Multi-Room Audio
Whole-Home Audio & Speaker Installation in Portland & Hillsboro
We design and install whole-home audio for houses across the Portland metro: in-ceiling and in-wall speakers, Sonos and multi-zone amps, and controls that turn every room into its own zone. Play something different in every room, or the same song everywhere.
★★★★★5.0 from 19 Google reviews20 years installing in the Portland metroOregon CCB# 201122
What we do
Multi-room audio systems, designed around your house
A whole-home audio system puts music in the rooms you actually spend time in and lets each one do its own thing. The kitchen can play jazz while the office plays a podcast and the patio runs the party playlist, each at its own volume.
We plan where every speaker goes, choose the amps and streaming gear, and run the wire inside the walls, so all you see is a grille flush with the ceiling. R&D Audio Video has installed home audio around Portland for about 20 years, and we work with every budget, from a couple of Sonos rooms to a fully wired house.
Want it tied into the TV, the lights or a home theater? Same crew. Start with a free quote, or meet us first.
Zone and speaker design
Which rooms get music, where each speaker sits for even sound, and options at a few price points.
In-ceiling and in-wall speakers
Flush, paintable speakers from Episode, KEF and Origin Acoustics, installed in new or finished walls.
Amps and streaming
Sonos Amps or multi-zone amplifiers, mounted neatly in one rack. See structured wiring.
Subwoofers when you want bass
Sonos Sub, SVS or REL, placed so the low end fills the room without rattling the house.
TV sound in the mix
Soundbars and HDMI ARC connections that send TV audio into the system.
Outdoor zones
Patio, deck and landscape speakers on the same system. More on our outdoor audio page.
Keypads, touchscreens and apps
Volume and source on the wall with control keypads, or one universal remote for all of it.
A network that keeps up
Streaming audio needs solid Wi-Fi in every room. We handle that too with network installation.
Three ways to build it
Sonos rooms, business zones or the backyard
Every one of these is a real R&D install. Pick the one closest to what you have in mind.
Sonos with speakers in the wall
Sonos makes streaming simple, and a Sonos Amp can drive real in-wall or in-ceiling speakers instead of boxes on a shelf. Add more rooms whenever you're ready.
- Speakers
- Two Episode Signature 8" in-wall
- Amp
- Sonos Amp
- Bass
- Sonos Sub 4
- TV
- 55" Samsung The Frame, Roku Ultra
“He installed my entire Sonos audio system, including soundbars in the living room and bedroom, in-ceiling speakers in the living room, and speakers on my patio and deck.” Dino R, Google review
Background music for a restaurant
808 Grinds needed the same laid-back sound from the front door to the back patio, run by staff from one screen. Each area got the right speaker and its own zone.
- Speakers
- Episode pendants, in-ceiling, patio surface-mount
- Amp
- Episode 4-zone 70V commercial amplifier
- Control
- Sonos, iPad on an iPort wall station
- Video
- 98" TV
The backyard as its own zone
Outdoor speakers join the same system as the rest of the house, so the patio can play along with the kitchen or do its own thing. For one Savant home we hid a full landscape system in the yard.
- Speakers
- 8 landscape satellite speakers
- Bass
- In-ground subwoofer, 1,300 W
- Control
- Savant app, touch panels and remote
- Indoors
- 8 more zones on the same system
How it works
How a whole-house audio system works
1 room
One room, one stereo. The music stops at the doorway.
Speakers in every room, all playing the same song. Great for a party, less great when someone's on a call in the office.
Every room becomes a zone with its own source. The kitchen gets jazz while the living room watches the game.
Each zone has its own volume too, set from a wall keypad, a touchscreen or your phone.
Party mode groups every zone onto one song, in sync, with a single tap. When the party's over, they split back apart.
Go ahead, move the faders.
Living room
TV audio
Kitchen
No speakers
Office
No speakers
Primary bedroom
No speakers
Patio
No speakers
Our process
How a whole-home audio installation goes with R&D
Free walkthrough and quote
We walk the house with you, talk about which rooms matter, and get a feel for your budget.
Zone design
Speaker placement for even sound, the right amps, and where the equipment will live.
Pre-wire or retrofit
New build? We wire before the drywall. Finished home? We fish speaker wire through the walls and ceiling.
Install and tune
Speakers go in flush, every zone gets set up and balanced, and we show you how to run it.
Follow-up
A few weeks later we check in to make sure every room still sounds the way it should.
Featured project
Eight zones of music, one app to run them
This Portland-area home has music everywhere that matters: eight independent indoor zones, a landscape system in the backyard and a DJ booth wired into the whole thing. It all runs on Savant, from wall touch panels, a dedicated remote or the app, alongside the lighting and a 7.2 home theater.
- Indoor audio
- 8 independent zones
- Outdoor
- 8 landscape speakers, 1,300 W in-ground sub
- Control
- Savant touch panels, remote and app
- Also
- DJ booth, 7.2 theater, lighting and climate
Gear
Home audio brands we install
We recommend what fits your rooms and budget, whatever the brand. These show up in our audio systems most. See every brand we carry.
Streaming & amps
Architectural speakers
Speakers
In-ceiling speakers
Subwoofers
Subwoofers
Whole-home control
Remotes & keypads
Networking
Wi-Fi
Receivers & TVs
TVsReviews
What clients say about their audio systems
I had a great experience working with Dan. He installed my entire Sonos audio system, including soundbars in the living room and bedroom, in-ceiling speakers in the living room, and speakers on my patio and deck. He also supplied and installed my new Samsung TV. The installation was clean, professional, and everything sounds and works exactly as it should.Dino R, Google review
Dan and Nate did an outstanding job setting up our home av system. Thoughtful cost effective solutions that look and sound great. Can't see a wire or box anywhere. Follow up and communication were excellent. Very highly recommended!S George, Google review
Dan and his team are great. I've had him install/uninstall/Install from 3 different homes and they've always been responsive, quick and professional. Will always use R&D, couldn't be happier.Edward Coon, Google review
Dan and his team made the whole audio video installation experience easy. He was quick and efficient with his time. I would definitely recommend his services to friends, family and colleagues.Blake Woodbury, Google review
What is a whole-home audio system?
Speakers in several rooms, run as one system. Each room, or zone, can play its own music at its own volume, or every zone can play the same song in sync. You control it from wall keypads, touchscreens or your phone.
Should I get Sonos or a wired whole-house audio system?
Sonos is easy to use and great for streaming, and a Sonos Amp can power real in-ceiling and in-wall speakers. Larger homes often do better with multi-zone amplifiers in a central rack. Plenty of systems combine the two, and we install both.
Can you install in-ceiling speakers in an existing home?
Yes. We run speaker wire through the walls and ceiling of finished homes and mount the speakers flush, so all you see is a paintable grille. In new construction we pre-wire before the drywall goes up. More on our home wiring page.
How many zones can a multi-room audio system have?
As many as you have rooms. We've installed an eight-zone system with landscape audio in the backyard, and wall-mounted twelve Sonos Amps for a single client.
How do you control it?
From an in-wall keypad, a touchscreen, a universal remote or the app on your phone. Touchscreens can show album art and let you pick a different source for each room. See control keypads.
Can my TV play through the speakers in other rooms?
Yes. HDMI ARC connections send TV audio into the system. In one install we fed the sound from four TVs into a bank of twelve Sonos Amps.
How much does whole-home audio cost?
It depends on how many rooms you want, the speakers and amps, and whether the walls are open. A couple of Sonos rooms costs far less than a fully wired house. We work with every budget, and quotes are free.
What areas do you install home audio in?
We're based in Hillsboro and install whole-home audio in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Portland and across the Portland metro.
Other services
More ways we can help around the house
Custom Home Theater
Dedicated theaters, media rooms and Dolby Atmos.
View service 03Universal Remote
One remote that runs the whole system.
View service 04Outdoor Audio/Video
Speakers and screens for the patio, pool and backyard.
View service 05Home Wiring
Structured wiring, all run back to one panel.
View service 06Control Keypads
Wall keypads and touchscreens for every room.
View service 07Network & Wi-Fi
Fast, reliable coverage with no dead zones.
View service 08Lutron Automated Lighting
Scenes, schedules, and lights that follow the sun.
View service 09Lutron Automated Shades
Quiet 25 dB motors that open and close with the sun.
View service 10Surveillance Cameras
Wired cameras on every side of the house, day and night.
View serviceFree quote
Get a free whole-home audio quote
Tell us which rooms you want music in and how you like to listen. We'll come take a look and give you a straight answer on what it takes.
Whole-home audio and speaker installation in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Portland and the greater Portland metro.