Members LORDGOREKKK Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 For example, when connecting a 4 ohm speaker to a power amp and you have another cable going out from that speaker to another which i think is called parrallel, does that convert the load from working a 4 ohms with one speaker tp the amp now 8 ohms or 2 ohms when connecting to the other speaker parrallel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al Poulin Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 Different speakers have different impedance values measured in ohms. Amplifiers are designed to be able to power a certain number of speakers depending on their total impedance One 8 ohm speaker per channel = an 8 ohm load per channel Two 8 ohm speakers per channel = a 4 ohm load per channel Four 8 ohm speakers per channel = a 2 ohm load per channel Two 4 ohm speaker per channel = a 2 ohm load per channel Above are just a few examples. Most pro amps can push a 4 ohm load per channel without problem. But once you get to 2 ohms per channel, check your manual because many amps are not stable at this low of an impedance. As you add speakers, impedance goes down and the speakers draw more current from your amp. A 4 ohm speaker will draw more current than an 8 ohm speaker. There's alot more to it of course and many different types of load combinations etc... When you bridge your amp to get more power from one ''super'' channel, the impedance each channel of your amp actually sees is half of what the load really is. For example, if you bridge your amp into one 4 ohm speaker, each channel of your amp is actually seeing 2 ohms. So even if your amp is rated for 2 ohm stereo operation, do not bridge your amp into two 4 ohm cabs - which would usually be a 2 ohm load, but since the amp is bridged, actually becomes a one ohm load for each channel which would definitely spell trouble. Make sense? Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarharv52 Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 That would be a bridge into troubled waters. That was bad.I'll stop now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al Poulin Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 A bridge into troubled wattage ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarharv52 Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 I like that too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al Poulin Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 I really didn't understand ohms at all when I started out and figured if you add two 4 ohm cabinets together, you get 8 ohms. Simple math right? and I always wondered, ''they make amps that can push 2 ohms, but I've never seen a 2 ohm speaker, so why brag about 2 ohm capable amps??...'' Mind you, I was surrounded by friends who believed that if they put the volume up as much as possible on their dual deck ghetto blasters while dubbing a cassette, the copy would be much louder this way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ Swydez Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 That would be a bridge into troubled waters. That was bad. I'll stop now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 That would be a bridge into troubled waters.That was bad.I'll stop now.Your time has come to shine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarharv52 Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 Your time has come to shine. does that mean all my dreams are on their way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ Swydez Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 does that mean all my dreams are on their way? something like that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GZsound Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 I really didn't understand ohms at all when I started out and figured if you add two 4 ohm cabinets together, you get 8 ohms. Simple math right? and I always wondered, ''they make amps that can push 2 ohms, but I've never seen a 2 ohm speaker, so why brag about 2 ohm capable amps??...'' Mind you, I was surrounded by friends who believed that if they put the volume up as much as possible on their dual deck ghetto blasters while dubbing a cassette, the copy would be much louder this way The equation is fairly simple. Load in "parallel" you divide. Load in "series" you add. Connecting speakers from speaker to speaker is a parallel connection. And as to the two ohm load minimum for power amps, be aware that connecting four eight ohm speakers in parallel does not give you a constant two ohms since the load varies and can drop below two ohms, which could fry your amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted March 20, 2007 CMS Author Share Posted March 20, 2007 The equation is fairly simple. Load in "parallel" you divide. Load in "series" you add. Connecting speakers from speaker to speaker is a parallel connection. And as to the two ohm load minimum for power amps, be aware that connecting four eight ohm speakers in parallel does not give you a constant two ohms since the load varies and can drop below two ohms, which could fry your amp. To clarify, the equation to calculate impedance for a parallel circuit is: 1 /((1/R1) + (1/R2) + (1/R3) + (1/R4)) [assuming four speakers...use as many "R" as needed] "Connecting speakers from speaker to speaker" is vague. Connected how? A series circuit proceeds from source to one speaker contact, through the speaker coil to it's other contact, to the next speaker contact, through that coil to it's other contact, and returning to the source. A parallel circuit has a common 'hot' contact on all speakers, and a common 'ground' on all speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al Poulin Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 The equation is fairly simple. Load in "parallel" you divide. Load in "series" you add. Connecting speakers from speaker to speaker is a parallel connection. And as to the two ohm load minimum for power amps, be aware that connecting four eight ohm speakers in parallel does not give you a constant two ohms since the load varies and can drop below two ohms, which could fry your amp. Yes, I am aware of this. An 8ohm speaker is not an 8ohm speaker all of the time. Impedance shifts once the voice coil heats up and will present a different load at different frequencies as well. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 Well designed amps will accomodate normal impedance variations with no trouble whatsoever. This is why you want to buy one of the better amps on the market as in general all the major manufacturers (Crest, Crown, QSC, Peavey) are aware of this. With the cheap amps, you get what you pay for. Something has to get cut and reactive load management is a biggie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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