The simplest and most inexpensive way to move into whole-home audio is to build a single-zone audio network, which is a network that allows you to send an audio source to speakers in different rooms (although you can't listen to different audio sources in different rooms).
Simple, single-zone audio networks have many variations. Your personal preferences, budget, and existing audio components play a big role in shaping your network. For example, you can choose between an all-in-one receiver and an integrated amp to handle the control and amplification roles, or you can use separate components. You can decide to use a single amplifier with impedance-matching devices, or you can set up separate amplifiers in your media room for each pair of speakers. You can choose in-wall speakers or conventional models.
Regardless of what you decide, the basic network architecture remains the same: pairs of speaker cables run in a star-wiring configuration from a central amplification point to each speaker location in the house.
Here's a general layout for a single-zone, single-amplifier system:
1. Using pairs of line-level audio interconnect cables, connect your source devices to the inputs of your preamplifier, or control amplifier.
2. Use a pair of RCA cables to connect your amplifier to your power amplifier.
If you're using a receiver (or an integrated amplifier) instead of separate components, you can skip this step. Instead, connect your audio source components directly to the receiver.
3. Choose an impedance-matching system and do one of the following:
• a. If you're using multiple impedance-matching transformer/volume controls in each room, connect the main speaker outputs from your amplifier or receiver to a parallel connecting block with a short length of speaker wire.
• The parallel connecting block splits a single audio output into multiple audio outputs - like an audio cloning device.
• b. If you're using a single impedance-matching/speaker-selector device that resides in the media room, connect the impedance-matching device to your amplifier's speaker output with a short length of speaker wire.
• The impedance-matching/speaker-selector device both matches impedance and acts a central selector for turning speakers on or off.
4. Connect the speaker outputs of your connecting block (3a) or speaker-selector device (3b) to individual runs of speaker wire for distribution throughout the house.
5. Run pairs (left and right speaker) of speaker wire through your walls to the desired locations.
6. If you're going with multiple impedance-matching volume control units in each room, connect the speaker wires to the inputs of the wall-mounted, impedance-matching volume control.
The impedance-matching volume control units usually fit in a standard, single-gang junction box, which can be mounted just like a light switch in a convenient spot on the wall.
If you're using a central impedance-matching/speaker-selector switch instead, ignore this step and continue to Step 7.
7. Terminate your speaker-wire runs (or a shorter run of speaker wire leading from the impedance-matching volume control's outputs, if you went that route) in one of two places:
• a. If you decide to use external, stand-alone speakers in this room, connect the ends of your speaker wires to a speaker-connector wall plate.
• b. If you're installing in-wall speakers, connect the ends of the speaker wires to each speaker's inputs.
8. For each set of speakers in your home, repeat Steps 4 through 7.
A wiring layout for a single-zone audio system is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: A typical single-zone audio network.
You may decide to start small, with speakers in only a few rooms. That's a fine way of setting up this kind of network, but go ahead and install runs of speaker cabling to other rooms now - while you have the walls open - in case you want to expand your audio network later. You can put a blank cover on the outlet box so that you don't have wires hanging out of your walls.
