Multiple speakers for living listening environment?

[BouncyJones]

I'm moving into a new condo, and it has a fairly spacious living room that extends to the kitchen.

I'd like to set up about 7 or 8 speakers around the place so that I could listen to podcasts and music without it being too loud, and me always being fairly close to a speaker (ie - walking into the kitchen I'd still be near a speaker). One advantage is that I could keep the overall level quieter and not have to turn it up if I walked around the whole place.

I'm not that into bass sounds for this (I'll have a proper recording setup in one of the bedrooms) and would prefer just small speakers.

Is there a way to set this up, and possibly have the speakers wireless?

- multiple speakers
- not surround, just basic stereo
- possible wireless for less cabling
- any large phasing issues I should be worried about?

Are there simpler solutions to this that I should consider?

Thanks for anyone who has some suggestions! This forum has always been so useful over the years.

[Cosmic Closet]

Well, here's one idea for speakers:

JBL Northridge N24AWII-Z 2-Way 4" All Weather Speakers - eBay (item 150338089426 end time May-09-09 13:47:57 PDT)

I have to help wire speakers in a meeting room where they want to have the kind of lower-volume blanket coverage you are talking about, and these seemed to me the ones to recommend. I haven't heard them, but them being JBLs (in smaller white cabinets so esthetically pleasing too) I am guessing they would be fine for the purpose of music listening as you describe it. I am saying this not knowing if you have bigger hi-fi cabinets in mind.

The only thing is about wiring them; you don't want to wire too many to a given channel so the overall impedance drops to a level where you could damage the amp. I am assuming you have some kind of distribution amp in mind?

Anyway, that's just one idea from me.

[BouncyJones]

I'm not sure what amp to use, as I download alot of podcasts on my iMac and was hoping to use some sort of hard drive or AirPort device to broadcast them. I was even thinking about just playing the podcasts with an Xbox but it makes a fan noise which I don't like.

For the amplification, I've got a Sony Amplifier with many outputs on the back - would that suffice?

I really don't know if there's a simple way to connect an AirPort or Hard Drive to an amp or if I'd be better served with just burning mp3 cds of the podcasts and play them that way.

Thanks for the link to those speakers!

[BouncyJones]

After looking at some more options, I'm thinking what I really need is 4 or 5 simple, wireless speakers. I would NOT want a surround sound speaker setup as I don't want a subwoofer or much bass frequency at all.

The wireless speaker setups I've seen are either a simple pair or surround sound speakers.

Is there a simple solution to this so that I can listen to my podcasts anywhere in the general living space and be near a speaker?

Thanks!

[BouncyJones]

I've done a search within gearslutz and this is the only thread that mentions wireless speakers. Perhaps there's a more appropriate sub–forum for this thread?

Anyone recommend a simple 5 or 6 wireless speaker setup?