Been looking on the web for an answer to this question and not finding much.
How to hook up three speakers to two channels?
Filling the room with sound on a tight budget is the goal, willing to sacrifice stereo separation.
The sketch may be the most common way, but unsure.
Another solution may be wire two speaker parallel (4 ohm) and add a heavy L-pad to the remaining 8ohm speaker for balance.
Any recommendations?
How to hook up three speakers to two channels?
Filling the room with sound on a tight budget is the goal, willing to sacrifice stereo separation.
The sketch may be the most common way, but unsure.
Another solution may be wire two speaker parallel (4 ohm) and add a heavy L-pad to the remaining 8ohm speaker for balance.
Any recommendations?
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Hi ODougbo,
Is the drawn amp the amplifier the one you are using for this setup?
AFAIK the Topping/class-D/class-T amps have a huge problem with changing impedances.
Using the (+) of the left and the right channel is often used in car-hifi and seems to work very well.
If you have a nice simple solidstate-amp I would advice you to try it in first instance with this one.
Edit: Add an L-Pad to the speaker to adjust the level. It can be louder than the left and right channel speaker.
Is the drawn amp the amplifier the one you are using for this setup?
AFAIK the Topping/class-D/class-T amps have a huge problem with changing impedances.
Using the (+) of the left and the right channel is often used in car-hifi and seems to work very well.
If you have a nice simple solidstate-amp I would advice you to try it in first instance with this one.
Edit: Add an L-Pad to the speaker to adjust the level. It can be louder than the left and right channel speaker.
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Thank you S4m,
Concerned that the digital might not be the best choice.
We do have low cost alternative: Audio Source Amp 100
Concerned that the digital might not be the best choice.
We do have low cost alternative: Audio Source Amp 100
Switching the three speakers in series and bridging the power amp could solve the equation. But of course you need an inverter and a few resistors to bring the stereo signal back to mono. Alternatively switch two speakers in series and hook them up to either L or R and connect the remaining speaker to the other channel. That wouldn't cause any problems to the amp.
Hi,
Note that most matrix circuits assuming a common
earth won't work well with the Topping at all, as it
bridged and there is no common earth.
rgds, sreten.
Note that most matrix circuits assuming a common
earth won't work well with the Topping at all, as it
bridged and there is no common earth.
rgds, sreten.
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Sippy- thanks, for the link, very interesting. Will try the wiring on 1st post.
Sreten, thanks, going to try the low cost bridgeable amp.
Have a few options now!
These can can be found on sale for $99
http://www.amazon.com/AudioSource-A...425598203&sr=8-1&keywords=sound+source+Amp100
Sreten, thanks, going to try the low cost bridgeable amp.
Have a few options now!
These can can be found on sale for $99
http://www.amazon.com/AudioSource-A...425598203&sr=8-1&keywords=sound+source+Amp100
What do you mean won't work well?
Is this (per channel) a pair of parallel amplifiers with balanced feed (through a phase splitter from unbalanced inputs) and the outputs taken balanced as well? As if this is the case they are all still referenced to ground, as are both of the input channels.
Is this (per channel) a pair of parallel amplifiers with balanced feed (through a phase splitter from unbalanced inputs) and the outputs taken balanced as well? As if this is the case they are all still referenced to ground, as are both of the input channels.
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sreten is correct. Most of these low voltage class-d amps are already in bridged mode. They do not have a common ground. The negative speaker terminals float at about 1/2 the supply voltage. They don't often take well to being connected together.
The matrix scheme works well with conventional amps tho, it's an old trick.
The matrix scheme works well with conventional amps tho, it's an old trick.
Good the first choice is the matrix with a copper amp.
Option #2
Large L pad on center speaker - L&R parallel - 4 ohms
(could a series resistor be substituted for the L-Pad?)
Option #3
Use 2 amps digital or copper amps; connect with line-level Y's (one side of one amp will not be used)
Option #4
Daisy chain three the speakers (soundbar shown in OP) two in parallel and one in series = 6ohm I think and use a mono amp. Line level "stick on" 2 to 1 adapter needed.
Option #2
Large L pad on center speaker - L&R parallel - 4 ohms
(could a series resistor be substituted for the L-Pad?)
Option #3
Use 2 amps digital or copper amps; connect with line-level Y's (one side of one amp will not be used)
Option #4
Daisy chain three the speakers (soundbar shown in OP) two in parallel and one in series = 6ohm I think and use a mono amp. Line level "stick on" 2 to 1 adapter needed.
What are the power ratings / sensitivity for the 3 speaker sections? It appears to be a "sound bar" where the centre speaker is often higher rated than the left and right sections.
Some of the suggested matrixing configurations will result in a per-channel load of 4 ohms or less. Although that AudioSource amp is rated for 4 ohms, its output at 4 ohms is not much higher than the 8 ohm output, indicating a skimpy power supply that won't be happy with a low ohms load. Assuming that the centre channel is to play at the same or higher level than the left and right, there's no easy way to do it that I can see.
Some of the suggested matrixing configurations will result in a per-channel load of 4 ohms or less. Although that AudioSource amp is rated for 4 ohms, its output at 4 ohms is not much higher than the 8 ohm output, indicating a skimpy power supply that won't be happy with a low ohms load. Assuming that the centre channel is to play at the same or higher level than the left and right, there's no easy way to do it that I can see.
Yes Sound bar: Dayton Audio BS36 36" LCR Speaker Bar Black
Power Handing: 50watts RMS 80watts, 8 ohm, SPL 87db
100hz - 20,000
Power Handing: 50watts RMS 80watts, 8 ohm, SPL 87db
100hz - 20,000
Hi,
The simple facts are you simply connect L and R to L and R.
Any attempt to connect up the centre simply will make things
much worse, especially with a bridged topology amplifier.
Lack of common earths is the problem, you must have them.
The scheme in post #1 is very bad even with common earths.
It skews sound left or right depending on centre phase. In the
old days it was used for two rears wired in series and out of
phase, for phase to to agree as an X or | |, and delay for
the rear is ideally needed, if it can't be done physically.
rgds, sreten.
There is a lot more about these circuits which I won't go into.
The simple facts are you simply connect L and R to L and R.
Any attempt to connect up the centre simply will make things
much worse, especially with a bridged topology amplifier.
Lack of common earths is the problem, you must have them.
The scheme in post #1 is very bad even with common earths.
It skews sound left or right depending on centre phase. In the
old days it was used for two rears wired in series and out of
phase, for phase to to agree as an X or | |, and delay for
the rear is ideally needed, if it can't be done physically.
rgds, sreten.
There is a lot more about these circuits which I won't go into.
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Okay Sreten - using just R & L might be a reality.
I keep going back the first time I saw a center speaker in a system, Ha-that was 1971. Did they make three channel receivers or something?
Actually have been pondering if a common ground was needed.
Which might be possibility, have a shelf full of miscellaneous low cost integrated (a/b) amps.
The connection in post #1 is out - although worthy of a quick test.
Borrowing this Link from Elias's thread:
FC2?????? - ????????????
I keep going back the first time I saw a center speaker in a system, Ha-that was 1971. Did they make three channel receivers or something?
Actually have been pondering if a common ground was needed.
Which might be possibility, have a shelf full of miscellaneous low cost integrated (a/b) amps.
The connection in post #1 is out - although worthy of a quick test.
Borrowing this Link from Elias's thread:
FC2?????? - ????????????
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