Updating Legacy System

[KTSnyder-2]

Looking for product recommendation and advice on how to make this work! My 1980’s Sony receiver died and I need to replace it. The criteria for my “new” sound system is:

- Audio only
- Receiver that has inputs for RCA phono plug (Sony turntable) and CD player (Onkyo)
- Would like to play same music from the receiver to 3 different locations
- I a not interested in high-end equipment; Sony quality or Onkyo quality is just fine with me
- My rooms are small; do not need booming sound

Current speaker setup is 2 pairs of good quality wired bookshelf speakers controlled by a 4-zone stereo speaker selector switch, which has broken wire terminals. Is it possible to mix speaker types - wireless and wired? If necessary, I am willing to buy converter kits for 2 speaker pairs and purchase 1 pair wireless (if possible to mix speaker types). It is important that I be able to select speaker sets (as I currently do with my selector switch). Or if there is a better solution, I am willing to purchase new wireless speakers for all 3 rooms (along with a new receiver)

Thank you for any guidance/advice you can provide me!

 

[Deleted member 188533]

Did you post this on Tom's Hardware too? Or was it Tom's Guide? I swear I just saw this somewhere else and I don't think I'm seeing things!

Either way I was actually going to recommend you ask here. This is out of my area of comfort and most of the regulars here are in the UK so give them time and you'll get some good advice.

 

[KTSnyder-2]

Thank you for the welcome. I did post this on Tom's Guide, so are not seeing things!! Thank you so very much, too, for your encouragement on posting on this site. I will remain patient and see what the "regulars" have to offer. Again, thanks!

 

[Deleted member 188533]

Just so you don't think I'm stalking you or anything all three sites are owned by the same company and I'm a moderator on all three.

You'll get very good advice here. Some of the guys even own audio companies.

 

[KTSnyder-2]

Not at all! After all, you are a moderator. How interesting to know about the ownership... thanks for sharing. I appreciate your encouragement, as well. Thanks!

 

[chris661]

Some thoughts:
- Moving across to all-wireless could be tricky, but rewarding. You'd likely need to select which speakers are playing using a tablet/phone instead of your switchbox.
- Running 6x speakers connected to one amplifier might put the amplifier at risk, depending on how loud you're running things. At lower levels, you'll be fine, but if you like to turn it up, 3x speakers per channel might trigger over-current protection - or worse.
- Best bet would be to try to find an amplifier that's happy to run at 2ohm/ch. IIRC, some NAD gear is rated for that.

Chris

 

[rainsoothe]

From what I understand, you need a receiver with 1 RCA line in and 1 RCA Phono input, that can output music to 3 rooms. This means a 9.1 or 11.1 channel reciever, as a 7 channel one will only have the possibility of setting up 1 extra room. All or most 9 or 11 channel recievers will have these facilities, you just need to audition some and pick the one you like the sound of - be it Onkyo, Denon, Sony, Pioneer, Marantz, Arcam, Anthem etc.

 

[iMark]

I would recommend looking into the Yamaha Musiccast system. The R-N602 and R-N803D both are stereo network receivers. In other rooms you could use other Musiccast components. You can play a record or a CD in the main area while streaming this to the other rooms. The whole system is controlled by the Musiccast app for smartphones and tablets.

We own a R-N602 and it's very good. But I would probably spend a bit more now and get the R-N803D which has even better features. Both have a phono stage so can plug in your record player. (The cheaper R-N 303D and R-N402D don't have a phone stage.)

The system works seamlessly with my Mac through Airplay. And our Pro-Ject record player sounds pretty good too on our system.
https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/contents/audio_visual/musiccast/index.html

The Yamahas can power two pairs of cabled speakers which can be used as pair A, pair B or both. We have pair A in the living room and pair B in the kitchen. Other rooms could have wireless connections through Musiccast.
What is really convenient is that all speakers can be switched on or off by the remote control or the Musiccast app.

Other companies offer similar solutions. Like Denon with the Heos. But I don't have any experience with that.