Hooking up two pairs of speakers to the same amplifier?

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 1384 times.

fado

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 277
I know there are 100 reasons why this will not improve sound quality but I just want to do it for fun - WITHOUT BREAKING ANYTHING. I just got a new pair of speakers and want to play them with my old ones still hooked up.

New speakers:  96 db, 6 ohms
Old speakers:  95.5 db, 8 ohms

Amplifier: 150 watts/channel

I would just hook up a separate set of speaker cables to the amplifier along with the speaker cables already hooked up to my old speakers.

Thanks


Elizabeth

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 2736
  • So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Re: Hooking up two pairs of speakers to the same amplifier?
« Reply #1 on: 13 Oct 2019, 08:46 pm »
If the speakers are hooked up as you suggest, then the impedance the amplifier sees will be around 3.43 ohms. (( https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/tools/parallel-resistance-calculator/ ))
THe problem is, the '6' and '8' are only nominal.. each speaker may at some part of the audio spectrum drop to less. even down to 3 ohms.. and being combined the amplifier 'may' see a resistance in some music of only a few ohms total.
So yes you can do it CAREFULLY. Which means not too loud. and keep track of HOW HOT the amp is getting.

On the other hand, if you wire the speakers in series. then the total impedance is going to be 14 ohms. which is pretty safe to crank up the amp with. (I am not going to fully explain what you have to do to wire in series unless you really really need me to!)

mix4fix

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 2283
  • I reject your music, and substitute my own.
Re: Hooking up two pairs of speakers to the same amplifier?
« Reply #2 on: 13 Oct 2019, 09:18 pm »
What amplifier is it?

fado

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 277
Re: Hooking up two pairs of speakers to the same amplifier?
« Reply #3 on: 13 Oct 2019, 09:23 pm »
Modwright KWA 150SE
Speakers are Daedalus DA-RMa and Apollo 11

aldcoll

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 756
  • Champagne Taste on a Water Budget
Re: Hooking up two pairs of speakers to the same amplifier?
« Reply #4 on: 13 Oct 2019, 09:36 pm »
I hooked up a pair of Appollos and Pans with my KWA 150 for a short hour or less. 

Probably not recommended but fun???

The sound wasnt any better as the sound stage is lost with them next to each other.  Just a big wall of sound.

I actually pulled out a old NAD 7400 and used the A B switch.  Fun factor 10, calling for service about 4 to 7.

fado

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 277
Re: Hooking up two pairs of speakers to the same amplifier?
« Reply #5 on: 14 Oct 2019, 12:16 am »
Thank You all - decided not to do it.

FullRangeMan

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 19849
  • To whom more was given more will be required.
    • Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a straycat or dog. On the street they live only two years average.
Re: Hooking up two pairs of speakers to the same amplifier?
« Reply #6 on: 14 Oct 2019, 12:23 am »
Some amps have a output circuit that dont work below 4 ohms, found the Hartke HA2400 is one of them :duh:

richidoo

Re: Hooking up two pairs of speakers to the same amplifier?
« Reply #7 on: 14 Oct 2019, 03:37 am »
You could measure the load of both speakers in parallel with a tool like DATS or woofertester to know for sure what the amp would see. This explains reactive speaker load in more detail.