Speaker wiring, splitter & amp recommendations

[nitro3421]

Hoping I can get some advice and specific product recommendations to cost effectively hook up 8 speakers with home runs into 2 separate zones, with the ability to play both zones at once.

I'm in the midst of building a new garage (http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=311609)
and have pre-wired for a total of 8 speakers. 4 in the garage ceiling, 2 in a soffit outside the garage over a future bbq, and 2 in the landscape nearby. I ran home runs to each speaker locations back to a central spot in the corner of the garage where I'll have a cabinet with a basic amp.

I'm hoping for some recommendations for a speaker splitter/amp setup. I'm certainly no audiophile and all I want is a cost effective way to play reasonable quality sound out of the 8 speakers, split into two separate zones (interior vs. exterior) with the ability to turn all 8 on playing the same audio at once if I want.

Keep in mind I'm terrible with electronics/speakers so keep it in laymans terms.

I'm thinking I'll need some sort of speaker splitter and an amp? A quick search told me an amp with 8 outputs is ridiculously expensive, hence needing a cheap speaker splitter instead? Links to specific products and a brief explanation would be greatly appreciated.

FYI - here's how the wires are currently terminated from each speaker location.

 

[Beemer533]

Re: Speaker wiring, splitter & amp recommendations

First, what is your definition of cost effective? The other important question is what is your music source (CD, iPhone, Android, tape deck, PC, etc?

There are several ways to do this, but the cheapest ones won't allow separate zones. You will also need impedance matching if you don't do this with multi channel amp (or multiple amps), such as provided by certain volume controls.

Do you need independent volume control for just the 2 zones, or each pair?

And is your intention to be able to play 2 different sources of music at the same time? Or just sometimes only play music inside or outside..

What speakers did you install? I assume they are standard 8 ohm (they aren't car speakers are they), but just making sure..

 

[nitro3421]

Re: Speaker wiring, splitter & amp recommendations

First, what is your definition of cost effective? The other important question is what is your music source (CD, iPhone, Android, tape deck, PC, etc?

There are several ways to do this, but the cheapest ones won't allow separate zones. You will also need impedance matching if you don't do this with multi channel amp (or multiple amps), such as provided by certain volume controls.

Do you need independent volume control for just the 2 zones, or each pair?

And is your intention to be able to play 2 different sources of music at the same time? Or just sometimes only play music inside or outside..

What speakers did you install? I assume they are standard 8 ohm (they aren't car speakers are they), but just making sure..

All great questions... Here is some clarification:

I'd like to spend under $400 for the amp/speaker splitter, NOT including speakers. Here are the speakers I bought:

http://myaccount.outdoorspeakerdepo...utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=reviewsInvitati

http://myaccount.outdoorspeakerdepo...utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=reviewsInvitati


As for media source, I'd like to be able to plug in an iphone or ideally also hook up to a Sonos (obviously on top of my $400 budget).

I can live without independent volume control for each of my two zones if that makes a difference in amp selection.

I just want to have one source of music played inside/outside or just inside. If i'm in the shop working, I dont want it blasting outside...

 

[ABSTIFFGS]

I will be moving to a new house in about 3 weeks. I'll have the standard 5.1/7.1 surround setup in my living room. The channel B on my reciever will go to this monoprice speakers switch to conrol one set of ceiling speakers in the kitchen and a pair on our deck. I was actually really impressed with the build quality of this thing. Perhaps it can work for you too?
Ben
http://www.monoprice.com/product?pg...rtby=&period=&rating=&seq=1&format=4#feedback

 

[OKDave]

If I understand your needs right, you could use a simple speaker selector box. These allow you to use multiple sets of speakers off one amp (it keeps the impedance at the amp proper) Some of them have volume controls for each zone. These range in price from about $80 to $300 or so for ir controlled zones. I use a adcom box, I moved it from my last house and at this house has more zones. You can double up on the zones. For example: I have my master bed and bath of one zone, the kitchen and dinning on zone 2, and my garage and outside on zone 3. This unit does not have volume control, because I have inwall volume controls next to my light switches.
Good luck, Dave

 

[Beemer533]

If you don't need independent control, the cheapest way to do this is to use a 2 channel amp such as this one:
https://www.parts-express.com/behringer-a500-reference-power-amplifier-2-x-300w--248-749

Or from Amazon (in Stock) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CZ0RL0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

With an impedance matching speaker selector like this; https://www.parts-express.com/wired-home-ss4-speaker-selector-impedance-matching-1-in-4-out--300-970

This selector will allow you to to select one or all the channels you want to listen to.

With this setup really any 2 channel amp will work, including any old receiver. The amp I linked to (I have had this one in my home theater for years) has RCA inputs so all you need is a 1/8 to RCA cable for input. It is also fanless, so it is quiet and won't **** dust and **** in from the shop..

 

[GTO]

Run 70v speakers,they operate at a much higher ohm rating.This will enable you to run multiple speakers with minimal power needed.

 

[jgorm]

I'm doing something similar in my shop. My plan is more crude than the ones listed above. I have an old home theater amp (~15yo). I'm going to drive it at 4ohm instead of the standard 8 it was designed for. I know this puts more stress on the amp, but I never turn it up all the way. The extra power will be nice too. I'm going to eventually run 4-8 speakers off the B output, and standard 5 surround sound off the 4 main output. The B output will have a mix of series and parallel wiring to keep the ohms in the 4-6 range.

Once I replaced a home sub speaker that a dog ate with a car sub. The house was 8ohm and the car was 4. I got double the output and was amazed on how much better it was.