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Suggestions: Two Input Mixing Device to share rear surrounds with receiver and Sonos?

1,970 258 January 9, 2017 at 05:52 PM in Chat (6) Amazon
Hi folks,

I'm trying to find a device that will allow me to mix two different input sources to share a pair of rear surround speakers. The two inputs would be:
  • The A/V Receiver Rear Surrounds of a 5.1 sound system, so two amplified channels
  • A Sonos Connect Amp, so two amplified channels

The two inputs could be on at the same time if by chance I want to listen to whole house audio while also playing something on the TV (for example if I wanted sports on while listening to music around the house). It would also be nice if this device used very little power since it would be on the entire time. Any suggestions?

Would one of these devices work?
  1. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L2TUFLM/
  2. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003M8NVFS/
  3. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L2TUFLM/
(It's possible that the keywords I'm using in my own research isn't correct and the items above could be way off base.)

I posted this at AVSForum but didn't get any responses so I thought I'd try my luck here.
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Joined Sep 2006
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> bubble2 19,431 Posts
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Fallacy
01-11-2017 at 09:21 AM.
01-11-2017 at 09:21 AM.
Quote from Frogstar :
You're weird.
Welcome to the lounge!
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Joined Sep 2003
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> bubble2 1,970 Posts
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Original Poster
wildta
01-11-2017 at 09:37 AM.
01-11-2017 at 09:37 AM.
Quote from The Raddish :
Okay, so I'm like totes confused.

My receiver is a 7.2receiver.

My rear two channels are electable.

So, I have a 5.2 in my living room, with the last 2 channels selectable for whatever I choose. I use either my rear channel ceiling speakers or my back porch depending on my needs for the day.

You need to be more specific in your requirements for better recommendations.
I have a 5.1 system. I would like to watch a sports game using 5.1 while also listening to Sonos on the left rear surround and right rear surround at the same time.

Quote from Frogstar :
You're using a soundbar, a receiver, and have dedicated rear channel speakers?
You're weird.
Did I mention that I also plan to wear headphones while using a soundbar, receiver and dedicated rear channels? Wink
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Last edited by wildta January 11, 2017 at 09:38 AM.
Joined Mar 2009
Schrödinger's Frog
> bubble2 19,435 Posts
2,134 Reputation
Frogstar
01-11-2017 at 09:53 AM.
01-11-2017 at 09:53 AM.
Quote from wildta :
Did I mention that I also plan to wear headphones while using a soundbar, receiver and dedicated rear channels? Wink
I don't want to seem snarky, but that sounds kinda stupid.
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Joined Sep 2006
IVIodel citizen
> bubble2 19,431 Posts
836 Reputation
Fallacy
01-11-2017 at 09:57 AM.
01-11-2017 at 09:57 AM.
Quote from wildta :
I have a 5.1 system. I would like to watch a sports game using 5.1 while also listening to Sonos on the left rear surround and right rear surround at the same time.
Did anyone on AVS get back to you? I still think it's not possible without burning out one of your receivers.
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Joined Sep 2006
IVIodel citizen
> bubble2 19,431 Posts
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Fallacy
01-11-2017 at 10:01 AM.
01-11-2017 at 10:01 AM.
You might be able to create something that would multiplex the audio signals. Take 1/100th of a second from the 5.1 system, drop 1/100th of a second from the 5.1. Rinse/repeat. Then multiplex the sonos by dropping 1/100th of a second, then using 1/100th of a second. Rinse/repeat. Think TDMA.

You'd also need some sort of fast switching mechanism to isolate the sources so that you don't short out either of the receivers (when one receiver is transmitting, you physically switch the other audio source off).

I could try to design something for you, for let's say $50,000.
Crap, the lounge only allows $5 transactions. So... 10,000 $5 transactions please!
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Joined Sep 2003
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> bubble2 1,970 Posts
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Original Poster
wildta
01-11-2017 at 10:14 AM.
01-11-2017 at 10:14 AM.
Quote from Fallacy :
Did anyone on AVS get back to you? I still think it's not possible without burning out one of your receivers.
Nope. And yes I think you're right it would burn out one of the amps.
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Joined Sep 2003
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> bubble2 1,970 Posts
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Original Poster
wildta
01-11-2017 at 10:18 AM.
01-11-2017 at 10:18 AM.

Quote from Fallacy :
You might be able to create something that would multiplex the audio signals. Take 1/100th of a second from the 5.1 system, drop 1/100th of a second from the 5.1. Rinse/repeat. Then multiplex the sonos by dropping 1/100th of a second, then using 1/100th of a second. Rinse/repeat. Think TDMA.

You'd also need some sort of fast switching mechanism to isolate the sources so that you don't short out either of the receivers (when one receiver is transmitting, you physically switch the other audio source off).

I could try to design something for you, for let's say $50,000.
Crap, the lounge only allows $5 transactions. So... 10,000 $5 transactions please!
This sounds like the beginning of a great Kickstarter idea.
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Joined Sep 2006
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> bubble2 19,431 Posts
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Fallacy
01-11-2017 at 10:26 AM.
01-11-2017 at 10:26 AM.
Quote from wildta :
This sounds like the beginning of a great Kickstarter idea.
I don't think there are enough people who want to simultaneously listen to the game and music on the same set of speakers for this to get off the ground. Wink
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Joined Jul 2003
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> bubble2 35,473 Posts
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DC
01-11-2017 at 12:04 PM.
01-11-2017 at 12:04 PM.
Quote from wildta :
I have a 5.1 system. I would like to watch a sports game using 5.1 while also listening to Sonos on the left rear surround and right rear surround at the same time.


Did I mention that I also plan to wear headphones while using a soundbar, receiver and dedicated rear channels? Wink
If you were one of my personal friends that I've know for a few years or so...I would ask you are you F'ing Stupid?

Seriously...you are designing a use case that will cover about only you. I've never seen or heard of trying to do what you want to do with the equipment you've got.

What you want to do is going to cost a lot more then you want to spend for the redundant systems and output mediums, and/or to the pain in the butt to actually install said equipment.
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Joined Sep 2003
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> bubble2 1,970 Posts
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Original Poster
wildta
01-11-2017 at 12:26 PM.
01-11-2017 at 12:26 PM.
Quote from DC :
If you were one of my personal friends that I've know for a few years or so...I would ask you are you F'ing Stupid?

Seriously...you are designing a use case that will cover about only you. I've never seen or heard of trying to do what you want to do with the equipment you've got.

What you want to do is going to cost a lot more then you want to spend for the redundant systems and output mediums, and/or to the pain in the butt to actually install said equipment.
It's not a necessary feature of mine. It was just a hypothetical of "is this possible to do at a small price" which for me is less than $150ish. The idea came from watching a sports game at a sports bar last week and they had the sports dialogue playing as well as background music. I thought that was nice to have especially for party situations like the Superbowl or March Madness. I host a lot of parties where, depending on the televised game: sometimes sports is on in the background (muted of course since my 5.1 system can only play one source at a time) while music takes the main stage; and on the flipside where a big game like the Clemson/Alabama game would have the mainstage while a BT speaker is playing in the background so that you can still easily hear the game over the music.

The ability to implement this at a small price with my existing equipment sounds like it's not possible as answered by others in this thread but the idea isn't all that hair brained since they are doing this in sports bars everywhere (of course they have the sports dialogue on one sound system and the music on another system). If I had more money and time, I'd just set up another pair of ceiling speakers dedicated to Sonos but alas I don't really want to go through that hassle as I was just hoping to buy some type of cheap mixer that would do this instead.
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Joined Sep 2006
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> bubble2 19,431 Posts
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Fallacy
01-11-2017 at 12:30 PM.
01-11-2017 at 12:30 PM.
Cheap solution: Get an A/B switch as was suggested early in the thread. Play sports game in 2.1 and use rear speakers to play music. Done and done.

You don't need to watch a game in 5.1.
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Joined Sep 2003
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> bubble2 1,970 Posts
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Original Poster
wildta
01-11-2017 at 12:32 PM.
01-11-2017 at 12:32 PM.
Quote from Fallacy :
Cheap solution: Get an A/B switch as was suggested early in the thread. Play sports game in 2.1 and use rear speakers to play music. Done and done.

You don't need to watch a game in 5.1.
Yeah I think that's what I'll end up doing.
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Joined Jul 2003
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> bubble2 35,473 Posts
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DC
01-11-2017 at 02:13 PM.
01-11-2017 at 02:13 PM.
Quote from wildta :
It's not a necessary feature of mine. It was just a hypothetical of "is this possible to do at a small price" which for me is less than $150ish. The idea came from watching a sports game at a sports bar last week and they had the sports dialogue playing as well as background music. I thought that was nice to have especially for party situations like the Superbowl or March Madness. I host a lot of parties where, depending on the televised game: sometimes sports is on in the background (muted of course since my 5.1 system can only play one source at a time) while music takes the main stage; and on the flipside where a big game like the Clemson/Alabama game would have the mainstage while a BT speaker is playing in the background so that you can still easily hear the game over the music.

The ability to implement this at a small price with my existing equipment sounds like it's not possible as answered by others in this thread but the idea isn't all that hair brained since they are doing this in sports bars everywhere (of course they have the sports dialogue on one sound system and the music on another system). If I had more money and time, I'd just set up another pair of ceiling speakers dedicated to Sonos but alas I don't really want to go through that hassle as I was just hoping to buy some type of cheap mixer that would do this instead.
20/20 Hind-Sight if you had started with the above example IN BOLD I think we all could have understood what/why you wanted to try and achieve this. You are trying to mimic a real world example of commercial equipment with your home equipment.

The idea of dropping some BT speakers around connected to a phone or laptop would probably help you achieve this with minimal cost.
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Joined Sep 2003
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> bubble2 1,970 Posts
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Original Poster
wildta
01-11-2017 at 02:27 PM.
01-11-2017 at 02:27 PM.
Quote from DC :
20/20 Hind-Sight if you had started with the above example IN BOLD I think we all could have understood what/why you wanted to try and achieve this. You are trying to mimic a real world example of commercial equipment with your home equipment.

The idea of dropping some BT speakers around connected to a phone or laptop would probably help you achieve this with minimal cost.
I did state the example in my original post but perhaps it wasn't clear to some.
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Joined Jul 2003
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> bubble2 35,473 Posts
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DC
01-11-2017 at 02:34 PM.
01-11-2017 at 02:34 PM.
Quote from wildta :
I did state the example in my original post but perhaps it wasn't clear to some.
Nope. Not one word about mimicking a sports bar, etc or the example you just gave.

I think the situation was so vivid to you that you thought you conveyed it in the OP, but not anywhere close to the real world bar situation.

You sure went a lot further with the WHY aspect of what you were looking to do with the sports bar post.

Now that we see what you were trying to shoot for (pardon the sports pun) your hardware requirements have seriously gotten more complicated to pull of a Faux sports bar presentation.

The geeky side of me says, now that would be cool to do bounce, but the CFO would say oh hell no, we don't have $$$ for that Doh
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