You'll need something with IP control or an external IP controller in the mix.

URC's product has IP control/messaging (2-way). The key is then finding software on the smartphone/tablet of choice to control it. There should be something available as I think there are expandable solutions that support the IP-based products of most vendors.

Example app: http://www.roomieremote.com/ip-compatibility/


I forgot to mention another caveat about the decentralized or rather discrete setup (which covers what Andy mentioned as well). You'll lack the ability to cleanly switch sources between zones. For instance you can dedicate specific sources to each zone, but you can't have a pile of sources that are shared between zones quite as easily.

You can of course connect one source to multiple zones, but that's not quite the same thing as when playing that source you won't be able to stop it from playing to all the zones it's hardwired to - except for shutting down the amplification to that other zone. Which may be fine if you don't need both zones to be playing different content at the same time.

If I was setting this up for a big residence, apart from any room which needs reference equipment, I would go with a multi-zone powered amplifier/controller. For the reference room(s) I'd have additional dedicated multi-channel amplification which could still be wired through the controller (they should have pre-outs). Possibly also using another processor.