connections &&impedence&& amps

An amplifier takes a small input voltage and increases it to a large output voltage. The input gain controls regulates the amount of input voltage needed to attain the maximum output voltage.

 

So if an amplifier requires 2 (input) volts to attain its maximum output voltage with the input gains set at maximum (Volume 10 from a home receiver perspective), if you reduce the input gain controls, you will need to feed the input level more volts (higher than 2 volts) in order to attain maximum output. 

 

It is no different than a flashlight. If a flashlight requires 3 volts to attain full intensity, if the batteries cannot deliver 3 volts (Due to weak batteries), the intensity will not be as bright as if the flashlight was getting 3 volts (Using a strong set of batteries).   

 

An amplifier with a 4 pole Speakon that uses “1+/1- and 2+/2- as in parallel connection for 2 speakers,” it means the left channel is 1+/1- and the right channel is 2+/2-. In bridged mode (if capable) you would use 1+ and 2+.

 

Best Regards,

Edited by Elliot Thompson - 04 November 2016 at 5:22pm

Powersoft K 10 differs from the norm in that each Speakon is 1 channel only on BOTH +/- 1 & 2 of that Speakon for current implications.

If I understand what U wrote, then using a 4core cable in any K10 Speakon to 3 scoops would have 1 channel feeding 1 scoop on say, +/-1 and the other 2 scoops on +/- 2 or vice versa.

Dunno why 2 speakers would be "hotter" though since they're all fed from the same channel.

All speakers same impedance/model?

Edited by taurusty - 09 November 2016 at 1:39pm

Hang on, I am getting confused.

So you have 1 K10. And you have 6 cabs. And you have 2 cables running from the K10 (Left and right) with +-1 connected to 1 cab, and +-2 connected to 2 cabs.

Making in total 4 cabs on channel 2, and 2 cabs on channel 1?

Correct me if I have read it wrong. Maybe a diagram would help explain if so.




Edited by odc04r - 09 November 2016 at 3:49pm

As TauRusty said, if you dig out the manual then it shows that +1 and +2 on each side of the amplifier are connected together. So they get the same signal.

The way you have them connected ignoring any losses in the cables means you have 3 cabs in parallel each side of the amplifier. One cab should not really be getting hotter than another in this situation unless perhaps they are on the inside of the stack and cannot cool as effectively as the edge bins.

Are all your cabinets totally identical inside, same drivers in all of them? Cabs definitely wired all in phase? If one cabinet is out of phase its driver will not move much and will get a lot hotter. Also you'll loose output.

Double and then triple check all of your drivers and speakon cables for phase errors perhaps.

It's not a bad method but I'd still take everything apart including those y cables apart and double then triple check for oddities. Then I'd probably spend a few £ ditch the y-cables, and make proper 4 pole link cables. As +1/+2 and -1/-2 connections are already connected internally in these amplifiers you are best off using a 4 pole link cable to each bin chained from single bin to single bin to get maximum benefit of using both conductive pairs all the time for less resistance.

You could even use 2.5mm^2 as because the 2 connections will be in parallel it will give the result of double the individual conductor area to give 4mm+^2 and that'll probably be fine. Or use doubled up 4mm for an even less resistive cable.

As some power is going to be dissipated in your y-cable, then the 2 bins after it will see a little bit less power then the one initially connected to the amp.

I'd ditch the y-cables personally and make up 4 new link cables with a 4 pole speakon each end fully wired and each driver connected to +-1 only and with +-2 passed through each box.