[rookie]

is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the reciever?

[Laurence Payne[_2_]]

On Thu, 5 Jun 2008 04:32:16 +0100, rookie
wrote:


is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?

You can hook up whatever you like as long as the total impedence of
your speaker system is not lower than the minimum rating for the
amplifier.

If you want a more specific answer, ask a more specific question.

[William Sommerwerck]

If you connect the speakers to only one terminal, you won't get any sound.
The speakers have to connect to both terminals.

[Laurence Payne[_2_]]

On Thu, 5 Jun 2008 04:56:45 -0700, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:

If you connect the speakers to only one terminal, you won't get any sound.
The speakers have to connect to both terminals.


Damn you, Sommerwick! I'd laid a bet with that Mr. Crowley would be
the first to post that particular comment! :-)

[Scott Dorsey]

rookie wrote:

is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?

If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

If you put two 8-ohm speakers in parallel across an amp, the amp will
see a 4-ohm load. If the nameplate on the amp says "Minimum load impedance
4 ohms" this is fine. If it says "Minimum 6 ohms" it is not.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Don Pearce]

Scott Dorsey wrote:
rookie wrote:
is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?

If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

If you put two 8-ohm speakers in parallel across an amp, the amp will
see a 4-ohm load. If the nameplate on the amp says "Minimum load impedance
4 ohms" this is fine. If it says "Minimum 6 ohms" it is not.
--scott

If only it were this clear cut. If an amplifier said "Minimum 6 ohms"
and really meant it, an 8 ohm speaker would blow it.

What really matters is what has already been said. If you never turn the
volume up high, don't worry about it - nothing will break. And as a
corollary if you ever do turn the volume up high enough for it to
matter, then it is way underrated anyway, and a much bigger amp and
speaker are needed.

d

[Laurence Payne[_2_]]

On 5 Jun 2008 11:06:18 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?

If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

Is there any chance when he says "in-line" he means in-line? Nah,
you're right :-)

[Eeyore]

Don Pearce wrote:

Scott Dorsey wrote:
rookie wrote:
is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?

If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

If you put two 8-ohm speakers in parallel across an amp, the amp will
see a 4-ohm load. If the nameplate on the amp says "Minimum load impedance
4 ohms" this is fine. If it says "Minimum 6 ohms" it is not.
--scott

If only it were this clear cut. If an amplifier said "Minimum 6 ohms"
and really meant it, an 8 ohm speaker would blow it.

I think you just blew the OP's mind actually.

Graham

[Don Pearce]

Eeyore wrote:

Don Pearce wrote:

Scott Dorsey wrote:
rookie wrote:
is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?
If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

If you put two 8-ohm speakers in parallel across an amp, the amp will
see a 4-ohm load. If the nameplate on the amp says "Minimum load impedance
4 ohms" this is fine. If it says "Minimum 6 ohms" it is not.
--scott
If only it were this clear cut. If an amplifier said "Minimum 6 ohms"
and really meant it, an 8 ohm speaker would blow it.

I think you just blew the OP's mind actually.


Perhaps I should have expanded a little, do you think?

d

[jakdedert]

Scott Dorsey wrote:
rookie wrote:
is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?

If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

If you put two 8-ohm speakers in parallel across an amp, the amp will
see a 4-ohm load. If the nameplate on the amp says "Minimum load impedance
4 ohms" this is fine. If it says "Minimum 6 ohms" it is not.
--scott

But if one of the speakers is 4-ohms, things get interesting. The load
doesn't go down all that much (3.2-ohms), but the 4-ohm speakers will be
louder than the 8-ohm ones.

jak

[Misifus]

jakdedert wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:
rookie wrote:
is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?

If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

If you put two 8-ohm speakers in parallel across an amp, the amp will
see a 4-ohm load. If the nameplate on the amp says "Minimum load
impedance
4 ohms" this is fine. If it says "Minimum 6 ohms" it is not.
--scott

But if one of the speakers is 4-ohms, things get interesting. The load
doesn't go down all that much (3.2-ohms), but the 4-ohm speakers will be
louder than the 8-ohm ones.

jak


That's funny, I got 2.7-ohms.

-Raf

--
Misifus-
Rafael Seibert

blog: http://rafsrincon.blogspot.com/
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafiii
home: http://www.rafandsioux.com

[jakdedert]

Misifus wrote:
jakdedert wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:
rookie wrote:
is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?

If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

If you put two 8-ohm speakers in parallel across an amp, the amp will
see a 4-ohm load. If the nameplate on the amp says "Minimum load
impedance
4 ohms" this is fine. If it says "Minimum 6 ohms" it is not.
--scott

But if one of the speakers is 4-ohms, things get interesting. The
load doesn't go down all that much (3.2-ohms), but the 4-ohm speakers
will be louder than the 8-ohm ones.

jak


That's funny, I got 2.7-ohms.

-Raf

2.667-ohms in fact. I don't know where that figure came from...just
popped into my head...from another calculation, done years ago, maybe.

Thanks

jak

[jakdedert]

Roy W. Rising wrote:
jakdedert wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote:
rookie wrote:
is it a bad idea to hook 2 speakers in-line from one terminal on the
reciever?
If you parallel speakers, you reduce the load impedance the amp sees.

If you put two 8-ohm speakers in parallel across an amp, the amp will
see a 4-ohm load. If the nameplate on the amp says "Minimum load
impedance 4 ohms" this is fine. If it says "Minimum 6 ohms" it is
not. --scott
But if one of the speakers is 4-ohms, things get interesting. The load
doesn't go down all that much (3.2-ohms), but the 4-ohm speakers will be
louder than the 8-ohm ones.

jak

The volume of the speakers really depends on their efficiency, with limited
regard to impedance.

Trying to put it in terms the OP will understand....

In fact, what will happen is that the 4-ohm speakers will draw twice as
much power. How that relates to loudness is more complex and
assumes--as you note--facts not in evidence. Also, the impedance at any
given frequency will vary, leading to a different response curve
compared to each being driven by its own amplifier.

For the OP; suffice to say that it's a crapshoot. As Scott says, if
both are 8-ohm (rated) speakers, and the amplifier is rated capable of
driving 4-ohm loads, it's probably 'safe' enough. If *either* of the
above is not true, probably not.

Whether it's a good idea requires more information. (It usually only
works well if both speakers are identical.)

jak