Hello first post
I'm strongly considering the990/7125 combo for my upcoming finished basement project. I am planning a 5.1 system. I want to send the Z2 to the extra two amp channels then up to the great room for a 2 channel set up. I also want to be able to have a third zone that will go to my old Denon amp to be used for 1) A/B deck and patio speakers and 2) a zone 2 from the denon to another 2 channel amp for my stereo distribution (to master bath, master bed and kitchen).

Can I split the zone 2 signal, or is there another suggested way to get the line level out to the other set up?

I should ad...I will only be using the extra zones for music.

I'd probably split the zone 2 output in this case and feed the signal to both the extra channels of the 7125 and the old Denon amp.

thanks Gonk...I'll plan on that

After more thought...I decided I really couldn't just split the Zone 2 output. If I did, I would not be able to have the outside speakers on without having my "great room" speakers on...which would not always work.

Gonk or others...
would it be possible to make a "Zone 3" out of the tape out? This would be to an old Denon receiver.

It would be possible to a degree, but there are some caveats. First, I don't recall if the 990 passes digital audio inputs through the analog record outputs (Video1 and Tape) or if you would need to run analog cables from any sources you would want to use. Since I suspect the record out behavior is similar to the zone 2 behavior, it probably isn't a big deal for someone who already has zone 2 up and running. Second, the zone 3 output would be slaved to the main zone as far as active input is concerned. That may or may not be a problem for the outside speakers (or perhaps for the great room).

thanks Gonk
Since the other zones will be stereo music...they will certainly be fed by analog...either a CD player or music off of the digital cable box. I'll just make sure to have both analog and digital going from the cable box.

My problem is I've been planning this basement project for awhile. I originally planned on a Denon 3805, which has 3 zone capability. Since it has taken me so long...I found this place and have changed my mind.

If you want to use zone 2 to feed both the great room and the outside speakers but would not ever need to feed the two different sources, you could use a switch box instead of a simple splitter. Depending on your needs, the switch box may need to allow for A+B operating as well as A or B operation, but it would let you feed both the outside speakers and the great room from zone 2 without having to have both zones on at once (assuming having one zone fed from the tape output doesn't work for whatever reason). This switching could even take place at the amplifier - my old Parasound amp (HCA-800 Mk. II, used for surround back detail) had A and B speaker outputs that allowed for A, B, or A+B operation, and many receivers have this as well - you could use an old receiver as amp for those zones.

I am working on a very similar setup for my basement, and recently posted a very similar question (see my post titled "Can the 990 do this" in this forum where gonk really helped me out). I am currently combining an NAD T762 AVR with an Outlaw 970. The set up is very complex, but achieves what you are looking for (plus provides AV swithcing for my Zone 2).

The AVR serves as a 4 channel amp for the HT (I am using a phantom center), and I use the receiver to power Zones 2 & 3 using the A & B speaker switch (fed by analog connections from the various sources). I can optionally use the Zone 2 feature of the AVR if I want to send different sources to Zones 2 & 3.

If your Denon has A & B speakers, then you may not need Zone 2 on the 990 at all (just send the analog connections directly to the Denon, and use the Denon to control Zones 2 & 3). This should work fine, unless you want to play different music in Zone 2 than in Zone 3. However, if your Denon has a Zone 2 feature, then you should be able to accomplish true 3 zone functionality.

Just don't expect anyone else in the house to be able to operate the system.

Oh, and I don't think the Dennon 3805 could do all of this. I looked into this recently, and the Dennon looks as if Zone 3 is merely digital audio out for Zone 3, so you would still need another receiver.