# Speaker Selector



## kitt350 (Mar 25, 2012)

Forgive me if this is in the wrong section but just wasnt sure where to move it. I have an old receiver in my garage that I run 2 speakers and a sub for when I am working outside. I am wanting to run 4 speakers in the garage and 4 speakers outside the garage and not all at the same time, but would like to if possible. What I am wanting is a speaker selector so I can switch on 2,4,6, or all 8, not including the sub, if I would like. If I am just working in the garage i would like to turn on 2 or 4 speakers, or 2 speakers in the garage and 2 outside the garage. You can kind of see where I am going. Is there a speaker selector that would allow me to do this or would I need another amplifier to help me with this. Any help and suggestions from anyone is greatly appreciated and if you have any questions please ask and I will answer to the best of my ability.


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## Greg0 (Apr 6, 2012)

Are they all the same speakers? How many channels is the amp capable of? 
Generally it is not a good idea to drive different speakers from the same amplifier (different impedances and power handling etc) 

Greg


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## kitt350 (Mar 25, 2012)

It is a surround sound reciever that I am using right now. Just had it laying around and only have 2 speakers for it righ now. The speakers in the garage will probably be the same and the outside speakers will probably be the same but all of them together probably wont be. I do understand running different speakers on the same amp usually isn't reccommended. Really just looking for a selector, a powered one would be nice so it doesn't need to get the power from the reciever. I am not looking for the entire neighborhood to hear the music, just friends that are around the house it I decide to have a few friends over for a party.


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

Speaker selectors don't provide power. You can find multi-channel amps that do. If you want to control that many speakers and drive them from a single amp you need a selector with impedance protection to keep the amp from driving too low an impedance due to the multiple sets of speakers. The relative impedance of the speakers is less important than the total load.

Another consideration is how the sub is connected. Is it passive or active?


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## DeuceTrinal (May 7, 2012)

You can definitely get an "impedance matching" speaker selector, which will do exactly what you want. Here is a Dayton SS8: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-974&utm_source=googleps
Off the top of my head, I know Niles, Russound, and a couple other make them as well. 

You'll probably have to turn up the volume as you turn on more speakers, which can lead to amp clipping. Be careful, if you hear any distortion or clipping from the speakers turn the amp down, as you can fry the speaker's voice coils pretty quickly with a clipping amp, even if you're not playing it loud. 
If you find you don't have enough volume, you can add an external amplifier or look at other options such as a true multi-channel amp. 

You might also consider setting the receiver to "all channel stereo" surround mode and using the rear surround channels to power a second speaker selector, and use 2 four channel selectors instead of a single 8 channel. That would give you twice the power (for most receivers) to the speakers when more than 4 are on.


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## Driver_King (Sep 19, 2009)

Monoprice has an 8 channel impedance matching speaker selector for $27. You will simply need to adjust the volume level at the amplifier end for volume. If you want individual volume control, you can get a four channel selector but it is far more expensive and you would probably want more power.


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