Yamaha As-500 amp with 2 pairs of 8 ohm speakers?

Trippysounds

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Hi! I have a Yamaha AS-500 amp and a set of B&W CM1's. I now have the possibility to buy a pair of Monitor Audio BX2 speakers for next to nothing. the question is... Will i be able to run both pairs of speaker at the same time without running into problems? @= The speakers would all be 8 ohm. For specs look here: Yamaha AS-500: http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/hifi-components/amps/a-s500/ B&W CM1: http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Downloads/Product/InfoSheet/ENG_FP17035_CM1_info_sheet.pdf Monitor audio BX2: http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/products/bronze-bx/bx2 Thanks, Ts
 

Vladimir

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It will work but if played loud the amplifier wil enter clipping, overheat and turn off, entering in protection mode. It's decent amp but it's not a power house. And your whole point is to play 4 speakers louder than you would 2 right?

Next issue is the two very different speakers. Different complex loads, different efficiency (one pair will go louder than the other) different timbral character. But you want to "mix" drinks to have some fun, I understand.

From sound quality and amplifier durability perspective, this is a bad idea. If you don't care about sound quality and you want some fun, just do it.
 

Trippysounds

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Wooh noo hold on! sound quality IS important, so is caring for my amplifier.

Sorry i was not very clear in describing what i would use 2 sets of speakers for.

I would be perfectly fine with only playing one pair at a time because it is not volume i'm after.

If i could show you a picture of the room that should help with the understanding of my situation but i have no idea how to add a picture.

one pair(1) will be facing the couch, the second pair(2) would be at my computer desk underneath a loft bed.

The loft bed is behind speaker pair 1 and i like a direct sound, you cant really hear the music from behind the speakers..;)

thats why i thought of adding pair 2 for when im at the desk.

Does this make more sense? :)
 

davedotco

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The amplifier has switching for two sets of speakers so no problem.

As Vladimir points out they will sound different and one pair, probably the MAs, will sound louder. Bear this in mind and use caution if you do use both at the same time.

Otherwise just use the front panal switch to select either set of speakers, the pair not being used are effectively disconnected, so no issues there.
 

Trippysounds

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Okay that good to know :) thank you both!

Now for an alternative solution (there is always one right?)... i could also buy a set of active computer speakers and just have those play on the desk. But how would i connect them to the desktop? the 3,5 mm outpout jack is in use, that goes to the amp to play music with the "couch speakers". Is it simply a case of a simple splitter? Would i not lose sound quality by doing that? And what if i decide to buy a Dragonfly dac for my desktop, can i just split the signal that comes out of that?

Many questions as you can see..!
 

Vladimir

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1) If you want to play them at the same time both desktop and hifi (no idea why you would want to) then buy a splitter.

2) Some PC audio cards can have their outputs customized, for example you can make the microphone and line out both to be line out and you wont need a splitter. Realtek audio chips have this option.

3) The proper way to do it IMO is to buy a USB DAC. I recommend this little fella.

Behringer UCA202

You can even plug in your Yamaha on the RCA out and the active desktop speakers on the headphone output and not bother with selecting devices to switch between desktop and hifi.

Small note: The Behringer is technically an Audio Interface, not a standalone DAC.
 

Trippysounds

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Vladimir said:
1) If you want to play them at the same time both desktop and hifi (no idea why you would want to) then buy a splitter.

2) Some PC audio cards can have their outputs customized, for example you can make the microphone and line out both to be line out and you wont need a splitter. Realtek audio chips have this option.

3) The proper way to do it IMO is to buy a USB DAC. I recommend this little fella.

Behringer UCA202

You can even plug in your Yamaha on the RCA out and the active desktop speakers on the headphone output and not bother with selecting devices to switch between desktop and hifi.

Small note: The Behringer is technically an Audio Interface, not a standalone DAC.

1) No not at the same time, although i guess it would be possible with the UCA202 RCA out/headphone out solution right?

2)I do have a menu of options coming up whenever i plug in a 3.5 mm plug, maybe i can just select 2 line outs that way,

3)Funny i was just reading about it, its cheap and gets very good reviews..whats not to like about that!

I think i will just try it.*biggrin*

Good idea with the headphone out for the active speakers, altough i did read that the sound quality was better from the RCA out, they where testing this using the phone out for actual headphones though, not speakers.

Maybe a stupid question but what would one do with the input on the UCA202? is that for hooking up music instruments etc?

I know it is being described as a audio interface but you could just ignore options and use it as a dac right, thats good enough for me :)
 

Vladimir

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Audio Interface is better for a PC based system. Standalone DAC is the same thing but made to work also without a PC. For example to connect a CDP optical or coax on it.

You can use the Behringer inputs not just for instruments but also to rip vinyl from a turntable, CDs from your CDP or even cassettes and 8tracks. It basically digitizes any analogue source you feed it.
 

Trippysounds

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Vladimir said:
You can use the Behringer inputs not just for instruments but also to rip vinyl from a turntable, CDs from your CDP or even cassettes and 8tracks. It basically digitizes any analogue source you feed it.

Any advantages when ripping with this little machine over just ripping with your pc's cd tray <--(the real word eludes me at the moment:p)

Is it also posibble to hook up a mp3 player to a get better sound quaility? I guess not since this is allready a digital signal?

Just asking al my noob questions here but thats how you learn stuff right ;)
 

Vladimir

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Trippysounds said:
Any advantages when ripping with this little machine over just ripping with your pc's cd tray <--(the real word eludes me at the moment:p)

You may have small laptop without CD/DVD/BR fascilities but you have a CD player and you want to rip your CD library. Surely you won't buy a new computer or external CD drive. Just buy this lil guy.

Ripping from the CD-ROM (man that sounds old!) has advantages with the capability of error correction for scratched CDs and badly made CD-Rs. The normal CD player reads "on the fly" and won't correct anything.

Trippysounds said:
Is it also posibble to hook up a mp3 player to a get better sound quaility? I guess not since this is allready a digital signal?

I doubt it but why not give it a try.
 

Trippysounds

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Will do. I've just ordered the device, it should be here tomorrow evening. I'm very curious about the sound from my computer through this thing. will report back here once i find out :)

Thank you for your help vladimir
 

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