Mixer to Powered Speakers Help

[Cal Weldon]

It just occurred to me while I was dropping my wife off at the mall to buy, what else but a new pair of shoes, that you probably don't need a second Y at the back of the speakers as the amp sums the channels so just plug it into the right channel (usually it's the right channel)

And...

If you want to daisy chain, you might have to use the XLR inputs to use the XLR outputs.

Good luck.

[Mike Caldwell]

When you say phono connection on your mixer are you referring to a 1/4 inch plug/jack or what what is sometimes called a RCA connector (usually red and white)

Using a balanced line either 1/4 TRS or XLR to run to the powered speakers would be the best way, not using long "RCA" cables.

[Cal Weldon]

Hi Mike,
Not to answer for Jon but the Numark stuff I have seen is RCA, or RCA and XLR so depending which on unit he has, if he can use the XLR, for sure you want to.

[Veronica]

Daisy chaining and Y is good to a point. CERTAINLY two or three speakers is NO problem. However if you ever need to add a LOT more then would suggest a distribution amplifier to maintain signal level and impedance to each speaker.

REMEMBER:
In order to preserve signal level and frequency response, it's important to drive equipment with a source signal that is lower in impedance than the destination equipment's input impedance. If the input impedance of a device is not significantly higher than the source impedance, the signal will be reduced or “loaded down” and its signal to noise ratio and frequency response will suffer.

You want to keep at least a 10 to 1 ratio.

Crossover output impedence is probably only a couple of hundred Ohms AVERAGE, but remember that impedence varies with frequency so you want to leave a buffer of impedence to keep clean sound.
(Bad enough fighting with plastic wedge cabinet, don't want to give up anything in signal).
Figure that the amplifier input is above 12k or 15k Ohms, so you should be able to get at least 3 or maybe even 4 speakers per output off of the Crossover before you start to degrade audio or require a distribution amp.
Also: cable length is a factor, longer cable = less speakers that you want to split.

Just in case anyone does not know: splitting a single output to multiple destinations is one thing. Summing with a Wye is how equipment gets destroyed.