Articles and whitepapers

Introduction to Multiroom Audio Systems (2/12/2004)

By Matthew Bramble, Opus Technologies

A multiroom system allows you to centralise all your hi-fi equipment and then listen to, watch and control it from every room in the house simultaneously or independently. It does this all without the black boxes and trailing cables that are usually associated with entertainment technology.

The market for multiroom began with the concept of 'muzak,' where ceiling speakers provided 'piped' music that you could simply turn on and off in each room. Taking this one stage further, aspiring hi-fi buffs ran speaker cable between rooms and then added independent volume controls in each room. At a later stage, technology allowed infra-red control to be added, so that the connected source equipment could be controlled from another room.

With all these disparate control systems being used, numerous cables and handsets were required - a far cry from modern multiroom audio systems. These now provide 'hub' units that distribute audio and control signals via a single cable to a single control unit in multiple rooms.

The latest multiroom systems even have a video distribution option that not only allows you to enjoy audio in every room from a central source, but also video sources, such as DVD and satellite TV.

Schematic of Opus Technologies OCTOPUS system

A typical system

A typical multiroom audio system consists of a hub unit into which source equipment is plugged. Cables in the walls and ceilings connect this central hub to multiple rooms, and in each room there are speakers and a wall-mounted keypad for controlling the audio (and video if fitted). Remote controls can also provide armchair control over the audio in that room, including volume, bass, treble and source equipment functions.

Opus Technologies OCTOPUS system wall-mounted keypad

Opus Technologies OPUS 500 Series system wall-mounted keypad

Sophisticated systems are able to pass data back and forth between each room and the hub unit via installed cables. In such cases, the multiroom audio system acts as an intelligent home automation system which not only simplifies and eliminates many of the problems associated with modern entertainment, including the large black boxes and trailing cables mentioned earlier, but can also integrate with other systems such as alarm, telephones, and lighting.

Establishing your needs

Multiroom audio offers a wide range of choices and levels of sophistication. With so many choices available, it is important to consider what you want your multiroom system to do for you before you commit to purchasing a system. A few questions to ask yourself include:

¥ What is your budget?
¥ How many rooms do you want the system in?
¥ How many pieces of audio/video source equipment do you plan on connecting?
¥ If you are using existing source equipment is this compatible with the multiroom system, and if you add new equipment, will it have to be from the same manufacturer as the multiroom system?
¥ Is the system easy to use and will you remember how to use the keypad?

By thinking about these questions and talking them through with your local dealer/installer, your system should provide years of trouble-free enjoyment. In fact, many systems are scaleable, so even if you started off with a system in three or four rooms (also called zones), as long as you have additional cables installed to the other rooms, you can easily add more zones and equipment at a later date.

Multiroom wiring

The difference between systems is often in terms of wiring configuration. Many systems use a wiring pattern called 'star-wiring' or 'home-run,' where Cat5e and speaker cables are run back to a central source where the amplifiers and hub are located. The alternative to this is 'local amplification.' This requires a single cable run to each room, where an amplifier is located. This is then connected to a pair of speakers that are typically located in the ceiling or the wall. The amplifier can be located in the keypad itself, as with A-BUS products such as the Opus Technologies OCTOPUS Multiroom, or provided as a separate unit with different power ratings, such as the OPUS 500 Series. Indeed it can be argued that locating the amplifier locally ensures optimum sound quality due to short speaker cable runs.

Schematic of Opus Technologies OPUS 500 system

We would recommend that when considering a multiroom entertainment system, you ask your dealer/installer for a demonstration of the system they have recommended so that you can check the sound quality.

To stay true to the concept of multiroom being a hidden system, we also recommend that the 'hub' unit and source equipment are located underneath the stairs or in an out-of-the-way location. However, we find that many people prefer their hi-fi and video equipment to be located in a main room such as the living room. So, when you discuss your system with a professional, you should agree your preferred hub location.

A multiroom entertainment system typically provides stereo sound to each room, but a common requirement is to also have a surround sound system in the main living room. In this case, choose a hub which has audio (and if required, video) 'loop' outputs. By situating the hub next to a surround system, the installer can loop sources between an AV receiver and the multiroom system, making it possible to watch a DVD in the main room in surround-sound and in the other rooms in stereo.

The multiroom future

A multiroom audio (and video) system delivers years of enjoyment and a clutter-free entertainment in every room of your home. It can also add to the resale value of your property and help differentiate it from other local properties for sale.

It is likely that multiroom entertainment systems will eventually become our primary means of accessing entertainment over the Internet. Whilst this is still some distance off, as technology and services are yet to be standardised and proven, it is not hard to imagine the day when we have on-demand access to television, music, radio and films in every room of our homes - all thanks to our multiroom entertainment system.

Matthew Bramble is the Technical Director of Opus Technologies, a leading British manufacturer of multiroom entertainment systems and structured wiring solutions.

www.opus-technologies.co.uk