Questions on series vs parallel hookup

[howardtheduc]

First, is the normal way speakers are hooked up "parallel"..ie matching terminals on the amp one to one to those on on the speakers? If so, does an amp then see a load of 4 ohms when you hook up 2 8ohm speakers in that way and should it's output be calculated on the 4 ohm column rather than the 8 ohm? Are our amps running way hotter than we know when we think we are being kind w/ 8 ohm speakers? Would we be kinder if we hooked up 2 4 ohm speakers in series? Also, if we series connect 2 8 ohms in series do amp love or hate a 16 ohm load..does it sound good? My curiousity is peaked on this stuff but I fear experimenting! Thanks in advance!

 

[DON73]

When a pair of 8 ohm speakers are connected to an amp the amp sees 8ohms.

 

[Artie]

I think Howard's question is in reference to each channel. So, two 8-ohm speakers, (on the same channel), would equate to a 4-ohm load. Thats the way almost all amps/receivers work. But there are exceptions. My Sony TA-5650 connects the A/B speakers in series. There are probably others too, but I'm only aware of the Sony. And, in the case of the Sony, two sets of 8-ohm speakers would add to become 16 ohms.

 

[howardtheduc]

Thanks guys I'm less terrified now!

 

[sealy]

If one set of 8 ohm speakers were hooked to the A speaker inputs of an amp, the amp would see an 8-ohm load. If a second set of 8 ohm speakers were hooked up to the B speaker inputs simultaneously, the amp would see a 4-ohm load. If two sets of 4 ohm speakers were hooked up simultaneously as above, the amp would see a 2-ohm load. The same situation would exist if one decided to hook up 2 sets of speakers to a single set of inputs. Either way, the speakers would be running in parallel.

 

[jdurbin1]

It's easy to check on this; if you connect one pair of speakers to "A", and leave "B" open, does the receiver or amp continue to play when you switch on the "B" speakers? If not, they're being connected in series internally.

Same for units that A, B, A+B, etc. - if the sound stops when you go to A+B (or A+C, whatever) and you only have the one pair connected, it's a series connection.

John