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Author Topic: Surround sound wiring Paul Looker Film Handler Posts: 83 From: Pittsburgh, PA/United States Registered: Sep 2009 posted 04-09-2014 08:09 PM                     Forgive me, I'm new to all of this. I have three surround speakers on each wall. Each one has it's own separate run of wire. How do I wire them all together into one amplifier channel. Is it all positives and all negatives together or is it something else. The most recent setup had left and right surround both wired into one amplifier channel. There are a couple of positives to negatives in what was there. Can anybody walk me through this one. I am not keeping left and right on one channel I am separating them to each their own channel. How should the three speaker wires be spliced together?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-09-2014 08:18 PM                     With just three surrounds on each side, it's fine to attach them per each side to run parallel. You would tie all the positives together and with the negatives together, each polarity under a wire nut with a single wire in the loom for an easy connect to amplifier.  |  IP: Logged Paul Looker Film Handler Posts: 83 From: Pittsburgh, PA/United States Registered: Sep 2009 posted 04-09-2014 08:24 PM                     I love you film tech forum. It's like old school dominos pizza. 30 minutes or less. Thank you.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 04-09-2014 09:06 PM                     You might find this information useful. http://www.bcae1.com/spkrmlti.htm  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-09-2014 09:52 PM                        Depending on the speakers and amp in question, wiring them all in parallel may be fine or may fry the amplifier. Give us the model numbers of everything and someone will tell you if it will work. Basically, you need to figure out the minimum output impedance of your amplifier and ensure that the load that you give it is at least that number. As an example, three 8-ohm speakers in parallel will look like a 2.6-ohm load to the amplifier. Not every amplifier will drive a 2.6-ohm load without heating up or failing completely.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-09-2014 09:59 PM                     Heed Scott's advice there. You should post the make/model of your amplifier you intend on using.  |  IP: Logged Phil Ranucci Expert Film Handler Posts: 236 From: Carpinteria,CA, United States Registered: May 2006 posted 04-09-2014 10:11 PM                     You might want to pull wire from each speaker back to the booth and do your series/parallel wiring there and not at each speaker. It'll make troubleshooting easier.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 04-09-2014 11:42 PM                    He already has this.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-10-2014 12:58 AM                     If he did series parallel wiring with three, 8ohm speakers - taking two speakers in parallel would give him 4 ohms, but adding the third in series gets him up to 12 ohms and his amplifier has an unswitchable 8 ohm output. What would be best for him and be safe at it?  |  IP: Logged Jarod Reddig Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 513 From: Hays, Ks Registered: Jun 2011 posted 04-10-2014 03:37 AM                     Try out the 12 ohm series parallel route at your own risk if any as Id assume an amp that can operate safely at 8 ohms would be safe at 12 ohms. Or look for a cheap used 2 channel 2 ohm stable amp and go parllel with each set of 3. Left 3 surrounds in one channel and right surrounds in the other.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 04-10-2014 10:41 AM                     I agree with Jarod's suggestion of finding (if you don't already have) a 2-ohm per channel amplifier and wiring each group of 3 in parallel so that the power is evenly distributed among the 3 speakers. I also agree with Scott's suggestion to give us the model numbers of your equipment, and I agree with Brad's agreeing with Scott.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-10-2014 10:54 AM                     Most amps have no problem with a higher output impedence unless it is a transformer coupled output to low of impedance and the amp will be delivering more current than possibly the transformer and or output stage can deliver  |  IP: Logged Paul Looker Film Handler Posts: 83 From: Pittsburgh, PA/United States Registered: Sep 2009 posted 04-10-2014 11:55 AM                     I'm working with a QSC model 1700. It has two channels. I want three speakers on each channel.  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 04-10-2014 12:27 PM                        quote: Ken Lackner I also agree with Scott's suggestion to give us the model numbers of your equipment, and I agree with Brad's agreeing with Scott. I agree with Ken's agreeing with Brad's agreeing with Scott.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-10-2014 12:36 PM                     quote: Paul Looker I'm working with a QSC model 1700 That's when you look on at the back of the amplifier and look where the speaker connection terminals are located. In this area, it should display what resistance of speaker can be used in ohms.  |  IP: Logged

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