Purpose of pre out ports labelled "zone 2" and "zone 3"

[tomato_grower_547]

I looked at photos of the backs of Onkyo TX-RZ50, Denon X6700H and X4800. All three have pre-out ports labelled "zone 2" and "zone 3". For a while, I mistakenly assumed that I can only use these pre-out ports for zone 2 and 3. But I can assign any pre-out and non-pre-out port to any zone, can't I?

So what is the purpose of the pre-out ports labelled "zone 2" and "zone 3" as marked on the attached photo?

 

[Chrispy]

Generally on an avr you would use the pre outs for zone 2 and 3 with external amplifiers, but depends what your use of main zone is and the options that might remain for zone use after what you assign for main zone. The use of zones is generally for other rooms, tho....not some sort of pre-out for main zone use.

 

[tomato_grower_547]

Generally on an avr you would use the pre outs for zone 2 and 3 with external amplifiers, but depends what your use of main zone is and the options that might remain for zone use after what you assign for main zone. The use of zones is generally for other rooms, tho....not some sort of pre-out for main zone use.

Thanks for your lightning fast reply.

I want to feed outdoors speakers and configure them as zone 2. The previous residents left them installed when they moved out. These outdoors speakers are passive. I prefer to not get a separate amp for them.

I am shooting for a 5.1.4 configuration for the main zone. So I don't use Surround Back.

For Surround cabling constraints demand wireless active speakers using pre out. So I am using 7 amplified channels for the main zone. Let's leave "wireless" to a separate conversation.

With this setup for the main zone, an 9.x AVR, such as the Denon X4800H, has two amplified channels available. Do you know whether I can assign them to zone 2 without caveat?

Newbie here who tries to find out what he needs without having an AVR to play with. The manual is not perfectly clear on whether I can assign the unused Surround Back ports to zone 2 while Surround is on main zone pre out.

 

[bargainguy]

In the X4800H manual, Assign Mode describes how to use the various power amps available.

In 5.1ch + ZONE 2/3 Assign Mode, you control the Zone 2 & 3 power amps separately from the main amp.

In Playback in ZONE 2/3 > Connecting ZONE > Connection 2, Connection using a speaker output terminal, there's a diagram for Assign Mode 5.1ch + ZONE 2/3 where the Height 1 pre outs connect directly to the Zone 2 speakers, and the Height 2 pre outs connect directly to the Zone 3 speakers.

I don't see the separate Zone 2 & 3 preouts even being used in this application.

AFAICT, the separate Zone 2 & Zone 3 pre outs (Connection 3, Connection through external power amplifiers) are only used for separate power amps, not for the internal amps.

Is this what you're looking for, or am I misunderstanding your question?

 

[tomato_grower_547]

Thanks. Unless I am missing something, the manual does not say how to accomplish my plan:

Zone 1: 5.1.4
- 1 active subwoofer on pre out ports
- 2 active wireless speakers (due to cabling constraints) on pre out ports for Surround
- all others passive speakers

Zone 2: 2.0.0 outdoors
- 2 passive speakers