Speakers A and B simultaneosly in different rooms

Ok, I get it.

It's certainly possible do what you're talking about but I don't think going to separate amps and preamps is going to get you anywhere.

The iPod is a fantastic device for its intended use but everything about it is designed for portability and convenience first, then for sonic fidelity. Both the outputs available to you from the iPod have already gone through the iPod's digital to analog converter and, in the case of the earphone output, through the internal amplifier of the iPod, as well. Switching from integrated amps to separates downstream of that process isn't going to do anything to improve that original signal.

It's cool that you're starting with lossless files but I doubt you can hear any difference between those and mp3 files at 192 bps if you're using the iPod as your source. I'm not sure I can hear much difference between those and I'm going digital from an iMac through iTunes to an external DAC and then to a very high-resolving amp and speakers.

To make any substantial improvement in the sound I think you'll need to spend your money on a hard-drive/iTunes based system that will let you take the digital signal to some kind of external DAC and then on to your amps and speakers.

This isn't a knock on the iPod, it does what it does extremely well, but good systems are all about balance and it doesn't make any sense to me to spend money and effort downstream unless you're starting with a better signal upstream.

I was think of having 2 complete set ups of speakers/ pre/ amp. With the ipod on a cradle, I can run two independent rca cables from this source. I would feed one into each preamp. Currently this is what I am doing, but I am using 2 integrated amps. I will be upgrading to the two sets of separates. Please let me know if this is a bad idea. I apologize if this is difficult to understand- I know I probably lack the proper terminology. Thanks for the help.

Dylano, I'm not sure I understand your question.

Are you asking if the output from an iPod going is going to be as good as the output of an external preamp fed by that same iPod? What is the rest of your current setup, how are you amplifying the two iPod outputs?

Thank you for all this valuable imput!
I like the idea of running two different amps through dual outputs from the pre. Currently I have been running two rca cables (one a 20 ft. extension) out of my source ipod(lossless encoding.)One through the headphone jack (not as desirable) and one out of the dock. Does anybody have an opinion on whether this set up (or dual rca from any source with dual outputs) is better or worse than a preamp with dual outputs.
Thanks!

One consideration in using the same preamp and amp to drive speakers in different locations is getting the volume right in both places at once. After being frustrated by that situation I found the best solution for me was to run two outputs from the preamp and add a second amplifier with adjustable gain to power the second set of speakers.

Most amps don't have adjustable gain, of course, but some from Parasound do and I had good luck with an older Yamaha power amp with gain controls on the front panel. Once you've got the relative output of the two amps set about right you shouldn't have to adjust the gain very often. Another advantage of that setup is that if you want music in only one of the locations you just turn off the appropriate power amp.

Speaker boxes are ok, as stated, if your amp can drive both sets of speakers. Although running at least, and probably more than 20' of speaker wire, after splitting the signal through a junction box, with all of those extra termninal connections and the cheap wire inside the box....well, not for me.

You can get the same sonics as if you had a separate front end in the other room by running two long interconnects, balanced would be great, but 20' RCA's should be fine to a second amp(s) in the second room and then normal length speaker cables. If you don't have dual outputs on your pre, then even Y adapters on the output of the pre work fine, with liitle or slight sonic degredation. Although dual outputs on the pre is the way to go.

Make sure your amp is capable of driving both pairs of speakers simultaneously. Your impedance is halved. In other words, if the impedance for each speaker is 4 ohms, the ohms load is 2 ohms. The ohms load is normally a nominal figure & is seldomly a minimum figure. Some speaker switch boxes have circuitry that prevents speakers from seeing dangerously low ohms loads, but I don't think all do.

Use a Spkr. switch box. There`s no shortage of them.