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Impotence Question

Now that I have your attention...my question is about impedance matching in speaker selectors. I have a Bryston 3-way speaker switch box, which does not have impedance matching/balancing. As far as I understand it is a simple three-way switch box with minimal signal path to travel. It has three on/off buttons which operate independently from each other. So I was curious what exactly happens when I switch my 100 watt amp to drive two pairs of 8-ohm monitors simultaneously (yes, besides the fact that both sets of speakers are playing)? Are there sacrifices in performance, and are those sacrifices linear or do they show up in different ways for each pair of speakers? It does not occur to me to drop the volume significantly in one pair of speakers when engaging the second pair which are downstairs, though I imagine this must happen as it's splitting the output of one amp between two pairs of speakers. So what is going on, and how does it differ from a selector which compensates for impedance? I think Niles actually terms their system "Impedance Protection".

Marco
jax2
jax2 OP
3,031 posts
 
I think the Who's dude was cranking his tunes pretty loud too:

Well the kids don't eat
And the dog can't sleep
There's no escape from the music
In the whole damn street

...or maybe tuning his crank?

I do have three full systems and I do believe my wife would leave me if I were to assemble another. The kitchen just doesn't have room for a dedicated system installed, which is why the switchbox and the long run.

Marco
Post removed 
audiobugged
528 posts
 
Marco, You should have mentioned your 3 Systems from the Go-Go. I can understand the whole Kitchen system issue as there's Bacon grease splatter concerns.

I have owned most of the Bryston line-up, yet never had the need for one of their Switch Boxes. I do recall them also having Impedance Protection, as the Bryston units are built more robust for the pro-audio venue then the Niles units. The Brystons are made to handle wattage levels that their 7bst, and 14bst amps can crank out.

Getting to the bottom of your Switch Box question would be a worth while call to James Tanner at Bryston who would but your mind at rest. I would venture to say that your still running the same 8 ohm load, just splitting the wattage.

But then if it where me, I'd pass on the Switch Box entirely. I'd modify a ceiling hanging fruit basket to suspend a 4th system in the Kitchen. Then throw on some Billie Holiday, and enjoy my new Strange Fruit System Suspension Swing.
jax2 OP
3,031 posts
 
Did'nt I read somewhere that bacon grease makes for a good contact enhancer? If I did that "Strange Fruit" camo'd 4th system hanging from the ceiling like you suggest, it would soon become an audio-pinata when my wife found out what was inside. I can just see the rectifiers and plastic pineapple parts flying about the room once that broom handle starts swinging! I'll keep my cap at three systems and work the switchbox angle so I can take part in more of that squeezebox playing at night!

Marco
audiobugged
528 posts
 
Marco, Yes using Bacon Grease as a contact enhancer makes the music flow with Silent Lucidity. But you can probably also experiment with the usage of lard, butter, margarine, vegetable shortening, Parkay, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® (Fabio uses the later with his Krell system, when Jammin' with The Bird), Pam, Crisco, and quite possibly any cooking oil in place of bacon grease. I was tossing the "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" idea with your system numero uno, dos, tres, Fruit Salad. But now that you mentioned that your significant other speaks softly and carries a Big Stick, we may actually be getting to the root of your impotence issues. Yes the Switchbox is then the solution, so you can have more Squeezebox. As a fourth system may eventually set forth towards Swapbox, Swingbox, or just Simply Boxed Out. And I'm sure in the end you'd rather just be Living in a Box, Living in a Cardboard Box. So enjoy your 3 Systems, your Box, and still....Have a Super 4th, Happy Independance Day!
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