# Connecting Four Speakers In Unusual Serial/Parallel



## DKSanders (Oct 19, 2014)

I have bit of a dilemma. I am new to this stuff but think I can do anything - hence I am confused about what to do. I have a home theater with three platforms in stadium style. Originally was going to have one surround speaker for each platform on the left and one on right. So I would have had three speakers for left channel surround and three for right. But three speakers don't hook up well. So I added a fourth speaker to middle platform. Unfortunately, wires already sealed up in walls don't allow me to hook up four speakers in traditional serial/parallel setups to keep all four 8 ohm speakers at 8 ohms. I only have two wires going from the amplifier to speaker A and two to speaker B and two to speaker D. (Typical parallel hookup). Since speaker B and C are next to each other I can do anything I need to in that location. I could not find a wiring diagram to do what I want and don't know if it is possible since I am struggling with parallel/serial hookup to keep impedance correct. Can I connect speaker A and B in parallel and then connect speaker B to speaker C in serial which is connected parallel to D? If not is there any way to make the hook up without running a third wire from speaker A to B or C?


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Wire speakers b & c in series and speakers a & d in series, then connect the two series pairs in parallel. Two x 8 ohms in series is 16 ohms. Two x 16 ohms in parallel is 8 ohms.


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## DKSanders (Oct 19, 2014)

Thank for the quick reply. I am trying to wrap my head around that and make a diagram so I can see how to do it.


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## DKSanders (Oct 19, 2014)

I just can not get this to work with only two wires between each speaker outlet and two wires coming from the amp. Can you email me a diagram or give me more detail on what gets connected to what? Email is texashouse - at sign - dot - com. I don't have enough posts to just put the email address in normal, sorry.


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## ppfred (Feb 11, 2009)

You should find what you need here:
http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/driver-wiring-diagrams/


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## DKSanders (Oct 19, 2014)

None of those diagrams on that page show how to do what I want to do. I see no possible way to hook them up with only two strands of wire going from the amp to speaker A and two from speaker A to the B/C location and two from speaker B/C location to speaker D. I just need someone who has the knowledge to say "you are right - It can not be done" or to give the correct sequence of hook ups. The house has already been wired this way so I either find a way to hook them up with only the two wire system or I figure out a way to run more wire. Can anyone confirm my problem?


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## slyons (Sep 17, 2012)

Be careful if you get it wrong you'll likely lose a channel on the amp. What ohm load can your amp safely operate at? Most home audio amps run at 8-16 Ohm loads. This is how you turn an amp into a paper weight if you do it incorrectly.


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## DKSanders (Oct 19, 2014)

I spoke with an electrical engineer about the set up and just as I suspected, There is NO way of wiring them without running a third wire from location 2 back to location 1. Consequently, sheetrock has already been cut, wires run and walls repaired. Now to do finish sanding and paint and I am back in business.


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## roadkingrich (Dec 2, 2014)

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