Zone-2 (multi-room audio)
TL;DR
Zone-2 (or Zone-A/B) is a feature on some AV receivers and multi-room amps to send audio to a second listening area (patio, kitchen) - often a different source than the main room. Modern wireless alternatives (Sonos, AirPlay 2, Chromecast) have largely replaced dedicated Zone-2 wiring.
Zone-2 is a traditional multi-room audio feature – the ability of an AV receiver to send different audio to a secondary listening area (Zone-2 typically = second room) via a dedicated set of speaker binding posts.
Traditional Zone-2 wiring
- Run long speaker cables through walls to remote room
- AVR has dedicated Zone-2 speaker outputs (often just stereo)
- Zone-2 selects a different source than Zone-1 (kitchen streams while main room watches TV)
Modern wireless replacement
- AirPlay 2 – Apple ecosystem, multi-room synced audio
- Sonos – proprietary multi-room, own speakers
- WiiM ecosystem – each room gets its own streamer, controlled via app
- Chromecast/Google Cast – Android ecosystem
Which to choose
Most modern setups use wireless. Dedicated wired Zone-2 makes sense only for permanent installations with a serious AV receiver like the Onkyo TX-RZ50.
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