Amp for Multi-Room Audio with Subs?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Amp for Multi-Room Audio with Subs?

MikeAqua

8024 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3818

#323980 11-Feb-2026 15:33

We're new build planning. The main TV Room setup is nailed down.

However, I also want to look at audio for at least two other zones:

Zone 1: is a living area - kitchen, lounge, dining, without a TV.

Zone 2: is an outdoor dining area.

Our use case is streaming music in stereo. Two or four channels plus a sub-woofer per zone. The part I am struggling with is finding an amplifier to drive audio in two zones with a subwoofer in each.

I don't want something with a proprietary hub or off-site cloud software or similar pain points. Just something people can stream to via Wi-Fi. We're increasingly moving to self-hosting, so if it can also stream from Plex or Jellyfin ... great.

Mike

richms

29099 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10210

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3460755 11-Feb-2026 17:36

wiim amp has a sub out and will cross over in its DSP. It will play from wifi over spotify and tidal connect, I think the amp still has airplay if you are into apple, and it has optical and analog inputs that can take signal from the output of your HT amps zone 2/3 out.

Its just the normal linkplay protocol that all their other stuff uses which seems quite well supported - home assistant can see what is playing on it, I have not tried streaming to it from HA as I do not have any content that HA can see because my brief try of music assistant killed the install on the card and I had to restore. No One seems to bother testing with large libraries. I am tolerating roon at the moment and it sends to all the linkplay gear just fine.

Richard rich.ms

Handle9

11925 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9675

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3460804 11-Feb-2026 22:25

You are probably best to look at an amp per zone. Zone 2 on most HT Amps is a bit of an afterthought.

Something like the Wiim would work or you could seperate the streamer from the amps/DACs which would give you a system that could be more easily upgraded as streaming changes in the future. I used a Wiim mini with a Schiit DAC and a cheap and cheerful class D amp for my outdoor speakers. It worked really well. We are an apple house so Airplay is our prefered output but Plex is supported in the Wiim app on some devices.

https://faq.wiimhome.com/en/support/solutions/articles/72000634881-plex-on-wiim

Sonos has just announced a multiroom pro amp to be sold via the integrator channel but it's only got one sub output I think.

https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/stereo-amplifiers/sonos-announces-a-new-integrator-friendly-streaming-amplifier-for-complex-home-audio-solutions

MikeAqua

8024 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3818

#3461126 13-Feb-2026 06:29

Handle9:

You are probably best to look at an amp per zone. Zone 2 on most HT Amps is a bit of an afterthought.

Something like the Wiim would work or you could seperate the streamer from the amps/DACs which would give you a system that could be more easily upgraded as streaming changes in the future. I used a Wiim mini with a Schiit DAC and a cheap and cheerful class D amp for my outdoor speakers. It worked really well. We are an apple house so Airplay is our preferred output but Plex is supported in the Wiim app on some devices.

Thanks for this. Not what I was hoping to here but really helpful to clarify. How do you control your amp from outside?

Mike

Handle9

11925 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9675

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3461127 13-Feb-2026 06:40

Use the volume control on the Wiim mini. My outdoor speakers (Polk Atruim 4) are very easy to drive so I’ve set the max volume on the amp manually then just control it via the WiiM.

At one stage I had a smart plug for the whole assembly which was in a weatherproof box but I didn’t bother switching it off in my old house.

Dunnersfella

4100 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 887

#3461348 13-Feb-2026 21:13

There's 4 main network amps on the market.

WiiM - cheap, many models are coming out within their range that don't offer AirPlay after they fell out with Apple.

Works with Plex / network shares etc. Room correction built-in if needed, but pointless in an outdoor zone (that goes for all brands).

Sonos - more power, jump into the Sonos eco-system to open up portable speakers, sound bars etc. The only brand to support Apple Muisc and built-in Spotify (as well a Connect)... but only favourites etc. Works with Plex / network shares etc. Can actually run 6 x Sonos brand in-ceiling or in-wall speakers on a single amp due to some proprietary trickery and DSP implementations... Room correction built in, but only if you're using Sonos brand passive speakers. Works in with Sony, Onkyo and Yamaha Aventage AVR's via the 'works with Sonos' programme.

Oh, no Qobuz Connect yet, which is somewhat odd...

Note - Sonos had some major app issues late 2024, largely fixed now, but it will always be brought up.

Denon (or the pricier Marantz Model M1 equivalent) - more powerful again in real world tests. No Plex integration but arguably sounds better if you need to drive trickier speakers / would like higher volumes. SMB / UPnP compatibility if you need, all other major streaming services are on-board. Room correction a paid for extra, but it's Dirac Live, arguably the best on the market.

Works with Denon and Marantz AVR's if you're running a home cinema systems.

BluOs Powernode - 2 / 3 channels. Different power depending on how many speakers you're running.

Dirac Live still 'in the works' for the apparently. but all other music streaming services are supported.

Re: apps.

This is interesting to me, some people prefer Linux, some like Windows, others like macOS.

It is largely the app that you like / enjoy, when you try new apps it's a case of learning all over again.

I personally want an amp that will make my speakers sound as good as they possibly can... so I would always recommend buying with your ears.