Basic ceiling speakers setup - NOOB ALERT

[ITaudio]

Hello audio guys.
I am an IT guy (computer/networks). I came here to learn a bit about audio setups. Thanks for any help and tips.

I bought a set of Yamaha speakers on amazon and an in-wall audio interface for a lobby that needs some ambient
music at low levels.

I got this:

I was not expecting much juice from it, as this setup is intended for a lobby with low level ambient music,
but the problem here is the sound that comes out of this little inwall chinese herdio amp unit is just plain horrible, my laptop
outputs better sound quality i believe.

I need an AMP.

I bought the in wall unit trying to keep things neat and less wires but i understand i need a bigger amp here.
i see there is those Pyle units all over in Amazon, claiming 200 watts in the 50-90 dollars range but they are rated for 4oms setups,
and my little knowledge about how audio speakers and amp works tells me that should make it half of the claimed power.

Would you guys suggest a few options or the specs i should be looking at to match these Yamaha speakers i got with something that makes sense?
I just need a 2CH setup with the standard RCA inputs, 3.5, BT, and basic equalization that sounds clear and clean at low volumes, while having the
ability to get cranked a bit in case they ever need a meeting party in the lobby.

I am trying to avoid using a bigger size head unit like those home theaters.
Thank you

 

[stalag2005]

An amplifier should be if you size it right be able to drive the speakers you have chosen. My first question here is how many of these speakers? And how long and what gauge is the speaker wire from where the unit is located to where the speakers are located. Size does matter and the heavier the gauge (lower number) the more current can be carried on the wire. Typical of speaker signals is that they are low voltage high current devices. What is important is the sustained wattage and in the Yamaha specs 50W per channel per speaker would be a good place to start to give you the audio range you want. A transient wattage of 140W is not a sustained current and those spikes typically are not seen in standard audio. General recommendations I would have is the wire should be a minimum of 16 gauge with 12 gauge as ideal in the walls due to the distances of the speakers from the source. Standard stranded wire is fine and exotic (read high priced) won't help improve things any. Make sure all speakers are wired in phase. Reversal of speaker wires on the terminals will still have the speakers play (this typically does not damage speakers), but they will be out of phase and you can lose audio that way (sound cancellation) in certain circumstances. PM me if you would like to take this off channel as I am an ex broadcast engineer.

 

[ITaudio]

Thank you Stalag for the recommendations and positive input.
After looking at the available small amplifiers i will give this setup a shot:

So the answer to your questions are in the graphic.. i just need 2 speakers setup, the area is an interior lobby of around 200 - 300 sqf. Wire drops from the amp to the speaker should be around 25-30 feet in length and i got this 16 gauge speaker wire along some banana plugs.

Does this make sense or i need a different amp?
Looking at specifications between the different options is very confusing as manufacturers/sellers try to mislead the buyers..
in this example i am assuming 110 watts x 2 @8 ohm (claimed by the amp specs) means 55 watts per speaker?? so the speakers are rated at 140 watts for both speakers or that means i could use a bigger amp that is able to output 140 watts per speaker???? So confusing...
As i mentioned, i need to keep the volume on this set at low levels so i hope this little amp will do the job fine.
Thanks!!!

 

[lovinthehd]

Have you purchased that receiver from "Medley"? I wouldn't, altho it looks better than that Herdio in wall thing. Where are you and what's your budget?

 

[ITaudio]

Well the problem is i am looking in amazon. My audio knowledge is like that of a 3 year old but
i understand most things in amazon are trash from china with products like this amp "Moukey" which does not even have a website so i purchased the 3 year warranty expecting this thing to blow at anytime, then i do the claim with amazon and they still win.. strange world..

But anyways, i was hoping you guys give some examples of proper amplifiers for such a small setup. I am in US and budget is not a problem, although i wouldn't justify spending a lot for such a small system in the scenario it is meant to be used. I will be learning some audio basics and this is where i am starting today, i may do some experiments with different setups at home later on, as long as i learn where i should buy the equipment and what to buy. What places do you guys use to get equipment? Preferably selling equipment made in USA or with a reputable US support.


Thanks

 

[lovinthehd]

So Moukey instead of Medley....either way never heard of them (or many Amazonian brands for that matter ). Usually we suggest people buy after consulting with the members here to save time/grief/money, but if you already bought it, you may as well see if it works for your purposes first but I'd think about returning it rather than keeping it....but depends on budget which you still haven't disclosed. I don't feel like searching for links for the pics you posted (posting up the brand name and model number often beats the usefulness of a mere pic).

Then there's form factor/aesthetics...big difference between an in-wall unit and a rack/shelf type item you switched to. What features/inputs/sources you're going to use factors in, too. You likely need little amp power for those speakers for the intended use. I'd also use a mono mode rather than stereo, as stereo gets to be somewhat uselesss in a space like that.

US made equipment is on the expensive side generally, many audio offerings are made in various Asian countries for the most part. You might look at Schiit for some US made (or at least assembled) stuff at relatively reasonable prices. Audiosciencereview.com has a lot of small amp/dac type units tested, you should take a look there, too.

ps Most of my audio is sourced at various sites on the internet (even Amazon) especially as I've no choice (don't live anywhere near a brick and mortar store).

 

[ITaudio]

I found a few brands... Russound, AudioSource from America..
I see they have small amps in the $150-250 range. that would be the budget here. But they just miss a few features like the equalizer or extra inputs like on those flashy looking Chinese POS products. Let me try and see what happens with this monkey trash or i can just return it like i do with most things to keep our USPS guys happy with jobs.
Thank you

 

[lovinthehd]

Russound and Audiosource are brands, how "American" the products are, I wouldn't think so much. Good brands, good reputation generally, tho. This forum isn't particularly aimed at your sort of application, fwiw.