rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Guys, If I was putting together a system using a EA-3 Controller and wanting to use 3 16AMP3-B amplifiers for 24 zones of audio, would I want to incorporate one 8AMP1-B? This way I could have the 8AMP1-B first in line to receive a digital signal, then daisy chain the 16AMP3-B amplifiers after? Or doesn't the digital signal really matter when just doing in ceiling speakers and stick with all 16AMP3-B amps? Also, could I even chain five control4 amplifiers together for like this? And if I did, could I technically have 28 zones of audio? Please let me know what you think. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 Correction, I meant to say, could I chain these four (not five) amps together if wanted to get 28 zones of audio? And is the digital signal useless if it just goes to the 8AMP1-B and gets sent out via network after? I think I would still get digital signal across all amps then right? Please correct me if my thinking is wrong here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic30101 Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Control4 amps don't distribute audio signals over the network like total control amps do. So any zones on the 4 zone amp would be limited to a total of 4 sources compared to the ones with the 8 zone matrix amps. Do you just have a bunch of those laying around? You are not supposed to split sources to feed multiple matrix amps since that can convoluted source routing. You are supposed to lock matrix amp inputs and use an audio matrix. As for the digital out it would be better to just buy a DAC to convert it to analog for those 8 zone matrix amps. What are all the sources you intend to distribute? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 you need an x by 24 matrix to do what you want. x being # of inputs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 Really the only sources would be an online service like Spotify. So basically the 4 zone amp would be worthless? Just use the three 8 zone amps with an audio matrix and its all good? Like the 16S2-E-B or 16ZAMSV3-B? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 3 minutes ago, rf9000 said: Really the only sources would be an online service like Spotify. So basically the 4 zone amp would be worthless? Just use the three 8 zone amps with an audio matrix and its all good? Like the 16S2-E-B or 16ZAMSV3-B? the problem is that you can't split controller audio out into multiple matrix. so you really have to understand how many independent zones of audio you want between your 24 sources. I would like to buy non-matrix amps and a x by 24 matrix (x being the number of inputs you want). Doing 24 unique zones of audio won't be cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 As long as we are on this topic, can someone help me with a basic understanding of how distributed video works? I skipped it on my current system so unfamiliar with it. I didn't think there was too much of a need for it because of simple online services like Netflix, HBONow, and other things like Amazon Firesticks, etc. I don't really need to keep a database of movies on a NAS server or anything like that with these other services. But this would be a new install so was looking at distributed video and trying to determine if worth it. I will have 4-5 locations where I will have 5.1 to 7.1 stereos. In each location I have hidden components cabinets so that all equipment is local to each location. I thought about having all A/V equipment (amps, blu ray, etc.) located in the main control room, but thought that could get really complicated getting to all work. So if I wanted to do distributed video to these 4-5 locations, how does that work for equipment needed and functionality? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 and btw - IMHO - if you are building a house with 24 zones of audio, you have to be spending over $1 Million on a home or else IDK where you are putting all these zones. And you are fretting over spending $1000 for a EA3, or $2,000 for an EA5 or spending like what like $350 for a used 800 on ebay. IDK...just seems like you are trying to save money in the wrong places. Do you honestly need 24 unique zones of audio? For anyone building a $1mil plus home, I just can't image an extra $700 to do it right from the start is a budget buster... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 Its not a budget buster, and I have decided to do the EA3. I'm just thinking of the system I have now. I currently have 24 zones of audio (48 in ceiling speakers). My controllers are a HC800 and HC300. I use Extra Vegetables driver and four Russound amplifiers. Works very well. I can turn any zone on at any time, but I think I'm limited to four or five sources that can play at one time over the 24 zones. So maybe I'm not understanding you. Are you asking if I want to have, lets say, 24 different radio stations playing at the same time on 24 zones? if that is the case, no, that would never happen. I would prefer to be able to have maybe up to 10 different radio stations playing over the 24 ones at the same time, but can't really ever see myself needing anymore than that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 1 minute ago, rf9000 said: Its not a budget buster, and I have decided to do the EA3. I'm just thinking of the system I have now. I currently have 24 zones of audio (48 in ceiling speakers). My controllers are a HC800 and HC300. I use Extra Vegetables driver and four Russound amplifiers. Works very well. I can turn any zone on at any time, but I think I'm limited to four or five sources that can play at one time over the 24 zones. So maybe I'm not understanding you. Are you asking if I want to have, lets say, 24 different radio stations playing at the same time on 24 zones? if that is the case, no, that would never happen. I would prefer to be able to have maybe up to 10 different radio stations playing over the 24 ones at the same time, but can't really ever see myself needing anymore than that so that would be a 24 x 24 - inputs x outputs - how many sources are your input and how many zones are your outputs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 it would be 24 x 24 - inputs x outputs if I want 24 different stations playing at the same time? I don't need that. I'm basically only going to be using Spotify or something like that for my source. Maybe only one source. I don't know what you mean by how many zones are your outputs. 24? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 Or do you mean how many zones I would need to be playing simultaneously with different music? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Just now, rf9000 said: Or do you mean how many zones I would need to be playing simultaneously with different music? how many unique sources you need to play at the same time - that is the number of inputs you need. For example if you have 5 people in your family and you all want to listen to different spotify connect across the 24 zones, that woudl be 5 inputs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 I would say maybe up to 10 at the most in a rare situation, but really probably never more than 5 t 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 typo: 5 to 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 so you need to ensure you design your system to have 10 audio inputs and everything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 Doesn't the 16S2-E-B have 16/ And I would use 10 of those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Doesn't the 16S2-E-B have 16/ And I would use 10 of those?That is 16 channels 8 zones. Stereo so each zone requires 2 channels Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 So that is like 40 RCA cables between the Switch and the three amps!! Forgive me if this sounds stupid, but out do I get to 10 signal inputs to distribute into the Matrix? I know in my current system I had to add the HC300 for this reason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 So that is like 40 RCA cables between the Switch and the three amps!! Forgive me if this sounds stupid, but out do I get to 10 signal inputs to distribute into the Matrix? I know in my current system I had to add the HC300 for this reasonStill not sure how your dealer has it wired up and if it's really doing what you think.Also 300 will no longer work in 2.10. And in 2.9 it drags you down to legacy audio. So lower quality Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 Not really planning on using the HC300 as its in my current system. I confused on what you are saying. Maybe this is the reason I did the Russound amps because it seemed like C4 overcomplicates it or requires so much more equipment to do the same thing, I can't remember. It seems simple. Like the audio signal should be sent to a matrix, and the matrix split it among how ever many outputs are needed and sends signals to amps. But you are saying that I need a bunch of Matrix Switches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rf9000 Posted February 18, 2018 Author Share Posted February 18, 2018 I wired my whole firs system and had it remotely programmed. I did all rough in. I guess I'm asking you how this works since I was on the wrong page with the way C4 does it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic30101 Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 So let's say you have 5 video zones with AVRs. How many shared video sources are you looking to do 6? Cable1, cable2, cable3, appletv1, appletv2, bluray or something similar in fashion replacing appletvs with roku or androidtvs based on preference? So if you did that those eat up 6 of the 24 on your audio matrix. Then you have 5 ea3 feeding the HDMI to each video zone for on screen and audio and the other 10 audio outputs to the audio matrix for a total of max 10 audio only rooms running simutaneusly. Feel free to drop down from an ea3 to an ea1 in a few of these rooms if you only need 6 independent audio only zones running simutaneusly. So you still have 8 leftover inputs for overhead and future devices so echo dots or Chromecast audios could easily fill those spots inexpensively Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic30101 Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 3 minutes ago, rf9000 said: Not really planning on using the HC300 as its in my current system. I confused on what you are saying. Maybe this is the reason I did the Russound amps because it seemed like C4 overcomplicates it or requires so much more equipment to do the same thing, I can't remember. It seems simple. Like the audio signal should be sent to a matrix, and the matrix split it among how ever many outputs are needed and sends signals to amps. But you are saying that I need a bunch of Matrix Switches? No just 1 large audio matrix. And the rest of the amls can just be non matrix amps since that is what the matrix is for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Not really planning on using the HC300 as its in my current system. I confused on what you are saying. Maybe this is the reason I did the Russound amps because it seemed like C4 overcomplicates it or requires so much more equipment to do the same thing, I can't remember. It seems simple. Like the audio signal should be sent to a matrix, and the matrix split it among how ever many outputs are needed and sends signals to amps. But you are saying that I need a bunch of Matrix Switches?Do the russonds chain?Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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