Setting up speakers in additional room

[jarbrigger]

Following up from previous thread...

I have 3 pairs of speakers playing in 1 room and another pair of speakers in another. I have the 6 speakers set up as front, surround and surround back but also have a 4th pair of speakers for another room wired to the "zone 2" ports in the back of the Onkyo TX-NR656 receiver. But I can't get the speakers in the additional room to play. When I click the zone 2 button, it switches the system to be 4 speakers in the main room and I was thinking it needed to do that to play the additional pair...but no still no sound from the 4th pair. Any thoughts on how I can correct that issue? I'd love to have all 4 sets of speakers playing. Thanks!

 

[Alabalcho]

On this Onkyo, you have either 7.1 config (your six speakers on room 1), or 5.1 + Zone 2.

If you want 7.1 + Zone 2, you need higher level AVR.

 

[jarbrigger]

Correct. When I push the zone 2 button the receiver automatically converts to 5.1 system, but I haven't ever been able to get any sound from the zone 2 speakers under any configuration.

 

[Alabalcho]

Other thing to check - Zone 2 should be set to "Powered" or "Not powered" (can't remember correct setting, I'm not at home).
I would also force-config 5.1 mode during these tests.

 

[americanaudiophile]

If you want 7.1 plus zone 2 you would need to use the line level zone 2 output, set the receiver for that, and connect an amp for the remote pair of speakers.