Main speakers/ remote speakers question

[audio friend]

I'm sure this is quite the unwise question. But I'm just checking some options as audio pieces are now playing musical chairs in my apartment ...

I use an integrated amp with two big speakers, going into the Main speakers input. Now, could I add on two small speakers going into the Remote speakers input, and then press both the Main and Remote buttons on the int amp, and hear all 4 at the same time?

If so, what a concept!

And, if so, would I even want to do that? Would it mess with the balance of the sound of the two big Main speakers?

Thanks.

 

[dan-c]

I'm sure this is quite the unwise question. But I'm just checking some options as audio pieces are now playing musical chairs in my apartment ...

I use an integrated amp with two big speakers, going into the Main speakers input. Now, could I add on two small speakers going into the Remote speakers input, and then press both the Main and Remote buttons on the int amp, and hear all 4 at the same time?

If so, what a concept!

And, if so, would I even want to do that? Would it mess with the balance of the sound of the two big Main speakers?

Thanks.

Yes with a couple of qualified ifs

If both pair of speakers are 8 ohm and your amp is rated at 4 ohms, yes.

If your speakers are less than 8 Ohms and your amp is rated at 8, then you could but I wouldn't do it at anything other than low volume. In fact, I rarely do it at all. Finding another inexpensive used receiver/amp/integrated amp would allow you to do the same and not worry about overdriving your current one and killing it.

 

[audio friend]

Yes with a couple of qualified ifs

If both pair of speakers are 8 ohm and your amp is rated at 4 ohms, yes.

If your speakers are less than 8 Ohms and your amp is rated at 8, then you could but I wouldn't do it at anything other than low volume. In fact, I rarely do it at all. Finding another inexpensive used receiver/amp/integrated amp would allow you to do the same and not worry about overdriving your current one and killing it.

But using them as two separate options would be fine, yes? I use a Marantz 1060. Not sure of the Ohms of everything at this moment. But I think I'll stay away altogether, and streamline. Thanks.

 

[kfalls]

With only 30W/ch, I wouldn't use more than one pair of speakers. At any real volume level two pairs would be too much and that's assumes it can handle a 4ohm load, which I doubt.

 

[audio friend]

With only 30W/ch, I wouldn't use more than one pair of speakers. At any real volume level two pairs would be too much and that's assumes it can handle a 4ohm load, which I doubt.

I'll stick with two speakers.

The two speakers (monitor audio) I use have a "Nominal Impedance" of 6 Ohms. Is this a safe match for the Marantz 1060? I guess it's just a matter of not being able to go as high in volume on the Marantz as the speaker is capable of, right?

 

[Copa1934]

I would look for and download the manual. If the system is already configured to double the load (run A & B in series) then you might be safe, but if running A & B runs the speakers in parallel the impedance will be half and NOT safe for the amp. Think in terms of hooking up a larger starter to your car but not adding a larger battery. You'll fry the battery (so to speak).

At 6 ohms you may be pushing your luck, and if the speakers are older they may be less now than they were rated, which really compounds things.

The reason they would be less is deterioration of the capacitors in the crossover (assumption being they have crossovers). Someone with more knowledge can confirm this, i.e. a drop in impedance with age. I do know that capacitors do shift in value with age but can't recall for sure the direction of shift in impedance.

I guess I just provided supporting argument for one of the other responses without realizing it. In any case you can use this info going forward with your next amp purchase.

Oh, there are speaker switches you can buy that keep impedance at a safe 8-ohms, so instead of doing A/B at the amp you do it with the "active" switch.

 

[audio friend]

I would look for and download the manual. If the system is already configured to double the load (run A & B in series) then you might be safe, but if running A & B runs the speakers in parallel the impedance will be half and NOT safe for the amp. Think in terms of hooking up a larger starter to your car but not adding a larger battery. You'll fry the battery (so to speak).

At 6 ohms you may be pushing your luck, and if the speakers are older they may be less now than they were rated, which really compounds things.

The reason they would be less is deterioration of the capacitors in the crossover (assumption being they have crossovers). Someone with more knowledge can confirm this, i.e. a drop in impedance with age. I do know that capacitors do shift in value with age but can't recall for sure the direction of shift in impedance.

I guess I just provided supporting argument for one of the other responses without realizing it. In any case you can use this info going forward with your next amp purchase.

Oh, there are speaker switches you can buy that keep impedance at a safe 8-ohms, so instead of doing A/B at the amp you do it with the "active" switch.

OK, I'll have to give this some thought. SOunds like I need to be more careful than I thought. Thanks for this.

Here's another question, seemingly unrelated:

Do most modern receivers these days need a specific "Phono" input to play a turtable, or would you able to play the turntable through the "Aux" input of a receiver?

 

[dan-c]

OK, I'll have to give this some thought. SOunds like I need to be more careful than I thought. Thanks for this.

Here's another question, seemingly unrelated:

Do most modern receivers these days need a specific "Phono" input to play a turtable, or would you able to play the turntable through the "Aux" input of a receiver?

They need a phono preamp, aux is to high a level input

 

[toxcrusadr]

In case no one said it, you could certainly use A or B speakers one at a time. It was just both at the same time that could possibly cause problems.

Whether a receiver is new or old, you can't plug a TT into anything but a PHONO jack. Extra amplification and special equalization lies behind that jack. If you want to use a receiver or amp without one, you can get an outboard phono preamp, which boosts it up to a level suitable for aux/CD/tape in inputs.

 

[audio friend]

In case no one said it, you could certainly use A or B speakers one at a time. It was just both at the same time that could possibly cause problems.

I'm a little confused---no surprise. With my current set up of one set of speakers that have 6 Ohms, am I in danger playing these with a Marantz 1060 (don't know the Ohms on the Marantz yet)? Or is it that I'd just have to worry about playing two sets of speakers at the same time with the Marantz?

 

[kfalls]

From what I read above, there is an opinion not to drive the 6ohm load with the Marantz, specifically because you don't know if the speaker load has decreased due to age. It's good to be cautious and there may be something to the decreased load due to age. Won't know until you try.

I think you'll be OK. Pretty much any system which handles 8ohms will handle 6ohms. Try them first at low levels. Unless you notice the amp getting too warm, distortion, or unusual mechanical noise (coil bottoming), you should be OK.

 

[toxcrusadr]

6 ohm speakers will not damage your receiver. It's probably rated at 8 ohms but a typical receiver can handle lower ohm loads to a point, and in fact many are rated as 4-8 ohms. Very unlikely 6 ohm speakers run by themselves would do any damage. It's when you get speakers in parallel, running at say 4 ohms nominal, and the program material finds itself in parts of the spectrum where the speaker's impedance is lower than that (yes it happens, impedance is not constant across the range), combined with high volume, that the magic smoke is let out.

 

[michiganpat]

my experience, vintage marantzes are 4 ohm stable, but if you run A+B, it puts the speakers in parallel, which will give the impedence of A*B/A+B, so if you have 2 sets of 6 ohm speakers, you'd be running at 3 ohm nominal impedence, if you have a set of 8 ohm for speaker B, you'd running a nominal 3.4 ohm. even at ~ 3ohm nominal, you'd probably be OK at low-moderate volume levels, just keep an eye (or hand) on the amp to feel if it's overheating. my uncle ran his 2265 with 2 pair of AR18's for 20 years with no ill effects.

now, a driver's impedence changes with signal frequency, so, an "8 ohm speaker" is rarely 8 ohm through it's response curve.

 

[audio friend]

my experience, vintage marantzes are 4 ohm stable, but if you run A+B, it puts the speakers in parallel, which will give the impedence of A*B/A+B, so if you have 2 sets of 6 ohm speakers, you'd be running at 3 ohm nominal impedence, if you have a set of 8 ohm for speaker B, you'd running a nominal 3.4 ohm. even at ~ 3ohm nominal, you'd probably be OK at low-moderate volume levels, just keep an eye (or hand) on the amp to feel if it's overheating. my uncle ran his 2265 with 2 pair of AR18's for 20 years with no ill effects.

now, a driver's impedence changes with signal frequency, so, an "8 ohm speaker" is rarely 8 ohm through it's response curve.

Wow, thanks. To be honest, I have to sit with this some more to understand. But sounds like I'm mostly in the clear. I'll keep an eye/hand on it, and I will just be running the one set of 6 ohm speakers. That's my final answer. Cheers.

 

[toxcrusadr]

Only running one set I wouldn't even spend time thinking about it.

 

[Copa1934]

I second (third, fourth, fifth?) what they said, especially given the vintage of Marantz amp you have. Just spotted a couple on ebay, nice rig!