daisy-chain speakers

  • Thread starter Thread starter keithdigio
  • Start date Start date
K

keithdigio

New member
i am using a soundtech PS800 amp (200 watts @ 8 ohms per channel) to drive a pair of Peavey PR15's (400 watts program/800watts peak). However, when i try to daisy-chain a pair of Yamaha S10E's (200 watts program/400 watts peak) with the Peaveys, the amp starts cllipping no matter where the gain is set. The higher the volume or the gain setting, the worse the clipping is. I am assuming this is beacuse the amp is nowhere near powerful enough to drive both sets of speakers...am I correct in this assumption? Boy am i NEW
 
The problem here is ohms. When you "daisy-chain" speakers you are changing the load on the amp. Without going into too much detail, you should be able to run each set of speakers (in parallel) from each side of the amp.

Just about everything you'd ever want or need to know about speaker wiring...http://www.colomar.com/Shavano/spkr_wiring.html
 
I've never heard anyone call connecting multiple speakers "daisy chaining" them. I always thought daisy chaining was a way to connect multiple amps. Anyway, when using multiple speakers you have to know if you are hooking then up in series or in parallel. Series will increase the resistance (ohms) and parallel will reduce it. You need to keep the load balanced (if you do something to output A, do the same thing to output B) and keep the resistance within the range the amp is designed to handle.
 
thanks, guys....i think i found the problem. i was running 20' cable to the PR15 and then 25' cable to the s10e. Once I put the longer (higher-impedance) cables closer to the amp the problem was solved.
 
Are you even using speaker cable? You should be able to run 50' of even 16gauge at that power level with no problems.

keithdigio said:
I am assuming this is beacuse the amp is nowhere near powerful enough to drive both sets of speakers...am I correct in this assumption?
Click to expand...

No. You could run both sets of speakers with a 1 watt power amp- they just wouldn't go very loud. If an amp clips no matter where the gain is set, there is another problem, which it sounds like you found.
 
Last edited:
keithdigio said:
thanks, guys....i think i found the problem. i was running 20' cable to the PR15 and then 25' cable to the s10e. Once I put the longer (higher-impedance) cables closer to the amp the problem was solved.
Click to expand...

(sigh) :(
 
Sounds like he's setting up a stunt for the next Jackass movie.
keithdigio,
Do what these fellows tell you to - otherwise you'll end up grieving for a dead amp at the very least. They won't pay ohmage to your stubborn resistance as their's is a series of good points that you should run parallel to.
 
Right I'm really confused. I've never had this explained to me, or if i have, i never understood it. So If you run two 8ohm speakers in parallel its 4ohms. I understand that, but how do you run them in parallel? I have an amp(see here) that's outputs are 1/4" jacks wired in parallel. What does this mean? I just bought this amp, and another like it(peavey xm6), a pair of peavey impulse 1012s, pair of peavey hisys 2s, and a studiomaster 900E amp, for £200. I also have a pair of dB technologies basic 400s, and soundlab 115c(like these but 600w peak). I've worked with PA gear before, and usually just connect 1 speaker per output, if you get what i mean, or worked with actives. I even did a course on it, but they never really taught us much, lol.

I wanna get the most out of each piece of gear, and don't mind buying more gear. I'd like to use some of this equipment for a while, then sell it on. Would connecting two 8ohm speakers to the outputs of those powered mixers output at 4ohm, or would i need to connect 2 more 8ohm speakers to get 4ohm?
 
Last edited:
Would a pair of these be ok with the peavy amp (150w 4ohm, 90w 8ohm)? And a pair of these with the toa amp (300w 2ohm, 200w 4ohm, 120w 8ohm)?
 
Also what does it mean by bridged? You can have it in stereo mono or bridged? Would the studiomaster 900e(2x350w 4ohm) be ok to power the peavy hisys 2s(350w RMS 8ohm) in bridged parallel(is that possible?)?
 
Would this be ok for the peavey impulse 1012s or, would i need something like this at more than double the price? And would this be ok for the soundlabs speakers(600w 8ohm peak)?

thanks :D
 
Last edited:
do a search ...... this has been discussed a zillion times so I'm only gonna give you the basics.
First ....... speakers' power rating has nothing to do with whether an amp can drive them. A 1500 watt speaker won't suck any more power than a 35 watt speaker ..... it only tells you how much power the speaker can handle before being damaged.
So all that matters for whether an amp'll drive a speaker safely is the impedance as long as the speaker can handle the amount of power the ampm puts out..
Bridged is just an operating mode that makes a stereo two channel amp into a single mono amp. Almost always when you bridge the lowest acceptable impedence goes up. An amp that'll normally drive down to 4 ohms might only be able to go to 8 ohms if bridged.
If an amp has two outputs parralled and you hook two 8 ohm speakers to those outputs you have a total load of 4 ohms. Note that if it is a stereo amp ..... then you have to treat the two sides of the amp as seperate amps. So two outputs ... one on each side .... is NOT the same as two outputs for one side of the amp. That TOA looks like a mono unit so if that's the case and you hook 2 8ohm speakers to it, you'll have a total load of 4 ohms.
 
Lt. Bob said:
do a search ...... this has been discussed a zillion times so I'm only gonna give you the basics.
First ....... speakers' power rating has nothing to do with whether an amp can drive them. A 1500 watt speaker won't suck any more power than a 35 watt speaker ..... it only tells you how much power the speaker can handle before being damaged.
So all that matters for whether an amp'll drive a speaker safely is the impedance as long as the speaker can handle the amount of power the ampm puts out..
Bridged is just an operating mode that makes a stereo two channel amp into a single mono amp. Almost always when you bridge the lowest acceptable impedence goes up. An amp that'll normally drive down to 4 ohms might only be able to go to 8 ohms if bridged.
If an amp has two outputs parralled and you hook two 8 ohm speakers to those outputs you have a total load of 4 ohms. Note that if it is a stereo amp ..... then you have to treat the two sides of the amp as seperate amps. So two outputs ... one on each side .... is NOT the same as two outputs for one side of the amp. That TOA looks like a mono unit so if that's the case and you hook 2 8ohm speakers to it, you'll have a total load of 4 ohms.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Sorry i've searched and searched this stuff, but whenever i've found something i've never really understood it. I'm sure you have noticed me around, so i know about the search option, and suggest it a lot to newbies. I have used it, but have never got the answers i need, so that's why i asked.

Thanks for your reply.
 
peavey xm6 (mono, 150w 4ohm, 90w 8ohm)
2x 8" 50w rms/150w peak 8ohm soundlabs

toa mx601 (mono, 200w 4ohm, 120w 8ohm)
2x 10" 100w rms/200w peak 8ohm soundlabs

t.amp TA1050 MK-X (2x350w 8ohm)
2x p115c 600w peak 8ohm soundlabs

studiomaster 900e (2x350w 4ohm, bridged)
2x peavey hisys 2 350w rms/600w peak 8ohm (would i be able to run 2 speakers in bridged? Or should i buy the peavey pro-12 messengers(250w rms 500w program 4ohm) with the studiomaster 900e, and use the ta1050 mk-x with the peavey hisys 2s?)

t.amp TA2400 mk-x (2x 1200w 4ohm, 2x 650w 8ohm)
2x peavey impulse 1012 1000w program/2000w peak 8ohm

Does this sound ok?
 
yep ..... it all will work.

As far as the bridged thing .... you can run two speakers if the combined ohms is no lower than what's allowed in bridged mode.
Be sure to check that out ..... it's not uncommon for an amp that's rated down to say, 4 ohms in stereo mode, to be restricted to 8 ohms when bridged.
But it varies so don't assume that it's gonna be that way ..... just be sure to check if the impedence rating is higher in bridged mode.
 
Lt. Bob said:
yep ..... it all will work.

As far as the bridged thing .... you can run two speakers if the combined ohms is no lower than what's allowed in bridged mode.
Be sure to check that out ..... it's not uncommon for an amp that's rated down to say, 4 ohms in stereo mode, to be restricted to 8 ohms when bridged.
But it varies so don't assume that it's gonna be that way ..... just be sure to check if the impedence rating is higher in bridged mode.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Might just buy the 4ohm speakers to go with that amp instead.
 
Anonymous bad rep said:
Does sound as good as they way your mother moans when I'm fucking her in her asshole!!
Click to expand...
Fuck you and your mother! :mad:
 
pandamonk said:
Thanks. Might just buy the 4ohm speakers to go with that amp instead.
Click to expand...

Why? They make the amp work harder, especially if you daisy chain two and end up with a 2 ohm load. The amp won't put out enough extra power to make any real difference in volume. And unless the speaker can handle the extra power, and is at least as efficient as your current 8ohm boxes, it won't do you any good anyway. Basically there isn't much benefit to it, most times. That's why don't see many 4ohm tops. Look for more efficient 8ohm speakers.
 
boingoman said:
Why? They make the amp work harder, especially if you daisy chain two and end up with a 2 ohm load. The amp won't put out enough extra power to make any real difference in volume. And unless the speaker can handle the extra power, and is at least as efficient as your current 8ohm boxes, it won't do you any good anyway. Basically there isn't much benefit to it, most times. That's why don't see many 4ohm tops. Look for more efficient 8ohm speakers.
Click to expand...
I was just thinking of getting the most out of the amp. The amp is rated for 2x 350w at 4ohm, but 210w at 8ohm. I wouldn't "daisy chain" with that setup. Would the peavey hysis 2s be efficient enough? Should i just useed this amp with them, and sell them like that? I thought you wanted the amp to have slightly more power than the speakers can handle? That's what i've been told, 'cause the distortion of an amp at full power is more likely to blow the speakers than running the speakers at full, or something. :o
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top