Home audio system integrated into my home

[willy5432000]

Hey I am trying to find the right equipment to set up a home audio system. I have already planned i am going to use x10 to control my lights and sockets and want to further automate my house.

First I will describe what I want to do, then list the gear I will use to do it or at least hopefully.

1. I have 6 rooms I want to install ceiling speakers (though in the living room I want to have some on the wall and a subwoofer).
2. I want everything to come back to central location where it can be controlled.
3. I want be able to play for tv audio in the living room and be able to play something else in another room.
4. Though I also want to be able to play the same audio throughout all six.
5. I want to be able to control the volume in each room separately and also have a master control.

Eventually I want to add in a voice control for the whole house. including the x10 system and the audio.


I have done a lot of reading already into this. Though finding it hard to understand how to power the speakers and I think I could use a mixing desk to run the cables to and then an interface to connect it to the computer.

I am thinking of using the following equipment.

water resistant speakers 50w. RMS 8Ohms each power 80w/RMS: 50w (this is where I dont fully understand if at all lol)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pack-Water-...=1365944103&sr=1-45&keywords=ceiling+speakers

100m speaker cable 5mm x 2.5mm
http://www.amazon.co.uk/100m-Qualit...65952887&sr=1-11&keywords=philex+speaker+wire

Behringer Xenyx 802 mixer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BEHRINGER-X...d=1366062252&sr=1-15&keywords=behringer+mixer

Behringer UCA 202 interface
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BEHRINGER-U...=1366062497&sr=1-1&keywords=behringer+uca+202

This is as far as I have got and am getting confused with what I need next. I want to do a DIY job on this kinda as project I know I need an amplifier and audio switches I am trying to figure out how to wire the speakers so as to save on buying many amps, I seen somewhere someone made there own amp though I forgot to bookmark it and can't find it.

Maybe if I detail how many speakers I want to use it might help more.

Room 1: I want 6 speakers with a subwoofer
Room 2 I want 3 speakers
Room 3 I want 1 speaker
Room 4. I want 1 speaker
Room 5 I want 2 speakers
Room 6. I want 2 speakers

The way I was thinking I could run this so far was

Room 1 for instance
I want to start with speaker one and run that cable to speaker two and then onto speaker 3 and so on till speaker 6 then run that lead into a switch that connects to an amplifier.
Then in room two I want to connect and 3 speakers together in the same way then to the switch.
Then I was going to connect room 3 speaker to room 4 speaker and run that lead into the switch
Then run room 5 in the same way speaker to speaker then to the switch
Then room six the same way as the rest and to the switch.

I was then going to connect the switch to an amplifier.

WIll this idea work if not does any one have any other suggestion as to how I could build a system that will work.

Thanks guys and if anything is confusing sorry in advance just ask I don't mind

 

[Sam Gangee]

This post should be in the A/V section where it's more likely to get an answer.

100m of 18AWG has a resistance of approximately 2 Ohms. That's quite a significant percentage of 8 Ohms. If your cable runs are long, it could have an audible effect.
Connecting speakers in parallel by "daisychaining" will have an even worse effect.

See http://www.satcure-focus.com/icetech/
(This is really for car systems but it might help your understanding.)

 

[ChrisFrost]

I have done a lot of reading already into this.

Well I'm not sure what you've been reading but your proposal is a complete mess.

water resistant speakers 50w. RMS 8Ohms each power 80w/RMS: 50w (this is where I dont fully understand if at all lol)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pack-Water-...1-45&keywords=ceiling+speakers[/QUOTE]Really? £9.50 per speaker. You think that's what decent speakers cost?

Behringer Xenyx 802 mixer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BEHRINGER-X...d=1366062252&sr=1-15&keywords=behringer+mixer

Eventually I want to add in a voice control for the whole house. including the x10 system and the audio.

With that kind of mixer the system will be a nightmare for anyone else to run. Then you're talking about voice control.... Not on your life.

Room 1: I want 6 speakers with a subwoofer

Room 1 for instance
I want to start with speaker one and run that cable to speaker two and then onto speaker 3 and so on till speaker 6 then run that lead into a switch that connects to an amplifier.

Right, so you realise that if actually manage to get any sound out of the speakers (because you've daisy-chained up a 48 Ohms load) that whatever sound you do get will actually be mono?

The only time I use mono sound in multiroom audio installations is in hallways and utility rooms.

Your enquiry might be genuine. But with only one post to your name here as I write this, and the list of equipment as well as how you propose to use it, I can only presume that you've either had some very bad advice before coming here, or your expectations are totally unrealistic, or this is a wind-up.

If you want to see what proper multi-room audio looks like then have a look at my business Facebook page Check out the picture albums.