Hi , i need ideas on how to assemble my whole house audio system, i was thinking on something like nuvo or russound, but then i think i could be able to use a main controller like touchscreen or iphone/itouch to turn on the zones, asign music from my library,volume down, up, party mode etc. To do something like the sonos system. any help with how to do this, thanks
whole house audio system
- Thread starter milll36
- Start date
fcwilt
Active Member
The first system I had came with in-wall controllers and a dedicated music server. It worked but it had some limits that upgrades never addressed.
I replaced it with a Sonos system and IMO for folks who just want to listen to "background" music without a lot of hassle, Sonos is it. Sonos provides access to ripped CD content, internet radio, music services like Pandora and more. Sonos has two different wireless controllers plus you can use an iPhone/iTouch or any Windows PC.
I replaced it with a Sonos system and IMO for folks who just want to listen to "background" music without a lot of hassle, Sonos is it. Sonos provides access to ripped CD content, internet radio, music services like Pandora and more. Sonos has two different wireless controllers plus you can use an iPhone/iTouch or any Windows PC.
Rupp
Senior Member
You can control Sonos from HomeSeer.
http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t...highlight=sonos
http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t...highlight=sonos
http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t...highlight=sonos
http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t...highlight=sonos
One of my neighbors has Sonos, from years ago. It's old and crusty, but it's an awesome system.
I'm just going to homerun all of my wires to the basement and decide what to do later. I'll probably build a custom rackmount enclosure with several channels of the 41hz (http://www.41hz.com) amps inside of it, and then either hook it up to a Sonos system or a bunch of Airport Expresses.
I'm just going to homerun all of my wires to the basement and decide what to do later. I'll probably build a custom rackmount enclosure with several channels of the 41hz (http://www.41hz.com) amps inside of it, and then either hook it up to a Sonos system or a bunch of Airport Expresses.
apostolakisl
Senior Member
The future is probably going to digital all the way to the speaker with da converter at the speaker and an amp built right onto the speaker. To that end, I would prepare by running either conduit to all of your speaker locations or data cable and power wire to each speaker location.
fcwilt
Active Member
You didn't mention CQC in your original post did you?
In any case, over on the Sonos forum, there was some work being done in this area (controlling Sonos from something external) and I believe they had some success.
I have a home automation system which does everything (security, cameras, climate control, lighting, messaging, irrigation, home theater) but my Sonos devices and I don't find that to be a major shortcoming.
I could have gone with Squeezebox devices (which are somewhat like Sonos) which the automation DOES support but I didn't because the wireless controllers for the home automation system were much more expensive the the Sonos controllers. I can control the home automation system using iTouch devices but the UI in that case isn't as user friendly as the Sonos devices. So I went with the Sonos, everyone has control of the music and they can't mess with the home automation system in the process.
I have to agree, Sonos is great. I have one in my home and I have nothing but good things to say about it. IMO they have the best iPod/iPhone control app and they added some nice new hardware this year.
Russound makes great products as well and most of their multiroom systems can be controlled by MainLobby, CQC, Homeseer, etc. If you want total control with "Sonos like" features, try a Russound or Nuvo and something like CasaTunes. They have an iPhone/iPod app that is very similar to Sonos.
Russound makes great products as well and most of their multiroom systems can be controlled by MainLobby, CQC, Homeseer, etc. If you want total control with "Sonos like" features, try a Russound or Nuvo and something like CasaTunes. They have an iPhone/iPod app that is very similar to Sonos.
Airport Express units for $100 a pop and control them through iTunes or iPhone/iPod touch. I actually like this solution because it's cheap enough to where I won't feel terrible ripping it out when something better comes along. My wife bitches when I have the music louder than a pin drop anyway.
I have a sonos set up with 6 zones and 2 CR100. It is awesome. I find that you can still have the integrated, whole-home audio look and the flexibility of a desktop system with the sonos. Unless you have a ridiculously large amount of tracks with really long file names then you may want to check the sonos forums. Otherwise, it is a bit more expensive on average but well worth it in the functionality and the ability to move zones, take the system with you, and the available content that is integrated into the system. Let's say you currently live in NY and used to live in FL, throw in a zip code and there are the radio stations you were used to. Pandora, LastFM, Sirius, etc....
briankelly63
Active Member
try itunes and airport expresses around the house... works great and gives you a super wireless network in the process...
brian
brian
Can you control each airports volume and source independently? So play different music and adjust the volume at each AirPort Express via the iPhone/iPod Touch. I didn’t think this was possible but maybe Apple updated the software since the last time I tested it.
I do not believe you can play different music... officially. I have 4 of these, and since I'm the only one that uses it, I've never had the need. You can make a single source play to multiple destinations though.
If you wanted different music at multiple destinations, you could start a "main" copy of iTunes with all of your music in it, and then run a slave copy under different user accounts (on the same machine or different machines) for each destination. The other copies would bring in the music from the main copy via the Sharing function so you don't have to replicate your library all over the place. It's kind of a hack, but once it was set up, it would be very seamless to control all 4 of these through your iPhone/iTouch remote software.
