Can I attach two 8ohm speakers and two 4ohm speakers to my 2x50w amp.?

Question

This is more two questions in one. I was given a 8ohm Skytronic 103.100 amp and 2 Skytec 100w, 8ohm speakers which are running fine off it. The amp only has two spring oaded outputs on it but I have two spare 50w 4ohm speakers. Can I splice these in to to the outputs? Also Im looking at buying another 2 100w speakers the same so wil I be able to run 4 100w speakers off this amp or will I need to change it. I really dont understand the way all this works so if you could explain in simple terms :P.

Cheers. Tom

Answer 1

Tom...I am doing this from memory from some years ago, but I don't think you can mix 4 and 8 ohm speakers. Maybe wrong.

Maybe that was for older sterio equiptment.

Answer 2

Btw Tom, you can also do matrix surround sound also.

Two speakers  +  -   to the amp +  - L  amp +  - R

take all + side wiring and connect them together, if you have solder you can get a better audio connection or use shrink plastic or goop glue works also for a good connection.  Now do the same with - side on all speakers.

Connect + R speakers to the AMP + Right  side

Connect - R speakers to the AMP - Right  side

Connect + L speakers to the AMP + Left  side

Connect - L speakers to the AMP - Left  side

Now if you want matrix surround sound instead of connecting the 4ohms - with the  - 8ohms  then into the - L/R AMP - side connect those directly to the each 4ohms speaker - side. So now if anything with surround sound effect it will now be played.

Left 4 ohm -  =======    Right 4 ohm -

Answer 3

Tom - Adding more speakers to the amp will not make it louder or sound any better.  It sounds like the 50 watt per channel amp is pretty well matched to the two 100 watt speakers.  I would connect one speaker to the left and one to the right side of the amp.  Why not just try it that way first and see if you like it?

If that isn't loud enough for you, buy another amp and connect the additional speakers to the new amp.

http://www.skytronic.co.uk/product/index...

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

Do not do this.  When you splice together two speakers it actually decreases the ohm load, so if you splice together two 8ohms together it will now be running 4 ohms from the connected output.  4 ohms together will produce 2 ohms.  Very few amps and I mean very few will be able to handle a load that low before it would overheat and blow the amp.

I would buy a simple radio shack speaker selector switch which will allow you to run the speakers in parallel and has protective circuits that will not decrease the ohm or amperage on each speaker connected.

The other problem with running more than one speaker off the same signal is you run into what's called lobing (which mean besides an echo effect, you have certain frequencies that will cancel each other out, so you will never hear them.  It is best to run one speaker to one connection and be happy with what you have.

What you are suggesting is gonna do way more harm than good.

Answer 6

To match impedance you need to be running 8 ohm speakers off this. Raising the impedance so that Zout>Zload causes the system to go quiet. Going the other way where Zout<Zload causes most of the voltage to be passed to the driver resulting in  hum, pop and if it's too low an enormous bang and lots of smoke.

Answer 7

if you connect the 8 ohm in paralel with the 4 ohm speaker the combined impedance will be aprox. 2.67 ohm and that will be too low and you will risk burning out the output transistors.

there wont be any real benefit adding the extra 2 speakers to a 2 channel amp, either get a 4 channel amp or just use the 2 8 ohm speakers .

if you still want to add on the speakers either parallel the 8 ohms together ( gives you approx. 4 ohm) and connect the two 4 ohm together in series ( approx 8 ohm)

or connect a 4 ohm and a 8 ohm in series but it wil be approx 12 ohm per channel and that will decrease the output a lot. whatever you do respect the polarities or it will sound like c**p.