Setting up a Zone 2 with MX121

Snommisbor

New Member
I am trying to set up a Zone B through my MX121 HT Preamp. Until I can get more amps to drive the speakers in other parts of the house I wanted to utilize my Rotel RX-1052 Stereo Receiver. I read in the MX121 manual that the Zone 2 requires analog signals so if I want to listen to a CD through my BluRay I need to add some RCA out of the Oppo103 to the L/R in of the BD connection of the MX121. I also have a Phono which is of course analog as well.

So I then ran an RCA cable out of the Analog Audio Out Zone 2 section (the bottom right of the MX121) to the audio in of the RX-1052 (I did CD first but have tried other inputs as well) I figured it would be getting the signal from the Zone 2 out section of the MX121 and wouldn't know that it was not a CD but just a signal and should work. I am not getting any signal coming out of the RX-1052.

Am I hooking something up wrong or is it not possible to power a Zone 2 through a Rotel Receiver? I attached rear panel drawings so you can see what I was doing and if there is something else I should try.Screen Shot 2018-06-29 at 9.00.00 AM.png Screen Shot 2018-06-29 at 8.58.59 AM.png
 
You may have to turn the Zone 2 outputs on in the menu of the MX120. I'd pull out the OM and read up on it. No problem using the Rotel in this fashion.
 
I figured it out. When selecting the output for Zone 2 while it is still illuminated is when you turn the volume up.
 
I figured it out. When selecting the output for Zone 2 while it is still illuminated is when you turn the volume up.
My MX150 allows one to set a max volume. A good way to not overdrive the speakers. The irritating parts is it is analog signal requirements and not able to select digital. For a work around I took the RCA outs from the HT main L and R channel out and use the balanced outs to drive my monoblocks in my main system. The only drawback is you are then using the main volume to control the zone B. But I can at least use Tidal HiFi signal for zone B now and the McIntosh DAC in the MX150 that is way better than others I have available.
 
I use Zone 2 of my 151 to feed my analog recorders when not using the C-34. It was a necessary issue when my C-34 had to return to Audio Classics when the Graphic equalizer selector switch broke. I use the analog out puts from my 861 891, 7084, Laser disc player, DVD and CD recorder in addition to the digital ones. Fortunately a MX 150/151 can have as many inputs as input connections. That a bunch I think I'm up to 14. It can also feed the the remote speakers , too via a selector switch. MY turn table feeds the MP 100 which drives the C-34 with analog connections and the MX 151 via digital connection . Oh the C-34 either drives the L&R speakers directly or via the MX 151 if I want to play and make the Stereo signal either 3.0 or 7.0. I don't use sub woofers. I use to use analog with Airport Express but the sound was so compromised in the highs I switched to Digital. There is also Apple TV and Satellite that take more inputs.. I seriously considered a MX 121 and 122. But the large number of inputs and still having S and Video inputs sold me on the 151. Look at the money I saved buying a pre-owned one from Audio Classics.

I ran into an occurrence to day. I was listening to Mnzoil Brass from Austria via You tube and one selection the L&R channels were reversed. So unless I runs 75 ft of un balanced line from the Apple TV to the C-34 I can't reverse the channels on the MX 151. I really think the HT processors should have that option on the mode selector some how. It happens more often than not. I hate having to reconnect the analog cables on the out put of the 891 and use analog sound for movies.. Some times I have to do that with Laser discs, too.
 
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I use Zone 2 of my 151 to feed my analog recorders when not using the C-34. It was a necessary issue when my C-34 had to return to Audio Classics when the Graphic equalizer selector switch broke. I use the analog out puts from my 861 891, 7084, Laser disc player, DVD and CD recorder in addition to the digital ones. Fortunately a MX 150/151 can have as many inputs as input connections. That a bunch I think I'm up to 14. It can also feed the the remote speakers , too via a selector switch. MY turn table feeds the MP 100 which drives the C-34 with analog connections and the MX 151 via digital connection . Oh the C-34 either drives the L&R speakers directly or via the MX 151 if I want to play and make the Stereo signal either 3.0 or 7.0. I don't use sub woofers. I use to use analog with Airport Express but the sound was so compromised in the highs I switched to Digital. There is also Apple TV and Satellite that take more inputs.. I seriously considered a MX 121 and 122. But the large number of inputs and still having S and Video inputs sold me on the 151. Look at the money I saved buying a pre-owned one from Audio Classics.

I ran into an occurrence to day. I was listening to Mnzoil Brass from Austria via You tube and one selection the L&R channels were reversed. So unless I runs 75 ft of un balanced line from the Apple TV to the C-34 I can't reverse the channels on the MX 151. I really think the HT processors should have that option on the mode selector some how. It happens more often than not. I hate having to reconnect the analog cables on the out put of the 891 and use analog sound for movies.. Some times I have to do that with Laser discs, too.
So the channel reverse happens with the optical Toslink or an HDMI feed from your apple TV?
 
No it happens when someone produced the source in the original recording even the front speakers of the Pioneer plasma were reversed. I had one movie the other day where the rear channels were reversed, but that was easy just reverse the connections to the side speakers 10 seconds and reverse the signals to the electronic crossovers for the rear channels 30 seconds. If this happens again I guess I'll have to build some switch boxes. One box to switch the balanced outputs to the main speakers, another box to reverse the un balanced out puts to the side and other switch to reverse the unbalanced rear. This building boxes is getting old. I already have one that allows either C-34 or the MX 151 to drive the front L&R, another to select the record out of the C-34 or Zone 2 of the 151 to feed the recorders, and another box where the output of the 151 can feed the remote speakers by passing zone 2 of the C-34 output. Zone one feeds the headphones, and I may put a switch there, too some day. Thank heavens were are dealing with low impedance outputs. In the old days of tubes and un balanced circuits you could really have big issues switching loads using long cables that were un balanced. Back in the day circuits all had to be balanced and terminated to insure proper power transfer and to remove any possibility of oscillation,high frequency emphasis and introduction of noise. We have it simple today. So you guys with your C-20's, C-11. and original C-22's they are designed to be plugged into amps only with very short low capacitance cables...!!! Beware don't compromise the sound by using cheap cables or low impedance inputs with modern cassette or video recorders connected to the tape outputs for you will compromise any old sources and your phono section as there are no buffers to protect the sound quality!!! USing a low impedance EQ connected between the tape out and the tape monitor in can mess things up, too..
 
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