Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Need Ideas setting up music in three rooms

Room 1 has a 7.2 Onkyo with Zone 2 capability.
Room 2 has a pair of speakers.
Room 3 has a pair of speakers.

Here's what I want:

I want to be able to play music in Room 2 or Room 3, and sometimes during get-togethers, play music in Room 2 AND Room 3.

I purchased the Onkyo in Room 1 with the intentions of utililizing the ZOne 2 capability, but, problem is that I have 1) three zones, not two, and 2) I'd like to be able to play room 2 & 3 simultaneously on special occasions.

I should also mention that I have a very basic Stereo receiver with Speaker A and B capability, as well. I've read in other sites that it is possible, with RCA cables, to hook up the main receiver (Onkyo) to the second reciver, and be able to play in three zones. (Anybody have more info on this?)

Problem is, I'm not sure if it would be possible to play Zone 2 and 3 at the same time.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'd be happy to provide more info, if necessary...

Edit: play Zone 2 and 3 at the same time with the same music.

thanks!!

Well, are rooms 2 and 3 speakers 8 ohm, and can you run speaker cable from the reciever in room 2 (ie, the stereo receiver) to room 3?

I assume you only need 2 zones, but 3 different rooms.

i need to check the info on the speakers...

but, i believe i need 3 zones since I'd like to play any of the three independently in addition to playing zone 2 and 3 simultaneously when i like.

Oh. Well then.

i'd like to update that the stereo receiver i have is able to play speaker A and B at the same time, solving one of the issues i was having.

any word on if I can plug the stereo receiver to the surround sound reciver and be able to play 3 zones?

You still wouldn't get 3 zones, just 2. There's no way to make a 2 zone capable receiver do 3 zones; it's just not in the software. There's also no way to make a 1 zone (ie, stereo) receiver do 3 zones. Unless you run zone 2 from the speaker outs on the Onk, then run a line level cable from the onk to the stereo (in room 3) on the aux setting, for example. Then hook an ipod dock (or a cd player, or something) to the stereo in room 3 to play something different on that. It's not really 3 zones, but it's as close as you're likely to get without buying a new AV receiver.

Can you tell us what kind of Onk it is?

it's an onkyo ht-rc 260

i'd like to refer you to this link, if I may:

http://www.crutchfield.com/learn/learningcenter/home/multiroom_power.html?page=4

i need to step out and will be back in a few hours thanks for your help, kcarlile!