MultiRoom Audio Take 2

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › MultiRoom Audio Take 2

MikeAqua

8329 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4057

#324932 15-Jun-2026 13:39

OK, so planning multiroom audio for the new build.

I'd appreciate recommendations for multiroom audio systems that aren't proprietary. By that I mean, they don't rely on a manufacturer's WiFi adapter, servers or features the manufacturer may decide to start charging for or turn off.

Mains power and Ethernet can be made available at all speaker locations. New build so easy to build in boxes for ceiling speakers/subs.

I'm also wondering whether I should have a separate WiFi system (if it's all WiFi connected). Perhaps use a 2.4Ghz router for the audio and 5ghz WAPs for general usage.

Liveable: -

Good sound
Five zones - TV room, living area, outdoor kitchen, pool, garage
WiFi connectivity (no/few audio cables)
Home theatre set up in the TV room (ideally 9.2)
Synchronous play in different zones (parties etc)
Separate play in different zones
Easy to use for competent adults
No subscriptions
Works easily with Spotify, Jellyfin and similar services

Loveable: -

Ethernet connection (bonus points for PoE)
In-ceiling speakers and subs
?Home Assistant integrations?
More zones 😁
What have I missed

Mike

Handle9

12153 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9988

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3503256 15-Jun-2026 16:05

If I was building new through stud walls I’d be running speakers cable back to a central location and decoupling the speakers/amplification from smarts.

Good speakers will last a generation while the smarts will be obsolete in 10 years. Going with separates means you can easily and cheaply replace individual components while maintaining the rest of the system.

Id highly recommend Polk atrium speakers for outside. I got a pair 15 years ago and they have stood up to both New Zealand and Dubai conditions. They look ratty as hell but they still sound great.

Handle9

12153 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9988

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3503257 15-Jun-2026 16:06

Also given you are in the home assistant ecosystem have a look at Music Assistant. It works very well for cross platform music

MikeAqua

8329 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4057

#3503262 15-Jun-2026 16:38

Handle9:

If I was building new through stud walls I’d be running speakers cable back to a central location and decoupling the speakers/amplification from smarts.

Good speakers will last a generation while the smarts will be obsolete in 10 years. Going with separates means you can easily and cheaply replace individual components while maintaining the rest of the system.

Id highly recommend Polk atrium speakers for outside. I got a pair 15 years ago and they have stood up to both New Zealand and Dubai conditions. They look ratty as hell but they still sound great.

If you do that, how do I adjust for sounds taking longer to get to some speakers? Or does it not really matter?

Edit: Forgot to add, we'll have a service cavity on most walls. There will be rigid lining across the inside of the studs. Then 40mm vertical batons and then interior cladding. There will be secondary wool insulation in the service cavity, but that will be easy enough to rat cables through if required, as there are no horizontal battens.

Mike

MikeAqua

8329 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4057

#3503264 15-Jun-2026 16:43

Handle9:

Also given you are in the home assistant ecosystem have a look at Music Assistant. It works very well for cross platform music

I have a toe in HA, and a pinky at that ... but I'll have a look, thanks

The main thing is that it's something the whole family can use. I don't mine 'cosplaying as a sysadmin', but wifey just wants stuff that works.

Any thoughts on SnapCast?

Mike

Handle9

12153 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9988

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3503319 15-Jun-2026 17:29

MikeAqua:

Handle9:

If I was building new through stud walls I’d be running speakers cable back to a central location and decoupling the speakers/amplification from smarts.

Good speakers will last a generation while the smarts will be obsolete in 10 years. Going with separates means you can easily and cheaply replace individual components while maintaining the rest of the system.

Id highly recommend Polk atrium speakers for outside. I got a pair 15 years ago and they have stood up to both New Zealand and Dubai conditions. They look ratty as hell but they still sound great.

If you do that, how do I adjust for sounds taking longer to get to some speakers? Or does it not really matter?

Edit: Forgot to add, we'll have a service cavity on most walls. There will be rigid lining across the inside of the studs. Then 40mm vertical batons and then interior cladding. There will be secondary wool insulation in the service cavity, but that will be easy enough to rat cables through if required, as there are no horizontal battens.

I haven’t explained what I would do well enough. I’d have a home theatre receiver for the living room and a class D amp of some variety for each zone. The amp may or may not have a streamer built into it.

You adjust latency on the streamer/amp system you choose. There’s an LTT video where Linus built this sort of thing in his house with Sonos amps.

I had this type of setup for my outdoor speakers in my last house and it worked very well.

I had a WiiM mini —>Schiit Modi DAC —> Fosi audio class d amp —> Polk Atriums

When my cousin built his (very nice) house he built an AV/Tech cupboard/small room behind his living room. I’ve always thought that’s a nice way to house all this stuff centrally.

Handle9

12153 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9988

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3503321 15-Jun-2026 17:31

MikeAqua:

Handle9:

Also given you are in the home assistant ecosystem have a look at Music Assistant. It works very well for cross platform music

I have a toe in HA, and a pinky at that ... but I'll have a look, thanks

The main thing is that it's something the whole family can use. I don't mine 'cosplaying as a sysadmin', but wifey just wants stuff that works.

Any thoughts on SnapCast?

I haven’t played with it sorry. Given we are back in the renting, and will be renting in Singapore, I won’t really have the opportunity to play with too much stuff again for a while.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

nztim

4097 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2801

ID Verified

Trusted

TEAMnetwork

Subscriber

#3503404 15-Jun-2026 21:54

Axium AX-1250 Multiroom Streaming / Amplifier is pretty impressive

What I like

It's an NZ Brand
Supports a range of inputs, streaming, has an app etc.
has the output zones you want

What I don't like

it's not a high-power amp, if you want loud music not your thing
I would prefer it 100v line output, epically in large outdoor spaces you want more than just a basic L/R speaker

As others have said, run passive speakers to your amp, they won't get out of date, your amp will when technology changes

For speakers, I am a big pro audio fan

Indoor Ceiling - https://jblpro.com/en/products/control-328c
Outdoor (mount under eaves etc) https://jblpro.com/en/products/awc82

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

Yoban

462 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 92

#3503453 16-Jun-2026 09:35

I found this an interesting watch and all connected to Home Assistant Building My Ultimate Multiroom Audio System — Part 1: Hardware Tour & Speaker Installation

There is a Part 2 and 3

I currently have Yamaha kit - AVR for theatre room (zone 1, zone 2 - lounge TV) and 4-zone for other parts of the house....still have not sorted out (2 years) the audio delay between two zones next to each other (open plan Kitchen/Lounge) when lounge TV sends digital audio back to the zone 2 on AVR which is then sent to Kitchen zone on 4-way amp.

I suspect it is due to the signal being digital and converted to analogue - something to think about as when all signals Analogue on previous system not an issue at all.

MikeAqua

8329 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4057

#3503504 16-Jun-2026 11:43

Thanks for the replies, all very helpful.

Looks like the ax-1250 and a separate HT setup for the TV room would do the trick for us. The AX-1250 has a couple of pre-amp zones. I could output one the HT system and maybe use one for a subwoofer in another zone.

We don't need anything really loud.

Mike