Another dumb question about speakers

[project86]

I was browsing speakers online today, and checked out the Orb Audio stuff. I thought it was rather strange that their Mod2 is just a pair of Mod1 speakers wired in parallel.

Say someone had a decent receiver, like an old Denon or Marantz, that is capable of handling 4 ohm loads on each channel. Say that person had a small surround system like Infinity TSS series or primus series, where they have all identical speakers for front, rear, and center. Could one simply add another one next to or on top of the center, Mod2 style, and increase the performance of the center?

[Joe Schmoe]

Not only would that not increase the performance of the center, it would probably make it worse (maybe even a lot worse.) I never recommend trying to second-guess a speaker designer.

[patnshan]

I think it would work if you are certain that the amp could handle a 1/2 decrease in ohms. I would talk to the amp and speaker manufacturers before doing it. You would also need to make sure that the speakers are really what they say they are in terms of impedence, as sometimes there are dips below their "rated" impedence.

Pat