Impotence Question


Now that I have your attention...my question is about impedance matching in speaker selectors. I have a Bryston 3-way speaker switch box, which does not have impedance matching/balancing. As far as I understand it is a simple three-way switch box with minimal signal path to travel. It has three on/off buttons which operate independently from each other. So I was curious what exactly happens when I switch my 100 watt amp to drive two pairs of 8-ohm monitors simultaneously (yes, besides the fact that both sets of speakers are playing)? Are there sacrifices in performance, and are those sacrifices linear or do they show up in different ways for each pair of speakers? It does not occur to me to drop the volume significantly in one pair of speakers when engaging the second pair which are downstairs, though I imagine this must happen as it's splitting the output of one amp between two pairs of speakers. So what is going on, and how does it differ from a selector which compensates for impedance? I think Niles actually terms their system "Impedance Protection".

Marco
jax2
Are you from the land down under Joe? Cause I think you must be speaking some of that Aussie slang now. Just the thought of an 'accordian' is like to make me crack-a-fat...at least on a good day!

Marco
Just to protect The Who's "good" name, a squeezebox, my gutter minded friends is an accordian. But you already knew that, didn't you!
Looks like Apple computers have taken a clue from the Audiophile community for once! Check out their new edition of the iPod!!!

Marco
Taking a more purists standpoint when dealing with Kevin Bacon Greased Lightnin' contact enhancers, the shorter signal path, the better. For avoiding noise and degradation reducing the number of parts the signal goes through and thus minimize the length of the path from input to output, it's best to loose your Fruit of The Loom boxers, or briefs entirely and just go full out commando Bare Wire. I did just hear through the grapevine that the new fad mod for the Strange Fruit System Suspension Swing is no longer the plastic oranges and wax apples, but all about the Ginkgo Biloba rubber grapes. This odd question you ponder about, as far as what underwear Fabio wears? If I had to take a wild guess, I would think that it's safe to assume that Fabio may be a DK design by Donna Karen Edible Undies wearer?

http://www.cform.dk/pages-global/en-main/frames/glass-en.htm

The Ultimate "Class A = apple" suspension hanging Fru-It basket isolation system.
Actually, I carry the big stick. My S.O. does not speak all that softly. I prefer
the box I live in to cardboard, but I like my wife's squeeze-box best of all,
though i can't live there. I do enjoy the visits though. I'd like to use the same
contact enhancer as Fabio does on his Krell gear, but I CAN believe it's
definitely NOT butter, so I'll stick with the bacon grease instead. I got yer'
fruit salad right here my friend...numero uno y dos. Do you know what kind
of underware Fabio wears? Bet he carries a bit stick too? Boxers? Left side or
right? Bet Fabio doesn't have any swtichboxes at home, or dangling fruit
basket pinata stereo systems! Speaking of which, I heard that Kevin Deal over
at Upscale came out with a hanging fruitbasket system that'll knock your
socks off. There are two versions, both made over there in the former
People's Republic so they're as affordable as a pair of boxers! Actually the
same factory also produces boxers with pictures of tropical fruit on'em that
are so cheap the workers actually pay you to take a pair! The Prima Frutta
hanging fruitbasket systems were a hit with Stereophile who've given them
class B status. There are several aftermarket mod guru's here in the States as
well as in Canada that are authorized to do the mods on those babies,
replacing all the caps with audiophile grade, as well as replacing the plastic
oranges and apples with superior European plastic fruit. The $900 mod takes
the units into class A, while the $1400 gets you a real wicker basket and
additional garnish bringing the baskets into what Art Dudley termed as
"...nothing short of fruitopia!...Blows away fruit basket systems ten
times more expensive...The fruit looks so real you'll want to eat 'em, but
don't; they'll make you sick!"

Marco
Marco, Yes using Bacon Grease as a contact enhancer makes the music flow with Silent Lucidity. But you can probably also experiment with the usage of lard, butter, margarine, vegetable shortening, Parkay, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® (Fabio uses the later with his Krell system, when Jammin' with The Bird), Pam, Crisco, and quite possibly any cooking oil in place of bacon grease. I was tossing the "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" idea with your system numero uno, dos, tres, Fruit Salad. But now that you mentioned that your significant other speaks softly and carries a Big Stick, we may actually be getting to the root of your impotence issues. Yes the Switchbox is then the solution, so you can have more Squeezebox. As a fourth system may eventually set forth towards Swapbox, Swingbox, or just Simply Boxed Out. And I'm sure in the end you'd rather just be Living in a Box, Living in a Cardboard Box. So enjoy your 3 Systems, your Box, and still....Have a Super 4th, Happy Independance Day!
Did'nt I read somewhere that bacon grease makes for a good contact enhancer? If I did that "Strange Fruit" camo'd 4th system hanging from the ceiling like you suggest, it would soon become an audio-pinata when my wife found out what was inside. I can just see the rectifiers and plastic pineapple parts flying about the room once that broom handle starts swinging! I'll keep my cap at three systems and work the switchbox angle so I can take part in more of that squeezebox playing at night!

Marco
Marco, You should have mentioned your 3 Systems from the Go-Go. I can understand the whole Kitchen system issue as there's Bacon grease splatter concerns.

I have owned most of the Bryston line-up, yet never had the need for one of their Switch Boxes. I do recall them also having Impedance Protection, as the Bryston units are built more robust for the pro-audio venue then the Niles units. The Brystons are made to handle wattage levels that their 7bst, and 14bst amps can crank out.

Getting to the bottom of your Switch Box question would be a worth while call to James Tanner at Bryston who would but your mind at rest. I would venture to say that your still running the same 8 ohm load, just splitting the wattage.

But then if it where me, I'd pass on the Switch Box entirely. I'd modify a ceiling hanging fruit basket to suspend a 4th system in the Kitchen. Then throw on some Billie Holiday, and enjoy my new Strange Fruit System Suspension Swing.
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I think the Who's dude was cranking his tunes pretty loud too:

Well the kids don't eat
And the dog can't sleep
There's no escape from the music
In the whole damn street

...or maybe tuning his crank?

I do have three full systems and I do believe my wife would leave me if I were to assemble another. The kitchen just doesn't have room for a dedicated system installed, which is why the switchbox and the long run.

Marco
Hey Marco,

Reminds me of song by The Who that went...

She's playing all night
And the music's all tight
Mama's got a Switch Box
Daddy never sleeps at night

She goes in and out and in and out and in and out and in and out.

Yet I don't recall the lyrics ever mentioning that Daddy was Questioning Impotence?

Back to the point...What's up with the whole Switch Box thing?

Marco why not just sell that 3 way Squeeze Box and finish building another system? Prior to you getting tempted to add a 3rd pair of exterior yard speakers that look like Rolling Stones?
marco nothing significant to be concerned about so don't worry about it. You are loading to 4 ohms (or possibly slightly less at some freq's) as long as you aren't cranking out high power it's not a concern. When you ARE blasting then only drive a single pair of speakers to be absolutely safe.
Viridian - you slay me! Don't mind if i do:

Tripper - calm down dude...you haven't called 911 yet have you? No tubes in this system...this is really my WAF system and I'd certainly admit there are a few compromises. Nevertheless, it sounds purty damn good. 100 watt integrated (Portal Panache). 25 foot run of 14ga downstairs if you must know. Tara cables to the mains..bi-wired. But I swear, I cannot hear any difference in volume engaging the second pair of speakers. Weird...that's what I would've thought too. What gives there? Upstairs Silverline SR17s, downstairs Soliloquy SAT5's. Respectively 89db and 87db sensitivities at 8ohms.

Any further insight?

Really, no need to panic. Nothing happening here folks...go on home now....nuthin' ta'see here now, break it up now....go'on, git!

Marco
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Marco,

You certainly got my attention with your catchy title, but, I am sorry I cannot answer your question, it's just that I thought someone wants all of us to know that listening to too much music may lead to the person becoming impotant, thank God it is not the case :)
There will be only slight reduction of volume when the second speakers are connected. The amp will put out a certain voltage (corresponding to volume level) but with two speakers being driven the amp will have to pump out twice as much current to maintain the voltage.

Give it a try and see how it works before spending much money.
Marco, You are indeed doubling the load to 4 ohms, nominally. Most [tube] amps [if that's what you are running] are not well-equipped to drive such loads, 4- ohm taps notwithstanding. Even many ss amps don't like low impedance loads. Of course, the proof is in the pudding, or listening, in this case.
Niles probably runs an interstage xfrmr for such purposes. Not all xfrmrs are bad, but the Niles' first priority may not be sound quality. Better to procure an amp for the second pair, although gain-matching issues come into play unless amps and spkrs are respectively identical. The Hafler "quad" ckt may be an option. Oops, guess not if one pair is downstairs. I just imagined the horror of 50 foot cables, too long for any sane app. Sorry if I raised more ?S than answers, but that may go to the root of your problem. Best is two spkrs, one amp, imo. Perhaps a condom next time?