I have a yamaha HTR-5830 (www.yamaha.ca/av/PDFs/Receivers/Manuals/HTR5830_Manual.pdf) which has Front A, Front B (with center), and surround pairs of outputs. I have already loaded the center and 2 front A speaker outputs, and the 2 surround outputs go to 2 8-ohm (6-ohm min) ceiling speakers. So that only leaves the 2 front B outputs.
Is there any way to rewire the outputs/speakers to get 3 more pairs (3 rooms) of speakers [8-ohm] onto the system to have a multi-audio home sound system throughout the compound? I don't want to overload my amp and have to get a new one.
Does series/parallel speaker wiring help solve the problem? Thanks in advance.
Nope, Rich,your receiver(not amp) will object, likely strenuously. You can add on other speakers sets with autoformer volume controls, however. Unless the receiver has a 2nd zone (I did not look it up).
You'll have to either; 1) do some research to determine exactly how the Yamaha intends to be wired when using remote speakers, or 2) ask the dealer who sold you the receiver. Asking us to do the legwork is a bit more than a forum can manage.
The issue I see with this situation is the description you provided of the Yamaha's outputs. You say the "B" speaker system is intended to operate with a center speaker. That would imply Yamaha is expecting you to use these outputs for a secondary video system. Is this your intent also? Or, are you planning on two channels of music distributed throughout the house on the "B" outputs?
Unless the Yamaha can downmix those three channels of information down to two stereo (L/R) outputs you might have a problem with your intended installation. A speaker switching system - the best are the autoformer type - will be required to make sure you mainatin a safe load on the amplifier while also enjoying versatility in switching. Series/parallel connections are quite limiting in this regard unless you know all your remote speakers will all be playing at the same volume at all times when any one speaker would be used. That arrangement just doesn't fit the typical whole house install where speakers neeed to be shut down and volume levels adjusted for the sake of sanity, traffic flow and polite conversation.
Leaving out the center channel information by simply installing two speakers per room will also leave out the majority of the music. If you doubt this, try disconnecting the center channel from your main room system for a minute to see what is left in the two front channel speakers. I can't imagine that's what you really want through the rest of the house.
Find out Yamaha's intentions here, this may be nothing more than a gimmick thought up by Yamaha to promote a "difference" that might sway a few buyers their way but also limit those looking for whole house stereo operation. If you can do a work around on the three channel outputs of the "B" system, then you'll need an appropriate switching system and volume controls for the rest of the house speakers. Any decent audio shop should have a selection to choose from at broad price ranges.
Thanks for the quick and helpful responses. Nuck, I will look to see if the current knobs are the autoformer type, thanks. Jan, I was planning on music distributed throughout the house on the "B" outputs (or whatever would work to get just some light music to those speakers on the patio and dinning room.) I don't need a secondary video system. Regarding the center/"B" outputs: maybe i should switch A with B... Thanks again.
I've used a Niles speaker switch in the past to hook up speakers in other rooms off a B channel on a receiver. Pretty sure it put a big resistor inline so the reciever sees a more benign load. Obviously sound quality wasn't the best.