There will be two rooms. One theater and one demo room. I will be using a XP8 to control all of the equipment.

The demo room will be controlled be an Elan 8.6 AV. Each speaker will be a seperate zone on the controller. I will demo just a handfull speakers that we'll sell.

The theater room will have two amps. A Denon 3808 and a 1908. I will upgrade when I feel my client base will be purchasing more higher ticket items. These are the two that I will sell the most. Do they make a matrix speaker switcher? I will have 5 -6 different fronts and centers. I've thought about just using a manual Niles high power speaker selector but I don't want anyone coming in and pushing multiple buttons at the same time. Then I would also have to put in a relay off the tigger output of the amp or the XP8 to switch between the different amps.

I've never had a showroom nor have I never worked in one. I've got my bottle of lube so flame away. I know, I know, hire a pro.

I'm sure Trent will chime in but Audio Authority makes multichannel switchers for this type of demo application. We thought about this but ended up doing seperate systems, one receiver drives a 5.1, another receiver a 7.1, and seperates for a second 7.1 system.

[Link: audioauthority.com]

I like the idea of using the 8.6 as a demo unit for different speakers.

At our office, we have a room with 2 sets of surround sound speakers set up which is hooked to a Marantz receiver. (I know this is a smaller setup than you're talking about) To switch between the two 5.1 systems, I wired up 3 altronix RB-5 relays (double pole double throw) to all the speakers. For example, on the Center channel I wired the negatives from both speakers to the Common terminal on the relay, then put the positive of one speaker on the Normally Open side and the other speaker's positive on the Normally Closed side. I also ran a 12v power supply through a relay on an SR-1. When triggered, the power going through the SR-1 will trip all 3 RB-5 relays. Then I just trigger the SR-1 relay on a Via in the room to switch back and forth.

All this because I got tired of trying to find a matrix switcher...

Are you a retail store or a custom install shop? If you are not retail, then I don't know why you would bother with the expense of demoing so many different speakers configs. If retail, then sure lots of demos might make sense.

Custom. I feel I want to show people what they are buying. As you know there are so many applications we run into. I want them to experience different speaker configs. I feel if they can kick the tires they are willing to spend a little more. It's probably because I'm a crappy salesman so I need tools to help me do a better job. Your probably right, it is overkill, but I think it's needed for customers that haven't heard of custom install brands or even some high end brands. Bose, now that's an easy one, I ain't selling it. Monster Cable I don't care. The tools I need are to help unbrainwash a lot of consumers.

My only question is with how busy people are now-a-days. How willing will they come to the showroom to look around? Even when they ask for one (showroom).

The Audio Authority accessEZ is cool looking. I'm sure I don't want to ask what it costs, showroom or not.

I might just wait until RTI comes out with relay control module and loop wire through a series (not in series) of relay and have the control module trigger between speakers. So it says available in 2008 so I can look for it in the 4th qtr of 09.

LOL, and there you have it!!

well said!

proaudio

RCM12 IS NOW SHIPPING

Wow! Face to me. I just confirmed that. Thanks.
I also just heard the T3V should be out in a few weeks.
Hopefully they keep steadily releasing things until 2-way goes live.
There is a new training on May 21 in my area and I just did one a few months ago so they could have a couple more things out by then.