So I'm looking to get multiroom audio set up in my apartment, now that I have this extra (well, not extra, really) set of really nice speakers. Of course, it's a rental, but since we really don't like the landlord, I'm cool with doing whatever to the place. Of course, I'd like to do this all on the cheap. Here's what I'm thinking about as options:

1. run speaker wire through the wall to the back room, and just use the multiroom amps on the H/K 525.

2. run stereo rca cables through the wall to the back room and use the multiroom outs on the H/K, using a separate amp or receiver ($$$?).

3. use some sort of wireless audio, either to a separate amp or receiver, or by using this little gem:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/audio/862c/
or this one:
http://www.amphony.com/products/l1550.htm which is basiclaly just a higher power version of the first.

Clearly, option 1 is the cheapest. Option 3 is the least destructive and easiest, but I'm not sure how a T-amp would handle the M50s, much less how good these T-amps are.

Option 2 is probably the most expensive, but also the most appealing.

What I found as far as putting cables through the wall is these neat little wall plates here. I'm not going to redrywall the place, and I don't know anything about putting boxes in the wall. Any advice?

Oh right, layout....

Basically, my living room is where the main system is. On the right side is where the office/back bedroom/whatever is; the closet for that room is actually what borders the living room. There is an electrical outlet on that wall, most of the way down, so it's probably bordering on the hallway, rather than the back room.

Anyway, I'm hoping someone has some good ideas, 'cause it's all seeming rather daunting to me now.

I vote for #2 and get another amp. You seem to have a fairly good grasp on what to do, so just go ahead and start pulling some cables. You can mount those plates with drywall anchors for the screws to go into, no need for boxes, as you are only installing the plates for aesthetics to keep the landlord happy about new holes in the wall. Quite simple really.

Ken, since you're not using the back surround amp channels on the 525 you might as well put them to work with speaker wire on the M50s. If you haven't already tried it you can use a little wire right in the main room to hook them up to the surround/multiroom channels to see how it works.

My only concern with that is a possible high load on the amp--it's concievable that I might be watching a movie in the front room, with the M80s on Large, while my wife is listening to music in the back room. All of my speakers other than the 80s are 4 ohm, but it's still something of a concern.

Well, try it all out in the main room to see if a problem develops.

Well, I think I'm going to go with option 2, as I'm not really liking what I hear about IR repeaters (not to mention the cost!) So I need a dirt cheap receiver (~$100 or less) that actually functions. Any recommendations?

Try finding a used one on canuckaudiomart.com or audiogon.com.

I too am setting up a bedroom system, and have found a couple of good deals in the 100-150$ range for integrated stereo amps.

Hey Ken,

Ditto on going used. There are lots of vintage integrated amps on ebay.

I combined an old Kenwood (which I love the looks of - UV meters!) with a impedance matching volume control. So, I have the Kenwood in the main room (with the gain set to about 11 o'clock) and a volume control for the second zone in the kitchen. Obviously, you might wish to just locate the amp in the other room and bridge the gap with line-level signals instead; I wanted zero footprint in the kitchen.

I'm not familiar with impedance matching volume controls. Is it just a remote control on a string type of thing?

Little wall-box mounted, speaker-line attenuator. The real beauty of the thing is it allows you to (safely) run several pairs of speakers from one amp while controlling their volumes independently. I'm sure there are penalties in not only power but also fidelity, but it was a good plan for me relative to the kitchen and patio speakers. It's probably not your bag. If I were you, I'd just get a 25 foot stereo RCA cable from monoprice, and run it through the wall as suggested earlier to a remote system.

Or, you could rip everything you own to lossless FLAC and stream it using Slimserver.

I know where one could pickup a vintage G6000( i think) sansui. poor thing is lonely out in the garage now.

Sansui hangin with M22

Randy

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Ditto on going used. There are lots of vintage integrated amps on ebay.

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