Re: Multi room speaker configuration

["wkearney99" <wkearney99@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I live in Oregon, US. And yes, the builder will arrange for it. But
> then he wanted to know my preference. He will just pre-wire the house.

Pre-wiring to an entrance area control pad is easy.  Pre-wiring for the
in-ceiling or in-wall speakers gets harder.  If the joist run in the right
direction it can be as easy as just pulling some extra line and leaving it
in the cavity.  Then it's just a matter of deciding where along that cavity
you'd like the speakers and fishing out the line.  But not all rooms have
the joists running the 'right way' to leave this option open.  It's hard to
guesstimate where to put speakers if you don't how how the room will be used
and how furniture will be placed.

> I need to decide on the speakers and receiever/amplifiers and how to
> configure it. I have a home theatre system too but I don't think I want
> to put that in the ceiling.

Consider the home theatre to be a separate setup.  How you'd push AV signals
out around the house is rather different than a theatre room.  Nobody's
systems do a cost-effective job of pushing 5.1 (or better) around an entire
house.  Most distribution systems will, however, let you loop the theatre
system outputs through them.  So you can feed the DVD or Tivo through the
whole-house system in addition to the theatre.  I do it here with no
trouble.

> I am thinking of putting my computer in the den with a
> amplifier/receiver (? please suggest which one) and then have volume
> control in the family room and main suite.
> Does this sound good?

How many rooms and how many sources would you listen to simultaneously?
Different sources in different rooms is very handy.  Like public radio in
the bathroom for the morning shower while watching the local TV affiliate in
the kitchen or bedroom.  Or one stream of mp3's while on the treadmill,
another in the kicthen while another's watching a DVD in the family room
(that's not the theatre room).

> What are the good places for buying the speakers? And what kind of
> speakers...I can't afford very fancy ones.

Cheap often means support hassles.  A pair bought off ebay might crap out in
a month and you're basically outta luck.  The same pair bought from a box
store might at least be replaceable under an extended warranty but prepare
to put up with the store idiots and do all work yourself.   Sort of the same
issue with mail order from a reputable supplier.  The same speakers from an
audio installer might cost more up front but save you a lot of hassle down
the line.  You get what you pay for.  If you've got the skills to do it all
yourself then online suppliers might be worth considering.  Otherwise, work
with a local store; really, this is a permanent fixture you're putting into
your house.  Using a professional helps avoid getting it wrong.

-Bill Kearney