multi room wired speakers controlled by an app

[dinisco]

I plan to wire ceiling speakers throughout the house. Not sure how to control them.

 

Need to have:

 

The ability to turn music on/off by room in 6 separate rooms via an android app.

The ability to use Google music w/ this system (potentially open to another music library with similar functionality).

The ability to use Pandora with this system (open to other streaming radio services).

 

Nice to have but would sacrifice for simplicity or lower cost:

 

A single centralized amp (have done this in the past with a small amp and an appletv for every room but thinking that there has to be something better).

Playing different music in different rooms at the same time (this feature is not that important to me).

Separate volume control for each room (maybe this is more of a need, not sure).

 

I know windows, linux, and mac and am willing to do whatever from a computer perspective. Thanks for the help.

 

Jeff

[realhifi]

I plan to wire ceiling speakers throughout the house. Not sure how to control them.

 

Need to have:

 

The ability to turn music on/off by room in 6 separate rooms via an android app.

The ability to use Google music w/ this system (potentially open to another music library with similar functionality).

The ability to use Pandora with this system (open to other streaming radio services).

 

Nice to have but would sacrifice for simplicity or lower cost:

 

A single centralized amp (have done this in the past with a small amp and an appletv for every room but thinking that there has to be something better).

Playing different music in different rooms at the same time (this feature is not that important to me).

Separate volume control for each room (maybe this is more of a need, not sure).

 

I know windows, linux, and mac and am willing to do whatever from a computer perspective. Thanks for the help.

 

Jeff

 

Doesn't r early sound like a computer audio question as much as a simple multi room audio question best answered by your local custom install guys. There are a number of good multi room options available for sure from companies such as Russound, Casa, Sonance, Sonos, etc. and as long as you are not needing multiple sources per room it can be pretty simple. Again, I'd go ask a pro.

[completeluxury]

go buy some sonos and call it a day?

 

edit - ive got one question because i cant figure this part out. do you want one (total) amp for all 6 speakers? then you have a source for each zone? and a way to only run one room at a time as to not overpower the amp?

[dinisco]

don't like sonos. not really wireless if I have to plug it in. would rather run speaker wire to the right spot in the house.

 

one source for all zones. I wasn't thinking about overpowering the amp. just want to be able to on/off by the room. so someone's able to sleep in the bedroom while music is playing in the kitchen and outside.

 

I'm open to multiple amps, just need a single control of all amps (or something in between, like appletv) from an app.

 

thanks for your help.

[completeluxury]

before i name any brands etc, what sort of budget are you looking at?

[dinisco]

probably up to $4K if it was really necessary, wouldn't mind sacrificing a little to keep it under $2K.

 

thx.

[completeluxury]

is that for speakers and amps and sources?

[completeluxury]

oh and what country are you from?

[Cebolla]

DIY with current small low powered devices should keep your costs down and allow more choice over software use, eg using multiple Raspberry Pi/HiFiberry AMP+ combos:

https://www.hifiberry.com/2015/06/multiroom-system-based-on-raspberry-pihifiberry-combination/

[Jabs1542]

So I don't understand why Sonos wouldn't work. I have one box connected via ethernet and three other boxes that aren't, their all tied together wirelessly. I use JRiver to walk around the house and stream music from my 20,000 track library in any zone I want. Sonos has several box solutions, the ZP90 is just a receiver + DAC - perfect for a pair of Transparent One self powered speakers (which I have in the Studio Zone), or an amp speaker combo (which I have in the Kitchen Zone). They also have a box that's a receiver + DAC + amp - all it needs is speakers. Finally, that have the Play 5 (which I have in the Bedroom Zone) - this box has receiver + DAC + amp + speakers. All of this is wirelessly connected and only needs AC power.

 

PLUS, with the beauty of JRiver piping music through my ethernet and to my wifi router I have two other zones. One in the shop, where it gets real loud, that uses my iPhone as an endpoint (this way I can hear calls over the loud music that is drowning out the machinery in the shop) - the phone plugs into a cradle that is connected to an amp + speaker system. The other zone is a wireless battery powered all-in-one Sony player, this is the Patio Zone.

 

I can command any/all of these with any tablet "binded" (bound?) with JRiver, which includes several ipad and phones. Any remote, any zone, any time. Oh yea, just for a stress test I ran all six zones at the same time each playing different music, my CAPS v3 server just purred along.

 

Not to be pushing Sonos, what I am driscribing is what ANY wifi enabled device will do if JRiver (or another preferred music server) can see it.

 

This stuff has gotten real easy - a great advancement in computer audio over the past 10 years.

[Nikhil]

JRiver with an ID in each room is one way of doing it.

 

JRiver Id

(follow this link for the various different clients you can use - Intel NUC, USB Stick and Pi based IDs)

[dinisco]

Usa