Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Whole House Sound implementation ideas needed

I am renovating my kitchen in a few months and I want to ensure that I put in some in wall or in ceiling speakers of some kind. I would love to go with the W22s if I can make it work.

My question is, well kind of loaded one :-) I want to be able to access and play my extensive lossless collection of music sitting on a computer in the basement while cooking in the kitchen. Also, wile I am at it, I would like to have speakers in the bedroom with the same access.

In the kitchen I will have a 17inch lcd monitor that will be connected to said pc where the music will reside. I will also use the monitor to browse the internet, for recipes you know :-) ..

So, it's this "whole house" thing. A few ideas I have are: setup a HTPC, pipe out the digital out of the sound card to my Anthem AVM20 preamp, output to Zone 2 or 3 to either a 2 channel amp or "cheap" receiver for the kitchen and bedroom speakers. Run a VGA to Ethernet CAT5 back to VGA to connect the monitor in the kitchen to the htpc in the basement.. Now, Do I need more things like a Slim Device squeezebox or transporter ? I am also looking at those uber remotes, like pronto and MX3000 etc..What about a control panel like the Control4 system maybe ?

There are many ways of doing this, hence why I am solicitating the vast knowledge and experience in this forum.

Thank you !!!

Stephane

I highly recommend the squeezebox. I've been using 2 squeezeboxes in my house for a few months, and I've been learning what they can and can't do. I could go on forever, and much of it would probably be useless if I don't know what you want. Tell me what your goal is for your bedroom. Do you have a TV and HT setup of some kind, or just 2 channel music? Also, what format is your music compressed in?

For your kitchen, though, instead of getting a squeezebox, you could get a small computer or laptop and use SlimDevices' server software to access your music library. Seems easier to me than mirroring your monitor in another room because how would you control the computer? An RF enabled keyboard and mouse?

For the bedroom it would be stereo music listening, but in the future I might have an LCD TV and would like to benefit from the sound of the in / on wall speakers to listen to it. Currently I have no plans for a TV in the bedroom, just music.

As for the kitchen, I think your idea of the laptop might be the best way to do it, instead of an LCD screen. Can you expand on how the laptop would access the music server where all the files are stored ? and how / where does the squeezbox come into the equation ? sorry for asking stupid questions, I am a technical IT person but I just need to wrap my head around all the pieces and how they interact.

My formats are FLAC and APE. I know that the slimdevice supports one of them..so I'd convert the other ones.

So if the laptop would control the music in the kitchen, would I use a remote, like the URC MX-3000 for the bedroom ? and my HT system as well of course.

Stephane

I'm also an IT person that integrates home automation equipment like Crestron and Elan. I like Elan because it's not as pricey. Go to their sites and look at the different packages.

If the above route isn't appealing, you could look at a speaker switch that you can control via remote control. You just have to have all of the wiring going to HT/Stereo equipment.
I believe russound makes the switch I mentioned.

Accessing the ape/Flac files through a media center client box connected to the flat screen. You need a long VGA cable to the MC client. You can download the codecs to play the formats you listed. I almost forgot to mention that you need a media center edition PC too. There are a lot of media server options.

To be honest, I could probably rattle off twenty different ideas that would do what you want.

The bottom line is how much do you want to spend?

Hi Tleigh,

I realize that there are many ways to accomplish my goal. For me the bottom line is getting really good sound from an easy to use and portable device that can control my music library on my server. The non technical view is walking around the house with my MX3000 or Pronto and simply tapping the music icon, selecting "lounge", tap on Supper Club and voila .. it plays in my kitchen, adjust he volume, grab another beer and start cooking

What I have today are: A PC (XPPro) with 750GB of disk space and an M-Audio Revo card, an Anthem AVM 20 multizone preamp that I would like to leverage if I can but don't have to if something else is easier / better. Tat's about it. I have to get the remote control, have speakers installed in the kitchen and bedroom, get some amplifiers, laptop, other devices perhaps like sqeezebox etc..etc..

To get music in my kitchen, first priority, the bedroom can come at a later time, I am prepared to spend up to about $2,500 CA to get the above mentionned functionality. That does NOT include the laptop, that is above and beyond the $2500.

Can you expand on how the laptop would access the music server where all the files are stored ? and how / where does the squeezbox come into the equation ?
My formats are FLAC and APE. I know that the slimdevice supports one of them..so I'd convert the other ones.

So if the laptop would control the music in the kitchen, would I use a remote, like the URC MX-3000 for the bedroom ? and my HT system as well of course.

Stephane

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You just need to create a home network with windows and share your music folder on the network. With SlimServer on your laptop, you simply point it to your shared music folder on the network, and SlimServer will play the music housed on your PC on your laptop accessing that folder. You would not need a remote to control the music in the kitchen.

The squeezebox will allow you to play music in any other listening zone. So, if your HT is not in the same room as your PC, add a squeezebox to your HT to play all your music on your HT set-up. The squeezebox has a nice display and a simple remote that makes browsing your collection quite easy. The squeezebox works best if it is wired by ethernet cable to your home network, but mine work wirelessly with my router and I have no problems. There are some options for some very slick remotes, and you might be intrigued by the Nokia770 option (browse the slimdevices message boards for details), but as long as you can see the squeezebox, the remote is pretty unnecessary.

I'm happy to answer more questions about it. Ask away!

IF you base your music library on iTunes, then you can use the Apple TV. I have that connected to my 15" kitchen LCD. Easy to use and plays music and vids. 2 min to set up via wireless.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned a Sonos system. Just get a Sonos with a couple zoneplayers and a remote or two and you're set. From the Sonos remote you can control music in any "zone" and have different zones playing different music or have multiple zones playing the same thing or any combination. You just have one zonplayer (kinda like a base station) down at your PC and the rest are all wireless. I'll be getting a Sonos system for sure soon.

Thanks everyone for the input and advice..

Much appreciated.. gives me some options to research..

The Sonos option looks interesting.

Thanks all,

Steph