Setting up to 7.1 to 11.1

[msnoopy22]

Okay I ordered a Pio SC-05. It's a 7.1 receiver. Here's my question. I have 2 couch's in my living room. I would like to surround both couch's with 7.1 (4 speakers). I would be running 8 speakers out of my surrounds. Could I damage the receiver? Will it work? Is it not reccommended???

[Twitch9]

you can but you have to run your speakers in a series configuration, if you just hook up all your speakers straight to the receivers output you will damage your receivers. hooking up 4 8ohm speakers directly to the receiver will create a 4 ohm load and 8 speakers will be 2ohm load and will cause damage. i just posted a form explaining this very thing.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=104011

[msnoopy22]

Originally Posted by Twitch9

you can but you have to run your speakers in a series configuration, if you just hook up all your speakers straight to the receivers output you will damage your receivers. hooking up 4 8ohm speakers directly to the receiver will create a 4 ohm load and 8 speakers will be 2ohm load and will cause damage. i just posted a form explaining this very thing.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=104011

What is a series configuration??? Does that mean I twist the wires together or put them in one at a time??

[GeneD5]

that sounds like a train wreck man...the people on 1 couch will hear all of the stuff going on at the other couch thereby ruining their own surround experience. It is a novel idea but I wouldn't...

[Rob J in WNY]

Originally Posted by msnoopy22

What is a series configuration??? Does that mean I twist the wires together or put them in one at a time??

Overall, I would not recommend what you are trying to do for a couple reasons. For the record, I have a Pioneer Elite SC-05 receiver.

First a little speaker theory:

Two 4-ohm speakers connected in series will operate at a safe 8-ohms, but with about 3dB of loss at each speaker, versus having just two 8-ohm speakers. It's really not a big deal - a modification of your surround channel levels can compensate.

Definitely DO NOT hook up two 8-ohm speakers in parallel. As previously stated, it will drop your impedance down to 4-ohms. The Pioneer Elite SC-05 is stable with 6-ohm loads (so says the Operating Instructions on page 134), but I would not recommend going down to 4-ohms.

Now, the other problem. If you have one couch behind the other, you will definitely wind up with soundfield error as the rear couch will hear some surround-back material in front, and the front couch will hear some surround material in the surround-back position. If the couches are side-by-side, then there will be a lot of "blending" of stereoscopic surround material in the surround and surround-back positions. It's a sonic conundrum, to say the least!

By the way, all this aside, you chose a fantastic receiver. You will be very happy with its performance, features, and of course, its sexy looks!