- Different Types of Listening for Different Types of Rooms
- Controlling the System
- Choosing Auxiliary Speakers
- Option 1: Secondary Speaker Outputs
- Option 2: Speaker Selector
- Option 3: Multi-Zone A/V Receiver
- Option 4: Multi-Source Preamplifier and Distribution Amplifier
- Option 5: Digital Media Server
- Option 6: Network Media Hub
- Tip Sheet
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Option 1: Secondary Speaker Outputs
The simplest way to create a multi-room audio system is to use the secondary ("B") speaker outputs found on many stereo and audio/video receivers. These outputs feed the currently selected source to both your main ("A") speakers and the secondary speakers installed in another room.
This type of system offers some advantages:
Easy setup. Just run speaker cables from your receiver to a set of speakers in another room.
Inexpensive. All you need is an extra set of speakers and some speaker wire.
But this type of system isn't very flexible. Here are the disadvantages:
Limited to one auxiliary room. It's not really a whole-house system.
You can't split sources. That is, you have to listen to the same music in the auxiliary room as in your main listening room—both "A" and "B" speaker outputs receive the same signal.
Not a lot of power. When you connect two sets of speakers to a single amplifier, you split the power, which reduces the power to both your main and auxiliary listening rooms.
In short, you should only consider this type of system if you need sound in just two rooms, and don't require fancy switching options.