Sharing speakers between multi-room audio and AVR

Sharing speakers between multi-room audio and AVR

Sharing Home Theater Speakers for Multi-Room Music and Movie Experiences

In many American homes, not every room is designed as a theater, and not every room features surround sound. Typically, a household may have only one or two dedicated theater rooms, while other areas—like bedrooms, kitchens, or living rooms—are primarily stereo (2.0 or 2.1) setups for everyday music listening. This creates two common scenarios:

1. Theater Room

• Typical setups: 5.1, 7.1, or even 9.1.6 surround sound systems
• Usage: Immersive movie experiences while also wanting to enjoy high-fidelity music using the same speakers
  2. Other Living Areas
• Usually stereo configurations (2.0/2.1)
• Usage: Multi-room streaming music playback or background audio

The question arises: How can the speakers in a theater room be shared for both movie watching and multi-room music playback?

Option 1: AVR + Multi-Room Streaming Amplifier (MRSA) Combination

The most common solution is pairing a home theater AVR with a multi-room streaming amplifier:

• Theater Room:The AVR drives the speakers for full surround sound during movies
• Multi-Room Music:The MRSA receives streaming audio from services such as Spotify, Qobuz, or AirPlay 2
• Speaker Sharing Approach:

• Use the AVR’s “pre-out” or “Zone 2/Zone 3” outputs to route some or all theater speakers to the MRSA
• Switch modes between movie and music playback as needed
  • Advantages:Flexible, can use existing devices, scalable for more rooms
  • Challenges:Requires additional wiring and manual switching, slightly more complex operation

The typical configuration is to use DENON X1700H with HOLOWHAS Ultra, plus or max, and connect one zone output of them to DENON X1700H input.

Option 2: Hybrid Device (AVR + MRSA Integrated)

A modern alternative is an integrated device that combines AVR capabilities with multi-room streaming:

• Key Features:

• Full surround sound decoding for movies (Dolby Atmos, DTS:X)
• Built-in multi-room streaming, allowing music playback in the theater and other zones
• Permanent zone support and hybrid output modes for seamless switching between movie and music
  • Advantages:
• Fewer devices, simpler wiring
• Smooth, intuitive operation via app or voice control
• Ideal for smart home integration
  • Challenges:Higher cost compared to separate AVR + MRSA setup
• Advanced features may depend on the brand ecosystem

For Option 2, you can choose the AVR-16200, the world only combo which suppott both surround sound and multi-room streaming.

Conclusion

Most American homes combine a single theater room with multi-room stereo setups elsewhere. To maximize the value of theater speakers for both movies and music, there are two main approaches:

1. AVR + MRSA combination:Flexible and expandable but requires more wiring and mode switching
2. Hybrid AVR + MRSA device:Simplified operation, smooth switching, better suited for modern smart homes, but at a higher price point

Both options allow theater speakers to deliver double duty—immersive cinematic experiences and high-quality multi-room music playback—achieving a truly versatile home audio environment.