A 5-zone multiroom airplay system for a friend

[AlmaataKZ]

I have been asked by a friend to put together a multiroom music system for 5 rooms over 2 levels of a semi-detached house. She has given me a budget of 2,700 and it is all up to me. She already has an iMac (as well is iPhone and iPad) and listens to her music from iTunes (ripped CDs) and BBC iPlayer, mainly listening to classical.

I have looked into two platforms: Sonons and AirPlay and have decided to go for AirPlay as it turns out cheaper and she already has Apple hardware.

I will also be using active speakers - for maximum sound quality and lowest box count.

Level 2 has 3 zones, one of which is the room where the iMac is. Network on this level will be via powerline ethernet and two AirPort Experesses. In the main room the iMac will feed directly via analog out to a pair of AVI ADM 9RS. The two other zones will be AirPort analog out to Monitor Audio WS100 (small actives).

Level 1 has 2 zones and as it is unfortunately on a separate electricity meter so it cannot use homeplugs and it will have to be served wirelessly. Two AirPorts, analog to Monitor Audio WS100.

Control will obviously be via iPhone/iPad.

All in, it fits inside 2,450.

I will also have to upgrade her software to the latest OS X, iOS and iTunes and – as she is not currently doing it – get her a USB hard drive to Time Machine back-up (another 60 quid).

That’s the plan. Orders placed, most stuff gets delivered this week with the ADMs within two weeks.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Hardware:

3 pairs MA WS100 - 250gbp = 750gbp (one zone will use her existing Bose speakers)

AVI ADM9RS = 1,300gbp

Devolo AV200 Mini homeplugs, two sets of two, 30gbp per set = 60gbp

4 Airports, 70gbp each = 280gbp

+ cabling (electrical extension leads, audio and network patchcords)

 

[John Duncan]

The fact that she plays from iPlayer is the only thing that would have made me go with Airplay, tbh; a Sonos Play:3 (or even Play:1) is much cheaper than an Airport Express plus the MAs (and neater). And multiroom flexibility is much better, IMO.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

True. But they are single units (have no distance separation between channels) so would need 2 units each to achieve good stereo effect, making it more expensive. Also, I did not like the sound of Sonos 3 and 1 when I tried them. I did seriously consider Sonos and I agree it is an excellent option but in this case - Airplay it is.

 

[The_Lhc]

True. But they are single units (have no distance separation between channels) so would need 2 units each to achieve good stereo effect, making it more expensive. Also, I did not like the sound of Sonos 3 and 1 when I tried them. I did seriously consider Sonos and I agree it is an excellent option but in this case - Airplay it is.

I don't get the impression Airplay is really suited to this sort of multi-room idea. If you wanted to use active speakers you'd only need a Sonos Connect for each pair. If you're using passives you could get away with two pairs of speakers on one Connect:Amp, provided each pair was 8 Ohm impedance.

 

[chebby]

In the main room the iMac will feed directly via analog out to a pair of AVI ADM 9RS.

Did you give the KEF X300A Wireless speakers consideration / a listen? They'd have saved £450 and they have AirPlay built in. (A couple less cables and would not require the iMac to be switched on.)

 

[John Duncan]

Or the DM5s. Even the owner says they're all the hifi you'll ever need©.

I'd still have Sonos over Airplay, but I don't have the iPlayer requirement.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

In the main room the iMac will feed directly via analog out to a pair of AVI ADM 9RS.

Did you give the KEF X300A Wireless speakers consideration / a listen? They'd have saved £450 and they have AirPlay built in. (A couple less cables and would not require the iMac to be switched on.)

Yes, I did consider the KEFs, as well as DM5s.

The KEFs indeed are convenient due to airplay being built in but for some reason (probably the looks) I have never pushed them and she did not pick them (based on looks) when I offered them. For the main room I have actually recommended her to go for the DM5s, and ADM9s were an alternaive for which I said 'more expensive, more powerful, deeper bass, more flexibility with sources for any future needs' and she strongly preferred the 9s as she wanted a 'strong' system int he main zone. Teh other zones all needed only small speakers for which the WS100s were the cheapest good lookng actives I coudl find.

 

[Um]

And the WS 100's sound awesome

 

[AlmaataKZ]

And the WS 100's sound awesome

I really hope she likes the whole thing. But my biggest worry is not sound quality (I think I got that covered) but stability of the two wireless zones - I cannot find a workaround allowing wired connection for the 2 rooms in the lower level.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

True. But they are single units (have no distance separation between channels) so would need 2 units each to achieve good stereo effect, making it more expensive. Also, I did not like the sound of Sonos 3 and 1 when I tried them. I did seriously consider Sonos and I agree it is an excellent option but in this case - Airplay it is.

I don't get the impression Airplay is really suited to this sort of multi-room idea. If you wanted to use active speakers you'd only need a Sonos Connect for each pair. If you're using passives you could get away with two pairs of speakers on one Connect:Amp, provided each pair was 8 Ohm impedance.

Why do you think Airplay is not suited for this case?

Sonos connect is 280 gbp so ove200 gbp more than an Aex and that is for each zone, plus a bridge in zone 1, making it an 870 gbp more expensive option overall.

Passives are not an option (I am using the cheapest stylish actives known to me) and putting two sets of speakers on one amp/one zone is not an option either.

 

[richardw42]

I know there are wi fi extenders on the market which aim to boost the win fi from the router making it reach further (stronger)

 

[Dave_]

I know there are wi fi extenders on the market which aim to boost the win fi from the router making it reach further (stronger)

There are and AEXs will do it but it isn't a good idea if stability/reliability is the goal.

Using extender/repeater mode halves throughput, increases latency and potentially issues with interference.

 

[ANOther]

I'd still have Sonos over Airplay, but I don't have the iPlayer requirement.

There is always the clunky iplayer work around with Sonos.

Meets my needs but I don't rely on it as a major source for music.

 

[John Duncan]

What clunky iPlayer workaround?

 

[AlmaataKZ]

A bit of an update: she bought a Time Capsule so I plan to use that instead of the BT hub (plug the bt infinity modem into the WAN port on the TC and set up the TC for that). Then create a new wifi network from the TC and connect the iMac, homeplugs and the aexes (join) to that.

 

[ANOther]

What clunky iPlayer workaround?

Go into radio on Sonos and search on shows.

if you want classical you can enter "BBC 3" - for example - and you get a list of available programs.

Apparently it doesn't get updated as quickly as the iPlayer and the programs do cut out in the middle sometimes.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

All the deliveries should be in by Friday, so, fingers crossed, installing this week-end.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

A pair of walnut ADM9RS has arrived this week to join the rest of the boxes, so we headed to Wimbledon to our friends' place for installation - a 5 zones Airplay multi-room system with actives in four zones and a pair of old Bose in the (unlucky) kitchen.

Here is the pile of gear through the unpacking.

First thing though was the back-up - which she hasn't been doing. So I convinced her she had to rectify this asap so she bought a TimeCapsule. That was good, as I was also hoping this would make all the airplay setup easier and more stable.

I have installed the TimeCapsule in place of BT Hub which worked fine. The back up took abt 1.5 hours - which we spent unpacking all the other stuff, drinking coffee and catching up on things.

The original plan was to use a combination of wireless and homeplug ethernet, but as soon as I connected the homeplugs problems started. So I ditched them and tried wifi only - this worked like a dream and, fingers crossed, seems stable.

One of the rooms:

Study:

Bedroom:

Kitchen:

And the main room:

AEXs and all the cables are hidden as much as possible so the only things you see are the speakers. They have never used Multiroom or Airplay and were absolutely delighted with what it does. They have been equally delighted with the sound, the 9s in particular, and kept saying the word 'clarity'. I of cause threw a demo of great tracks to take the new system through its paces and they loved it to bits. They were literally mesmerised with some tracks.

So, all in all - a success!

 

[ID.]

Awesome.

I wish I had friends like you. Looks neat and I'm sure it sounds great.

 

[bigboss]

Nice! Out of interest, which finish are the 9s? Looks very good!

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Awesome.

I wish I had friends like you. Looks neat and I'm sure it sounds great.

🙂

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Nice! Out of interest, which finish are the 9s? Looks very good!

walnut. But I think rosewood would have been even better.

They will darken a bit with time.