Newbie looking for speaker connection advice

S

stefaned

Audiophyte
Hi, I am a relative newbie posting for the 1st time requesting advice on the proper way to connect and configure speakers to my receiver.

I purchased a Yamaha RX-V485 receiver to power (4) Niles OS5.5 outdoor speakers to provide music to my backyard (patio / screened porch). I am looking to have all 4 speakers to have the same output.

I have read several postings as well as read the manual and looked online for guidance and am frankly confused.

From what I read I think I have multiple options but am not sure and if I do I would appreciate feedback on which would be considered optimal and why?

What I think my options are:

1. Connect 2 speakers in series to each of the 2 front speaker outputs
2. Connect 1 speaker to the FL, 1 to the FR, 1 to the each of the zone B outputs. If this is the optimal configuration would I need configure the speaker size and crossover frequency

Being the woofer size on my outdoor speakers meet the criteria of a small speaker but the fronts default to large if the subwoofer is set to none, should what should I do? Should I trick the system to think I have a sub and set the crossover to 100HZ?

If I leave the fronts set to the no subwoofer default of large should I also tell the system the rears are large?

Will the volume output from the fronts and surrounds be equivalent?

I am also confused by the choice of 20 different sound programs....I think the best for what I am trying to accomplish is:

5ch Stereo - Use this program to output sound from all speakers. When you play back multichannel sources, the unit mixes down the source to 2 channels, and then outputs the sound from all speakers. This program creates a larger sound field and is ideal for background music at parties.

Speaker Specs:
  • Woofer Size 5 (Inches)
  • Woofer Construction 5" Interlaced Carbon Fiber Cone Is Extremely Rigid To Reduce Breakup And Lower Distortion
  • Tweeter(s)1" UltraSilk Dome With Fluid-cooling And Ultra-wide Dispersion For Clear, Detailed And Extended High Frequencies
  • Frequency Response 100Hz - 21kHz +/-3dB
  • Impedance 8 (Ohms)
  • Power Handling 100 (Watts)
  • Sensitivity 90 (dB)
I appreciate you reading this far and look forward to your advice.

Thanks!!
 
GrimSurfer

GrimSurfer

Senior Audioholic
Your Niles speakers have been independently measured with 85 dB/W/m sensitivity, 8 ohms nominal, dropping to a low of 4.7 ohms.

I suspect that with any configuration, you'll be driving that amp pretty hard relative to its capabilities.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Hi, I am a relative newbie posting for the 1st time requesting advice on the proper way to connect and configure speakers to my receiver.

I purchased a Yamaha RX-V485 receiver to power (4) Niles OS5.5 outdoor speakers to provide music to my backyard (patio / screened porch). I am looking to have all 4 speakers to have the same output.

I have read several postings as well as read the manual and looked online for guidance and am frankly confused.

From what I read I think I have multiple options but am not sure and if I do I would appreciate feedback on which would be considered optimal and why?

What I think my options are:

1. Connect 2 speakers in series to each of the 2 front speaker outputs
2. Connect 1 speaker to the FL, 1 to the FR, 1 to the each of the zone B outputs. If this is the optimal configuration would I need configure the speaker size and crossover frequency

Being the woofer size on my outdoor speakers meet the criteria of a small speaker but the fronts default to large if the subwoofer is set to none, should what should I do? Should I trick the system to think I have a sub and set the crossover to 100HZ?

If I leave the fronts set to the no subwoofer default of large should I also tell the system the rears are large?

Will the volume output from the fronts and surrounds be equivalent?

I am also confused by the choice of 20 different sound programs....I think the best for what I am trying to accomplish is:

5ch Stereo - Use this program to output sound from all speakers. When you play back multichannel sources, the unit mixes down the source to 2 channels, and then outputs the sound from all speakers. This program creates a larger sound field and is ideal for background music at parties.

Speaker Specs:
  • Woofer Size 5 (Inches)
  • Woofer Construction 5" Interlaced Carbon Fiber Cone Is Extremely Rigid To Reduce Breakup And Lower Distortion
  • Tweeter(s)1" UltraSilk Dome With Fluid-cooling And Ultra-wide Dispersion For Clear, Detailed And Extended High Frequencies
  • Frequency Response 100Hz - 21kHz +/-3dB
  • Impedance 8 (Ohms)
  • Power Handling 100 (Watts)
  • Sensitivity 90 (dB)
I appreciate you reading this far and look forward to your advice.

Thanks!!
If using an avr, not the best tool for the job, I'd use the multi-ch stereo or mono sound modes and connect your speakers to the main and surrounds if you want them all functioning simultaneously. Using a zone could introduce issues with sources, but that could be another way to go. I'd simply leave the speakers set for full range (large) if you don't have a sub.
 
S

stefaned

Audiophyte
Thank you both for your advice it is much appreciated.

With the impedance of the speakers dropping to a low of 4.7 ohm, should I set the AVR impedance to 6 ohm vs. the default of 8 ohm?

For future reference what would have been a better choice than an entry level AVR? The Bluetooth and WiFi capability were key to my choice.

Thanks!
 
GrimSurfer

GrimSurfer

Senior Audioholic
https://www.lifewire.com/speaker-impedance-3134705

My understanding has always been that the impedance switches on the back of amp and AVRs are just current limiting devices to prevent the amp from overloading.

The OP's intended use (outdoors, which is likely going to qualify as open space) might see him increasing the gain up to relatively high levels. So my guess is that he'll be back at some point talking about insufficient volume or clipping...
 
Last edited:
GrimSurfer

GrimSurfer

Senior Audioholic
Hey Mark,

I'm not familiar with how those things work. Are they wired with resistors to increase total impedance?
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
Never dissected one but that's what I always figured.
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
There is no question in my mind about what I would do...

I would hook one set of speakers up to the main outputs and another set of speakers to the surround outputs and then set the surround mode to '5 CH STEREO' - from page 80 of the manual...
https://usa.yamaha.com/files/download/other_assets/2/1161642/web_AV17-0111_RX-V485_D485_om_UCRABGLEFPH_En_B0.pdf

This will get your music playing in stereo across all four connected speakers.

I would expect that the speakers may have some input protection on them already, but I would leave them set to large unless you plan to drive them as loud as the receiver supports.

This receiver is a typical choice for these types of setups, but is really not the right one. It meets a price point though and certainly can work fine. It's just rare that it is hooked up to a TV or will utilize any HDMI sources or will have any 'surround sound' at all.

So, yes, you are good to go. It's a nominal 8 ohm speaker setup, and your receiver should be left to the 8 ohm setting.

You are not going to damage the receiver in this setup and it will sound perfectly fine.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
Ain't no such thing as a free lunch. That would be true for any situation where multiple speakers are employed/

Once would assume slightly but it still allows the combined speakers to present a safe load to the amp. If an amp is that strained to maintain a level close to the unaltered signal, then it's really not a candidate for driving multiple speakers.

These have been used by happy users for years.
 
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