How to combine a sound system with active and passive speakers?

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thenfra Posted messages 4 Status Member -
Jojolaguitare Posted messages 12012 Registration date Status Member Last intervention - 24 Dec 2018 at 15:06

Hello,

I pulled out some old speakers:

- Active speakers: impedance 4 Ohms, RCA connection
- Passive speakers: impedance 4 Ohms, 2-pin DIN connection (very old gear lol)

I am currently using the active speakers connected to my living room TV and would like to add the passive speakers to my sound system.

Initially, I thought about buying an amplifier so I could connect everything and manage the sound system centrally. But then I realized that it is not possible to connect active speakers to an amplifier as it could seriously damage them. Is there any equipment or solution that would allow me to use both active and passive speakers at the same time?

Thank you very much in advance for your answers :)

5 answers

Answer 1 / 5

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Anonymous user

For active speakers, they should be connected in parallel with the amplifier input, while passive speakers are connected to the output.
5
1. thenfra Posted messages 4 Status Member
  
  Hello carol103, thank you for your reply. I have no idea how to connect in parallel... My passive speakers only have 2 wires for the input and nothing else. Do I need to buy equipment to connect them in parallel? Sorry, I'm a total beginner... Best regards.
  
  1
Answer 2 / 5
fmq Posted messages 4899 Registration date Status Contributor Last intervention 721

Good evening

you can plug your powered speakers
into the REC OUT jacks of the amp
but the volume control won't be "centralized"

otherwise, you need to buy an adapter to connect your powered speakers
to the same jacks as the other speakers

ciao ciao

--
it's a good day to live today !
1
Answer 3 / 5
Jojolaguitare Posted messages 12012 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 2 782

Hello.

WARNING about the RMS power of these passive speakers. But also pay attention to their impedance!
The output of an active speaker is generally 8 ohms. So the passive speaker must be 8 ohms. Let's assume it is 4 ohms, the amplifier of the active speaker will not like it at all and will burn out in the short term. So impedance should be checked before any installation.

See you soon . . .

--
"Patience leads to good, haste leads to nothing"
1
1. fmq Posted messages 4899 Registration date Status Contributor Last intervention 721
  
  Good evening Jojo
  
  I was talking about an external amplifier
  not the one integrated into the active speaker
  
  ciao ciao
  
  0
2. Jojolaguitare Posted messages 12012 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 2 782
  
  Hi fmq.
  
  Don't worry, I got it :-)
  I was quoting in case of direct connection of a passive speaker to an active one. An active speaker often has an output to connect a passive speaker in parallel. And that's where the danger lies if the final impedance drops below 2 ohms. For example, for 8 ohms + 4 ohms in parallel, we get to 1/((1/8)+(1/4)) = 2.666 ohms! Provided the drivers of the speakers are in good condition.
  
  It's the same for power: if the active speaker delivers 100 watts RMS and the passive speaker is rated at 20 watts RMS, it's very likely that at 50 watts of power, the passive will give up the ghost.
  
  But I'll stop here ... You probably already know all this.
  
  Best regards . . . See you!
  
  0
3. fmq Posted messages 4899 Registration date Status Contributor Last intervention 721
  
  it's not wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  best regards zossi
  
  any help is always welcome
  
  nobody is perfect and certainly not me !!
  
  ciao ciao
  
  0
Answer 4 / 5
fmq Posted messages 4899 Registration date Status Contributor Last intervention 721

good evening
I'm making a little drawing to explain myself

tv==>amp
amp speaker outputs ==> passive speakers
amp speaker outputs ==>adapter ==> powered speakers

ciao ciao

--
it's a good day to live today!
1
1. thenfra Posted messages 4 Status Member
  
  Thank you very much, but I will go for the solution without an adapter, despite the drawbacks of the volume control not being centralized :)
  
  0
Answer 5 / 5
fmq Posted messages 4899 Registration date Status Contributor Last intervention 721

re me

what are your speakers ?????
brand model photos
thanks

ciao ciao

--
it's a good day to live today !
0
1. thenfra Posted messages 4 Status Member
  
  Thank you very much for your response! I'm going to buy an amplifier that has the Rec Out function. My active speakers are Lonsen and the passive ones are Hitachi. The Lonsen are not bad, but the Hitachi are average; however, I'm sure that by connecting all four at the same time, it could be nice. I live in an apartment, and I'm not going to do anything crazy either because I might have problems with the neighbors :P
  
  0
  1. fmq Posted messages 4899 Registration date Status Contributor Last intervention 721 > thenfra Posted messages 4 Status Member
    
    evening
    
    okie
    
    see you
    
    well, Christmas
    
    ciao ciao
    
    0
2. Jojolaguitare Posted messages 12012 Registration date Status Member Last intervention 2 782
  
  Hello.
  
  >>> I'm going to buy myself an amp <<<
  
  It's the best solution. At least the power volumes will be independent and you can better regulate the power of the speakers. Because surely the sensitivity (dB) of the Lonsen and Hitachi must be different.
  
  Good music . . . ♪ ♫ .♪ and Merry Christmas
  
  0

How to combine a sound system with active and passive speakers?

5 answers

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