RE: Multiroom amp advice

["Neil Ball" <neilball@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Multi-room amps are usually found in custom install setups rather than
through normal hifi retail therefore you may be hard pressed to find any
details/prices to compare to.

=20

For Sonos at new prices you would need to consider at least 3 ZP120s at
=A3=
399
each (full retail) as a ZP120 can run 2 x 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel.
Or you could look for ZP100s on your favourite auction site as these will
b=
e
a lot cheaper. You also need to factor in control of Sonos either using
their CR100/CR200 wireless hardware, or free desktop software/iPhone &
Touc=
h
App. If you are using ZP100/ZP120 then you might also need a zone bridge to
extend the Sonos wireless network for their controllers. However once
complete you would have a very flexible system that could give you access
t=
o
network stored music, internet radio, free streaming from Last.FM &
Deezer,
chargeable streaming services from Napster and Spotify, plus the ability to
feed in analogue audio through the line-in on each Sonos zone player.

=20

Cheaper still could be Logitech Squeezebox although you have to run their
Squeezecentre server software on the network to provide their full feature
set.

=20

Taking the Sonos or Logitech route also means you could add the
=93portable=
=94
units (Sonos S5 or Logitech Boom) to extend the system into rooms where you
cannot justify a permanent installation or the upheaval of running more
cabling.

=20

On the basis that the multiroom system needs the cost of sources and
additional keypads adding I think that you=92d spend a similar amount for
much-improved functionality by going down the Sons or Logitech route.

=20

Neil B.

=20

=20

From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
clax01011971
Sent: 01 November 2010 21:44
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] Multiroom amp advice

=20

=20=20

I was wondering if anyone can provide me with a bit of advice regarding
multi-room amps.

I was originally looking at spending around the =A3500-=A3600 mark for a
standard amplifier. While I was looking around a local specialist hi-fi
sho=
p
I saw that they had an ex-display multi room amplifier for sale.

It's an old Niles ZR amp (eight-source, six-zone). It comes with two
in-wal=
l
keypads (one touch-screen keypad and one hard buttoned keypad). They're
asking for just under =A31200. I would need at least another two keypads
though so the price would rise.

Currently I've got a central standard amp which feeds into a 5 way speaker
switch which then feeds off to speakers in five rooms (there are volume
controls in each room). I've also got Cat5 cable feeding to every room so I
was thinking that a multi room amp would slot right in.

So, finally, my questions are:
Is this a good price for this amp? I've googled for Niles ZR amps but
didn'=
t
have much joy. Also, are there any multi-room alternatives I should be
considering in this price range? I know the amp is quite an old amp so how
would it compare to something like Sonos?

Just in case anyone's wondering, the reason I went from considering
spendin=
g
=A3500-600 to considering spending =A31200 is that for true multi-room
functionality I'm prepared to spend more. Saying that, I consider myself to
be at the budget end of the HA spectrum. So, while I can afford this
amount=
,
I wouldn't really consider spending any more than this.

Thanks in advance,
Dave





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