I have a Sierra sound board and I want to put it in my Beyer Garrett with a speaker in the front tender and one in the rear tender the question is which speakers?

I have a pair I’m thinking to use and they are 4ohm 5 watt each. Will these work or do I need a pair that is 8ohm each?

This speaker stuff is hard to figure out.

2 4 ohm speakers in series would be about 8 ohms. 8 ohms is what the Sierra wants to work with. 2 4 ohm speakers in parallel would be about 2 ohms, and that would probably let the magic smoke out of the Sierra board. So, if done right, the 2 speakers should work.

And, just in case someone reading this does not know how to wire speakers in series, here is an image stolen off the web. Ignore the wattage markings, not important in your application…

Yes, phasing of the speakers is important too.

Thanks John.

Thanks guys. I will have to set up my speakers according to that diagram and give it a try before installing.

The plus and minus wiring is relative to how the speakers are placed. If they face the same direction then the above diagram is correct.

If they are back to back then this wiring will cancel out all the base as the speaker cones will move in opposite directions thus creating no sound.

Dan Pierce said:

The plus and minus wiring is relative to how the speakers are placed. If they face the same direction then the above diagram is correct.

If they are back to back then this wiring will cancel out all the base as the speaker cones will move in opposite directions thus creating no sound.

Maybe, but maybe not…, and maybe the opposite.

He intends to put them in separate enclosures, so the back pressure of the cone from one speaker has no effect on the other. Because the the speakers may face downward, or in different directions, the only phase that then matters is if the sounds of the speakers are in phase when they reach the ear. This would be determined by several factors, but comes down to experimentation (i.e., try both ways and see what give better bass at the listening position).

Also, as noted, if they are mounted back-to-back (or front-to-front), this is called an iso-barik or compound arrangement, and you would want them phased in opposite directions so one pulls in while the other pushes out so they work together. If they are in phase they would both pull in or push out at the same time canceling each other.

I have a 2 4 ohm speaker set up like the Jon’s diagram in a box car. Mounted on opposite walls, facing each other, and they both work as one. No cancelling. I just used the car yesterday at a buds indoor layout and they mentioned how good they sounded. It was an Alco dismal sound card.

I had some time this evening and tried the 2 speakers wired together according to Johns diagram and it worked. The next step is to figure out how to set this up in the Garratt and to find some time to do it.

Thanks guys.