Any audio equipment experts here?

[davidtu]

(Or if you can point me to an appropriate forum on audio, great!)

I need some advice on how to power the following configuration:

2 Pair (4 spkrs) Klipsch CS-650-R ceiling speaker
1 (stereo 2x2-input) Boston Acoustics DSi455T2 speaker
Niles SS-6 6-speaker switch box
+ Amplifier?? Please help me select something appropriate!
Details in links below...

Note: we may want to add additional speakers at some point, perhaps 1 pair more similar to Klipsch and maybe maybe one more Boston Acoustics. We are planning mainly to use output from a computer to play MP3s over these speakers, tho we may want a traditional radio amp, it may not be necessary.

Extra Credit Question:
The fellow who sold us the house failed to run a 2nd set of speaker wires to the Boston Acoustics speaker, which has 2 sets of inputs (as it operates as a stereo speaker). Do we want to run additional wires or is there a way to bridge them? What affect will the latter have?

Here are relevant links:

Klipsch CD-350-R
http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/cs-650-r.aspx

Boston Acoustics DSi455T2
http://www.bostonacoustics.com/home_...product_id=226

Niles Speaker Selector:
http://www.nilesaudio.com/product.php?prodID=SS-6&recordID=Speaker%20Selectors&categoryID=Speaker% 20Selectors&catcdID=7&prdcdID=FG01040

Let's see if you saw-heads know anything else!

Thanks!!

[Tequila]

I guess the big question is; What are you looking for? Just audio? A/V? What's your price range?

I have a Marantz SR-8500 that I love, driving Athena's in the main room, and some Advent's in the second room.

If you're looking for an amp and not a receiver, I've been very impressed with an Outlaw Audio amp that I've heard at a friend's place.

[LCHIEN]

David,
Any audio amp will suffice. MP3 is good but not great quality, the speakers have no great bass extension. It sounds like you are playing background music and not trying to make a disco. Probably a 20W amp on a $100-200 receiver will work fine, you could go uo to 100W per ch if you wanted.

A quick glance at the speaker switch manual shows it provides guidance on how to hook up three sets of speakers using the imppedance control switch to prevent going too low on the speaker load to any standard amp.
Then you can switch any of the three sets of speakers.

Too bad the guy only ran one wire pair to the dual coil speaker. You'll only get one channel. Even with two pairs it would give both channels but no stereo effect. But for most background music, very few people wil notice they are getting only one left or right channel. You should only hook up one side of that speaker.

[davidtu]

David,
Probably a 20W amp on a $100-200 receiver will work fine, you could go uo to 100W per ch if you wanted.

Loring, for this you have to dumb it down even moreso than with my WW questions!

I am confused by the potential varying number of speakers. Each pair I switch on will reduce (as I understand it) the number of watts going to all of the speakers. So, when you say a 20W amp, what do you mean? If I get a 100W amp, across 3-6 pairs of speakers each speaker will get less and less power. OK. What is too little? Now what if only one pair is turned on, will that overpower the speakers? I know the speaker selector protects the amp, what protects the speakers?

You are correct, I am not making a disco. Also, this is not a home theater setup either. We envision listening to background music or to have it on if we have a party... don't worry we're too old to be blasting music, just something to set a mood.

If you or anyone have specific brand or specification suggestions, I would like to hear it. I am only trying to match the quality of what I already have.

[One other question: if the speaker wires run are too thick to fit into the speaker selector connectors (he told me there was a problem) does it defeat the whole point of thicker wires to put a thinner wire "pigtail" at the point of connection between the selector and the speaker wires?]

Thanks!

[LCHIEN]

Loring, for this you have to dumb it down even moreso than with my WW questions!

I am confused by the potential varying number of speakers. Each pair I switch on will reduce (as I understand it) the number of watts going to all of the speakers. That's not true. So, when you say a 20W amp, what do you mean? If I get a 100W amp, across 3-6 pairs of speakers each speaker will get less and less power. OK. What is too little? Now what if only one pair is turned on, will that overpower the speakers? I know the speaker selector protects the amp, what protects the speakers? Not a problem.

You are correct, I am not making a disco. Also, this is not a home theater setup either. We envision listening to background music or to have it on if we have a party... don't worry we're too old to be blasting music, just something to set a mood.

If you or anyone have specific brand or specification suggestions, I would like to hear it. I am only trying to match the quality of what I already have.

[One other question: if the speaker wires run are too thick to fit into the speaker selector connectors (he told me there was a problem) does it defeat the whole point of thicker wires to put a thinner wire "pigtail" at the point of connection between the selector and the speaker wires?] No. wires at audio freq have less problems necking down than fluids and gasses. You can splice on a few inches of smaller gauge wire w/ no prob.

Thanks!

Something like this for $100 will work great for you and give you AM/FM
as well as have aux inputs for a MP3 player.
http://www.amazon.com/Sherwood-RX-41...588612-1273416
or anyhing in the $100-200 range from Toshiba, sherwood, sony, etc. You just need what they call nowadays a
stereo 2.1 or 2.0 receiver. Don't waste money on surround.

no need to worry about blowing anything up. I assume you're not so stupid you'll max out the volume and let the speakers buzz and distort.
At normal volumes you'll have no prob at all.

[davidtu]

I assume you're not so stupid...

Coming from you, Loring, that means a lot.

Thanks for the info too!