Whole-House Analog Solution?

[rave0035]

Closing on a new house in a few weeks. We're pumped, and I can't wait to start shopping for new gear and getting the house wired for audio

There seem to be a lot of good, affordable whole-house solutions out there these days if you're looking to run a distribution amp or a multi-room wireless setup. My situation is a little different:

- I like to run independent systems in most rooms (amp + speakers +TTs)
- The whole house will share a single analog source (SONOS Connect)

What's the best way to get an analog source (from the SONOS) to multiple rooms in the house? A line-level distribution solution, or do I need to do some A/D conversion to run CAT5?

Thanks, smarties!
Mike

 

[rocknroll1]

whats the budget, how many rooms and do you really need a TT in every room. Is the a crawl space or attic?

 

[rwartner]

I would centralize the system. For instance 3 amps together. Then run speaker wires or wireless to satellite speakers. AudioEngineUSA has wireless solutions. I do both. 2 amps together for living room and office. Beam wireless to bedroom which has receiver and speakers. All three rooms are playing from one computer. You would need one TT.

 

[Grenadeslio]

The whole house system as mentioned above can be placed centrally with speaker wire run to each rm, maybe ceiling speakers, though I prefer in-wall to ceiling. Then using either impedence matching volume controls in each rm (my preferred method) or a Niles speaker selector with gain control you have a simple whole house setup apart from your dedicated systems.

 

[rwartner]

I would connect 3 amps together. TapeRec (output) to Aux (input). Connect TT or other players to first amp via phono, aux inputs. (not tape input). Then all amps will hear. Then connect speakers one pair to each amp. They will play same music. Make sure to turn down all volume controls first.

 

[heyraz]

You can do Sonos over Wi-Fi or run CAT 5/6 from a switch.
Me...I have a Sonos connect via CAT 5 to my router and a Sonos 5 speaker on the WiFi.
They both run fine without a glitch.

Try simple first, you can always do complicated later. Try it over WiFi.

 

[rave0035]

whats the budget, how many rooms and do you really need a TT in every room. Is the a crawl space or attic?

Thanks! Don't need a TT in every room - really I'll likely only run one (my PL-530). I just like different amp / speaker combos in each room, and I like them to be part of the room (i.e. not hidden in a crawl space). That's why I'm thinking about this overly complicated approach... otherwise I would just get something like this and call it a day!

I would connect 3 amps together. TapeRec (output) to Aux (input). Connect TT or other players to first amp via phono, aux inputs. (not tape input). Then all amps will hear. Then connect speakers one pair to each amp. They will play same music. Make sure to turn down all volume controls first.

Thanks! This is how I'm running today at my place. Seems like a simple solution - might be the best. The only limitation is that it gets more complicated to add or change down the road since everything is daisy-chained.

Anyone have any experience with something like this? I'm weary of adding un-necessary components to the signal chain, but something like this in my mechanical room next to router / Sonos would allow for lots of flexibility:

https://www.amazon.com/Shinybow-1x4-Splitter-Distribution-Amplifier/dp/B001IRTAD2

Mike

 

[cpt_paranoia]

The whole house will share a single analog source (SONOS Connect)

If you're using Sonos, why not keep the distribution in the digital domain?

 

[rave0035]

All my amps were all built in the 60's and 70's, so the conversion has to occur somewhere! Distributing an analog signal seems more cost effective than having A/D solutions at each system, but I also know there are limitations to many / long runs at line level.

Mike

 

[cpt_paranoia]

So what is the Sonos for?

 

[rave0035]

Music.

 

[heyraz]

So what is the Sonos for?

The Sonos Connect has both analog inputs and outputs.
You can feed the Sonos Connect an analog signal, send it over the Wi-Fi to another Sonos Connect hooked up to another receiver in another room. The source from one system becomes available to every room with a Connect.
Downside is the Connect is around $350.

 

[rave0035]

I use it the other way - as a WiFi streaming source with a built-in A/D box. The Sonos app is fantastic and the hardware works great. I know that you can do multiple zones with other Sonos products... I just don't really have the need for multi-source audio. Just multiple 'zones' that can be fed the same signal, and controlled independently via in-room amps.

 

[sKiZo]

Do you need speakers in every room? I hit the big uns here and the others get plenty of crossover from those for ambient background type music. I use my Sansui QRX-9001 to drive the whole house. For wire, I used Belden's "zero oxy" round in-wall cable as that's easy to fish thru the walls and has additional shielding to protect your signal from stray interference from major appliances and such. If you do need to gang speakers together, there's handy dandy "impedance load leveling" controls that show all speakers and amps the same ohms. Wall mounts are especially handy for volume in individual rooms.

 

[cpt_paranoia]

Music

Not a very helpful reply...

I use it the other way - as a WiFi streaming source with a built-in A/D box.

A more helpful reply. So you have a digital source (which is what? commercial streaming, or your own media library?) and your Sonos is acting as a digital renderer.

I'd still suggest using a digital distribution, and wireless digital renderers for each end point. Sticking with Sonos would be eye-wateringly expensive, but there are plenty of more reasonably priced alternatives. See the Digital Sources subforum for plenty of suggestions.

 

[cpt_paranoia]

The Sonos Connect has

I know what a Sonos system is. I was trying to ascertain the manner in which the OP is using his.

 

[rave0035]

I'd still suggest using a digital distribution, and wireless digital renderers for each end point. Sticking with Sonos would be eye-wateringly expensive, but there are plenty of more reasonably priced alternatives. See the Digital Sources subforum for plenty of suggestions.

Thanks for weighing in. Why do you recommend this option? I already own the Sonos Connect (which I am very happy with), and the price of running some cable seems like a much more cost effective option for what I'm trying to do. What am I missing?

 

[cpt_paranoia]

If it's just your digital source that you wish to distribute, then a set of wireless renderers at each end point will be a lot neater and easier to install. Considering the cost of decent shielded cable, and the cost of something like an RPi renderer (easily less than £100), a digital solution could be cheaper. As well as less disruptive, and more versatile in terms of position, and less prone to interference. It will also allow you to stream different music to each room, simultaneously.

If you want to send any analogue source to any end point, then a wired solution and a crosspoint switch may be what you want.

 

[Bill Ferris]

Well rave0035, here is my method of 6 room analog signal distribution that has performed flawlessly with excellent signal quality
I have a master A/V rack in the living room, and instead of having each room with tuners, CD players, etc. those signal sources are at/in the main rack and switched via my Mac C 37 preamp..
I use Cat. 6E for all my analog signal feeds using 1 active splitter/distribution perfefectly flat 20Hz ~ 20KHz electronic balun amplifier to passive baluns in each room, with no hum/noise or ground loop issues, whether the fed room`s audio systems used grounded power cords or not(the master living room rack is very well grounded.

The Cat cable used is not shielded(Belden Media Twist)and was chosen for HQ(high bandwidth) for 1080P HDMI video performance, since, I not only was feeding a stereo(L/R feed to each room, I was also going to feed 4 separate channels of video, to them as well, but that`s a whole different signal distribution subject.
Anyway I found the choice of using "etslan.com" products for my analog audio/regular analog video(composite, S-Video, Component(RGB) Cat-5/6/7 rated needs to have been an excellent choice over these 10+ years of use.

I had to pay my long time A/V dealer to run all the Cat feeds for me, as I`m left side partially paralyzed, and would not have been able to do it myself in the attic, though I knew how to.
And I, after the installers finished running/mounting/terminating the RJ 45 wall jacks & real world performance certifying the installation, I made all the connections at each location + checked out the proper functioning/performance of the circuit.

I figured out what I would need at both the signal feeding rack, and each room in the way of RJ 45 wall plates/jacks. Ethernet cable jumpers/patch cords, and baluns + audio interconnect patch cords, etc. at each location.

I have never had any RFI/EMI/noise, or interference from any source, whether originating in house, or external to it, in the past 10+ years, (and would go the same route/products today) of use, and consider the money and time spent doing it to be an excellent ,zero problem/issues, investment.

Good luck on whatever method you choose Sir.
Kind regards, Billy "Ferrous Oxide"

 

[twiiii]

First. you have to decide which areas are going to originate sound for the system and which areas are just going to monitor. I use the record out select to choose the source of the systems to originate the signal with a buffer amps the that can originate a source. Then I use the input selector of all the different areas to monitor the 3 different remote sources. I was lucky in that I had no hum issues do to ground loops, but if you do it would be ideal if your buffer amps had balanced outputs and the receiving units had balanced inputs.. Centralizing makes it easier, but like you I prefer totally. separate systems for each room or area. Stereo system, Master bedroom system, HT system, Outdoor system, Office system, and general system. HT, Stereo and Office system are the main source systems with the other areas monitoring those 3. A computers has taken over the Office and Former kitchen areas.