Touch and ceiling speakers

[rpellegr]

Hello everyone... I am trying to outfit my kitchen with some 'home audio' and I need some input. Here is my concept:

- SB Touch on the counter
- small amp (like Audiosource 100 - Amazon $95)
- ceiling speakers (like Polk Audio RC80is, Amazon $130)

My problem is the cabling... I wanted to put the amp down in the basement (30' cable run) and I just realized that RCA cables are only supposed to be short distance. Can I use the digital optical cable? What amp will support that?

I am also planning to do something similar in my bathroom. Something like:

- SB Receiver
- small amp
- in-wall volume control
- ceiling speakers
- iPhone iPeng control

Am i wrong in planning to run these separately? Should i run this centrally with a single amp driving the kitchen and bathroom? I am ok using a single source.

Ideas are welcome!

[aubuti]

Any reason you can't put the amp in the kitchen, and avoid the long interconnect run? I have my Amp100 on the top shelf of the kitchen pantry, with an SB2 on top off it, controlled by an SB Controller. But one could just as well put a Touch on the counter or a shelf (or even wall mount it!) and run the interconnects through the wall to the amp, rather than going all the way to your basement. Most kitchens have enough hidden/dead space _somewhere_ that you should be able to place a small auto-sensing amp like the Amp100 somewhere closer than the basement.

I don't know much about digital interconnects because all my systems use analog. The Amp100 doesn't have a digital input, but many other amps do. Of course, if you go that route you don't only want an amp with a digital input, but one with a DAC that is better than the Touch's, for which you'll spend a lot more than US$95.

Overall I think there's nothing wrong with your idea of having separate amps in the kitchen and bathroom. The traditional centralized "home run" systems have some merits, but they're really not necessary at all with SBs, which allow you to move all the tunes over the home network instead of miles of speaker cable buried in the walls....

[garym]

Have you considered powered speakers (audioengine A5 for example). No amp needed. But these are not ceiling speakers.

[SoulSurvivor]

How big is your budget? :-)

http://www.klipsch.com/na-en/product...stem-overview/

[rpellegr]

Thanks guys for your feedback!

I think found a digital audio optical to analog L/R RCA converter at monoprice.com. This will allow me to extend from the SB Touch to the amp using an ultra-thin fiber cable snaked neatly through the counter-top.

I have seen those Klipsh ceiling light/speakers. very interesting but very pricey.

[aubuti]

I think found a digital audio optical to analog L/R RCA converter at monoprice.com. This will allow me to extend from the SB Touch to the amp using an ultra-thin fiber cable snaked neatly through the counter-top.

Something like this? http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

I haven't heard one of these converters, but I would have to think that it would be a major step down in sound quality from the DAC in the Touch. Also, you may want to consider in-wall volume controls for the kitchen, because I believe if you go really low on the Touch's volume control the sound quality will also suffer. It's better to keep the Touch's output high (100% with the digital outs) and then control volume at the preamp/amp, or further downstream with in-line volume controls. Since your amp will be out of reach, wall-mounted volume controls are a good idea.

But maybe these things won't matter that much if you're mostly looking for background music in the kitchen, where acoustics usually suck anyway.