Monoprice 6 Zone Home Audio Passive Multizone Controller Preamp Kit, NO Logo, with IR Remote Control, Built-in Web GUI, 139261

I purchased the 6 zone whole home amp on a Saturday and was told I would receive an email once my order was processed. I was charged immediately. Come Tuesday, I still had not received the email. I emailed Monoprice, asking for confirmation that the order has been processed. I had numerous exchanges with automated responses, none of which addressed my concern. On Friday, I heard that it was processed and would be arriving Saturday. I waited all day Saturday and it was never delivered. Tuesday, 9 days after purchase, the first delivery attempt was made. I contacted FedEx which told me they wouldn't leave the package without my signature but would not give me a time for delivery. I asked Monoprice and FedEx to leave the package without my presence, I even left a signed authorization, including a copy and my physical ID, on the door. After multiple delivery attempts at ambiguous times and countless hours on the phone, I ended up having to drive to another city to pick up my "delivery" which was in 2 different boxes. The amp ended up being defective. I had to package up the amp and drive it back to FedEx. I requested my replacement to not be delivered through FedEx or not require my presence. They did not oblige. I then had a repeat of the previously miserable delivery process including waiting around on the days it had been promised to be delivered and wasn't. I again had to drive to another city to pick up my "delivery". Again, the product did not work. I requested a full refund for all of my items and was issued a return label. I packaged up my items and brought them back to FedEx where I was told they could only use the label provided for one of the boxes. So, I gave them the amp and called Monoprice. I made multiple calls to the customer service line. The representative continued to seemingly just read off the first line of a response algorithm, even though the responses had no application to the situation. After being exhausted from trying to explain the situation and talking in circles, I requested to speak to the supervisor multiple times. I was told the supervisors were unavailable. I called back twice and was told both times that he was “on a break” and I was not able to talk to him. I am now without the amp and have not gotten a refund.

I prefer separate multi-zone preamps and amplifiers to the all-in-one units because sometimes I need to insert an equalizer or some other device between the preamp and amp to address special requirements in certain rooms. This Preamp works really well but I took off one star because of a few minor flaws.The Good:Can be linked with up to two additional units to support an 18 room system.Keypads are includedThere is a built-in LAN port for app control without buying a serial to LAN adapterIt has Automatic Gain Control to help level the volume from different sourcesIt has trigger outputs for all manner of equipment control and Home Automation integrationThere is a single keypad port which feeds a small hub (included) to feed the individual keypad lines. This can save a lot of wire by not requiring each individual keypad to be home run back to the unit itsels. It also reduces the amount of wires you have to manage at the back of the unit.The Flaws:The audio outputs are terminal blocks instead of RCA jacks so you have to make up special output cables to use it with normal amplifiers. This is a nuisance and a puzzle since no multi-zone amplifier I have ever seen uses terminal blocks for audio in from a preamp. They all use RCA jacks including the ones Monoprice sells.You cannot mute a zone from the keypad. The manual says you just select the ext option to set mute and unmute but when you try to actually do it the keypad skips of the ext option so you can never select it. Mute still works fine using the remote control or app but you can't get to it from the keypad.You can't have two keypads control the same room. Sometimes in a large area it makes sense to have keypads in two different locations. That is not an option with this unit.

Well done Monoprice! I've been looking for a good multiroom preamp to replace Crestron CNX-Pad8 12 channel preamp that works with the ultra complicated Crestron CNX system and the only and best product I found is this Monoprice 6 Zone (12 channel) audio. Works great and very easy to install and control through the iPhone app. My only wish would be that the preamp 12 outputs used RCA connectors (like the 3 RCA input connectors) rather than the terminal block pairs since most amplifiers use RCA cables. Otherwise great product.