Question Advice on setting up wired audio throughout my home ?

[esnrhtx]

[Note: Moderator edit to break up single paragraph of text.]

I am getting older and I tend to forget a lot of things. I was very good with tech stuff but some things have happened over the last few years that have degraded these once great abilities and I miss certain and sometimes important information.

I need some help/advice on setting up 8 zones in my house with 2 speakers per zone. It doesn't need to be crazy expensive or super loud. I prefer NOT to have a push button A/B type switch to change zones. I want everything to be wired as I'm not a fan of wireless at all.

I want it to be of fair to good quality but again not crazy expensive. I was wanting to do either ceiling 2 or 3 way speakers or possibly even wall speakers. I think the hardest part for me to understand is what I will need to drive and select these zones while keeping things safe and not hot.

I see all these different brands but don't know what is good or not good. I want to be able to stream, so a network capable receiver would be wanted but I would also like to be able to use other inputs. I also have a big selection of songs on my PC, so I guess DLNA or whatever it's called would be good or I could just run wires from it too.

I'm a huge fan of Yamaha's Aventage and Marantz receivers but I would imagine I would need some other type of amplifier for zone distribution. I also imagine that you would be able to select the zones you want on, maybe with a remote or something other than a push button A/B type switch. I think they look so cheap.

Would this be the place for a matching impedance know or controller for each room or zone? Like I said, I can't remember a lot of things or terms and I'm sorry if I get them wrong but maybe someone could help me understand how to do this and do it correctly.

I want a nice comforting sound, not really loud with low distortion. Something where you could just close your eyes and take it all in. Not to say that sometimes throwing on some Metallica and cranking it a bit wouldn't happen. I even like the hidden wall speakers made by sonos or sonance, even though they're pricey.

They wouldn't be bad in rooms where you'd prefer them not to show. I would also imagine that you would want speakers close to the same specs (same specs preferred) in each zone so that everything will just about match perfectly.

I would prefer some input on this from someone that has this type of experience as I would need the guidance on what I should buy and what I should stay away from. I know everyone has their preferences, favorites and not so favorites. Just some good information will suit me just fine.

Mainly ideas on how to do it. I get it, I can just get a bunch of wireless things like Alexa and so on but I really don't want that. This can be rack mounted also. I would prefer it that way so it's out of the way.

When you use the rack mount ones, do they have like IR receivers that you put in the different zones for control?

I know it's a lot of questions but I know y'all are tech people and like to help other out. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks for listening to me ramble on. Have a great day and a Merry Christmas!

 

[Ralston18]

Although audio connections are generally low voltage ( less than 50 volts) some areas require permits and licensing to install such systems.

Mainly because many self/home-installers performed work that was substandard and/or created other dangerous situations such as running audio cables along side power cables etc..

Depending on where you live (not asking) I recommend that you contact the applicable permitting offices regarding the need for licensing, permits, and inspections.

If you fail to do so and something goes wrong then your home owner insurance may not cover the damages.

I am "degrading" as well and becoming much more leery about doing things that I could easily do in past years.

What that has led me to is being very careful about who I hire to do necessary work.

And making sure that they are duly licensed is key. Double check. Get real references. Be suspect of those books that list "recommended" companies. Ask how companies came to be "recommended".

No harm in pricing out materials and working out some labor hour costs beforehand.

All too many contractors see thinning gray hair as piles of green money....

Get multiple bids.

 

[esnrhtx]

Thank you. I figured since it was low voltage you wouldn't need permits but it's just another way to see what you have in your home and to increase the value and they get more tax dollars, LOL. I will look into it. I appreciate your advice.

 

[futureman 101]

Thank you. I figured since it was low voltage you wouldn't need permits but it's just another way to see what you have in your home and to increase the value and they get more tax dollars, LOL. I will look into it. I appreciate your advice.

I think you could do this the old way and run audio cables from say a Marantz or Yamaha through an amplifier and then to each speaker. I have the Marantz streamer and it has bluetooth input(haven't used it but that should be able to input from PC). + there are simple audio controller devices that can send an input to various outputs.

I know you say you don't like 'wireless' but it's really improved and I'm mostly using bluetooth devices in rooms away from my PC(using long range bluetooth transmitter). So one possibility is using bluetooth speakers, you could just put them in whichever room or take them with you(some are portable).

There are some higher quality ones. You could use active speakers that have bluetooth and use a remote switch to cut the power.

The Marantz doesn't have bluetooth output but I believe the Yamaha does.

 

[esnrhtx]

You are probably right about wireless. Some of those things are very expensive so one would think the quality would surely be there, no doubt. The only issue is that I try to avoid wireless on everything I can. I am not real sure about BT since I really don't use it for anything. Maybe I'll get one and see how it sounds and it would be easier for sure. I really want wired but if there really aren't many options, I'll have to adapt. Thank you!