Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - inexpensive audio distribution amp

I need an inexpensive audio distribution amplifier.

I want to drive speakers located in two rooms from my home stereo system. My current receiver just gave up the ghost, so I need to replace it. I plan on replacing it with a receiver that has an unamplified "second room" feature (Sony SRDE995B). Thus, I need an amp for the secondary rooms. I already have Niles Audio speaker switch for downstream of the amp.

Anyone have any suggestions (including a different way of doing this). I don't want to run just of the Receivers Left/Right channels as when you have the receiver in surround mode, the left and right don't get much signal, and the remote rooms have not much sound.

Thanks.

what does inexpensive mean to you?

A lot of A/V receivers have BOTH A speakers and B speakers for two channel sound for an adjacent room.

fred

Inexpensive means less than $100. I don't need much sound quality. Just enough signal to drive some satellite speakers.

Regarding A and B main speaker outputs. If the receiver is in surround sound mode, the mains don't get much signal. The satellite speakers need full spectrum (i.e. just 2 channel sound). Thus, I would have to set the receiver at 2 channel, when I want to listed to the satellite speakers.

At this point, I'm likely to just drive the satellite speakers off the main and just deal with the surround sound issue.

I don't think I fully understand what you're trying to do.

Are you intending to take the signal from the Zone 2/2nd Room output on your main receiver and send that to an amp in the other room?

If so, any receiver should do what you're asking.

Try Etronics.com - you should be able to get a simple Stereo receiver for less than $100 easily.

If I understand you correctly, what you are wanting to do is have a surround sound room (4 speakers) driven from the main receiver, then use a line level to another receiver to run 2 more speakers in a separate room?

That should be no problem. Just make sure you use the line level output and not a speaker level output - no point wasting power on a line in to another receiver.

Good luck!

Originally posted by stereoguy
I don't think I fully understand what you're trying to do.

Are you intending to take the signal from the Zone 2/2nd Room output on your main receiver and send that to an amp in the other room?

If so, any receiver should do what you're asking.

Thats almost right.

The amp would be co-located, but the speakers are in two separate rooms. I would use a Niles Audio (already own this) 4 way speaker switch for distribution.

Right now it seems moot as any receiver that has second room/zone out cost so much more that its not worth it.

Originally posted by SafeWatch
Try Etronics.com - you should be able to get a simple Stereo receiver for less than $100 easily.

If I understand you correctly, what you are wanting to do is have a surround sound room (4 speakers) driven from the main receiver, then use a line level to another receiver to run 2 more speakers in a separate room?

That should be no problem. Just make sure you use the line level output and not a speaker level output - no point wasting power on a line in to another receiver.

Good luck!

You understand correctly. I have been looking for an amplifier since I don't need anything but some watts to drive speakers. A second receiver would work, but I would have to turn it on manually probably. An amp could be made to turn on when the receiver turns on. A standalone amp would cost $150 to 200 though.

At this point I think I'll just use the main speaker outputs and deal with the surround sound issues.