Loudspeaker Impedance, Series & Parallel Connection Basics

[gene]

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/audioprinciples/loudspeakers/LoudspeakerImpedance.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 94px" alt=[spk1] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/spk1_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>More often than not a question pops up in our forum about speaker impedance and the result of connecting multiple speakers to a single amplifier.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Thus we have prepared this introductory tutorial to help clear up some of these questions.&nbsp; In this article we discuss loudspeaker impedance, amplifier loading effects connecting multiple speakers in series, parallel and series-parallel, and the equivalent theoretical SPL output of these connection schemes.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">[Read the Article]</SPAN></P>

 

[ggunnell]

Thanks, Gene! It sure is nice to have an audio-flavored explanation of series and parallel impedance (with worked out examples!) to point folks to. You have saved a lot of us a lot of typing

 

[gene]

Thanks, Gene! It sure is nice to have an audio-flavored explanation of series and parallel impedance (with worked out examples!) to point folks to. You have saved a lot of us a lot of typing

No problem. I originally started responding to a forum thread on this topic but decided to forumulate my response in Microsoft Word, next thing I know it was 3 hours later and my intended 1 page response became a whopping 9 pages long

 

[mike c]

hehe

we need some color over here

 

[gene]

hehe

we need some color over here

Yea when Clint gets back in town, I will have him replace it with a color graphic. This was a temp graphic till then and I liked it so I went with it for now.

 

[j_garcia]

Good article. Something that was definitley needed.

 

[toquemon]

Hi,

I don't understand how can I make these type of connections...

When am I doing a series connection?, for example, two speakers connected to one channel, is that a series connection?

When am i doing a parallel connection?

When am i doing a series-parallel connection?

 

[rsachs]

Using A/B Switch for speaker wire comparisons...

Assuming the A/B switch on my receiver is set up for parallel connection, can I use it to compare speaker wires, as follows: wire connections A to the main speakers with Wire 1, and wire connections B to the same main speaker with Wire 2. Then switch between A and B (but not A+B).

If this does not work, can the same basic configuration be used with a speaker selector switch, again wiring to different sets of wires to the same speaker pair, and using the switch to select between them?

Finally: can a speaker selector box be used "backwards" to compare receivers/players, as follows: Connect the speakers being used to the "input" side (rather than the output side). Connect receiver 1's speaker outputs to the "output" side on speaker selection 1, and connect receiver 2's speaker outputs to the output side of speaker selection 2. Connect a single CD/DVD player, via a Y splitter, to split the analog outputs of the player to the inputs on both receivers.

Now selecting "speaker 1" or "speaker 2" actually operates to switch between the receivers (which are then level matched). When switching, make sure to "break" before "make".

Thanks,

Bob

 

[RMK!]

Help!

Assuming the A/B switch on my receiver is set up for parallel connection, can I use it to compare speaker wires, as follows: wire connections A to the main speakers with Wire 1, and wire connections B to the same main speaker with Wire 2. Then switch between A and B (but not A+B).

If this does not work, can the same basic configuration be used with a speaker selector switch, again wiring to different sets of wires to the same speaker pair, and using the switch to select between them?

Finally: can a speaker selector box be used "backwards" to compare receivers/players, as follows: Connect the speakers being used to the "input" side (rather than the output side). Connect receiver 1's speaker outputs to the "output" side on speaker selection 1, and connect receiver 2's speaker outputs to the output side of speaker selection 2. Connect a single CD/DVD player, via a Y splitter, to split the analog outputs of the player to the inputs on both receivers.

Now selecting "speaker 1" or "speaker 2" actually operates to switch between the receivers (which are then level matched). When switching, make sure to "break" before "make".

Thanks,

Bob

I noticed that no one ever responded to this question and I have the same question about switching speakers from the same source or two sources. Essentially, I want to switch my rear towers to my fonts and the front towers to the rear as needed with some type of switching thingamajig.

Suggestions are appreciated.

 

[WmAx]

I noticed that no one ever responded to this question and I have the same question about switching speakers from the same source or two sources. Essentially, I want to switch my rear towers to my fonts and the front towers to the rear as needed with some type of switching thingamajig.

Suggestions are appreciated.

Most speaker selection boxes are simple direct contact switches(or relays). In such selection boxes, you can use it in reverse to compare between amplifiers, or use multiple boxes to achieve any logical system of switching that you so desire. Some selection boxes may contain impedance compensation circuitry and/or volume controls for different outputs in order to enable multiple speakers simultaneosly, however, these would be special application devices[such as distribution systems designed for whol house distribution, P.A. or similar applications]and thus you are not likely to run across one of these unless it was specifically labeled with such features.

-Chris

 

[RMK!]

Most speaker selection boxes are simple direct contact switches(or relays). In such selection boxes, you can use it in reverse to compare between amplifiers, or use multiple boxes to achieve any logical system of switching that you so desire. Some selection boxes may contain impedance compensation circuitry and/or volume controls for different outputs in order to enable multiple speakers simultaneosly, however, these would be special application devices[such as distribution systems designed for whol house distribution, P.A. or similar applications]and thus you are not likely to run across one of these unless it was specifically labeled with such features.

-Chris

Thanks Chris, I will check out speaker selection boxes.

 

[WmAx]

Thanks Chris, I will check out speaker selection boxes.

BTW, if in doubt(say you find a used one cheap at a yard sale or pawn shop, etc.), take a few screws out and inspect the internals. It should be a simple direct connection circuit/switch. If it is not a simple direct path/connection/swtich, then you should not use the device for other purposes other than it's labeled intent.

-Chris

 

[RMK!]

BTW, if in doubt(say you find a used one cheap at a yard sale or pawn shop, etc.), take a few screws out and inspect the internals. It should be a simple direct connection circuit/switch. If it is not a simple direct path/connection/swtich, then you should not use the device for other purposes other than it's labeled intent.

-Chris

Thanks Chris, actually I think I have figured out a way to do what I want by using the multi channel analog outputs and speaker settings on my Denon 3910 DVD player. It includes bass management and should work out great. I simply switch the 3910 Audio output from digital to analog (currently using the proprietary Denon Link 3 Digital interface) after connecting the pre outs from the 3910 to the desired inputs on the Sunfire amp. Luckily, the Sunfire has dual RCA inputs for each of the 5 channels. I can put an RCA splitter on the sub cable so that I can use both the 3910 and 3805 sub outputs. Should be cool if I haven't missed something.

 

[RMK!]

Update

Thanks Chris, actually I think I have figured out a way to do what I want by using the multi channel analog outputs and speaker settings on my Denon 3910 DVD player. It includes bass management and should work out great. I simply switch the 3910 Audio output from digital to analog (currently using the proprietary Denon Link 3 Digital interface) after connecting the pre outs from the 3910 to the desired inputs on the Sunfire amp. Luckily, the Sunfire has dual RCA inputs for each of the 5 channels. I can put an RCA splitter on the sub cable so that I can use both the 3910 and 3805 sub outputs. Should be cool if I haven't missed something.

Well I did miss something . It turns out that Sunfire does not allow for multiple connections to the individual amp channels (not what I was told by their tech support ) so it's back to the drawing board. I'm considering making a switching box for the preouts but in the meantime, it's manual switching of the amp channels.

 

[maximoiglesias]

speaker impedance

Can anybody tell me if there is anything wrong in hooking up 8 ohm speakers in front and 6 ohm speakers as surround?
My system is working this way and it sounds very good, but is it ok??

 

[annunaki]

Most good quality receivers should have no problems with that task.

 

[dp_pb]

What about sound quality? Its one thing to be nice to your receiver but what if its not very nice to you? sticking a bunch of speakers in a series-parallel configuration off one channel of an amp is going to sound pretty ropey. Each speaker will create a reactive load on the circuit so they will all influence each other. The result is a muddy mess of mush.

just a little word of warning

dp

 

[gene]

What about sound quality? Its one thing to be nice to your receiver but what if its not very nice to you? sticking a bunch of speakers in a series-parallel configuration off one channel of an amp is going to sound pretty ropey. Each speaker will create a reactive load on the circuit so they will all influence each other. The result is a muddy mess of mush.

People do this for sound reinforcement or distributed audio. Rarerly is it done to improve fidelity and in most cases you don't want two speakers playing identical content near each other b/c of comb filtering effects.

 

[dave1490]

phazeing

doing a 4 speaker parallel, series config.wont that put the 2 series speaker,s out of phaze.ie going in when the other are going out?or do you just reverse the polarity of 2 out of the 4.thanks