Speaker A/B Option With Separates?

You can also run a second set of wires from the same amp binding posts and hook up a separate volume control (Niles Audio has a nice impedance-matching model) either in the wall or on a table. I have this set-up for my patio and living room fed from an amp in my family room. It works very well, and you don't need another amp or receiver.

I am not sure what the parasound left/right volume control gets you in the context of a multi-room application but it is no doubt a good option and I did not intend to slight the recommendation. By having a second amp or receiver you can play different sources in different rooms at different volumes. I have a multi-room receiver as well as an additional receiver in my system so I can drive my mains, kitchen, and screened porch at different levels and with different sources, i.e. the kids can be watching a movie and we can be on the porch listening to a CD or even vinyl if we want. I guess it depends on what you want to accomlplish in the end.

I have a very early (probably 15-20 yr old) versatile Niles "Speaker Selector/Volume Control" box Model SVC-4 which allows two separate amps and 4 sets of speakers to be attached. Each speaker has a volume control. You can select either amp A or Amp B to drive a particular speaker or leave that speaker off. On the front of the unit there is an "in or out button" for each amp marked "leave out for "1 pair 4 ohm or 1-2 pair 8 ohms" or push in for "2-4 pair 4 ohm or 3-4 pair 8 ohm speakers on that particular amp. The only down side is that the speaker wire connector terminals on the back are a push down spring tab for inserting a small bare wire (like on circa 70s Marantz Receivers). It cannot take spades or banana plugs. Niles may make a more modern version now. Great versatility but obviously not for ultra critical listening.

Thanks to you all--you gave some things to think about. I wish my Rotel receiver had pre-out jacks so I could use it as an amp/speaker selector . . .One thing is still not clear to me: from my preamp, where would the interconnects go to/come from? The preamp I want (Quicksilver) has main out and tape monitor out and in.