have 4 speakers running from one zone (maybe 4 of the speakers by your pool) and then the rest of the pairs would have their own zone (allowing separate volume control and to play their own source)

The amplifier is 4 ohm stable so for the 4 speakers you decided to run together, you would just wire them in parallel (+ of each speaker wired to each other and then to amp and same for -)

You would connect your ROKU to one of the inputs and could then play it on 1 or all zones. You could add additional sources like a receiver to do FM, etc.

I've messed with different DIY methods, and while they work, this makes it much more simplistic and is hard to beat for the cost.

I looked at that. I will need probably 10 pairs altogether. And would like the same source for all of them, so they can all be playing the same thing. Worried a little about lag in rooms next to each other that may have wired vs wireless.

 

[bagdropper]

That is amazing. Not sure I cold figure it all out, but that is very clever.

Pretty simple all things considered.

Laptop, PC or cell phone. Files or stream from them. Plug in FM2 to whatever, play music etc. Power on FM2, dial in volume and input level, peak them just before peak light goes into red, turn on FM radio(s).

The mod to the unit really is simple.

VR2 pot modification explained

 

[longliveCS40]

I looked at that. I will need probably 10 pairs altogether. And would like the same source for all of them, so they can all be playing the same thing. Worried a little about lag in rooms next to each other that may have wired vs wireless.

That Monoprice controller allows you to play the same source in all zones simultaneously. There would likely be latency between wired and wireless speakers leading to echo. I'd personally go with wired since you already have a number of wired speakers.

You could wire up to 12 pairs of speakers to that but you are limited to 6 zones. So the speakers you wire together would have the same source playing and the same volume level.

Sonos, to me, is far too expensive for what you get. Better sound and far cheaper to do a wired solution if you are doing the work yourself.

 

[IAFB2021Champs]

That makes sense. Maybe Google has something that I could use and then connect it to the same receivers, and use a couple of their speakers for the wireless. Been thinking that as part or the remodel, may just do an entire smart house with Google.

You can also do this with Amazon and Alexa if you have multiple Alexa’s. Just group them or play all of them at the same time.
Something else I’ve done before with only one receiver is wire multiple rooms to it and just put a volume knob in each of the rooms. You’ll be able to play music to ever room and if you don’t want it playing in a particular room just turn it down.

 

[83Hawk]

You'll laugh, but this is what I use.

If both receivers have an FM tuner, go with a CCrane FM2 transmitter. With a very simple DIY mod (turning up the gain pot inside the unit to max, instructions galore how to do it on YT etc, takes 5 minutes at most), if I can find an open frequency locally that has no interference from nearby stations, I get fairly reliable stereo reception up to roughly 75 feet and sometimes even longer.

Just hook it into a laptop/cell phone etc (or get a cord from where ever that goes composite to phone jack female), and voila. Just have to adjust/balance the input gain on the CCrane with the output volume of whatever device you use as a source (keep the peak light in the green, red means your sound will clip), sounds pretty damn good for what it is.

Been using this for years across 3 rooms and an outdoor shed/garage receiver. One source and no lag whatsoever to 4 receivers - from good ol' fashioned FM radio. $70 plus taxes etc. About the only difficulty is finding the sweet spot to have the source at. Higher is better (6 foot phone jack input cord, and there is an AC power included but runs on 2 AA batteries too), between the two receivers in your case would be best.

It was an inexpensive, easy solution. Not perfect, but nothing inexpensive is really for what you want to do. There are some other transmitters out there with a LOT more power (basically illegal output up to a couple miles) but those are much more expensive.

I have something similar. Older model (different brand than yours), the type that realtors used a lot in the homes they had for sale. Set it to whichever FM frequency you wanted, and it broadcasts over the entire property.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

If you were starting from scratch and were only talking about streaming music not home theater, I don't think I'd do the built-ins. If you have a lot of money I'd go Sonos because their sound quality beats everything else that I'm talking about for wireless. If you have a bit less money but have Apple devices I'd seriously consider buying several homepod minis and deploying them for inside the house. Inside of one room you can pair two together for stereo sound. Otherwise you can have music playing on all of them simultaneously as you walk around the house. Then for outside by the pool I'd leave your weatherproof outside speakers and hook up an AppleTV to the indoor receiver that is powering them so that you can use Siri from any apple device to control them for streaming audio. You could do something similar with Google or Amazon devices too. But from what I've seen and heard the Apple homepod sound quality blows them away.

Since you're not starting from scratch, the FM transmitter may be your best option if you want the same audio playing from both receivers simultaneously. Two problems I can see. First, FM quality is decent but not amazing. Second, you'll have to figure out a method for controlling your streaming computer remotely since you're going to want to change music without being in front of that computer.