Easy way to hook up outdoor speakers to 6 ch amp/receiver? (1 Viewer)

[markcarlson]

I have an onkyo ht-r520 6 channell receiver, and want to add a couple of outdoor speakers to it.
What is the easiest way?
These speakers will be to set outside for anbient music, so durability is important moreso than the quality. Also want to add them INexpensivly.

Can I do a simple in-line switch? If so, how does that work with a 6-channell system?
Another prospect is wireless speakers, but in that case wouldnt all the speakers have to play? I would want the abiltiy to just play either the outside or inside ones. I dont forsee needing to play both at the same time.

TIA!

 

[Mitch G]

Looking at the manual, it appears to support two sets of speakers (A & B). So, you should be able to hook up the outdoor speakers to speaker set B.
This should allow you to have the indoor speakers on or off.

Now, if your goal is to be able to watch TV inside while listening to music outside, then I think you need a separate receiver/amp and possibly a separate CD player or whatever you want to use for a music source.

On the other hand, if you happen to have a Squeezebox as your music server, the SB has two sets of outputs. What I did, was run the digital output from the SB to my receiver (i.e. indoor system) and the RCA outputs to a T Amp (http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/audio/6cd8/) which is then hooked up to my (cheap) outdoor rock speakers. This allows the indoor system to be used for TV or a movie, while the outdoor speakes are driven by the SB and T Amp.


Mitch

 

[markcarlson]

Ah yes, I do have a A/B button on the front...Didnt really know what they were for.
I assume that on the back I have another set of plugs for a second set of speaker wires? I dont remember seeing that before.

 

[Jeff O.]

Yes, what Mitch said is what I did. I ran the B speakers to outdoors. However, about your question for 6 channel - I only run in stereo when playing outside. If you have a multichannel source playing, you would only get the front L and R and miss some of the information. I also ran 2 sets of speakers outside and used these http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=182-300 to match impedance and be able to control the volume independently inside and out.