Maximum monitors per auxiliary send

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This topic contains 9 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by Profile photo of JimO JimO 9 years, 10 months ago.

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  • #39775
    Profile photo of JimO
    JimO
    Participant

    Is there a maximum number of monitors that can be controlled by a single auxiliary send? We have two monitors on one auxiliary and it was suggested that a third monitor be added but there was another suggestion that no more than two monitors could be connected to a single Aux. No reason why was given.

    In case my terminology is incorrect… On our GL2400 (not GLD model) soundboard we have four AUX controls leading to on-stage monitors. I apologize for posting in this forum but there seemed to be no forum for an A&H GL model but I’m guessing the question pertains to all soundboards.

    TIA,
    Jim

    #39776
    Profile photo of eotsskleet
    eotsskleet
    Participant

    You can connect as many monitors to one aux as you wish.. But you have to use just one Aux output at your console… However.. Normaly you can “link” your monitors together… Do you have active or passive monitors? If there are no possibilities to link monitors then you have to use a splitter between the GL2400 and the amps/active-monitors

    #39783
    Profile photo of JimO
    JimO
    Participant

    Thank you for responding.

    All our monitors are passive monitors and pass through amps. The church is wired and each wall plug has an outlet for each auxiliary.

    Does that answer your questions? I am somewhat new to the sound booth so don’t fully understand the connectivity, yet.

    #39784
    Profile photo of dpdan
    dpdan
    Participant

    Hi Jim,
    provided you have commercial amplifiers with decent power for the monitors, you can connect up to three 8 ohm monitor speakers to each amp channel. You need to make sure that each amplifier output is connected to just one wall plate. When I install systems in churches, I connect the stage monitor amplifier outputs to many different floor pockets (in your case wall plates) this allows convenient connection to the various mixes around the stage area. HOWEVER!!!!! if the same amp channel (auxiliary) is connected to more than one wall plate,,,, you should not connect more than three 8 ohm speakers total to the amplifier. Two is the maximum that most people recommend, but three can be safely used without damage to anything. Just a side note, the little Galaxy Hotspot monitor speakers are 16 ohm. Twice as many 16 ohm speakers can be connected as compared to 8 ohm.

    Ohms is the way we measure impedance (resistance), if we have (two) 8 ohm speakers that means our load that is connected to the amplifier is about 4 ohms, if we have (two) 16 ohm speakers connected to the amplifier we have a load of 8 ohms. Sorry if some of that was redundant or confusing but as long as your monitor speakers are 8 ohms three is the max or you will damage amplifiers and then possibly the speakers too. It is best to stick with just two 8 ohm speakers especially if the amplifiers are running kinda loud.

    There will be someone posting that says I am nuts for telling you that three 8 ohm speakers is OK on one amp, but I have done it without issues for years and years.

    Dan

    #39785
    Profile photo of GCumbee
    GCumbee
    Participant

    One a side note. If your power amps are rated to 2 ohms you can connect up to 4 8ohm cabinets. 5 would yield 1.6ohms which is endangering your amplifier. I still usually only do 2-3/amp channel.

    #39786
    Profile photo of JimO
    JimO
    Participant

    dpdan. Thank you. That helped considerably. Additional research, at church, will determine exactly what have. We will then be cautious!

    GCumbee, Thank you.

    #39787
    Profile photo of dpdan
    dpdan
    Participant

    I would run some music through aux one and see how many wall plates provide sound for that aux,
    then test all the other plates and auxes to make sure what is what.
    GCumbee is correct too 🙂
    Dan

    #39789
    Profile photo of GCumbee
    GCumbee
    Participant

    There are charts or calculators to figure that but the simple math is take the impedance of the speakers. Typical 8 ohm. Divide that by the total number of speakers on that channel. Say 4. 8/4= 2ohm. 8/5= 1.6ohm

    #39790
    Profile photo of GCumbee
    GCumbee
    Participant

    You can see how adding more speakers affects the load. 2 at 4ohm is usually preferred. I have large systems wth only 1 per channel. The power delivered by the amp increases as the load goes down but the amp is working harder and running warmer. Most modern amplifiers handle it well though. I am replacing an amp in a school gym a friend installed 14 yrs ago. It has 5 cabinets per channel. We figured the long cable runs(DC resistance)bumped it up over 2 ohms. Have not measured it but the old amp lasted that long.

    #39792
    Profile photo of JimO
    JimO
    Participant

    GCumbee, thank you for the technical and anecdotal information. It is appreciated.

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