Multi Zone Audio with Existing Wires

I guess you haven't moved forward yet Ano.

I used the in-wall VCs in my house for a couple years, with zone 2 of my AVR, before adding KPs. Quite functional, though I really wanted multiple sources. That was my main impetus for revising to KPs.

Many AVRs are networked these days, controllable from an app. I think a Sonos Connect:AMP may work as a single device for all the speakers, if you want just background music. Might be worth a try. If the amp is too weak you could then use any old AVR as an amp for it (if Sonos Connect:AMP has line level outputs, unsure).

Both Nuvo and Russound offer whole house audio systems that can be app controlled.
 
I have not moved forward yet, but I'm still looking.  The conclusion I always seem to come down to is that while I do want whole-house audio for Christmas music or party music, I'm not really sure that I need to select a source for every room.  Its just me and the wife, and I doubt she would even use it if i had it.  I may just keep them with the volume controls and run them to a multi-zone Denon amp I have which will also run our family room speakers.  i will need to set the source at the amp, and the whole house will have the same audio, but I can live with that.  We have TV's in most rooms and that is what we watch.  I could buy another Amazon Echo or two for different rooms, then I just tell it want I want to hear and it plays it. No need to push a button and it can even tell me jokes.  :rofl:  
 
I'm starting to think multi-room audio with panels on the wall might be going the way of those intercoms they used to have in every room.
 
ano said:
 I'm starting to think multi-room audio with panels on the wall might be going the way of those intercoms they used to have in every room.
 
Totally agree.  I'm in the middle of installing a couple of the Monoprice six channel WHA devices.  I'll be using an eclectic collection of mostly existing floor and bookshelf speakers scattered around the house.  The house was built with conduits into most every room and I'm using them for speaker cabling.  The system will be a hybrid hard-wired keypad controlled and 'app controlled'.  I will be using the WHA keypads for local volume control.  Can't see using a phone/tablet app to simply tweak the volume in a zone....  BUT I'll be putting the keypads in table-top boxes and not in the walls.  This provides a quite flexible deployment scheme and control architecture.  The system will leverage existing audio sources.  But a primary new source will be an Onkyo TX-8160 network receiver.  It can source (with some restrictions) two independent audio streams.  I considered the Sonos CONNECT devices.  But for a little more money the TX-8160 provides a OTA radio receiver, two streams, and amplifiers....
 
I have sonos Connect Amps hardwired in my closet,  running to zones in 3 rooms now, 3 more planned for this winter, as it is the best time for attic work. No wall controls needed, rip them out,  jump the wires in the wall and patch it up.
 
There are a whole bunch of companies that now make Bluetooth led bulbs that are used as ceiling lights and speakers. No wires.
 
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