# Playing Music using a splitter?



## Beepem (Jul 17, 2006)

Ok, as usual I am going to ask a stupid question. I dont think just one set of my speakers is loud enough, so could I use a splitter and hook my audio source(mp3 player) up to 2 sets of speakers and it would be twice as loud? Or would it not work because my mp3 player can only put out so much sound and each set of speakers would be half as loud as the setup with just one set of speakers?

I hope that made sense...

thanks


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## NecroBones (Feb 10, 2006)

Are they amplified speakers? That is, do they have AC power cords? If so, then yes, you can get more volume (though probably not truly double).


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## Long_Tom (Oct 7, 2006)

Strange things start happening when you put multiple speakers on the same circuit. If you put them in parallel, you get half the impedance (fairly typically going from 8 ohms to 4) and if the power amplifier can't handle the lower impedance, you burn it out. If you put them in series you get double the impedance, which is safer for the amplifier, but not as loud. You will have more sound because there are twice as many speaker cones being driven, but it's still the same original electricity driving twice as many elements, and being run at double the impedance.

If you really want more sound, the best way is to hook your mp3 player to the input of a real power amplifier that has A + B speaker channels and hook up loudspeakers to that.


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

What you could do is get you a cheap reciever from a garage sale that had 4 outputs. That would work too.


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## ZombieLoveme (Jul 6, 2007)

To paraphrase the above: Unless you add power through an amp, you will only be spreading the power thinner across more speakers.


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## Troy (Oct 14, 2006)

What I do is buy the little headphone amps, they use 2 double A batteries and are available at Radio Shack, Best Buys etc. They work really well and the batteries will last all Season.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Troy, do you have a R/S part number for those amps? Thanks!


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## Severin (Aug 5, 2007)

Otaku said:


> Troy, do you have a R/S part number for those amps? Thanks!


I think these are the item

RadioShack Headphone amps

Item 33-1109


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

Here is just a little FYI, Beepem

If you have a speaker and add another one with the same output you get a 6 dBSPL increase. (3 dBIL)

If you move the sound source 1/2 the distance closer to the listener then you also get a 6 dBSL increase in sound. If you move 1/2 of the remaining distance closer you get a another 6 dBSPL increase. 

So maybe play the speakers as they are and stand at a distance that you like the loudness. See if how far you are from them. Maybe that will give you an idea of how much output you will need at the distance they will be from the listener to achieve the same loudness. I don't know if the speakers have specs on the dB max capability. 

It is so difficult to talk about loudness and how it relates to dBSPL. If you double the output you don't get a perceived double in loudness. It would take 10 speakers with equal intensity to perceive that the sound has doubled from just using the 1 speaker........ARGH! Did I muddy the waters more? Sorry!

I can't answer anything about wiring up speakers. I just happen to know little about sound and sound perception that might help you figure out the perceived loudness you want to achieve.

I bow humbly out of the discussion now. I am not an engineer so anything more complicated than this is way out of my league.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Severin said:


> I think these are the item
> 
> RadioShack Headphone amps
> 
> Item 33-1109


Thanks! I'll check 'em out.


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