- Gotta be quick around here.
I'd use digital for the main zone listening and analog just for the second zone (set up the AUX input to use the digital connection and run the analog to the AUX input as well. That way, the main zone will use the digital input but the second zone will have the analog available to use.
Your original wiring scheme was pretty ingenious, actually. I may have to sketch it out and try to figure out what went wrong and what went right.