who uses two sets of stereo speakers?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Gi54, May 2, 2021.

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  1. Gi54

    Gi54 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Scotland
    From same amp for different SQ and musical experience.

    What do you have? What different SQs are you achieving?

    Do you have an amp with A + B outputs, a seperate cable switch or switch over cable each time?
     
  2. ZB79

    ZB79 Active Member

    Location:
    Fountain Valley
    Howdy, Yes, I'm surprised more don't.

    I use 2 sets both 2 way,
    Large bookshelf. A: for Jazz B: for Classical, A+B for Rock & Soul.

    A is warm mellow not bright (but hi's are adjustable)
    B is well rounded with a bit of punch and the hi's make cymbals and violins sing!

    I've never been happier and have no need to upgrade or replace. :wiggle:


    These are both considered mid - high grade budget speakers.

    Cheers.
     
    grbluen and Mindhead1 like this.
  3. Henry J

    Henry J If you get confused, listen to the music play

    Location:
    Asbury Park, NJ
    Yeah. Here too.
    Each set has their own amp.
    I listen to mostly live music. I will take a room full of sound over a Soundstage.
    Plus I am always moving about and working in the room.
    I can simply not turn on an amp if I want pure 2ch, but more and more these days all 4 speakers are firing.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  4. matrix-6

    matrix-6 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I use two sets with a Yamaha A-S1100.

    P3ESRs for studio/monitor SQ.

    Heresey IIIs for outdoor/live SQ.

    Love them both. The P3ESRs sound tight and concise, the Hereseys sound live and full of energy. I liken the P3ESRs as being in the studio with the musicians and the Hereseys as being at a live venue - there's a bit more "open air" to the sound.
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2021
    Gi54 and kaikki on aivan jees like this.
  5. Mister Charlie

    Mister Charlie "Music Is The Doctor Of My Soul " - Doobie Bros.

    Location:
    Aromas, CA USA
    We use two sets simultaneously. A+B speakers on. Built in huge horned speakers in the wall, and two small bookshelf Polk Monitor speakers. Together it gives a balanced sound, not too bassy from the horns, not too trebley from the Polks. The amp has no problem running both sets at the same time.
     
    Bingo Bongo, grbluen and rodentdog like this.
  6. Wayne Nielson

    Wayne Nielson Forum Resident

    Location:
    My House
    I have the JBL Studio 530s as mains on one amp and JBL s109 Aquarius IV speakers (located on the side walls, even with the listening position) on another amp that has its own volume control. The amp with the volume control allows me to dial them into a near perfect 3D image with great big and deep sound stage. I think the S109s contribute more then I realize. Perfect for vinyl.
     
    grbluen likes this.
  7. csgreene

    csgreene Forum Resident

    Location:
    Idaho, USA
    I did when I was a poor college student and had two sets of crappy speakers. I figured that they would sound better together hooked up to A and B and played together. But that was then. I don't do that anymore and haven't in decades.
     
  8. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    [​IMG]
    Classical, acoustic,



    [​IMG]

    Vocals
     
  9. pdxway

    pdxway Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon, USA
    How about 4 actively used setups and two more sets less used? :D

    Actively used:
    2.1 in computer room.

    5.1 in family room.

    3.1 + 2.1 in living room.

    Less used:
    2.0 setups in two other bedrooms.
     
  10. Standingstones

    Standingstones Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Central PA
    For my main listening in the living room I use a pair of Opera Secondas and a pair of Opera Quintas. I have been two pairs of speakers for probably 35 years and I won’t go back to a single pair of speakers.
     
  11. TEA FOR ONE

    TEA FOR ONE Listening to the world one note at a time

    Location:
    Rochester,NY
    I have two systems. I rotate 3 different pairs of speakers into them. I love having the option of different flavors.
     
  12. Mindhead1

    Mindhead1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    Are those GR Research speakers?
     
  13. Mindhead1

    Mindhead1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    As of a few weeks ago I now use 2 sets of speakers. I was initially looking for a subwoofer for my Klipsch rp160m. I ended up on the RSL website and ordered a Spwedwoofer and 2 x CG25 speakers which were on sale for $325/ea.

    The sub sounds great with both sets of speakers. The RSL speakers have a warmer tone to them and I prefer them with jazz, vocal and acoustical music. The Klipsch are brighter speakers and more mid range forward and I tend to prefer them with Rock, Heavy Metal and electronic music.

    It was not my plan to use both sets of speakers, but my CXA81 has A&B outs so why not take advantage of that.

    I sometimes go A&B for a complete wall of sound, but it doesn’t sound very good.
     
    grbluen likes this.
  14. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    Yes
     
  15. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    No, I see no reason to do that...but I guess it could have it's perks. ; )
     
  16. izeek

    izeek Drums, pulleeez!

    Location:
    md
    I've always wondered how to use that A+B thing.
    Can someone explain to me how I can use A+B together, please.
    I keep seeing set-ups that look like people using 4 speakers at the same time.
    What are the advantages?
     
  17. Greg Gee

    Greg Gee "I tried to change but I changed my mind..."

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    I switch between a pair of KEF 350 bookshelves and a pair of B&W 684 towers on my second system. It's in a small room and on some titles I like the KEFs better.
    I have the KEFs placed on top of the B&Ws, and I just swap out speaker connections w/ banana plugs.
    I use a B&W 8" sub on this system.
     
  18. Mindhead1

    Mindhead1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    I have A&B speaker outs on my amp. A is for one set of speakers, B is for the other set of speakers. You can run the, both at the same time of you like.

    I think the primary use of this feature is so that you can have another set of speakers in another Zone from the same amp. For example, speakers on A are in the living room and speakers on B are outside on the Deck.
     
    warp2600 likes this.
  19. Mindhead1

    Mindhead1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    Have you posted any info on your builds? Did you use flat packs or build the cabinets yourself? How do they sound?

    I’m considering building a set of XLS Encores. Never did anything like that before. I’ll probably start with a flat pack.

    Those open subwoofers are intriguing.
     
  20. coolhandjjl

    coolhandjjl Embiggened Pompatus

    Location:
    Appleton
    If you really want to live on the edge, use the ‘Hafler Hookup’ for set B.
     
  21. motorstereo

    motorstereo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ct.
    Last "stack" I had was 2 pair of Mcintosh ml1c's. I'll admit it was fun to play around with them in different configurations. But they got sold to make room for a pair of khorns. Now that was a change.
     
  22. izeek

    izeek Drums, pulleeez!

    Location:
    md
    Thanks. Gonna give it a go.
     
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  23. Isaac McHelicopter

    Isaac McHelicopter Possession is a clue but not the game.

    Location:
    Cumbria, UK
    I use two pairs regularly, both driven by a Pioneer A-70 class D amp with A/B speaker switching. KEF LS50 for most music, where the better bass pays dividends, and Harbeth L3/5A for unsurpassed performance on spoken word. Very happy with the sound in my (rather too small) room.
     
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  24. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    Years back, I initially put two pair of tower speakers next to each other so that I could compare them. I would switch the cables back and forth.

    Afterward, I bought an electronic remote switch box. This allowed me to use one set or the other. It also allowed me to use both at the same time.

    Later, I bought a Russound AB-2.2 speaker/amp selector switch. You can see it sitting on top of the Polk LSiM707 tower.

    As the system evolved over the years, I found that I liked to always keep two pair of front tower speakers.

    (This is the old rear projection TV, which was replaced in the summer of 2017.)

    [​IMG]

    The Emotiva XPA-2, 250-Watt 72-lb. SS power amplifier, is located on the bottom shelf below the TV, on the right side. I use this amp to drive the front mains for both stereo and HT. When in HT mode, there is a matching 250-watt mono Emotiva amp that drives the center channel speaker.

    This is an overall view of the front of my former audio room. The beer is Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale. :)

    [​IMG]

    But, there's more... I use rear towers for both stereo and HT listening.

    The speaker in the corner would be the right rear HT channel.

    [​IMG]

    This would be the left rear rear HT corner, which is by the front door. The rear tower speakers in the photos are Klipsch Icon series WF-35's. They were later replaced by Boston Acoustics M-350 towers.

    [​IMG]

    A separate SS amp drives the rear towers. When I use them for stereo listening, I reverse them. This way, the front left stereo channel is playing through the right rear tower and vice versa.

    I also find that having a large immersive listening experience, trumps the "imaging" experience that you get from only a single stereo pair of speakers.

    Like you, I can move about almost anywhere in the room and experience an incredible sound stage.

    Quite true, amps and speaker pairs can be turned on and off individually. The volume of each amp can be individually adjusted.

    The main central point of control, is provided by the Peachtree iNova. It is used as a source selector, ESS Saber DAC and Class-A SS preamp. All power amps are outboard.

    [​IMG]

    The bottom integrated controls the master volume. The amp above it controls either the volume of the rear speakers or the headphones.

    The headphones are Hi-FI Man HE-400 planer open back headphones.

    You will note the black wired remote analog volume control. It controls yet a third amp / speaker pair.

    There are additional tube amps are located behind the TV.
     
    Henry J likes this.
  25. mds

    mds Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    Not exactly the way you are describing but I have a 5.1 system which I enjoy primarily for TV and my 5.1 CDs with. This approach is played through the surround sound processor, however when I want to listen to serious 2-channle music I have a preamplifier hooked up that has a Home Theater by-pass and this ignores the surround sound process, the middle, rear and subwoofers. The 2-channel preamplifier is of a much higher grade so the sound in 2-channel really improves and those 2 front channel speakers sound like a different set of speakers.
     
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