What's the point of Zone 2 surround?

[ManBearPig]

I just don't get why you'd wanna have sound in another room besides the one you're in. Like for music or something maybe?

 

[ProfJohn]

For a typical mid-range receiver it allows someone in another room to listen to some music without having to get another receiver.

I am going to use mine to place speakers on the porch so I can listen outside when it gets nicer.

Upstairs I may run wires into my office and add some decent speakers so I can listen to good music while on the computer without having to use the computer or add another receiver.

 

[kornphlake]

I understand what zone 2 does, but I can't really understand why anybody would use it unless they only used the zone 2 very infrequently. You can't control the source from another room, you can't control the volume from another room without an IR extender or some kind of RF to IR converter and an RF remote. For a second listening room it makes more sense to me to just setup a second system, 2 channel amps are pretty inexpensive.

 

[dclive]

I understand what zone 2 does, but I can't really understand why anybody would use it unless they only used the zone 2 very infrequently. You can't control the source from another room, you can't control the volume from another room without an IR extender or some kind of RF to IR converter and an RF remote. For a second listening room it makes more sense to me to just setup a second system, 2 channel amps are pretty inexpensive.

When a 7.1 system already has an extra Zone 2 (if you're using 5.1) the cost is essentially free - so why not make a big deal about it on the spec sheet?

 

[novasatori]

there are more ways than ir extenders or an rf remote

my receiver with zone 2 and 3 can be controlled via apps for droid/iphone or via web interface etc
each zone can have its own source going and be controlled independently via the apps or remote

manufacturers are also bringing the networking aspect to the lower end models with the 2011 series, for instance the SR-608 is now the NR-609 with networking...

 

[vi edit]

It's actually pretty awesome IMHO. I use it in my house. I have in-ceiling speakers in my kitchen, living room, bathroom and patio that I run off of "zone 2". I really only listen to one primary radio station so I set that to the source on zone 2. Then from any room I can just turn the volume dial on the wall and have music in there.

My receiver also does pandora radio stations so I can tune to those as well and feed them to zone two.

I'm not running 7.1, only 5.1 so I'm not stealing channels away while using the other zones. The zone's work while the receiver is in "standby" mode and volume is done in each room. Nice, cheap solution. Only added cost is a $25 impedance matching volume knob per room.

 

[sdifox]

typical application is ambient music for when you are entertaining.

 

[ManBearPig]

It's actually pretty awesome IMHO. I use it in my house. I have in-ceiling speakers in my kitchen, living room, bathroom and patio that I run off of "zone 2". I really only listen to one primary radio station so I set that to the source on zone 2. Then from any room I can just turn the volume dial on the wall and have music in there.

My receiver also does pandora radio stations so I can tune to those as well and feed them to zone two.

I'm not running 7.1, only 5.1 so I'm not stealing channels away while using the other zones. The zone's work while the receiver is in "standby" mode and volume is done in each room. Nice, cheap solution. Only added cost is a $25 impedance matching volume knob per room.

Makes sense, i can see how this would actually be pretty cool. Guess it was sort of like what i predicted then.

 

[vi edit]

Another thing I'll get around to doing is grabbing a Sonos zone player and sticking that on the receiver and tuning zone 2 to it. Then I can control my Rhapsody and Pandora accounts on it with my iphone.