Parallel vs Series

Richy11 · Post by **Richy11** » Sun May 30, 2004 2:45 pm

What are the pro's and cons between seriies and parallel wiring?

Anyone??????

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Sun May 30, 2004 2:53 pm

For speakers or pups?

Richy11 · Post by **Richy11** » Sun May 30, 2004 5:50 pm

DrRog wrote:For speakers or pups?

Speaker cab wiring

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon May 31, 2004 7:22 am

Apart from matching cab impedance to amp, the simplistic way I see it is:

Parallel - load shared by all speakers according to individual driver impedance

Series - load is constant through ALL drivers

What I mean by that is that , in series, there is only one current path, therefore the speakers must individually be capable of handling the full power required. In parallel the total load is shared across the speakers, since there are multiple current paths.

A f'rinstance:

We have a 100W @ 8 Ohm amp and we want to use 2 speakers in our cabinet, since we believe that two speakers will give us a better sound than one (that's s different topic).

We could use two 4 Ohm speakers in series to give the 8 Ohms requd, but each speaker must be capable of handling at least 100W.

If we want to run two speakers in parallel, we can't use those 4 Ohm drivers - We must use two 16 Ohm speakers. However, each speaker need only be a min 50W handling power rated.

Parallel wiring therefore allows us to use cheaper speakers (usually power rating is relative to cost).

As far as sonic differences, I personally can't hear them - but that doesn't mean there is none - just that my ears may be less discerning than yours.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon May 31, 2004 7:33 am

Also, in our twin speaker cab - should one speaker die when we are series connected - all sound stops. If wired in parallel and one peaker dies, we can limp home at half power - the show can go on!

ash · Post by **ash** » Mon May 31, 2004 7:43 am

Series wiring will give a more open and loose sound. I can't hear it myself, but that is the theory.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon May 31, 2004 7:52 am

Yes, Ash I 'd heard such claims too, but since I can't tell the difference myself, the theory doesn't hold water for me.

Mind you, I've also read about some guitarist (yes, US, of course) who claims to be able to tell the difference between batteries in effector pedals...

Richy11 · Post by **Richy11** » Mon May 31, 2004 11:03 am

Like the guy on top gear last night who could hear the difference between a 993's door closing and a 996.

stark · Post by **stark** » Mon May 31, 2004 11:27 am

DrRog wrote: I've also read about some guitarist (yes, US, of course) who claims to be able to tell the difference between batteries in effector pedals...

Eric Johnson, yeah?

when i got my quad (which i should never have sold

) it was had 16 ohm greenbacks wired in series/parallel to give a 16 ohm load for the cab.

maybe it was my imagination, but the 2 speakers that were getting the +ve signal seemed to be louder than the ones getting the -ve signal. I rewired it to 4 ohms (all parallel), and i think it did sound tighter, it was certainly loder cos i switched the amp impedance from 16 to 4 to match it.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon May 31, 2004 12:08 pm

> the guy on top gear last night who could hear the difference between a 993's door closing and a 996.

LOL - yes my wife made some comment about him getting a life....

Bearing in mind its not truly a motoring show as much as motoring entertainment, I got a laugh out of the comment about Skylines being a car for the playstation generation...

BTW - my pick would be the Ferrari over the AML

Richy11 · Post by **Richy11** » Mon May 31, 2004 1:22 pm

But don't you know Skylines and Subaru's alike are the best cars in the world. Everyone should stop dreaming of Ferrari's, McLarens, and Lambo's. And all go out and buy a Skyline. I mean the big fat guy who did that piece said they were so he must be right. That must also be why dosn't have a job on Top Gear anymore. Cause he's driving his skyline all the time.
The car for the playstation generation is easily a Escudo Pikes Peak Edition. Thats the car everyone strived to get in Gran Turismo. Because it had 996bhp. And you could put an aftermarket turbo on it and get it up to 1800bhp. Yes 1800. So in conclusion all boy racers want a brick with 996 bhp.

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Mon May 31, 2004 1:29 pm

LOL - you might be right.

All I know about these supercars is that I always lose it playing Need for Speed or similar, but if I pick a lower power car, I never spin out, miss a corner and my times are always more respectable.

Mind you, when I log in to the game a little flag comes up saying "What you gonna wreck today, loser? Go and play chess, you're better at it!" LOL

ash · Post by **ash** » Mon May 31, 2004 5:24 pm

DrRog wrote: Mind you, I've also read about some guitarist (yes, US, of course) who claims to be able to tell the difference between batteries in effector pedals...

Technically it is possible for different battery brands to produce a very slightly different sound. Its a capacitance issue. But any numbnuts who thinks he can hear it might want to up his medication.

I find it amusing how we all spend great wads of cash in the eternal search for the ultimate tone, and yet the people we're playing to by and large don't have a freakin' clue what the difference is...and probably don't give a rat's either...

ratfink · Post by **ratfink** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:24 pm

mm that's assuming we're playing to/for people. Some of us just play for our own enjoyment and get satisfaction from our own sounds.

Richy11 · Post by **Richy11** » Mon May 31, 2004 9:58 pm

ratfink wrote:mm that's assuming we're playing to/for people. Some of us just play for our own enjoyment and get satisfaction from our own sounds.

hahaha thats funny "get satisfaction from you own sounds" ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Sorry but thats funny.