# Speaker Wiring -Will this damage my speaker



## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

I temporarily wired my front height speakers to my front L and R speakers. Will this damage them?
I know this is not the correct way to wire them I am just doing it to use them while I save up for an amp.
In order to correctly install 11 speakers I need the amp to run two of them (the heights). I realize the heights will just duplicate the front L and R channels wired like this, rather than Audesey DSX separating out sound for height sound field.


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

It won't harm your speakers but your receiver's amps will see lower impedance, so be careful about playing them at high levels.


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## jimbodude (Jul 26, 2011)

I'm assuming that you are saying you wired 2 speakers to each amp output.

If you wired them in parallel (red to red, black to black) you have significantly decreased the impedance. This will cause more current to run through your amp, which could damage it if it isn't rated for that low of impedance. 

If you wired them in series (amp red to speaker 1 red, speaker 1 black to speaker 2 red, speaker 2 black to amp black) then you have doubled the impedance, which will lower the current flowing through the amp. This will certainly be safe for the amp, but you have a reduced voltage drop over each speaker, which will mean lower output volume.

If you can find the impedance rating on the amp and speaker, it will be easier to give a yes/no answer.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I would not even bother doing this until you have the correct receiver with the height channels. aside from the impedance issues, The issue I see is that your only duplicating whats playing through the mains and that will cause issues with imaging and could even cause cancellation.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

Too clarify.
I wired my reciever to the front left speaker and then wired the front left speaker to the front left height speaker. Like Tony stated ^ I'm just duplicating whats playing on the front mains... 
Just wanted to ensure it wouldnt damage anything.


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## koyaan (Mar 2, 2010)

Peter Loeser said:


> It won't harm your speakers but your receiver's amps will see lower impedance, so be careful about playing them at high levels.


As Peter says, your lowering the impedence which could overload your reciever particularly at high levels. As your running Polks that are hard to drive to begin with, this is even more likely. lddude:


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## tba (Jun 10, 2013)

Or, to minimize the drop on impedance, connect (+ L) to (+ LH), (+ R) to (+RH) and (-LH) to (-RH). L and R wired normally to the amp.This is called Hafler connection and was introduced in the 80s to reach a pseudo quadrophonic environment. In this wiring, the LH will play (L-R) signal and RH will play(R-L) signal. The impedance seen by the amp is (L x (LH+RH))/(L+(LH+RH)) which is bigger than (L x LH)/(L+LH). If my lousy English was not clear, I shall try to attach a wiring drawing.
tba


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I guess I will unhook the front heights for now and just wait untill I can pick up an amp. No need to play around and take the chance of cooking my Denon receiver. :gah:


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## tba (Jun 10, 2013)

Wise choice.


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