Help: Output for a second zone

[stugrief]

My apologies in advance for a long question:

I have a C1/A21/A51 set up for HT in my family room. I also have an integrated "house" amp that drives another 5 pairs of speakers around the house. I currently have the zone output of the C1 connected to the house amp's Aux input. This works well, but only passes content fed to the C1 in analog. Any digital inputs (e.g., CD optical, DVD coax) and SACD analog do not get passed through. I know that for all digital sources I could connect an analog line to the C1 as well, but in some cases there is not an analog output available from the source, and I already have WAY too many cables behind my system. Since 99% of the time I listen to same thing through the house amp as in the HT I thought I could do either of the following to get virtually any input to the C1 piped through the house: Connect the Main analog output (L & R only) to a tape input on the house amp or program channels 9 & 10 (Pro 1 & 3 outputs) and connect them to a tape input on the house amp. Neither of these seems to work. I am thoroughly baffled and would appreciate any ideas any of you may have.

Thanks in advance!

[Chris D]

Hey, Stugrief. Welcome to the Guide! :banana: I too use my Halo C1 to drive the main theater zone, and use zone 2 for an all-home audio output. I output from zone 2 to a tape monitor input on a separate amplifier/receiver to drive the all-home audio system.

Parasound processors provide several options for multiple zones, even beyond two zones if you do it right. I hear what you're saying, that you'd like digital audio to output to a second zone. As you point out, if you do that, though, you can't use zone 2 as they are only stereo.

I like to play different stuff through my house for my family (like the baby monitor I hooked up to the equipment rack) while I do something in the theater, so that works for me and I run analog cables in addition to digital. Personally, I LOVE the way that zone 2 works on the Halo C1/2. It's really like having two separate processors for the price of one. I can turn zones 1 and 2 on and off independently, control sources, volumes, etc, independently, etc. I can even turn my whole system off, but keep zone 2 on and playing in the dark.

Other options for you:

1. Program the fully programmable channels, (Pro 1 and Pro 3) one with 100% left main, 50% center, 100% left surround, and the other with 100% right main, 50% center, and 100% right surround. (you can also mix in LFE as you desire, possibly 50% to each) Then connect Pro 1 and Pro 3 to an outboard amplifier's inputs.

2. Use the left and right outputs from the analog audio outputs (either balanced or unbalanced, whichever set you're not using for your main theater zone) to connect to an amplifier. You correctly realize that this will ONLY put out signals from these channels, and you will not hear ANYTHING that is sent to your surround, LFE, and most importantly, center channels. So I personally don't recommend this for a 2-channel stereo audio zone. However, if you build a multi-channel 2nd zone, this is optimal, except that you'll have to listen to the same thing that's also being played in the primary zone.

3. Use the Record ouputs from Tape Monitor audio 5, or Record 1 or Record 2 from the Analog audio outputs in the same way to send audio to a separate amplifier. This should work, but I think would be your last option and I ***think*** that you'd have to have analog inputs anyway just like Zone 2.

In theory, I think you could connect *****7***** different zones 8O to the Parasound C1/2, being:
1. Main unbalanced
2. Main balanced
3. Tape Monitor Record
4. Record 1 Analog Outputs
5. Record 2 Analog Outputs
6. Zone 2 Outputs
7. Programmable channel outputs

Pretty amazing. Personally, I would stick with Zone 2. If you don't want analog-only, then use the programmable channel options.

[Chris D]

Whoa, I didn't realize at the time that I had written a novel.

Actually, I thought of one other option for you. If you want to go the opposite route of ALL digital audio inputs (instead of all analog) you could connect a digital output to an outboard digital processor/receiver that could decode the digital signals to whatever you wanted. You could then configure it to downconvert all digital signals to 2-channel stereo and connect your all-home audio to that.

Like I said, LOTS of options!

[stugrief]

Not sure what I'm doing wrong...

Chris, thanks for the responses.

As I mentioned, I got zone 2 working fine, albeit for analog sources only. And I agree that the control it offers is great. But I need output for digital sources as well. And I can't use the C1's digital output because my house amp doesn't have a digital input.

So here's the problem: I've connected the Pro 1 & 3 outputs to the tape in of my house amp, but nothing is coming through. I've tried various channel mixes for these programmable channels, but nothing seems to work. I've also tried feeding the main analog outputs (L & R) to the house amp. Still nothing!

Is this a defective C1 or is there a setting somewhere (besides the programming of Pro 1 & 3) that I don't know about??

[Chris D]

Hmmm.... no idea. That's rather odd that you can't get it to work with either the pro's or the mains. If anything, the mains should DEFINITELY work. I guess you're using your balanced mains for your primary theater zone? Have you tried hooking up your primary zone via the unbalanced mains?

I wonder if you might have changed something with your auxiliary house amp after you disconnected the zone 2 that you got to work? Maybe try reconnecting zone 2 and see if it still works?

[stugrief]

Thanks, Chris.

Yes, I'm using balanced outputs for the theater zone. I have not tried using the unbalanced for the theater zone. I guess this would test whether the issue is with the C1 or the house amp.

Zone 2 is indeed still working. I have it connected to the Aux input of the house amp. (I also tried the main analog outs into the aux input but to no avail.)

This is weird...I will call Parasound...