Patent ID: 8565451

Claim:
An audio signal output apparatus comprising: a signal processing unit which conducts a predetermined operation on input signals, and which outputs output signals of N channels; a plurality of output terminals for a main zone outputting the output signals of N channels; a mixing unit which generates output signals of M channels (M<N) by down-mixing the output signals of N channels; a selection unit which selects and outputs either output signals of M channels output from said mixing unit or other input signals; output terminals for subzones outputting the output signals selected by said selection unit; a memory unit storing setting data that indicates a correspondence relationship between said other input signals and the output terminals for subzones; and a control unit which controls said selection unit to select output signals of said mixing unit in response to first and second command signals, wherein in response to the first command signal, said control unit is operable to cause the down-mixed output signals of M channels to be output from the output terminals for the subzones while simultaneously the signals of N channels are output from the output terminals for the main zone, in response to the second command signal, said control unit is operable to cause said other input signals to be output from the output terminals for the subzones based on the setting data, and the setting data further includes data that defines, on a subzone-by-subzone basis, whether or not a source for the main zone is applied to the selection unit in response to the first command signal.