problem controlling volume

[madaudio]

I have a simple setup. Speaker output from receiver to Radio Shack four speaker selector switch, which in turn, feeds four different rooms. Each room is wired from selector switch to Radio Shack in-wall volume control which is wired to two ceiling speakers. The selector switch does control each room separately, turning each room on and off regardless of how many rooms are selected.
The problem I am having is the volume control in room "A" decreases volume in rooms "A" and "B". The volume control in room "B" decreases volume in rooms "A" and "B". The volume control in room "C" decreases volume in rooms "C" and "D". The volume control in room "D" decreases volume in rooms "C" and "D".
What could be causing this? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[MDS]

Rooms A and B are wired in series. Rooms C and D are wired in series. The speaker selector should be impedance matching and keep all 4 outputs in parallel. When speakers are wired in series, the impedance increases and thus requires more power to drive them to the same level as could be achieved if there were only one set of speakers on each leg.

Whether this is because of the way your wires run from the respective rooms to the speaker selector or because of the way the speaker selector is wired internally, I don't know but I would bet the speaker selector keeps all the outputs in parallel with each other and it is a problem with the wiring to each room.

 

[Bob R]

Anonymous said it quicker and better than I could have.

If possible, follow the plus leads from your amp /receiver to the speaker selector, to the volume control, to the speakers. Hopefully your cables are coded and you can pick this up at the terminations. Repeat with the negative leads. If all is on the proper side of the speaker selector, all the speakers will be in parallel and the volume setting in one room will not (should not) affect the other rooms.

Tell us the model of your RS speaker selector. Is it this one?


Model 40-244

 

[madaudio]

Yes, that is the speaker selector installed (40-244). Yes, each room is wired correctly, and as I stated in my original posting, I am able to turn each room on and off individually using the selector switch, regardless of how many rooms are selected.
The volume controls installed are Radio Shack (40-987) High-Power In-Wall Stereo Volume Control. Ceiling speakers installed are Radio Shack (40-4096).
Is there a compatibility problem using this particular selector switch with a volume control downstream of each switch? Does it not truly keep each speaker selection in parallel?