deliberately incorrectly connecting crossovers .. effect?

60ndown · 23rd June 2011, 02:09 PM

just looking for a simple answer to a question i have floating around my head

will i do damage or is it ok to experiment with weird / random connections of passive x overs and drivers?

lets use this as an example

DIAMOND 2 WAY STEREO PASSIVE SUBWOOFER CROSSOVER S @NEW | eBay

1. if i connect both sets of subwoofer outputs to a single subwoofer (svc)

what results would i expect? (x over point/ final ohms/load amp would see?

2. if i connect both sets of speaker output/s to 1 speaker same question (im guessing id get a stereo signal through the single speaker)?

will i do damage or is it ok to experiment with weird / random connections of x overs and drivers?

AllenB · 23rd June 2011, 03:02 PM

Hi 60ndown,

Connecting the two outputs to a single speaker would effectively short the outputs of the stereo amp driving this, at some frequencies. In the case of the single sub, it would be at low frequencies where the only load between the channels of the amp would be the DC resistance of the inductors themselves. This puts the amp at risk.

DrDyna · 23rd June 2011, 03:26 PM

As Allen said, you'd be shorting the amplifier outputs together if you did that. Probably not a good idea to try. Depending on the amplifier topology, you could have serious issues.

I remember an old Adcom GFA-1 cube I had about 15 years ago, because they strapped amplifiers together to get the rated output, even shorting the grounds together could prove fatal and in my case did just that.

There's nothing like the smell of roasted silicon in the morning.

60ndown · 23rd June 2011, 11:15 PM

thanks fellas !

i didnt know that but it makes perfect sense.

ill save my amp from almost certain destruction

23rd June 2011, 02:09 PM	#1
60ndown diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2011	deliberately incorrectly connecting crossovers .. effect? just looking for a simple answer to a question i have floating around my head will i do damage or is it ok to experiment with weird / random connections of passive x overs and drivers? lets use this as an example DIAMOND 2 WAY STEREO PASSIVE SUBWOOFER CROSSOVER S @NEW \| eBay 1. if i connect both sets of subwoofer outputs to a single subwoofer (svc) what results would i expect? (x over point/ final ohms/load amp would see? 2. if i connect both sets of speaker output/s to 1 speaker same question (im guessing id get a stereo signal through the single speaker)? will i do damage or is it ok to experiment with weird / random connections of x overs and drivers?

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23rd June 2011, 03:02 PM	#2
AllenB diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2008	Hi 60ndown, Connecting the two outputs to a single speaker would effectively short the outputs of the stereo amp driving this, at some frequencies. In the case of the single sub, it would be at low frequencies where the only load between the channels of the amp would be the DC resistance of the inductors themselves. This puts the amp at risk.

23rd June 2011, 03:26 PM	#3
DrDyna diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007 Blog Entries: 3	As Allen said, you'd be shorting the amplifier outputs together if you did that. Probably not a good idea to try. Depending on the amplifier topology, you could have serious issues. I remember an old Adcom GFA-1 cube I had about 15 years ago, because they strapped amplifiers together to get the rated output, even shorting the grounds together could prove fatal and in my case did just that. There's nothing like the smell of roasted silicon in the morning.

23rd June 2011, 11:15 PM	#4
60ndown diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2011	thanks fellas ! i didnt know that but it makes perfect sense. ill save my amp from almost certain destruction