Yamaha RX-V1500: 4ohm speakers, different zone

[PietjePuk]

Hey guys!

I've bought my Yamaha RX-V1500 quite a few years ago (together with 5.1 kef 1000 egg speakers), but since I'm a poor student I've never been able to expand my set. Until today. I've got my hands on a 4ohm, full size, speaker set and I'm looking for the best way to connect them. I'm quite confused with all the options, settings and connections so I hope somebody might be able to help me out! I'm quite a noob (so my apologies for any stupid question ), but very eager to learn what you guys know!

First question, could I even connect the 4ohm speakers? I'm able only to select a 6 or 8 ohm setting. I've read quite a terrifying article that connecting lower impedance speakers can burn down your receiver? Is it correct that there's only one setting that does the job for all?

I'd like to use the speakers in a different room, where I mostly listen to music while keeping the Kef set for movies in my television room. If possible I would like to be able to select in which room the sound is playing and sometimes play it in both rooms.

There are two options I think:
1. Plugin the speakers in the B and manually select on the receiver whether I use the A or B speakers or both. Problem, the a speakers are small and the b speakers full size, it seemed the b speakers underperformed quite on bass.
2. Use the zoning feature. Does this allow me to make specific adjustments for the extra speakers? The explanation is a little confusing and therefore a little more troublesome, but shouldn't this be the way to go?
Which option would be best regarding performance?

Hope you guys can help me out!

Ciao

 

[XEagleDriver]

Can be done, but be careful

Hey guys!

I've bought my Yamaha RX-V1500 quite a few years ago (together with 5.1 kef 1000 egg speakers), but since I'm a poor student I've never been able to expand my set. Until today. I've got my hands on a 4ohm, full size, speaker set and I'm looking for the best way to connect them . . .

First question, could I even connect the 4ohm speakers? I'm able only to select a 6 or 8 ohm setting. I've read quite a terrifying article that connecting lower impedance speakers can burn down your receiver?
Is it correct that there's only one setting that does the job for all?

1) Yes you can, but you DO RISK AMP DAMAGE depending on the robustness of the 1500's amp section and how low the speakers impedance dips actually are. The 6 ohm setting is the better choice, if you choose to try this route.
- Your safest bet is to leverage the 1500's pre-amp outputs and buy an amp designed to handle a 4 ohm speaker load--but this will cost some coin.
2) There is only one "global" speaker impedance setting on the 1500.

I'd like to use the speakers in a different room, where I mostly listen to music while keeping the Kef set for movies in my television room. If possible I would like to be able to select in which room the sound is playing and sometimes play it in both rooms.

There are two options I think:
1. Use the B speakers feature. Plugin the speakers in the B and manually select on the receiver whether I use the A or B speakers or both. Problem, the a speakers are small and the b speakers full size, it seemed the b speakers underperformed quite on bass.
2. Use the zoning feature.
Does this allow me to make specific adjustments for the extra speakers? The explanation is a little confusing and therefore a little more troublesome, but shouldn't this be the way to go?
Which option would be best regarding performance?

STAY AWAY FROM OPTION #1--because the A/B speaker switch is connected in parallel and when (not if) you inadvertently select A&B the impedance seen by the amp will be well below the full sized's 4 ohms and almost certainly cause amp damage!
Also #1 will not meet your "sometimes play in both" criteria, nor be able to play music in the music room WHILE simultaneously playing TV audio in the TV room.

Zoning will not allow specific speaker impedance adjustment just for the 2nd Zone--as stated before it as "global" setting as far as the receiver is concerned.

Best performance would be to buy a 4-ohm external amp!!

Cheers,
XEagleDriver