Multi room audio recommendations.

[Ray303]

I am looking for a device that takes 2 channel (l/r) audio and splits into 6 channels, amplifies it, ideally 100 watt rms and outputs it. Not looking for wireless. Should be class D amp, so not needing to run loud fans.
Any recommendations ?

 

[xanalog]

Welcome aboard, @Ray303,

Would be better if you provided more details about multi-room (3?) 6 channels (stereo) 100W/ch (how far, what kind of Amp)... etc.

Can you have small dedicated powerAmps (many reviews here) in each room or small AOI systems (ADC/DAC/Stream/ARC/etc) and use a networked Dante --analog and/or digital audio, over RJ45/Cat6 cabling-- system between the rooms?

 

[Chrispy]

What is the source of the audio, and is it 2 ch analog or digital audio? How about a volume control? Same volume for each set of speakers? Class D sometimes use fans. Finding a 6 ch power amp with 100wpc shouldn't be too difficult. Splitting the signal analog or digital shouldn't be too difficult either....just depends on what you've got and what you need....

 

[john61ct]

So not 6-channels like 5.1 in one room, then sharing that signal set out to multiple rooms?

But each room getting stereo?

You want the same audio playing simultaneously in each?

Also, how far apart are the rooms (speaker sets)?

Have you got Ethernet already pulled between rooms? Phone wiring? CATV (usuallyRG-6 coax 75Ω)?

Usually this would be done with a cheap amp per room, just send the "line level" (digital these days) from your source location out to the other rooms.

Do you have a reason to think just one amp is enough? How did you think the volume would be adjusted per zone?

 

[Ray303]

Welcome aboard, @Ray303,

Would be better if you provided more details about multi-room (3?) 6 channels (stereo) 100W/ch (how far, what kind of Amp)... etc.

Can you have small dedicated powerAmps (many reviews here) in each room or small AOI systems (ADC/DAC/Stream/ARC/etc) and use a networked Dante --analog and/or digital audio, over RJ45/Cat6 cabling-- system between the rooms?

There are three rooms, with 2 speaker in each room. Speaker wire runs from each speaker in those rooms to a central media room. The rooms are about 20 feet from the mediaroom. I plan to have a Wiim Ultra like device in the media room. The output of that wiim Ultra (left and right ch) is what I plan to split up into 6 ch, amplify and sent simultaneously to the three rooms.

 

[john61ct]

New - miniDSP AMP8, 8 channel Class D Audio Amplifier

I got an email from MiniDSP today which announced this new eight channel amp. Looks pretty good to me. https://www.minidsp.com/products/plate-amplifiers/amp-8 If I were setting up my cinema system again I'd probably use one. :)

www.audiosciencereview.com

ALSOZONE (3e) both PBTL mode very clean

PAM156: Uses a TPA3251, 150W per channel

PAM256: Uses a TPA3255, 250W–260W per channel

 

[Redacted]

Could do worse than to to look at various 6 channel amps from Nord.
You may need to have volume pots or similar if you want to be able to adjust volume in each room.

Nord Acoustics | Multi-Channel Amplifiers

Multi-Channel Amplifiers: Immersive sound for home theater. Powerful, dynamic audio with crystal-clear sound and precise channel separation.

nordacoustics.co.uk

 

[anotherhobby]

There are three rooms, with 2 speaker in each room. Speaker wire runs from each speaker in those rooms to a central media room. The rooms are about 20 feet from the mediaroom. I plan to have a Wiim Ultra like device in the media room. The output of that wiim Ultra (left and right ch) is what I plan to split up into 6 ch, amplify and sent simultaneously to the three rooms.

I'd put a WiiM streamer/amp on each pair of speakers so you can control each independently or as a group in WiiM. This is what they are good at and it will give you a better solution than trying to somehow split one amp to several room.

 

[Ray303]

Whats the best way to split the 2 channels to 6 channels ?

 

[Redacted]

Whats the best way to split the 2 channels to 6 channels ?

If you mean only using one power amp?
It depends on the (minimum) impedance of the speakers and the power of the amp - if the speakers are all the same you will get volume differences in in each room, as it unlikely you can drive all speakers in parallel (and almost certainly not if they are 4 ohms!). All in series might be OK if they are 4 ohm -but you'll need more amp power.

If it were me, I'd decide which was my main living room and have a good amp for that room. I'd possibly take the pre-out from that amp and feed it to a second cheaper amp, and (depending on the impedance numbers) run the other two sets in parallel off that second amp.

In the end, you still need one, two or three amps to drive all the speakers, so it depends on how much you want to spend to get high volume (if that's a goal) without overloading any amp.

 

[Ray303]

Getting the amp is not an issue, I see a lot of reviews for amps that do 6 channels.
What I am not sure is how do I take 2 channels and split them into 6.

 

[Redacted]

Ah, you're asking about splitting line-level signals into amps...
Most modern amps have enough input impedance to let you use 4 Y-splitters (one into two, L&R) or two tri-splitters into each power amp. Dirty, but it should work fine without spending too much on something active.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

Niles multiple speaker switch or similar. No extra amp required.

However, WiiMs in each room is more flexible.

 

[john61ct]

It's the ratio between amp input HIGH impedance, and Low on the output of the low level feeding it

that allows simple pass splitters to cause no issues.

Otherwise the line needs an active "distribution" box to buffer and boost the six outputs.

Or ideally with a digital signal, S/PDIF can be split without loss very cheaply

but then you need DACs or an amp that takes digital inputs.

Are you SURE you ONLY want the same signal playing in all three rooms, and a trip to the media center in another room just to adjust volume?

I agree 3x Wiim units would add a LOT of value, but the downside is running Ethernet wiring in between rooms

 

[Ray303]

Are you SURE you ONLY want the same signal playing in all three rooms, and a trip to the media center in another room just to adjust volume?

Yes its the same music that will play in all the rooms.

 

[Ray303]

I googled a bit and found two options on amazon. Will this work ? Is it the right way ?

Option 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQK5R15K
Option 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D3H5X5V

 

[john61ct]

The first is the correct category, but I would go for a better known brand to ensure SQ.

RDL EZ-ADA4 is just one example.

DSP is a completely different product category.

Rather than worry about active devices SINAD specs, passive is guaranteed to be 100% transparent.

But you must know the output impedance and voltage range of your output device, and sensitivity and input impedance of your 6ch amp.

and RCA SE vs XLR balanced connection

Then come back here and post, a simple passive "wye splitter" will be SO much simpler, cheaper, and better SQ

 

[Ray303]

The speaker I am thinking of is the in-wall Klipsch PRO-180-RPW. For amplifier I am thinking of 6ch Buckeye NCx252MP.

 

[john61ct]

Speakers at 8Ω, amp XLR balanced inputs google says 1.66Vrms into a 4Ω load and 1.80Vrms into an 8Ω load.

Input impedance rating 47kΩ, plenty high.

So your source should output a lower than usual voltage over XLR, 2V range rather than 4V but really that only impacts the utility of the volume knob not increasing SPL too suddenly, a 20° turn rather than 200+° before hitting too loud (clipping) levels.

The output impedance of that line level should be fine, but make note of that regardless.

You can spend a lot on passive but transformer based splitters, but I think just mechanical is fine.

I don't see recognized brands there though other than Cubilux https://www.cubilux.com/products/4-way-xlr-stereo-audio-passive-splitter

links from Google

[1] [https://www.amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Devinal-Splitter-Balanced-Converter-Passive/dp/B0FNCWJXD3)
[2] [https://www.amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Devinal-Splitter-Balanced-Converter-Passive/dp/B0FNCWJXD3)
[3] [https://www.newegg.com](https://www.newegg.com/p/0J2-0788-00AX4)
[4] [https://www.amazon.co.uk](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubilux-Splitter-Balanced-Distributor-Compatible-Black/dp/B0FXWQ7ZJF)
[5] [https://www.aliexpress.com](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009794257037.html)
[6] [https://www.amazon.co.uk](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubilux-Splitter-Balanced-Distributor-Compatible-Black/dp/B0FXWQ7ZJF)
[7] [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IcNpanG_6cg)
[8] [https://www.alibaba.com](https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/4-In-4-Out-XLR-Balanced_1601199580409.html)
[9] [https://www.walmart.com](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cubilux-4-Way-XLR-Stereo-Audio-Passive-Splitter-1-Female-to-4-Male-XLR-Balanced-Audio-Converter-1-in-4-Out-4-Channel-Splitter-Box/17788514203)

Beware, avoid "switcher" boxes, you need simultaneous SPLITTERs

...

Personally just a 1-to-3 XLR cable adapter would be my choice, female XLR in, 3x male XLR out

Cable Matters, Hosa – Sweetwater is a great source

 

[waynel]

Just get a Wiim amp for each room and connect via Ethernet.