What was the primary limitation encountered by early multi-room setups utilizing complex analog wiring?

Scalability and flexibility

Early multi-room systems relied heavily on hard-wired analog distribution, functioning much like a complex telephone switchboard for audio signals routed from a central hub. The significant constraint on these systems was scalability and flexibility. If a homeowner wished to move a speaker location or add a new zone, it frequently necessitated physically accessing walls to pull new speaker wire runs. This requirement for physical infrastructure modification made expansion cumbersome, expensive, and difficult for the average homeowner to manage independently, contrasting sharply with later digital solutions.