WaynerN
Addicted Member
Then you are talking series connection rather then parallel connection. But then 8+8+8= 24 ohms.
Speaker wiring
- Thread starter Willy6
- Start date
Then you are talking series connection rather then parallel connection. But then 8+8+8= 24 ohms.
M0therG00se
Active Member
Yesir. That's what it sounded like what was going on. You exactly got my point and if that's how it's wired then it's safe ohm wise but the speakers could get damaged from low power. Drivers need the juice they're made for and running under power is bad news bears.
M0therG00se
Active Member
He should run them in series parallel so its an equal ohm load. That way it would be as safe as possible.
MCM_Fan
AK Subscriber
If you wish to drive more speakers than your amp/receiver was intended to drive, do yourself (and your amp/receiver) a favor and get a speaker selector with a built-in protection circuit.
As others have pointed out, the more speakers you drive in parallel, the lower the impedance your amp/receiver sees, and the lower the impedance, the higher the current draw on the amp/receiver.
A properly designed speaker selector will have a protection circuit with some large wire wound resistors that bump the impedance back up in the range that will be safe for your amp/receiver. Adcom, one of the manufacturers of these devices refers to this as Minimum Impedance Protection, which is exactly what it is.
Speaker selectors, with protection circuits are available new from several manufactures. Niles is the most well known. They have been making these devices for decades. New prices for Niles speaker selectors start at about $100. There are cheaper brands (Monoprice, Pyle, etc.) that start at about $30 - $35, but if you want to save some money, watch for them to show up at your local Goodwill store.
A ton of these were sold back in the 1990s when the "whole house" sound system became a big thing. I see Niles speaker selectors at my local Goodwill all the time for $4 - $6. I just picked up an older model Niles SPS-1 this past weekend for $3.99 at my local Goodwill store. I like the look (walnut cheeks) and build quality of this older model:
The newer, low profile Niles SS-4 is the one I most often see at my local Goodwill stores:
There are more elaborate models that include individual volume controls for each pair of speakers (so you can match the volume of speakers with different efficiencies), but I rarely see these at Goodwill.
At the very least, if you are going to run more than two pairs of speakers in parallel, get one of the basic models with the built-in protection circuit.
As others have pointed out, the more speakers you drive in parallel, the lower the impedance your amp/receiver sees, and the lower the impedance, the higher the current draw on the amp/receiver.
A properly designed speaker selector will have a protection circuit with some large wire wound resistors that bump the impedance back up in the range that will be safe for your amp/receiver. Adcom, one of the manufacturers of these devices refers to this as Minimum Impedance Protection, which is exactly what it is.
Speaker selectors, with protection circuits are available new from several manufactures. Niles is the most well known. They have been making these devices for decades. New prices for Niles speaker selectors start at about $100. There are cheaper brands (Monoprice, Pyle, etc.) that start at about $30 - $35, but if you want to save some money, watch for them to show up at your local Goodwill store.
A ton of these were sold back in the 1990s when the "whole house" sound system became a big thing. I see Niles speaker selectors at my local Goodwill all the time for $4 - $6. I just picked up an older model Niles SPS-1 this past weekend for $3.99 at my local Goodwill store. I like the look (walnut cheeks) and build quality of this older model:
The newer, low profile Niles SS-4 is the one I most often see at my local Goodwill stores:
There are more elaborate models that include individual volume controls for each pair of speakers (so you can match the volume of speakers with different efficiencies), but I rarely see these at Goodwill.
At the very least, if you are going to run more than two pairs of speakers in parallel, get one of the basic models with the built-in protection circuit.
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WaynerN
Addicted Member
Yes, if he ran two sets in series, they would be 16 ohms, and the other pair in parallel with the other two would be 1/8 + 1/16 = (1/sum), would be 13.33 ohms. That would be much better. If he wanted to run 1 set at a time or the other two at a time, it would be also stable loads, provided his amp can handle a 4 ohm load.
MCM_Fan
AK Subscriber
Yes, and that's why I recommended a speaker selector with a protection circuit. It will give him all the connections he needs to run up to 8 speakers (or more, depending on the model) and keep the impedance of the load from dipping too low for his amp/receiver. His situation is exactly why these things exist.
It probably doesn't even matter "where" you take the - from.
I would bet that like my Yamaha (RX-Z9), the - is common to both sets of speakers and probably even both the left and right channels.
So essentially, where ever you are taking the + from is what matters.
You can confirm this with an ohmmeter.
I would bet that like my Yamaha (RX-Z9), the - is common to both sets of speakers and probably even both the left and right channels.
So essentially, where ever you are taking the + from is what matters.
You can confirm this with an ohmmeter.
ev13wt
Super Member
You mean like "normal" unbalanced headfones?
M0therG00se
Active Member
After all the confusion I am hoping you have figured it out. Have you checked your ohms? Same exact wiring still? Do you need any other help so we can all help resolve this?
M0therG00se
Active Member
Usually you'd be right but when you introduce speakers theres a chance they may be out of phase. It's not always about the positive like what you said.
You have to make sure your speakers are in phase from the amp terminals. I've had plenty of times that I had to switch wires. Just food for thought.
Correct and not only does it sound good my amp doesn't heat up at all ..Am I reading this correctly? This is your current setup signal path / connection diagram as I understand it?
darkblue94
The Devil made me do it.
Amplifiers don't always get hot and throw sparks followed by the magic smoke, sometimes they just whimper and die. Just like that.
M0therG00se
Active Member
Then at your own discretion run it. Since your this far into the subject; I would go a few steps further and learn or keep the formula to calculate your ohm loads in the future. People mistake the math by halving the value up or down.
It will save your drivers from unnecessary damage and most of all you will be able to pass the knowledge on.
Karma's the name.
It will save your drivers from unnecessary damage and most of all you will be able to pass the knowledge on.
Karma's the name.
M0therG00se
Active Member
Amplifiers don't always get hot and throw sparks followed by the magic smoke, sometimes they just whimper and die. Just like that.
I put a brushless fan setup above the heatsink vents nowadays. My Pioneer has a twin setup to give each heatsink it's own fan. Here's a picture.
That's why I have 4 of everything. .Amplifiers don't always get hot and throw sparks followed by the magic smoke, sometimes they just whimper and die. Just like that.
