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ECHO TO CONROL OLD AMPLIFIER WITH CEILING SPEAKERS

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abumaizar

ECHO TO CONROL OLD AMPLIFIER WITH CEILING SPEAKERS
« on: May 17, 2019, 09:21:54 am »
I have an old type amplifier with multiple ceiling speakers across home, I want to be able to control playing music to selected speakers but not the others, as example if I'm in the living room I don't want to turn on music in my bedroom or kids room. is there a device that can do that and it's compatible with Alexa ?

Re: ECHO TO CONROL OLD AMPLIFIER WITH CEILING SPEAKERS
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2019, 12:43:34 pm »
It can be done but it's going to be a challenge. I use esp8266 NodeMCU boards and DPDT relays to control my stereo input. I can switch my stereo input from the PC to Alexa using voice command "Alexa turn on stereo input". Alexa switches the 3.5mm stereo input by controlling the DPDT relay.

You could switch on and off speakers with relays the same way but stereos don't like it when they are putting out sound "amps" without being connected to speakers. That blows things.

I take it all your speaker wires come to that one location? If each room were hooked to a separate amp in that one location, you could tell Alexa to turn on or off each amp using smart plugs. "Alexa turn on bathroom speakers". 

I think you would be better off adding a wall mount amp in each room. Then buy a echo dots for each room. I have 6 now. Install the wall mounted amps for each room and run your speaker wires to the new amps. Bluetooth to the amps from Echo dots or hardwire them using the 3.5mm cable. Set up groups for whole house sound. 

These wall mount amps are great. I have 3. They really sound good for 15 watts. I'm pushing 6 inch marine speakers in my bathroom ceiling with them. About half volume is really loud. You get better sound if you glue a box down over them in the attic and cut a hole in the ceiling next to them to let more bass out. I use these little 2" round soffit vents I got at Home Depot to dres up the hole.

Check Ebay for better pricing on the amps. I pay around 50 bucks. https://smile.amazon.com/C2G-40913-Plate-Amplifier-White/dp/B0171Z1DLQ/ref=sr_1_40?keywords=wall+mount+amp+bluetooth&qid=1558196390&s=gateway&sr=8-40

If you have some big ol' box speakers, you may want to leave you old amp powering those but you can get great sound from smaller wall / ceiling mounted speakers these days. 

Monoprice.com has great prices on speakers. I use these in the bathrooms: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8555