# 16 speakers



## Savi2010 (Jul 14, 2013)

I have 16 polk atrium4 speakers. I have 2 ss4vc niles speaker selectors with vc. Could I run 1 set of 8 on the main zone and the second on the zone 2 of a 7.1 receiver. no receiver yet just need to know what I need. The speakers are for background music only if that matters. The system was hooked up at a restauant at one point but not sure how.Thanks


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

why dont you simply hook the speakers up to each of the powered 7 outputs of the receiver and run "all channel stereo" mode.


----------



## Savi2010 (Jul 14, 2013)

I would like to control volume on all zones separately. i was told that it would work just dont know what kind of power i need so that it doesnt blow up.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

In a way you will be able to control them individually as you can use the trim levels in the receivers menu.


----------



## Savi2010 (Jul 14, 2013)

all together I will have 8 zones. Its going in a deli sandwich shop and I need to turn volume up down as needed in different areas.


----------



## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

You cant run more than 2 speakers per channel or you will damage the receivers amps.


----------



## WooferHound (Dec 8, 2010)

You can use impedance matching volume controls and put up to 8 speakers on each amplifier channel
http://www.amazon.com/AudioSource-AE100VC-Impedance-Matching-Control/dp/B003H3C94W/ref=pd_sim_e_6


----------



## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

The niles switcher has impedance protection that adds resistors in line. If you want independent volume control you will need to either do what Tony suggested or use impedance matching volume controls. In either case the niles switchers are not really needed if you can trim the channels independently. All they get you is the switching and additional resistance.


----------



## Savi2010 (Jul 14, 2013)

So the niles switcher does not do the same thing as an impedence matching vc? It has volume controls built in with speaker magnification.


----------



## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Do you have access to the wire runs at this time?

If so, have you looked into getting volume controls in your individual locations? If you do this then a simple 16ch distribution amp is a best practice (niles/russound). 

You could also look into "abus" as multiple zone solution. 

Sonos is another option but much more expensive. 

The issue with utilizing that many speakers with some kind of speaker selector on a 6ohm stable stereo pair (I'm assuming you're using zone2 out on an AVR or just a simple stereo receiver) is that even with impedance matching you'll be burning off waist heat and under-powering your speakers. This will add distortion and create a situation that could damage your speakers; at the same time the amp is also working too hard and will risk damage from over heating.


----------



## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

WooferHound said:


> You can use impedance matching volume controls and put up to 8 speakers on each amplifier channel
> http://www.amazon.com/AudioSource-AE100VC-Impedance-Matching-Control/dp/B003H3C94W/ref=pd_sim_e_6


I did something similar to what you want (i did 10 speakers)... I used 2 5.1 receivers with one DVD player. I made a "Y" connector for the DVD player so I could feed 2 receivers at the same time and then put a impedance matching volume control in each zone. Then I set the volume control in each room to max... I then raised the volume of the receiver until I had a volume level that was the max I would want in any zone. Once this was done I went to each zone and dialed the volume down to a level that was desired in that zone.

I am assuming that you want the same source to all zones. For 16 speakers you might want to try a 12 channel power amp and one receiver with pre out connections.


----------



## Savi2010 (Jul 14, 2013)

OK the nilies piece has impedance magnification!
I have 2 of them that support 8 speakers each!

Can i put the speaker selectors on two different channels and it be ok with the impedance magnification set to 4 pair each?


----------

