RP-140sa and RP-280fa wired in parallel

[Avi Brenner]

Hi,

 

I have generally a klipsch setup with rp-280fa, rp-450c, and s-250s sorrounds, I also have rp-140sa pair and a pair of svs prime elevation speakers. I only have a 11.2 ch receiver (and a 7-channel, 200 watt amp for my front, center and sorround speakers).

 

I was thinking of wiring my prime elevation speakers as back height channels, and wiring then wiring the rp-140sa and the height channels for the rp-280fa so the same output in parallel, and wondering if this makes any sense at all, would work, or is too crazy.

[garyrc]

Stop!

 

Somebody else with more technical background will give you more detailed information, BUT:

 

If I remember correctly, wiring two identical speakers in parallel will halve the nominal impedance.  So, two 8 Ohm speakers = 4 Ohms the amplifier will "see."   You don't know how the impedance varies with frequency on those speakers, unless you have found a source. 

If it drops to, say, 3 Ohms at a certain frequency, two such speakers will cause the amp or AVR to "see" 1.5 Ohms at that frequency.  I'm assuming that would cause overheating, clipping, shutdown, (fire???) or The Big Sleep.

 

JBL used to have "Series by Parallel" wiring diagrams for some multiple woofer systems (like the big 4 woofer, horn loaded, ones they used in 70 mm Todd-AO theaters).  They explained that Parallel halves the nominal impedance, and Series doubles it.  But to make that work, one needs 4 identical speakers, I would think.  At my level, we are getting into imponderable impedance.

[derrickdj1]

For simplicity, if there is a way to wire things to a direct channel and avoid the series or parallel  will work better.  When wired together, the two set of speakers act as one and no additional surround benefit is achieved.

[BornAgain]

If you have an 11.2 channel receiver then you should just connect to the back height channels on that.