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Home Audio Project need some advice

Z

zak97cobra

n00b
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
25
The short version is I need a sound card and speakers for a PC that will be used to play MP3s/CDs and not video or DVD. The extended versions is I'd like the PC to power speakers in the basement and first floor while allowing the user to choose which speakers are active. Read on for the indepth explanation.

Sorry for the length, I need a lot of advice.

I'm in the process of putting a bar in the basement of my house. I'd like to use a computer to play MP3s at the bar. How convenient would it be to have all of your CDs ripped on one computer that will just be used to play tunes? I think it would be great. My girlfriend's parents just got rid of a HP pavilion 8575C, it's not what I originally had in mind, but it was free so what the hell. I'm going to format the hard drive and start from scratch. It needs a new video card so I'm just going to pick up something middle of the road because I won't be using the PC for any outrageous graphics. I need a new sound card. Which brings me to my first question:

1) Which sound card should I get?

Question 1 will probably be less vague when I'm finished explaining the project in its entirety. I would like to power 4 speakers (one in each corner of the room) and a subwoofer. Maybe that's not the best setup, maybe two speakers and a sub is all i need. I'm not sure and I dont have the room dimensions in front of me however it's roughly 12'x12'. I've realized in doing some quick research that I could use the sound card to give audio input to a receiver that powers regular stereo speakers (this is a viable option, but one I'm leaning away from given the scope of the entire project). I don't need a surround sound setup because I'm not planning on watching any DVDs/video. This leads to question 2:

2) Which speakers should I get? Keep in mind that I don't need surround sound and that I'm willing to pay around $300 for the speakers.

I have been doing some online browsing, but I'm just not sure where to look.

Since I originally thought of this project other ideas have added to the scope of the project. I got to thinking wouldn't it be cool to have one computer supplying the whole house with audio pleasure. So I thought I'd ask: Is it possible to use this one computer to power the speakers in the basement, and a set on the first floor? I'd like to come up with a way (possibly a self written program using a VB interface) to select which speakers are active, i.e. sending audio to the first floor and not the basement, sending audio to both, sending audio to just the basement. Taking it one step further it would be great to have a touch screen interface (one in the basement and one on the first floor) to select the speakers. The sticking point for me, in the "expanded project", is how to get the computer to send basically two signals through the sound card. Or maybe I need some sort of external switch. I'm not really sure that any of this is plausible for a realistic amount of time/money, and I'm not interested in paying someone else to do it because I'm a do it yourselfer with a mechanical engineering degree (a lethal combination in most cases). Any advice/suggestions?

Now I realize that the I've kind of gone off on a tangent, my original goal still stands and is easily attainable: get a pc in the basement playing MP3s with a great sound system. I'd need a good sound card, but I don't need surround sound and I want good speakers for around $300. So if i could at least get some advice on those two I'd be happy. In addition, if someone wants to call me an idiot for trying to accomplish the "extended project" well I'm all ears, fire away. Thanks.
 
best bet: get a nice soundcard (either the chaintech everyone here raves about, or a Sudigy 2 ZS) and a stereo receiver/speaker setup.

Most stereo receivers have a a/b switch that will allow you to run two sets of speakers...and the sound will be better than what a computer speaker set could give you.

I bet you can get a used stereo receiver and a decent pair of bookshelf speakers easily for that and have cash left over..heck my bookshelves were $140 and kick ass (they were kits though, so they are assemble it yourself). If you have a Fry's electronics near you, you can often get killer deals on bookshelf speakers there.

I've seen an 8" 3-way yamaha pair go for $60 at Fry's a few months ago. That same speaker is going on ebay for not much more either.


edit: if you want varying volumes on both floors, you may have to get a multi-zone amplifier...those ARE rather costly, since they often fall under the "professional gear" category. However, I have seen in-wall setups with varying volume setups...maybe it's a good idea to look at those as well.
 
Go with an A/B stereo receiver as described above. A Chaintech AV-710 will be an good two-channel source. Also, check craigslist.org for decent cheap ones in your area. Otherwise, this refurb onkyo TX-8211 should serve well. It's shipped for $90. Then I'd get two pair of ELT LRS Those are shipped for $300.

So, what's you budget? ;)
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

Hmmm... My budget? Well uh, for right now it's around $1000. Meaning I don't want to spend more than that from here on out. (i.e.the video card, sound card, receiver and speakers).

Am I looking up the right chaintech? It's only ~$30???
 
Yes, that's the right one. It's a fine bang/buck source. The money saved there in the source budget would be more fruitfully invested in the speaker and amplification budget (in that preference). A set of 4 ELT LRS speakers with a decent subwoofer should be just about right. That subwoofer would be kinda tought to integrate, having only a line input. You would neet to get a A/V receiver with a subwoofer crossover and output.

Take a look at 4am Music Console. It might be interesting to you.
 
Yeap, that is the correct card =]

I'd get a decent used / refurbed receiver, some nice bookshelves, like those ELT's, and then go from there. If gaming is not a priority, the Chaintech card is great for saving money.

As for multiple speakers throughout the house, the easy way would be to do the A/B switching on a 2-zone receiver, as everyone else mentioned. Another possibility would be to write some sort of plugin for foobar to let you toggle outputs. The Chaintech is a 7.1 card, so you could conceivably create a small plugin that let you pick which set of outputs to use via checkboxes or the like. The last method would be to actually buy and wire in an audio distribution network in your house, but those run a huge amount of cash, so that's pretty much out of the window.

Also, with the foobar plugin, you could run dual monitors and put one upstairs, having each monitor clone the desktop; that would let you change your music settings via an LCD [even a touchscreen if you wish =] and still do everything yourself :D
 
There is really only one analog output on the chaintech worth considering. That's the rear-surrounds, channles 7&8 on the hi-sample bypass mode. The others aren't any better than onboard sound. Of course, if you use the digital output into a decent digital reciever (as you will likely have to buy to get a sub-output), then the analog output is moot. You are instead relying on the DAC stage in the receiver. It is likely to be superior. Look for a Denon 180x receiver. (x=1,2,3.4,5) Try to find one with multizone capability, so that you can have flexability down the road.
 
Whew! Ok, it looks like I have a bunch of decision to make. Question 1 has been answered, I'm getting the Chaintech AV-710 (newegg is out of stock BTW). Now I need to decide on a receiver and speakers. I also need to figure out how to activate the "upstairs" speakers without going down to the basement.

I like BO(V)BZ's idea, it's really what I had in mind because I'd like to be able to do more than just change the speakers from each LCD (like browsing through my list of favorite recipes, i mean watching my girlfriend browse through the list while she's deciding on dinner in the kitchen but that's another converstation for another day) but I have zero experience with foobar. I'm having trouble fighting through some mental cobwebs. Is it possible to connect two receivers to the chaintech? It seems like he's saying to connect, for example, 4 speakers to the chaintech (which doesn't make sense beacause everything I've read says I need an amp between the card and the speakers), 2 in basement and 2 upstairs, and write a plugin to allow me to pick which speakers are active via toggling the sound card's outputs.

GodsMadClown is countering by saying inorder to take full advantage of the chaintech I should use the digital output to the digital receiver.

Do I have everything straigh here or am I crossing the streams? I love being a nooooob.

EDIT: through some quick research I found out that with a multizone capable receiver I can select the speakers via remote. It still would be cool to do via the computer and two separate monitors, because of the obvious extra benefits to having multi-room access to a single computer.
 
I think you're best bet is to give the upstairs zone its own wireless squeezebox, an inexpensive used receiver and decent strereo pair. It'll let the user pick thier music of choice, mess with the volume, and the receiver can even drive a second set of speakers in an adjacent room. If you look, you should be able to pick up a used stereo receiver and set of speakers for cheap. If your GF is anything lke my wife, she doesn't care about sound quality. She just wants the tunes of her choice. Controlling a downstairs reciever from upstairs will require a radio remote or wired infrared transciever of some kind.

Leave the majority of the budget for the downstairs listening room. Try for a decent set of floorstanders or a sub/sat pair.
 
These speakers I have are self powered and sound great. I am running them off of a Sound Blaster AWE 64 Gold. I think you can get them for about $300 or s.
Alesis M1 Active Mk2,
editor.jpg


If the setup is networked, you can control any PC from another PC with UltraVNC.
I'll play MP3's from my server on my HTPC controlled from my Internet Machine, that way I don't have to turn on the HDTV to navigate the HTPC.

In the image below, pretend that the Laptop screen is the MP3 machine in the basement.
(I have a dual screen setup, that is why there is display 1 and display 2)
dual_screen_vnc.jpg
 
zak97cobra said:
I like BO(V)BZ's idea, it's really what I had in mind because I'd like to be able to do more than just change the speakers from each LCD (like browsing through my list of favorite recipes, i mean watching my girlfriend browse through the list while she's deciding on dinner in the kitchen
Click to expand...

With my plan, probably the most complex of the bunch, when you cloned your display you'd be able to use it just like your primary monitor, so you wouldn't have any trouble at all browsing for recipes, checking email, switching your speakers, etc.

I did forget about the poorer quality of the Chaintech's other DACs though, which is certainly something to think about. Only the channel 7/8 outputs use a nice Wolfson DAC, so the other ones are inferior.

Also, instead of using a video card with dual monitor out, you could just as easily buy a KVM so you can switch between your upstairs and downstair setups with ease.
 
I think the squeezebox, used speaker combo is a more affordable solution for the alternate zone. The remainder of the budget should go towards the basement. If I had $1000 to build two zones, one for my wife, I'd go for that option. Because it is compact, easy to use, and wireless, the WAF (wife acceptance factor) is higher than a media PC of some sort.

Universal Remote Control has introduced a brand new “consumer” lineup of advanced remotes with three models: the $100 USD MSRP 8-device URC-100 “Unifier” with hard buttons, the $150 10-device URC-200 “Automator” with a customizable LCD, and the $200 15-device URC-300 “Customizer” with a LCD touchscreen. All can be used with the optional $75 MRF-100A RF Expander, which permits through-the-wall control of any equipment that’s out of sight (but not out of mind).
Click to expand...
 
Here's a question that I haven't been able to find any answer to. Can I use a sound card (say the Audigy 2 ZS or EMU 0404) to drive two separate receivers?
 
If the system in the basement is only for audio, I would just use an older PC down there networked to the other machines where the MP3/Audio files are.

I put my old Dual P2 450 in the garage so that I could program my cars and surf the net while working on the cars,
tuning_system.jpg
 
WS6, that would work, however, there aren't any computers on the first floor. They are in the bedrooms on the second floor so that still leaves the main floor of the house without music. Right now I'm now worried about the bedrooms.
 
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