I reread the original post. You were inquiring about an amp with IR controllable volume. I don't understand why you need that as you have four zones, four Denon zone outputs, and each Denon zone output can be controlled by Denon IR codes. Wouldn't you just plug those variable outputs into a fixed power amp or group of amps and then adjust the Denon zones with the keypads? I'm thinking that you have four keypads and each one is to adjust volume for a zone, right?

I read this paragraph all by itself and wonder why you aren't using the Denon zone output level controls.

That's exactly what I think when I read my responses!

As far as the original plan.

No there would actually be 8 keypads for volume for the 7 rooms. I was going to use the 4 Denon outputs to break this rooms into main zones.

1 = Kitchen, LR, DR
2 = Library
3 = Patio & Deck
4 = Game room

If I only used the denon outputs I can onlly control volume for each of these room groups not all of the individual rooms.

Room #2 & #4 would go use the zone 2 on the each denon utilizing the rear surround amps.

For me to get individual control of rooms of groups #1 and #3, I would have to then feed this line level output, from each of the denon's zone 3 output to an amp with integrated volume via rs-232 or IR. This would allow the independant volume control for each and every room within those main zone groups.

You can buy Xantech speaker level volume controls, kloogey affairs that use combinations of relays to raise and lower the volumes. Of course, those will become money spent on trash the moment the budget opens up for the later phases.

I would push hard for the client to accept less than full control so that no more money is spent on this stage buying things that will be trash on a later stage. The right parts for a later phase are just not appropriate for what you want to do now, and vice versa. In particular, if you're charging for the time to figure this out, and you should (and you could owe us a couple hundred in consulting), they are insisting on raising the present budget for an eventual waste of money, with the present goal of saving money. You save money by making it less capable now while laying in EXACTLY what will be needed for the final phase.