Russound Brings Powerline To Multiroom Audio

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 9/5/2007

Newmarket, N.H. — The Avenue Zone Extender System is thought to be the first multiroom-audio system designed to use powerline technology.

It’s designed to integrate with the company’s CAV6.6 six-source, six-zone controller/amplifier and RNET source components to be easily retrofitted in a home by replacing long runs of CAT-5 and 16/4 wire from the CAV6.6 to in-wall keypads and architectural speakers in remote rooms, said product manager Walt Zerbe.

For installers, the system reduces installation time in a retrofit application and enables one installer instead of multiple installers to do the job in one day without the need for other trades to come in for general construction repairs after the fact. Homeowners endure less dust and less disruption to their everyday routines, he said.

The Hub is a rack-size 2-inch by 17.5-inch by 12-inch component that connects to the company’s CAV6.6 controller/amplifier. The Hub receives audio and control information from CAV6.6-connected sources and sends audio and control data over AC wires to multiple clients called Points, which incorporate 2x20watt amp and can be placed in a hidden location. The Points, in turn, connect to passive architectural or in-room speakers. Points are controlled from Russound’s in-wall keypads or wired tabletop controllers.

The Points also amplify a local source, and two of six Points in a system digitize local-source audio for distribution via the Hub to other Points.

The Hub uses HomePlug AV to transport up to six streams of uncompressed audio from audio sources connected to a CAV6.6. The Hub also distributes another two audio streams supplied by local sources connected to two Points, yielding a total of eight simultaneous audio streams.