XLR Ys

[Call911]

Hello all,

Might be a silly question, but I have a bunch of amps I need to connect together so they all receive the same signal. If I just use XLR Ys, would this lower the signal strength? One side of my head is telling me if you split the signal, you half the signal. The other side of my head is saying no, it just splits it.

In case I wasn't clear, I have 6 amps that are 2-channel. They go to about 20 speakers in a gym. They are all getting the same feed, I just need to figure out the best way to get the feed to them. They also have Phoenix connectors.

Thanks!

 

[avkid]

You may not need to use Y cables at all.
What model(s) are the amps?

 

[Call911]

Qsc cx1102

 

[museav]

On the back of the QSC CX series two channel amps are a bank of 10 dip switches. Setting switches 4, 5 and 6 up and switch 7 down puts the amps in Parallel mode where either input feeds both channels, just run the signal into the Channel 1 input of the amp and it will feed both channels that signal. You should be able to then 'daisy chain' wire from one amp to another. In other words, wire to Channel 1 of Amp 1, then 'daisy chain' to Channel 1 of Amp 2, then from there to Channel 1 of Amp 3 and so on with all amps set in Parallel mode. With an input impedance of 12,000 Ohms, six amps in parallel is still a total 2,000 Ohm impedance.

 

[Call911]

Thanks. I knew of the dip switches and have the amps set to parallel. I just wasn't sure if the xlr inputs were attached together then.

So I'll hook my main send into amp1 channel1, then go from amp1 channel2 into amp2 channel1, and repeat.

Thanks!

 

[Chris15]

Thanks. I knew of the dip switches and have the amps set to parallel. I just wasn't sure if the xlr inputs were attached together then.

So I'll hook my main send into amp1 channel1, then go from amp1 channel2 into amp2 channel1, and repeat.

Thanks!

Erm, I'm not sure you quite understood what Brad was saying here...
I don't believe Brad was saying to feed amp 2 channel 1 from amp 1 channel 2, rather to have 2 cables in the connector for amp 1 channel 1, one of which becomes one of the 2 cables into amp 2 channel 1 and so forth...

 

[museav]

Erm, I'm not sure you quite understood what Brad was saying here...
I don't believe Brad was saying to feed amp 2 channel 1 from amp 1 channel 2, rather to have 2 cables in the connector for amp 1 channel 1, one of which becomes one of the 2 cables into amp 2 channel 1 and so forth...

That depends on the amp. The method Chris describes where you daisy-chain from Input 1 on one amp to Input 1 on the next amp should always work. However, some amps do actually connect the inputs in parallel and allow you to daisy chain through them.

 

[Chris15]

That depends on the amp. The method Chris describes where you daisy-chain from Input 1 on one amp to Input 1 on the next amp should always work. However, some amps do actually connect the inputs in parallel and allow you to daisy chain through them.

Urgh, what lousy design. If you are going to do it, you should do it after the input buffers for a variety of reasons...

 

[Call911]

I actually just ended up using the Ys and it worked perfectly. Six amps all getting the same send.