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parallel receivers

I have a Marantz sr-48, 2 Tannoy MX4's and a pair of Kef Cresta and have problems with loss of power when playing all 4 speakers at once. Initially, I thought maybe the receiver was not powerful enough, but on doing more research I found out the real issue has something to do with the way the power flows through the speakers and that I need to start looking for a receiver that has parallel channels instead of serial channels. I think I am using the correct terminology. Can anyone give me any advice on receivers that have this parallel function that I can look into. Price range is under $1000.

Thanks

Michael Scott
cascott
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
The problem that you are experiencing is due to the fact that the way you are wiring them up, the impedence the amp is "seeing" is effectively cut in half and the most receiver amps are not up to providing adequate power into a low impedence load. The issue here is how the speakers are hooked up, not the amp, per se. Others will give you a more proper technical answer, I'm sure.
cascott OP
1 posts
 
When you talk about wiring do you mean the way the speakers are connected to the receiver? Right now they have the single prong banana plugs, but I could concievably do some sort of bi-wiring. Would this help?

Thanks
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
No, its whether the speaker outputs are wired in series or parallel. FOr most receivers with two sets of speaker outputs, they are wired in such a way (can't remember if its serial or parallel) that if you switch them both on at once, the effective impedence that the amp sees is cut in half, and if the speakers originally are 4 ohm and dip lower, you will have a receiver with a limited power supply trying to drive what is effectively a 2 ohm or lower load. Most receivers and many power amps cant to it. Biwiring has nothing to do with it.
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