Audio Geeks - Whole Home Audio Question (1 Viewer)

We just moved in to our new home. It is new construction. With the build, we had whole home audio ran. Two speakers each in 3 rooms in the house and 2 on the back deck. They are all wired as one zone. All of these are ran to the unfinished part of the basement to a "smart box".

When the rep that sold me on this setup was going through his sales pitch, he was trying to push to me towards a specific setup to power the speakers. He was selling me on a Sonos Connect ($349) for the wireless freedom of controlling my music from the Sonos app on my phone. I really dig this. For the amp he was pushing me to a Sonance 2-100 2 Channel amp ($699) to power it. All of the speakers in the house are Sonance.

With the Sonos Connect, he told me that if we plan to put a sound bar and subwoofer in our great room at any point (definitely considering), then the Sonos app could be configured to make that a separate zone. And we could add more Sonos speakers in other rooms around the house which could be easily added to the network.

Anyone have any recommendations on alternative setups? Comments on the setup that he was recommending? The recommended setup isn't pricey in the grand scheme of things, but convincing the wife to let me buy $1000+ of audio equipment is another story.

ETA: I've done my Google research and came across some cheaper alternatives. Using a Chromecast (I already have this), I could connect that to an amp...but this just seems like a poor quality option, albeit super cheap.

I love our Sonos. I'm not set up like you b/c ours was added after the house was built. So we are purely on individual Sonos speakers which gets pricey, but worth it IMO for wireless music. I love tat I can have a different speaker streaming something unique throughout the house.

Connect your phone to a Bose Soundlink Mini and listen to Pandora/Spotify/whatever. Carry the wireless speaker wherever you want. Wa la - whole house audio for $200. Take it to the bank, Bosehan.

The main complaint I have with sonos is that the 3 people I know who have it will constantly futz with their phones, changing the music. Don't do that. When my neighbor's wife gets her drink on, we have to take the phone away and hide it because she can't resist changing the song every minute or so.

glvsav37 said:

I love our Sonos. I'm not set up like you b/c ours was added after the house was built. So we are purely on individual Sonos speakers which gets pricey, but worth it IMO for wireless music. I love tat I can have a different speaker streaming something unique throughout the house.

Click to expand...

Right on. That's the plan down the road for rooms where we don't already have speakers. The main reason I'm considering Sonos for the connect. The amp on the other hand....I'm clueless.

CletiusMaximus said:

The main complaint I have with sonos is that the 3 people I know who have it will constantly futz with their phones, changing the music. Don't do that. When my neighbor's wife gets her drink on, we have to take the phone away and hide it because she can't resist changing the song every minute or so.

Click to expand...

Yeah that drives me crazy too. Right up there with the channel flipper on the TV or the station changer in the car.

Anyone got a Chromecast Audio yet?  I was looking into Sonos but now think I may try one of these things for just $35 through my stereo system.

Just one problem ...I am a caveman when it comes to tech stuff - and my receiver is in a cabinet, hard to get to the back and with all kinds of stuff already hooked to into it.  

Where the hell do I plug this into the back of my receiver ?  And will just any usb input in the back provide it power? (Would rather do that than try to run it to regular power plug ...more stuff behind the cabinet.)

My receiver, cheap Pioneer VSX-1022 manual - back panel shown on page 26.

Thanks for any help - I suck at this, but did manage to get my TV Chromecast set up yesterday and loving it!!

I didn't see a reason to start a new thread, so I thought I'd ask in here.  Similar to the OP, we just moved into new construction.  We didn't get the whole house wired up, but I did get the surround sound in the finished basement.  They tell me I need to get a reciever to make this all work, so I am hoping the FBGs can help recommend me a decent reciever that will get me what I want, which is decent sound quality when watching movies, TV, and football. 

I talked to the guy at Best Buy last night who was a little older than me (he's probably mid-late 40s) who was way too excited about the opportunity to talk audio with someone (I am just jealous.  I wish I loved my job that much).  He recommended Onkyo, Denan, or Sony.  Anybody know much about the first two?  I know Sony products, but I am not an audio guy, so I want to make sure I don't overpay for more than I need.  I also don't want to overpay for less than I need, which would suck more.

Keep in mind, I just got a new house, a 40K minivan, several pieces of furniture for the house, new supplies for projects, christmas is coming, and twins are due on Friday.  In other words, bargain basement prices for a decent reciever.  Who's got one to recommend?  (seriously, I will buy used from a FBG if that's what it takes)  I just need it in the next week or so.

Caesar said:

I didn't see a reason to start a new thread, so I thought I'd ask in here.  Similar to the OP, we just moved into new construction.  We didn't get the whole house wired up, but I did get the surround sound in the finished basement.  They tell me I need to get a reciever to make this all work, so I am hoping the FBGs can help recommend me a decent reciever that will get me what I want, which is decent sound quality when watching movies, TV, and football. 

I talked to the guy at Best Buy last night who was a little older than me (he's probably mid-late 40s) who was way too excited about the opportunity to talk audio with someone (I am just jealous.  I wish I loved my job that much).  He recommended Onkyo, Denan, or Sony.  Anybody know much about the first two?  I know Sony products, but I am not an audio guy, so I want to make sure I don't overpay for more than I need.  I also don't want to overpay for less than I need, which would suck more.

Keep in mind, I just got a new house, a 40K minivan, several pieces of furniture for the house, new supplies for projects, christmas is coming, and twins are due on Friday.  In other words, bargain basement prices for a decent reciever.  Who's got one to recommend?  (seriously, I will buy used from a FBG if that's what it takes)  I just need it in the next week or so.

Click to expand...

Yamaha and Pioneer make some of the better lower end receivers on the market IMO. Sony's ES line is the only one I'd consider. I don't like Onkyo (the sound of their amps is garbage to my ears) and I love Denon/Marantz for mid end and up.

Some Yamaha's here, here, here and here.

Some Pioneer's here, here, and here.

You didn't tell us about the speakers so I leave it up to you to decide on what receiver will fit best, too bad you didn't post yesterday. Amazon had a killer deal on a Yamaha.

Hawks64 said:

Yamaha and Pioneer make some of the better lower end receivers on the market IMO. Sony's ES line is the only one I'd consider. I don't like Onkyo (the sound of their amps is garbage to my ears) and I love Denon/Marantz for mid end and up.

Some Yamaha's here, here, here and here.

Some Pioneer's here, here, and here.

You didn't tell us about the speakers so I leave it up to you to decide on what receiver will fit best, too bad you didn't post yesterday. Amazon had a killer deal on a Yamaha.

Click to expand...

thanks,  I will take a look at these and hope there is something on the cyber monday sale.  Was working yesterday and didn't get much of a chance to look at anything.  I actually forgot I needed one until I went to BB late last night to measure a TV.

ETA:  I don't know much about the speakers.  I can see what I can find out if that will make a difference.  I know it is 5.1, whatever that means. 

I have a digital Pioneer receiver and love it. Great value, good sound, easy to use, it stays nice and cool, doesn't take up a ton of room, etc.

OK, so another question.  The basement is pretty good sized and there is likely times when I will be shooting pool and watching the game at the same time.  The speakers in the ceiling are in the main area of the basement, but don't extend to the nook where I will put the pool table, though its not too far and I can easily see the TV.  Are there recievers out there that can wirelessly send the sound to a couple speakers by the pool table nook?  This is probably a future endeavor, but just curious if I need the reciever to have that ability, if it even exists.

Love my Denon

Caesar said:

OK, so another question.  The basement is pretty good sized and there is likely times when I will be shooting pool and watching the game at the same time.  The speakers in the ceiling are in the main area of the basement, but don't extend to the nook where I will put the pool table, though its not too far and I can easily see the TV.  Are there recievers out there that can wirelessly send the sound to a couple speakers by the pool table nook?  This is probably a future endeavor, but just curious if I need the reciever to have that ability, if it even exists.

Click to expand...

Not these, but some of the 7.2 ones will have a 2nd zone. Then you can wire up a couple back by the pool table.