# Which Amplifier for Home Audio System?



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

Hi,

I recently purchased a home that appears to be wired with a home audio system--the speakers are Proficient W665's and I counted a total of 8 Volume control Switches. All the wires terminate into a main media room and there is no system to power the speakers. What should I be looking for to power the speakers and ensure I don't blow anything up?

From the set-up it appears that 6 of the 8 volume controls are specfic to rooms and that 2 of the volume controls may cover several sets of speakers....1 is downstairs and 1 is upstairs where the other 6 controls are contained within a single room. 

The Volume controls are VC60i.

I've had a tech person out with a recommendation of purchasing a proficient M8 amp...is this the right way to go? I've never messed with in-house audio systems and just hate to have all these rooms wired and being unable to make use of the system.

Thanks in advance for your guidance


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Hello Techconfusion and welcome to TSF,

Those speakers are rated at 75W @ 8Ω.

It is not specified whether that is RMS or Max. 

How many sets of satelites are there total?

Something like this should meet your needs nicely..

Russound 2800-521881 50W 12 Channel Multi Zone Amp

I will search around a little bit more for some different options.


----------



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

Thanks GZ--There are probably 26 speakers in the entire home-I presume the 8 VC cover all the speakers. I really appreciate any suggestions you can provide.


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

I can only guess as to how the system is wired without a proper schematic.

You have 12 pairs... so it is looking like you will need a 12 channel amp to cover all zones... The one I linked is 12 Channel, 6 Zone, I believe.

I wouldn't go over a 50W/C RMS amplifier.


----------



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

GZ-I'm looking at the set up again and it appears the speakers are ran into an upstairs closet and connected to a Niles volume Control Hub--Each connect has a set of Red, black, Green and White Wires into connections marked output to speakers with a single Red,Black,Green, Wire plugged into a "input from Amp"-The wires plugged into the "input from Amp" are marked on the cable with the same markings on a cable in the downstairs room--The downstairs cable has a red,black, green and white wires which I guess would plug into an amp? Does this mean I still need a multi zone system? I have wires all over in the media room downstairs but one of the cables has the same # on the cable as on the Input from Amp cable plugged into the Niles Unit upstairs and this cable has a red,black,green, and white wire contained in the cable. 

Hopefully I didn't cause any more confusion


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

The 4 main wires, are they RCA terminated or ring terminated?

Can you get me the model information from the control hub? I need to do a little more research.

Please forgive me if my help from this point is spotty. I am in the NE USA and we are experiencing power outages... So far they have all been temporary, but who knows what the next will bring.


----------



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

GZ--No worries. I was in Jersey last year with Irene. 20 mins from Belmar so had my taste of this weather LY and dealt with flooding and power loss on a much milder storm.

The hub is just a Niles expansion hub--has VCS-HUBB on the unit and has a total of 8 plugs for cables on the output to speakers and a single plug into the input from amp. It looks like whoever did the connections doubled up 1 set of wires into the output to speaker.

I also found the cable hooked to the amp-From the set up I would guess each cable of red,green,black, white is 2 speakers?? so total of 8 connections so 16 speakers with 2 doubled up so 18 speakers?

the home has more that 18 speakers so would guess that all the extra wires in the closet will need another hub set up similar to the existiing one sometime down the road.

From this it looks like I need an amp that allows for a red,green,black, white wire connection and will run all 18 speakers w/o blowing anything up. I'm not sure where the individual VC in the rooms come into play?


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Is this it?

Amazon.com: Niles VCS HUB8 8-speaker pair connecting block: Electronics

See what else you can find in the home... There may be more to it than is immediately apparent.

IMHO, the proper way to do this is with a 12 channel (up to 24 separate speakers) zoned amplifier like I posted earlier. This will guarantee a dedicated, steady output to each set of speakers.

By stringing multiple speakers along, you can change the properties of the speakers creating poor sound or causing other issues, like crackling and cross interference...


----------



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

GZ-if you google Niles VCSHub8 you can see the exact hub set up on my system....this is the hub in the upstairs closet and the amp wire is ran down to the downstairs media room.


----------



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

yes--That is the one.
Looks like we crossed messages


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Techconfusion said:


> yes--That is the one.
> Looks like we crossed messages


It happens! :lol:

I would like to get a good idea how this system is set up.

8 outputs gives you a total of 16 channels... That hub likely separates the main line into the individual outputs...

You should have four wires going into the hub... L+, L-, R+, R-.

They would come from the amplifier.

let me check the specs on this hub and see what it's about, then I can give you a better idea what to look for.

This is likely the inexpensive way out, where you can use a standard 2 channel output to power all of the speakers...


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Before the power goes out again, here is the spec-sheet link...

http://www.nilesaudio.com/images/PDF/VCS_HUB8_Cutsheet.pdf


----------



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

Thanks GZ--So it looks like I can go simple and just add an amp in the media room and that will power the speakers connected to the hub? Any suggestions if I decide to go that route?

Thanks for the Russound recommendation-If I decide to purchase would I just pull the wires from the hub and connect to the Amp? Any suggestions on how I address the receiver issue? Not really wanting to have the tuner etc in the upstairs closet lol.


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Pretty much... How far from the closet is the media room? 

Give me a little bit to figure out this hub though... I just want to make sure that I suggest the proper amplifier...

Either way, I would suggest running two amplifiers in the media room... Your surround head unit for the media room's speakers and a 2 channel amp running from an output for the house setup.

I will get back to you.


----------



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

Makes sense--The 2 rooms are not close and on 2 different levels opposite end of the house. Maybe why they wired the hub?


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Perhaps it is because the total cost of a 2 channel amplifier and the hub is far less than the cost of a 12 channel amplifier... That would be my guess.

Either way, if the wires are run to the hub, and the hub is run to the Media Room, it wouldn't be too hard to run the rest of the lines down there!


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

That spec sheet is pathetic and contains no information...

I have to assume the speaker hub has circuitry to prevent overload and proper signal splitting...

I was looking for input and output specifications, and there were none... I will have to do some more research...

There are two things I want to avoid... Overpowering the speakers, or causing excessive draw from the amp when multiple sets are being used resulting in low speaker sound and/or amplifier clipping.


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Got it... The required reading material...

http://www.smarthome.com/manuals/6752.pdf


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Power is out, perhaps for good this time... Don't know, but I have to shut down before the UPS dies...

I got the info I need... It is all contained in that last link...

In order to have a 50W output at all 16 speakers, you need an 800W 2 channel amplifier... (preferably 4ohms)

In order to get 25W at all 16, you need a 400W 2 channel amp.

Each pair of speakers needs to be connected to one of the volume control units...

Well, I have to get off for the time being.


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

I'm back online... Ran an extension to the generator power outlet... Need to get some work done.

I can't search for an amplifier for you, but if you do and see any that you feel will fit your needs, post the link and I will see if I can confirm.


----------



## Techconfusion (Oct 29, 2012)

Thanks GZ--I'll chase the amp spec.


----------



## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

Okay. I will try and get back online later tonight if possible. Can't make any promises though.


----------

