Mixing amp speaker outputs

[DarkstarR]

Hi all
I have 2 sets of speakers (pair of Kef Q550s & pair of Q Acoustics 2020i) attached to my power amp, and I’m pretty sure the power amp has blown one of the Q Acoustic speakers (power amp may have been too powerful for them).

My question is: I’m using my Rotel RA 1520 Intergrated amp as if it was a pre-amp - by taking the ‘pre-out’ into the power amp.Is it therefore possible (or acceptable) to connect the Q Acoustics to the speaker terminals of the Integrated Amp (as its power output won’t max out the Q Acoustics), but connect the Kefs to the power amp speaker terminals - as those speakers can take the higher output from the power amp?

thanks guys!

 

[12th Monkey]

You should do no harm in doing as you are considering, but the speaker being damaged is probably because you were asking too much of the power amp in driving two pairs of speakers at the same time. You are more likely to cause damage using an amp with too little power as its ability to control the cones is compromised. The resultant thermal stress can melt voice coils etc.

 

[Al ears]

If you have taken the pre-out to the power amp do you still get a signal going to the speaker outputs on the RA-1520??

 

[nopiano]

If you have taken the pre-out to the power amp do you still get a signal going to the speaker outputs on the RA-1520??

Just what I was going to ask. I’m not sure it can do two different things at once.

Another thought:- QA speakers are mostly pretty sensitive (I.e. loud) so you’d have to play them ear-splittingly loud to damage them. Unless the amp is faulty, or you did something silly like plugging in a source with the volume up.