Hi Everybody, hope this isn't too drawn out - I was just looking for some input regarding a possible upcoming project I may have. Customer is a fairly large higher end restaurant with bar/lounge area and multiple rooms looking to replace some dated equipment and ease UI/control of the system.

Current setup is this: 5 sources (2x Sirius/XM tuners, 2x CATV STB, 1x CD Changer) feeding to 12 zones. Sources are fed into a Knox Video Tech. Media Flex16 which controls tone & volume for all zones from bar area rack (Not ideal!) The outs from the MediaFlex16 feed a rack of Crown XLS-202 amplifiers in the basement to power each zone.

Everything still functions as is, but the MediaFlex16 is on it's way out. I'm looking to keep things pretty simple and leave existing equipment intact and just swap out the MF16 with a new controller and better control.

I've been looking at a few options:

2x DBX ZonePro 1260 w/ URC MRX-2, KP-4000C (at rack location) & TC App for ipad to control zones away from the bar - A little concerned about programming & getting control to interface with DBXs properly.

2x Russound MCA-C5 w/ MDK-C6 keypad (rack location) & iDevice app - I've never used Russound in a commercial environment, but seems like a straightforward install, should work right out of the box, and nice UX.

Can anybody offer some input? Any experience controlling ZonePro's with URC products? Any experience with russound outside of a home?

I dont have any experience with URC controlling DBX products but RTI control is great. With two DBX zp's your going to have todo some wonky programming since they dont "stack" its been done though


Here is the better option for you!

[Link: allen-heath.com]

No experience with what you are looking to do, but I assume you meant MXiOS and not TC

That's a nice looking piece of gear but not sure it totally fits this application. Control is my biggest concern with the DBX ZP's. One of my distributors pre-sales systems support gave me a BOM with some RTI products. I have no experience with RTI but here is a system he built:

2x RTI AD8X 8 Zone/8 Source Controller
1x RTI XP6 Central Processor
1x RTiPanel Control Software

My biggest issue with this is it uses RCA connections and not a balanced Phoenix style - which is how the current system is wired.

Five sources? That's way more than are necessary. Does your client have the proper licensing for any CD that someone brings in and wants to play, or even that he himself owns? Does he have proper licensing for two Sirius music streams?

Licensing for both cable boxes isn't difficult, but is that enough cable boxes? Actually, I'd think he would want a cable box for each TV, each placed at the TV for ease of installation (one RG6) and to control costs, plus one or two cable boxes at the head end for feeding audio (or audio foldback from a couple of boxes in the place) to the sound system. A small beach bar system I've worked with has four TVs in basically two areas, and we've fed audio from one receiver in each area back to the head end. Another restaurant has a bar/dining room that's about 50' x 50' with six TVs and six satellite boxes, the audio of one of which is connected to the audio system for that room.


What's not ideal? The ZonePro does exactly that. Maybe you're saying the bar area isn't the ideal location.

Everything still functions as is, but the MediaFlex16 is on it's way out. I'm looking to keep things pretty simple and leave existing equipment intact and just swap out the MF16 with a new controller and better control.
I'd go with the ZonePro. I have to tell you I have not specified this myself, nor set it up, but the installer I work with uses them in systems small and large all over the LA area (plus at Ernie's, the PGA bar out in the Palm Springs area).


Since you need EQ and you have many zones, if it works right out of the box it's not very capable.


Sorry. I'd use ZonePro controllers, though I think there's an iPad controller either ready or on the way. Anything still "on the way" should not be specified, though!

Any experience with russound outside of a home?
I think it's fair to generalize from experience with many brands over the years that if it's made for residential use, it will be a bad choice for commercial use. The entire commercial part of this industry EXISTS because residential product doesn't get the job done, is squirrely to use, or doesn't last. You need silent dumb powerhouses of components! I also agree with your trepidation about using RCA type connections, but mostly because that product isn't commercial. Of course we have to deal with that when we connect to cable boxes and such.

You CAN create a 2 way driver with URC's Total Control for DBX. Others have done it. Not sure about your EXACT dbx, but some have indeed done it with DBX.

Why in the world would you ever use the Russound pices? You said you were leaving the amps and the dbx or like product handles switching an DSP. Am I missing something? Either way, don't put that shit in there, it is not right for the job.

I'm not sure why you say the media flex is not ideal. What else could be better to route signals from multiple sources to multiple zones than a 16x16 matrix. If it is going bad, replace it with a matrix that you like. Biamp, bss, clear one, etc.

Use the control system that you use! Don't change for this one job. What do you use?

Russound ? really?
Stick with DBX, and matrix should he fine as well..

We used DBX with RTI for all our sport bars... works solid !

What control system do you use? If you think its out of your scope, your best bet is to sub that part out and learn from it....

Good advice here. I used URC network template file with mrx-1 and kp4000 and I wouldn't recommend it. If guys here are successful with RTI, follow their lead.

I think DBX ZonePro is a good choice if you must replace the audio matrix, but it's easy to overthink controls in a bar/restaurant. I have done some elaborate setups with Crestron +DBX and even URC + DBX and at the end of the day the native DBX keypads are what get used the most and what people prefer. Hopefully you can reuse or retrofit wiring for local controls if that's what the goal is.

The ZonePro keypads will hold up to a lot of abuse and are really quite flexible via software. Mix and match different types if you need more than volume and source control (for example, scene control)

The only reason I even considered Russound is because the ADI pre-sales support recommended it for ease of use and stated it is in fact "commercial rated". I was hesitant as soon as he mentioned it. Which RTI gear do you use to control the ZonePros?

I sell a lot of Russound. I have a c5 system at home.

That being said, I humbly submit that your advisor is offering you less than stellar advice.

Pro applications require pro features. If you need an alternative design, my favorite supplier would be happy to assist.

Xp6 - In wall iPad and iOS license. That way the manager can control it off his phone too.

Urc can do it is just a matter of creating your own driver. I posted the Allen Heath piece because that also can be controlled, if your set on using urc and have to make a driver anyway you might as well make one for that since it makes your life a bit easier with zoning!

Where in nj are you located? If your close enough to me I could help you out with this?

Stick with DBX.. Sent you email..
Depending on how many 232 devieices you need, go with XP6 or 8s

using the native DBX keypads are a good solution BUT not with RTI - since if you control the vol. with there keypads, it will NOT update in RTI. So we add a rk1 or rk3v just for simple vol. preset controls.. works great..