Speaker Connections - Sunfire cinema grand Series II User Manual

User's Manual

Speaker connections

If your speakers cannot be biwired, the
normal configuration is to have one speaker
connected per channel. The connection of
more than one per channel will tend to
degrade the speaker's frequency response.
For the best results use one speaker per
channel.
If you want to connect more than one
speaker per channel, there are two main
ways: series or parallel.
Series
For example, if you want to series-
connect two speakers to the front right
channel of the amplifier:
• The positive output terminal of the
front right channel connects to the
positive input of the first speaker.
• The negative input of the first speaker
connects to the positive input of the
second speaker.
• The negative input of the second
speaker connects to the negative
output terminal of the front right
channel.
• The total impedance of speakers in
series is found by adding their imped-
ances together.
• Series connections are easier on the
amplifier than parallel connections,
because the total impedance is higher
than driving a single speaker. For
example, two four ohm speakers in
series is equivalent to an eight ohm
load.
Amplifier
Outputs
Series
connection
Speaker Connections
20
Parallel
For example, if you want to parallel-
connect two speakers to the front right
channel of the amplifier:
• The positive output terminal of the
front right channel connects to the
positive input of the first speaker and
to the positive of the second speaker.
• The negative output terminal of the
front right channel connects to the
negative input of the first speaker and
to the negative of the second speaker.
• The total impedance of equal speakers
in parallel is found by dividing the
impedance of one speaker by the
number of speakers. For example, two
eight ohm speakers in parallel is a four
ohm load (eight ohms divided by two),
four eight ohm speakers in parallel is a
two ohm load (eight ohms divided by
four).
• Parallel connections are harder on the
amplifier than series connections as
the total impedance is lower compared
to driving a single speaker and the
amplifier must produce more current to
drive them.
• You must make sure that the lower
impedance does not cause the ampli-
fier to overheat, shut down, blow the
line fuse, or pop your circuit breaker. If
this happens, you should reduce the
number of speakers wired in parallel,
or wire them in series.
Amplifier
Outputs
Parallel
connection