Bose Ceiling Speaker issue

[masterh]

so I bought used bose model 8 ceiling speakers for my yogurt shop.

It has 4 wires total. 2 wires each from + and -

I inserted 2 wires into each slot (both 2 red wires into red tab, 2 black wires into black tab) and it doesn't work.
(cheap ipod dock just to test the speaker)

I just don't understand why there are 4 wires.

I am sure I can use any receiver for those speakers? (not just bose)

how can I make this work?

 

[masterh]

ok I kind of figured out. but I want to know why it works this way

there are tabs for 1,2,4,8,c. there were blue wire which was connecting 4 and c

I disconnected it from 4 and connected to + (red) and it works.

can I leave it this way?

 

[Rickster71]

What amplifier are you using? Those speakers are made to be used with a certain amp.
That speaker can be set for 70V or 100V with it's multi-tap transformer.
It's not made to be used with a standard amp. (Those speakers are 8 watts max.)

The two '+' go under one screw, and the '-' under the other screw.
The blue jumper 'C' goes to what ever wattage you set the amp for (1,2 4, 8)
That's assuming you have the matching amp?

 

[TLS Guy]

ok I kind of figured out. but I want to know why it works this way

there are tabs for 1,2,4,8,c. there were blue wire which was connecting 4 and c

I disconnected it from 4 and connected to + (red) and it works.

can I leave it this way?

No you can't leave it that way! You need to know if you have the 70 Volt or 100 Volt Model 8 system. The speakers you have selected are for use only with the Bose Free Space Controller.

First of all the good part. The system is a professional 70 or 100 Volt system, like I told you to use in the first place.

This is how you wire these types of systems.

Now the bad news; it is by Bose! Bose have a long history of building and marketing products that can only be used with their equipment.

These speakers are only 2.5 inches diameter! For this application, this is ridiculous. Despite the fact that Dr Amar Bose, thinks he can walk on water, and that the rules of physics don't apply to his creations; they do.

So to produce anything other than the thinnest sound from those speakers he has to force them with the active controller.

Worse the speakers have a sensitivity of only 80 db 1 watt, with a maximum sound output of only 90 db. That makes it a virtually useless product, unless you plan on installing a large number of speakers. If you used the 100 volt system you would need 25 speakers on the 4 watt tap, and I doubt even that would be very loud, especially in a noisy place of business.

My advice to you, is to get a professional PA installer to put in a cost effective sensible PA system to do what you need.

You are obviously way out of your depth with this installation, and we can only do a limited amount to educate you on a forum like this.

 

[Rickster71]

Hi Mark,
I know first hand what you mean about these speakers. Live and learn for the OP I suppose.

I installed the exact setup (not my choice) in a coffee shop near Rutgers U.

I don't know where the OP is located; but the 70V version is only available in the USA.

The back of the speaker doesn't have an exposed multi-tap. It's got two screws for 'plus' & 'minus' and the blue 'C' has a spade connector that is pushed into one of four corresponding slot 'taps' 1watt, 2, 4, 8.

 

[TLS Guy]

Hi Mark,
I know first hand what you mean about these speakers. Live and learn for the OP I suppose.

I installed the exact setup (not my choice) in a coffee shop near Rutgers U.

I don't know where the OP is located; but the 70V version is only available in the USA.

The back of the speaker doesn't have an exposed multi-tap. It's got two screws for 'plus' & 'minus' and the blue 'C' has a spade connector that is pushed into one of four corresponding slot 'taps' 1watt, 2, 4, 8.

I thought so! I had never seen or heard of the misbegotten system. However I can tell from the data sheets this is even by the standards, of Dr Amar Bose, that this system should absolutely have never seen the light of day.

What sort of spls, were generated by the system you installed? I would bet, that with anything like normal background in an establishment like that, the speakers were inaudible.

Max power per speaker is 8 watts, so you would need a minimum of seven speakers on the 8 watt tap and one on the four watt tap to balance the 70 Volt system. So you are in for eight speakers at a minimum.

 

[masterh]

it's about 6 inch diameter speaker. it says 70 voltage and 8 watts max.

I don't know if I would have to use bose controller since it sounds just fine lol ?
(I am going to use niles speaker selector)

 

[TLS Guy]

it's about 6 inch diameter speaker. it says 70 voltage and 8 watts max.

I don't know if I would have to use bose controller since it sounds just fine lol ?
(I am going to use niles speaker selector)

It is not fine. Did you read what I posted? You can not use those speakers with ANY type of receiver. They have to be driven by a PA amp, that has a 70 volt speaker output. Not only that it has to have the correct Eq because it is Bose. So you have to use their proprietary equalizer amp.

You can not use a speaker selector with a 70 volt system, as it unbalances it.

Your speakers have a transformer driving each one. You have made a tap to the transformer which should not be made, by improperly undoing a connection, to get the impedance just lower enough so the speaker makes some noise with a domestic receiver. You have no idea what the impedance is now you have done what you have done. Once you hook up a few speakers, you have a really good chance of sending a receiver that is not for driving a 70 volt system up in smoke.

I hope your yogurt is a hell of a lot better than sound system will be as you are heading to make a fool of your self with that. It will produce only the faintest, tinniest sound in your establishment at best, and more than likely blow up your receiver as well.

 

[lsiberian]

If you want to have some good sound out of small speakers that look good with a receiver. I suggest you look at KEF eggs. They can be mounted on all sorts of thing and produce excellent sound for their size. It would be easier than dealing with in-ceiling speakers and give you much better sound that Bose.

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/KEFHTS20013BLKB/KEF/Hts2001.3-Satelllite-Speaker-In-Black-Each/1.html

 

[TLS Guy]

If you want to have some good sound out of small speakers that look good with a receiver. I suggest you look at KEF eggs. They can be mounted on all sorts of thing and produce excellent sound for their size. It would be easier than dealing with in-ceiling speakers and give you much better sound that Bose.

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/KEFHTS20013BLKB/KEF/Hts2001.3-Satelllite-Speaker-In-Black-Each/1.html

Yes, and those speakers will work with a receiver and a Niles switcher, which his Bose ceiling speakers can't in any way.

 

[lsiberian]

Yes, and those speakers will work with a receiver and a Niles switcher, which his Bose ceiling speakers can't in any way.

My brother wants Bose in-ceilings for his living room. I want to puke when he mentions it. I realize I was like him a little over a year ago, but once I started reading and studying speakers I learned really fast they are very overpriced heavily proprietary systems. I wouldn't mind it so much if the prices where more reasonable, but they are fleecing people with their products. It's almost as bad as the nitrogen enriched tire or gasoline advertisements.

The state of good physics education isn't good in our nation. Maybe if they taught kids doing more fun experiments rather than just crunching numbers we'd have greater interest. My physics class in high school was like algebra more than physics. Even the AP course consisted of crunching numbers in formulas.

This I believe is the reason we have fluff passed off so easily.