newbie q's on speakers/amp/power

[narmex]

hi every one,

i have a 4 channel stereo car radio, and want more power with it.

could i simply put 2 channels in parallel to get a 2 channel stereo output with double the power? (for example, putting the LF and LR in parallel for an L channel).

i measured the 4 ground connectors for the speakers, and are all not connected, all open circuit, thus the above question.

thank you for helping!

[Perry Babin]

No. It will likely destroy the internal amplifier if you connect any of the speaker wires from the head unit together.

[narmex]

Originally Posted by Perry Babin

No. It will likely destroy the internal amplifier if you connect any of the speaker wires from the head unit together.

thank you Perry for the advice/reply! good thing i asked first.

could you explain a little why it is so?

will it hurt the amplifier if i just leave the 2 rear channels unconnected, i.e. no speakers for them? this is because i feel confused with 4 channels, and would like to have a 2 channel stereo system.

[Perry Babin]

No matter how close the channels are matched, there will always be a slight difference. When you connect them, they'll fight each other until the IC shuts down or fails. Failure is more likely.

You can connect only two channels. Make sure that you insulate each of the unused wires individually.

[sofaspud]

Why do you feel confused with 4 channels? Let's clear that away. 4 channels is fairly standard in car audio, so being familiar and comfortable with it would help you greatly IMO.

[narmex]

Originally Posted by Perry Babin

No matter how close the channels are matched, there will always be a slight difference. When you connect them, they'll fight each other until the IC shuts down or fails. Failure is more likely.

You can connect only two channels. Make sure that you insulate each of the unused wires individually.

see, i'll be careful with the unsed wires, thank you Perry!

i was imagining when power is produced by the amplifier, and this power is not given a way out, it will "burn" something out in the amplifier. is this an issue, or designs nowadays can stand such conditions and consider this normal operating condition?

[narmex]

Originally Posted by sofaspud

Why do you feel confused with 4 channels? Let's clear that away. 4 channels is fairly standard in car audio, so being familiar and comfortable with it would help you greatly IMO.

it's probably just a stupid personal thing. i'm thinking, home theater aside, the so called stereo is actually 2-channel stereo, correct? stereo broadcasting, cd's, and music files such as mp3's are all 2-channel stereo, not 4-channel, correct? if that's true, then there is really no 4-channel stereo information in the 4-channel stereo output.

now, we know how to deal with 2 speakers with 2-channel stereo source in reconstructing the stereo sound field, (ha, just made up my own audio terminology), but when given 4 speakers with 2-channel stereo source, what is the correct way of using them to reconstruct? i'm missing this knowlegde.

so i got confused, and rather have a 2-channel system with double the power. but Perry said no, so maybe the only thing i can do is to waste the 2 rear channels, hope that is not wasting power, burning electricity for nothing that is.

[sreten]

Hi,

You can use your two spare channels to drive larger rear speakers
fitted with inductors so that they only reinforce the bass end.

Or use them to drive a dual voicecoil bandpass subwoofer in the back.

rgds, sreten.

[Perry Babin]

#6:
I know of no solid-state audio amplifier that can be damaged by having an open speaker output.

[narmex]

#8
wow, that's really a good idea!
didn't think of that, i think i'll just do that, great!
thanks Sreten!