Want to add 2 more speakers to stereo amp- CXA80

I use an Audiosource amp to power my ceiling and outdoor speakers!
https://www.crutchfield.com/shopsearch/audiosource.html

I am not sure that you would need to drop another 1K for the amp.

Keep in mind that the SQ drop has much to do with the speaker placement in the ceiling. You will never have the soundstage/imaging of your main system. You can come close with tonal balance across the midrange. You can achieve pleasant sound.
May not have to spend 1K on speakers either. 

I once had a B&K amp that had attenuators for each channel that I think would work well for this situation. Parasound also made (makes?) same. 

I would not give up on this.

Thank you Yogiboy, Thank you Mesch.

it sounds like I should probably down grade the quality of the ceilings speakers...$500 a piece Dynaudio ceilings to be ran with a $180 Dayton power amp plugged into the preout of my Cambridge cXA80 just doesn’t make sense from a SQ downgrade with such expensive ceiling speakers.
Honestly, I was hoping to hear that the SQ down grade with an inexpensive second power amp would not drop too much, because I would still be utilizing the pre amp of my entry level hifi Cambridge Amp... but sounds like I would need to drop another grande on a power amp with a volume knob  to be close to the SQ my tower speakers are receiving.
All good friends, infinity junkers for the ceiling? Yuck! Ha!

Most any amp that you use will have a problem running two sets of speakers at the same time. If you can find ceiling speakers that are rated at a 16 ohm load then you can use all of the speakers at the same time. The only other option is if you wire the speakers in series. Doing that will double the impedance load on the amp. Like I originally told you if you use one pair of the speakers at a time you will not have problem!

I think the option provided by Yogi is the way to go. You will be using the secondary amplifier to drive the ceiling speakers. SQ will not be comparable to that of your mains. Speakers and room are not comparable. Volumes in both rooms can be controlled.

 

*Theres no way my questions about adding 2 additional speakers to a stereo amp that has A,B and AB functions, stumped a whole community of hifi enthusiasts! :)

Could someone out there in HIfi land please look at my latest question below and let me know your thoughts? There no way my questions about adding 2 additional speakers to a sr
tere amp that has A,Band AB functions, stumped a whole community of hifi enthusiasts! :)

 Thanks for anyone who take a look  at my dilemma.



Yogiboy, I’ve been thinking about the options you offered all week and have some more questions sir. :)   I’m intrigued by the additional amp with volume control that you suggested but wondered if this is just a minimal SQ degradation or a larger one.... I have always said that you have to have a really trained ear to hear the difference between a 1-2k amp from a $5k amp.... but a  buddy  of any of us who spends little time with hifi... could tell the difference between a $200 Best Buy amp and an entry level stereo amp at the 1-$2k range... with that being said is the $150 range additional amp to power the new Dyn audio ceiling speakers going to be blending junking SQ with strong entry level SQ? My Cambridge CXA80 has dual mono config with minimal crosstalk and is really well built in my opinion.

So questions for you:
1) Is the reason why I would need an additional amp with volume, because of 5-8ohm mis match to my 8/4 ohm amp? And would the two room option work if I found different ceiling speakers for the kitchen, that matched up more properly with ohms?

2) If I need the additional amp( different ohm combo will not cure my problem), to power 2 rooms at the same time, and the sound quality will be blending low cost SQ with above avg entry level hifi SQ.... would I be better off getting some cheapo ceiling speakers from a bestbuy( or where ever)? Maybe dropping $500 per ceiling speaker on Dyns with $150 additional power amp,would be like putting Pirreli tires on a 20 year old Honda Accord?

3) Is there an ohm option with a higher grade  stereo amp than my CXA80 that would allow for strong SQ for both rooms in The 1-2k range?( Is there a multi room buz word I should search for while staying in the stereo amp category)?

Thanks for entertaining my headache of questions!

Yogiboy, I’ve been thinking about the options you offered all week and have some more questions sir. :) So I’m an entry level Hifi guy, but I probably hang on to the details a little tighter than your typical entry level guy...  I’m intrigued by the additional amp with volume control that you suggested but wondered if this is just a minimal SQ degradation or a larger one.... I have always said that you have to have a really trained ear to hear the difference of A 1-2k amp from a 5k amp.... but your buddy who spends little time with hifi... could tell the difference between a $200 Best Buy amp and an entry level stereo amp at the 1-2k range... with that being said is the $150 additional amp to power the new Dyn audio ceiling speakers going to be blending junking SQ with strong entry level SQ? My Cambridge CXA80 has dual mono config with minimal crosstalk and is really well built in my opinion.

So questions for you:
1) Is the reason why I would need an additional amp with volume, because of 5-8ohm mis match to my 8/4 ohm amp? And would the two room option work if I found different ceiling speakers for the kitchen, that matched up more properly with ohms?

2) If I need the additional amp( different ohm combo will not cure my problem), to power 2 rooms at the same time, and the sound quality will be blending low cost SQ with above avg entry level hifi SQ.... would I be better off getting some cheapo ceiling speakers from a bestbuy( or where ever)? Maybe dropping $500 per ceiling speaker on Dyns with $150 additional power amp,would be like putting Pirreli tires on a 20 year old Honda Accord?

3) Is there an ohm option with a higher grade  stereo amp than my CXA80 that would allow for strong SQ for both rooms in The 1-2k range?( Is there a multi room buz word I should search for while staying in the stereo amp category)?

Thanks for entertaining my headache of questions!

Thanks yogiboy. 

You will have no problem if you play one room at a time. If you want to play both rooms at the same time you will have a problem.
The reason I showed you that Dayton amp is because it has a volume control so you can match the volume on both sets of speakers when you want to play both at the same time.
You can use any power amp but you should find one with a volume control!

Yogiboy... correction on my last note... so I can only play 1 room at a time? ( not 2 room at time)

Yogiboy, so my amp has a setting for a separate room option for 2 additional speakers... but I can only play 2 room at a time, not both rooms at same time? Is that because the ohms are different on 2 sets of speakers?

Will the SQ on my towers be reduced with a 2nd room set up, if I’m only playing the tower speaker room?
Thanks.

If you want all 4 speakers playing together the load on your amp will be to low and the amp will most likely shut down. That CXA80 has preamp outputs. You can run a power amp and hook up the ceiling speakers to that amp and there will be no problem using all the speakers together!

Something like this for the ceiling speakers would work!
https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-APA150-150W-Power-Amplifier-300-812

Thank you raysmtb1 but I believe this article goes deep into electrical formulas and what have you for an amp that does not have additional speaker options.... my Cambridge CXA80 does have A, B and/or A/B speaker option for a separate room.

Do you have any advice on my questions above, or does any other Audiogon viewers have some friendly advice for me?

Thanks!

I asked this question to myself in the past. I found this guy to be very helpful. I would explain it to you but I would probably screw it up. Here’s a link to his website.https://geoffthegreygeek.com/connecting-multiple-speakers-to-amplifier/