QuestionI have 4 60 W RMS 4 ohm tower speakers that I would like to run off an
exterinal amp. I was leaning towards just wiring them in pairs Left/Right,
and basicly just wanted to know if this is standard practice. If so, just needed
to know what amp would be best suited for preformance, and what wiring
method I should go with.
thanks for the help
AnswerYou really should check the impedance ratings of the speakers then the amplifier must be chosen to match the speakers.
Most speaker for the home are 8 ohms. Most speakers used in the car are 4 ohms. But, there are many, many exceptions.
Most home amplifiers are rated for 8 ohm loads. Most car amplifiers are rated for 4 ohms or 2 ohms; some even for 1 ohm.
Since yours are tower speakers they are most likely for the home and are most likely 8 ohm speakers. If that is so and you purchased a typical stereo amplifier that is rated at 8 ohms you would not be wise to parallel the speakers. WHY? The towers, if they are 8 ohms, when two are wired in parallel that would give you a 4 ohm load to the amp. Now, that would be just fine if the amp were rated for 4 ohm loads, but if not you could be in trouble.
A best solution for you may be to purchase a 4 channel power amplifier and drive each speaker from its own separate amp. That would be completely safe.
OR: Here is a stereo amp that has the right amount of power AND is rated for 4 ohm load that will drive your system with two speakers to each channel.
http://www.compuplus.com/i-AudioSource-Amp-100-Stereo-Power-Amplifier-1007460~.h...
Hope this helps you make the right decision along the way.
C
