Reciever hook up for multiple speakers
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-04 | I'm trying to do a whole house audio project. I've got my speakers wired. I used 3 in-ceiling pairs and 3 wall mounts, so 6 pairs of speakers. I have impedance matching volume controls for 5 of those pairs. My question is, these 6 pairs result in 6 pairs of wires running back to the place where I'll have my receiver. Should I look for a receiver that has a minimum of 6 outputs or is there some sort of box that I should plug all the speakers into and run 1 pair of wires to the reciever? I've seen impedance matching boxes, but since I'm using impedance matching volume controls, I'm not sure how to hook up to the receiver and I'm not sure what I need in a receiver. Thanks for any help you can offer! |
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J. Vigne Unregistered guest | Depends on whether you EVER want all speakers playing at the same time and if you want two sources playing in different locations. Tell me more. |
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 2 Registered: Jun-04 | hey thanks for the response! yes, I would like all the speakers playing at once at times. I don't want multiple sources though. Reading back through my original post, I forgot to add that in the future, I want to add another in-ceiling pair in the room where there is no volume control for surround sound. |
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 4 Registered: Jun-04 | Ok, since I didn't get a response I went ahead and bought a receiver. It's a Sony STR-DE995. This receiver has an output labeled front A and another labeled front B. You can switch between or pick both settings. Can I use this receiver without a speaker box and hook up my media room with surround sound to front A and hook up all the other rooms to front B? I have impedance matching volume controls, so I understand the impedance side. Is the front A and front B feature meant for the scenario I'm describing? |
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 5 Registered: Jun-04 | wow, amazing how no one can answer this question. |
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J. Vigne Unregistered guest | Be patient, Grasshopper! The front A and B should be described in your owner's manual. Look in there for Sony's recommendation. You will need a speaker selector to hook up more than one pair of speakers on B, impedance matching volume controls will not be sufficient. I cannot speak for Sony, and I am not familiar with this model, but you more than likely will not be able to play all your speakers at the same time with this reciever. Where did you buy this and did you ask about the suitability of this reciever in your desired system? If so, what did the salesperson say? |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 780 Registered: Dec-03 | 6 pairs of speakers all at once??? Not with that Sony system, if you do, just try not to get any warranty work done. |
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 6 Registered: Jun-04 | Why couldn't that receiver handle it? I know people who use the same reciever for more pairs than that in a whole house audio scenario. Can you explain both your positions instead of just stating it can't be done? Vigne, my owners manual just says "an extra pair of speakers" - no other info, which is why i'm asking the question. |
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 7 Registered: Jun-04 | Hey Vigne, from all the info I've read on what a speaker selector does my understanding is that it routes the wires in parallel so that the impedance is acceptable to the reciever. This is the same affect as using impedance matching volume controls (from what I've read) in that each volume control can be set to increase the impedance on the receiver side of the volume control and therefore, when the speakers are hooked in parallel the impedance is acceptable to the receiver. How are they not the same? I mean, I've found several sources that show the theory behind each solution and show that it's the same if the circuit is truly in parallel. |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 798 Registered: Dec-03 | wiring them in parallel will effectively lower the impedance load on your receiver and Sony just does not have a robust enough power to handle that kind of load for an extended period of time. You can, however, do a combination of series and parallel connections to keep the impedance at 8ohms. You have to figure out how to combine your connections so it does not overload the receiver. |
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 8 Registered: Jun-04 | Berny, I'm not trying to be difficult, but rather trying to understand because I thought I had a handle on this. I know that 2 8 ohm pairs in parallel will show 4 ohms to the receiver. But with these impedance matching volume controls, I can set a jumper which affectively increases the ohm rating that the receiver sees. So if I've got 2 8 ohm pairs and then run each pair through a volume control with the jumper set to 2x (for instance), the impedance on the receiver side of each volume control is 16 ohms and so when connected in parallel it's half - 8 ohms. Is this not correct? Are you saying that it's not 8 ohms consistently? Can you explain where my understanding is wrong? |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 802 Registered: Dec-03 | I don't think you're being difficult at all, and seems like you have this all figured out. And no, it is not 8 ohms consistently as speakers are very dynamic and wiring them in that manner will result in variations, although not sustained, it can sometimes dip below 2 ohms which may be a problem. I'm assuming you have an ohmeter so so check your meaurements with the speakers loaded. Higher impedances will not cause any problems as you probably already know. |
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 9 Registered: Jun-04 | Something else I've also been told is that if I've got 5 pairs of speakers in parellel (and the impedance is right) then the power given to each of those pairs would be 1/5 of what the receiver is actually sending. So I guess I shouldn't crank these up too loud. If I wanted to though, could I just get an amplifier of some sort? Also, what would cause the impedance to dip as you say? P.S. I'm a mechanical engineer trying to remember my Circuits 101 class from 10 years ago! |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 809 Registered: Dec-03 | aha, i thought as much. Remember what impedance is? Speakers responds to the frequency it is reproducing and its impedance will vary according these frequencies. |
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New member Username: BillybalouPost Number: 8 Registered: May-04 | I've been using Adcom's GFS-6 for 5 sets of speakers throughout my home for the past 8 years. Speakers are: in-wall in 3 rooms, 1 set outside and my main speaker set in family room. This has worked well for our family and haven't had any problems. Check out this link for the manual: http://www.adcom.com/pdfs/gfs3_6_manual_v2.pdf I originally purchased this unit from GoodGuys. |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 825 Registered: Dec-03 | Billy, We are actually talking about a Sony receiver, and not Adcom and it's capabilities. |
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New member Username: BillybalouPost Number: 9 Registered: May-04 | Berny, This unit (Adcom GFS-6 Speaker Selector) is designed to switch among six independent speaker systems (4&8 ohm). This is connected to any receiver not just Adcom equipment. Typical usage depending on the speakers used would be 1 - 6 speaker sets at a time. I've used 5 sets at the same time but don't drive them hard and have volume controls for each set. This unit is capable of switching systems up to 200 watts per channel. |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 827 Registered: Dec-03 | How much is that unit going to run? Do you use more than 1 receiver? |
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New member Username: FangornPost Number: 10 Registered: Jun-04 | Alright Berny, let me come clean. Being an ME, I didn't pay much attention in Circuits 101...LOL. So, from what I'm reading, you agree with the 1/5 power to each speaker pair (1/5 being for my scenario only)? If that's true, do you not get those same affects with a speaker selector? Do you get full power with the speaker selector? Maybe the better question for me to ask is, how would you suggest to hookup the whole house audio idea that I'm going for while preserving the surround sound for my media room and preserving my receiver? |
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Bronze Member Username: FangornPost Number: 11 Registered: Jun-04 | BTW, I love the warning in the Adcom manual that Billy gave the link to: Do not spray or pour liquids of any kind directly onto the GFS-3 or GFS-6. What kind of a person...nevermind! LOL. |
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New member Username: ShantaoPost Number: 8 Registered: Apr-04 | Matt, one of the problems with that sony receiver, is that the power ratings are way off. The Sony DE series is their value line. My experience with this line of Sony receivers (the 595, 895 and 995) during HT use is that the power supply is woefully inadequate and you might actually be getting 30 wpc rms rather than the advertised 100 wpc when it is under the load of a 5.1 set up. That is, driving 5 speakers the power supply appears to have substantial difficulty in powering all channels. You might actually get 100 wpc during 2 channel stereo. While that is in HT, you are describing driving a substantially greater number of speakers. I just don't think this receiver is up to the task, is simply is not powered well enough. Because of this, I cannot imagine this receiver being able to run the load you describe. What you are suggesting doing is a substantial load for a receiver. My suggestion would be to quickly return that sony receiver. For the money you paid for this, and assuming you want to stay with a receiver, try the yamaha htr-5760, that will give you 95 wpc in ALL 7 channels. The power supply is excellent and this receiver can handly lower impedance loads that it would be likely to encounter in this set up. The other one that comes to mind, in this price range is the Onkyo tsx-601. |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 829 Registered: Dec-03 | Matt, Circuits are a finicky lot aren't they?  What Billy Balou suggested is a very good idea. Anyway lets get down to business "If that's true, do you not get those same affects with a speaker selector?" yes, you do get the same effect with a speaker selector if you run the speakers all at the same time. Remember, the impedance maybe to what you want but, the speakers are still there. "Do you get full power with the speaker selector?" Only if you are running a pair at a time, what it was originally intended to do. "Maybe the better question for me to ask is, how would you suggest to hookup the whole house audio idea that I'm going for while preserving the surround sound for my media room and preserving my receiver?" The speaker selector from Adcom is great idea! Keep the original settings on the A speaker connections without modifications and you should be fine in the media room. |
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Bronze Member Username: FangornPost Number: 12 Registered: Jun-04 | Finicky! Sounds like there is enough difference in opinion about this that I should just try stuff. The only difference I see in the use of impedance matching volume controls and speaker selectors is where you physically are when you switch to a new set. With the volume controls I can turn all but 1 off just like a speaker selector. I'll try it without a speaker selector at first and see what happens. If I overload the stereo, so be it - I'll learn more than I ever did Circuits 101. And $300 isn't that much to replace anyway. Thanks for your help! |
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Silver Member Username: Project6Post Number: 839 Registered: Dec-03 | agreed, go try it and let us know how it turns out. It would be nice to add it to our experience base. have fun. |
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Unregistered guest | i am wiring up a hollywood tans and they have more than 7 sets of speakers wired to volume controls then to the stereo. The speakers go to some sort of splitter then to the booths. Can someone shed some light on the subject of how to achieve this . Whatever equipment is necessary is not a problem. The speakers are 4 ohms each and there are two per booth. There is also a volume control per booth |
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J. Vigne Unregistered guest | We need to know more about the system. What kind of power amp, speaker selector, volume controls and what is this "some sort of splitter". We can't do much to help with the information you have given so far. And may I ask, how did you get this job if you're not sure how to wire it properly? Is there no one to give guidelines on the job site? A salesperson who is responsible for the system maybe? Are you truly flying blind without any idea of where these wires are going or how the system will be set up and used? |
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